Operation Super Library-An Update!

Pupil Power!!

Just like lots of the other great committees at Oakwood, the ECC team are helping to create a brighter, more exciting environment for children's learning.

Their ideas on how to improve the library are already having an impact-Mr Taylor has been shopping!!!! The library now has lots of brightly coloured rugs to sit on while children become engrossed in the exciting books around them.

Mr Taylor was also impressed with their other ideas. He is already looking into getting a computerised system which will enable children and parents to access library information at home.

Further news to follow!! Well done ECC!!

Talking to Tom!

Some of our pupils met Tom Daley, the Olympic Diver, earlier this year...

But, they actually didn't! It only looks like they did!

Southampton City Catering asked our children to come up with questions for Tom about his life, his sport and his training. They then came in and filmed the children asking the questions. Tom's busy schedule meant he answered the questions while away on training and then the two bits of film were cleverly joined together!

The questions about how Tom eats a healthy diet were particularly important considering how school lunches are a really good, healthy, balanced meal!

Watch the question below...



...and then head to the City Catering website to see the rest!

There are about 30 short videos altogether - half of them are Oakwood pupils. Everyone who asked a question got a signed photo of Tom - they were great ambassadors for the school!

Year 4 TASC Day

On Thursday, Year 4 had a very special day. We were in charge of our learning for the whole day! We chose our group, our activity and our end product. This was to encourage Thinking Actively in a Social Context (TASC).

We had a TASC wheel to help us structure our thinking, which includes sections such as "generate", "decide" and "communicate".

The topic title for the day was "Take a Seat", but no boring chairs for us! We had cinemas (including a luxury cinema that seated only one person in luxury surroundings!), play parks, rollercoasters, office chair advertisements, rockets... We really let our imaginations free with some fantastic results!



At the end of the day we presented our end products to the rest of the group and evaluated our learning.

Our teachers were very impressed with our attitude, co-operation skills, communication skills and our creative thinking!

Girls' Football Team Success!

Congratulations to the Girls’ Football team who continue to have a very successful season. They have won four out of their 5 league matches so far and yesterday secured a 1-1 draw v Tanners Brook Junior. It is very likely that they will finish top of their league. They have really progressed in their skills this year and we are all very proud of them.

Thank you to Gary Davison, for the time he gives to train the team and referee the matches and to the parents for their support. A really big 'Well done' to Emily, Caitlan, Amy, Megan, Katie, Jessica, Katie, Chloe and Olivia.

Super Separating in Year 6 Science!

Year 6 had a fantastic time separating mixtures and solutions this afternoon!

We had to choose the best equipment to separate:

1. Sand and cold water
2. Soil and leaves
3. Warm water and sugar/salt

We had to decide to use filtration, evaporation or a sieve. Oli, 6CD, concluded that "sieves are really good for separating different sized solids, filter paper separates liquids from solids easily, and evaporation can be used to separate solids which have dissolved in a liquid."

We also discussed the EFFICIENCY of separation methods. We decided that you could separate tea leaves from tea water by evaporation but it wouldn't be efficient - "the tea would go cold and you wouldn't be able to drink it immediately" realised Cameron. "It would be more efficient to use filter paper" he decided.

Take a look at all the super scientists in year 6!

Festival of sport for Year 6 pupils

26 lucky Year 6 children took part in the Oasis Academy Multisports Festival last Wednesday. Shirley Warren Primary and Fairisle Junior also brought groups of Year 5/6 pupils to take part in the event organised by Jon Cook of the Southampton Sports Partnership.

Activities included badminton, trampolining and a game of Kwik Cricket.

It was a great afternoon of sport!

Every child is to receive a medal in a school assembly in recognition of their participation.

We hope that there will also be an article about this event in the Summer edition of the Southampton Sports Partnership newsletter.

Make the jump!

On Tuesday, Lee and Scott, skipping coaches from Skip-Hop, came to Oakwood to get our pupils skipping for fun and fitness.

Every class took part in a skip-hop workshop where they learned a selection of moves, including individual moves, double-dutch, long rope, and partner skipping. To finish the day off, there was a whole school assembly with a floor show of the skills learned during the day, performed by children chosen from each workshop.

Every child received a sticker to show appreciation for their participation. Winners from class competitions received certificates.

We hope that the data collected from the competitions will be put forward for ‘virtual competitions’ to compare our results with other schools and youth groups.



We will also be encouraging children and adults to skip for fun and fitness, and to re-introduce traditional skipping games back into the school playground and lunchtime activities.

Many children have already bought skipping ropes and are using them in school.

If you would still like to buy a skipping rope, please bring your order and cheques, made payable to "skip-hop Ltd" by Friday 27 March. Speed skipping ropes are £3.50. Special adult ropes are available at a cost of £4.50 each.

If you would like more information about skip-hop, you can visit their website.

We are really glad to say that everyone had a fantastic time skipping!

Flashy New Wipe Boards!

In Year 3, we have had some very different whiteboards!

Before, we had old boring whiteboards that got dirty and broken. They also got scratched and the pen marks got smudged in.

Now, we have new ones and you can slip papers in and they don't break! If Miss Dowle says "Please get a Talk It, Solve It sheet," you can put it inside the whiteboard and you don't need to write on the paper. This means that you can use the Talk It, Solve It again. That will save on paper and trees and on photocopying.



The plastic on the new whiteboards is transparent,and the outside of the whiteboards is a special stitched plastic that has been sewn in.

There are 5 different colours: pink, blue, yellow, green and orange.

We really think they are amazing!

by Liam and James

Ngutana-Lui...

Hello!

How is everyone at Oakwood? I hope Spring is in the air for you all now. I'm still having trouble with the heat here in Brisbane....I wish I could lie in the trees all day like the koalas do!

Yesterday I had a very exciting day as I accompanied my hosts on a school excursion to Ngutana-Lui, an Aboriginal and Islander Cultural Studies Centre. Ngutana-Lui is the aboriginal word meaning 'to learn'.

I had a fantastic day learning all about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. I had a go at throwing a boomerang (I wasn't very good!) They made it look so easy! I had the opportunity to hear the didgeridoo. It was interesting to learn that only the men are allowed to play this. I also got to learn about some Australian plants which the aboriginals use as medicine and watch the kids have their faces painted.



Next week I am going on school camp! I am going to a place called Tallabudgera on the Gold Coast. I think I am able to go canoeing, raft building and use the rope swing bridges in the trees. I can't wait!

Bye for now,

Oscar.

Radio BTTF

Yesterday, the Back to the Future committee created our very own radio show! We interviewed all of the committees to find out what they were up to.

Check it out below