Olympic Fortnight – Poetry

Olympic Fortnight started yesterday with an opening ceremony in which a torch was brought into the hall. Elyse was the torch-bearer for Class AS. Today the children have worked on creating their own Olympic poems. The children were given complete freedom to use the style of their choice so kennings, limericks, haikus, acrostics and rhyming poems were all produced. There will be more poems added tomorrow, but here is today’s selection.

 

Beth Tweddle by Lily 

The Olympics is not far away

And Beth Tweddle is training hard all day

Going for the Olympic gold

Training thirty-six hours a week, very bold!

 

Training to be so amazingly fit

After her injury, she`s praying a bit!

Been doing gymnastics since she was six

Crowds of supporters watching, taking some pics!

 

Beth Tweddle`s courage gives her a shot

To her fans and supporters, she’s got the lot!

Far into the night she trains, it is said

While everyone else is asleep in their bed!

 

Olympic Games by Katie and Abi

Out in the open

Leaping past my competitors

You know I will win!

My feet are running like the speed of light

Power is all I can think of

I hear the cheers of the crowd, shouting my name

Can I really win?

 

Got to win the gold

All I can see is the high pole

My feet are ready to bounce off the ground

Each second is ticking by

Staring eyes focusing on me, the crowd hushes. This is my moment to shine.

The Olympic Torch by James

Powerful, deadly

It can burn you in seconds

So you’d better run

It is as gold as golden dust

Passing on to other people

You fly around the world

Nadia  Comanci by Emily

 

Nadia wondered across the stadium

As confident as can be

Darting over to the uneven bar

In a second, jumped on and flipped

After that, she jumped off

 

Careful as can be

On the other hand,

Major screams and cheers

And also she got Gold!

Not Silver, Bronze, but Gold!

Everyone shouted when it was announced.

Can also very easily

Identify a real Champion like her.

The Olympic Torch by Georgina

The Torch that is lit by the sun,

Brings lots of laughter and fun,

It travels far and wide,

For 70 days, alight.

The Torch is lit by an Olympic hero,

Who has shown off his skills,

Never scores zero!

The Torch was designed by Edward and Jay,

Who make Olympics fun this year!

The Olympic Torch shines and brings good luck,

To all the Olympians taking part.

 

Usain Bolt by Joshua and Harry       

 

Usain is insane

See’s everything as a race track

Away he goes like lightning

Is always determined to win

Night time comes, but not for him

Bolt’s out training, forgets his drink

On the way to victory once again

Lights up the crowd as he finishes the race

Takes the gold medal and sprints back home

 

The Olympic Torch by Susie

 

You travel so far

In everything to aeroplanes to cars

With a sparkle so bright

For you are the famous light

 

You shine yellow, orange and red

So people travel from their beds

To see just a gleam

Of your heavenly beam

 

So special you seen

A little fire sending beams

Sending peoples joy a light

Shining in people’s memories bright

 

Waking people from their slumber

Making people stare in wonder

All the way through the night

Reaching dreams of amazing heights

 

Many miles to be run

Heated by the powerful sun

Many people tired and hot

Holding the torch in their slot

Usain Bolt by Alex M

There is still a man called Usain

Who came to Britain on a plane

He’s faster than a bullet

He runs like a rocket

So his speed could blow out a flame.

 

The 100 metres by Oliver

 

 

Bang goes the gun

As I start my final race

They’re starting to catch me

I’ve got to beat the pace

 

I’ve got to go even quicker

Or I’ll just get caught

And I won’t let that happen

After all I’ve fought

 

Now we’re all sprinting

I’m further in the lead

Nothing will ever stop me

I’m going to succeed

 

As I cross the finish line

It takes a whole lap to stop

We stand up on the podium

I’m at the very top!

 

Qualifying by Elyse

Step forward on my mark

Shouts of support pump my heart

Blurry track straight ahead

Can’t concentrate, clear my head

Muscles twitch want to go

Want to run, but head says “No”

Need to win, I really do

If I don’t, I wont go through

Glance to my right, opponents stand

Poised like rubber bands

Sun is hot, sky is blue

Sweat trickles down, and dampens my shoe

BANG! The gun fires we leap off our marks

The crowd screams and shouts, happy as Larks

I skim ahead, wind in my hair

I don’t know what’s happening, who what and where

As I surge forward I feel I can fly

I feel so light, I feel so high

Is it a dream? I am not sure

But I`ve finished first place, don’t need to run any more

Jog to my team mates “AMAZING !” they cry

But the finals already begin to loom in my mind

 

 

 

All good things come to those who wait – Letters from Kafuro

On Thursday we were visited by Johan & Peter Welsh, who gave a presentation to the Lower School before giving a talk to the whole school at assembly time. They had brought back with them a short film about Kafuro which the children will watch one day during assembly time. They also brought back replies to letters that the children had written two years ago when they were in Class BG. There was a great deal of excitement when the letters were handed out and the children look forward to sending replies when Mr Stanley goes out to Kafuro at the end of July. PDFs of the letters are attached below.

Letter to Korban

letter to Abi E

Letter to Jake

Letter to Susie

Letter to Will R

Letter to Abi P

Letter to Harry

Letter to Charlotte

Letter to Susie 2

Letter to John

Letter to Will W

Letter to Jake 2

 

Basketball

Class AS have been lucky enough to have another series of lessons with basketball coach, Alex. This week we have been working on shooting skills with Harry winning the class shoot-out against Elyse in the final.

 

Ancient Greek Non – Chronological report: Red Group

The Ancient Olympics

 

The Ancient Olympics started in 776BC in Olympia and were held every four years in honour of Zeus, king of the gods. The games were held in memory of the Greek hero, Pelops.

Many impressive buildings were built for the games including sports facilities for the competitors and spectators. The Olympic Games were so important all wars were stopped until the games were over. Like today the games were held every four years and were supposed to unite the different people taking part in them. In Ancient Greece only Greek people were allowed to take part in the games as they were often at war.

 

The Olympic Games provided an opportunity for competition without anyone losing face. Every competitor had to arrive at Olympia at least one month before the games so that their training could be finished while being watched by the officials. The games were held for five days and they were in August or September

 

Clothing

In the Olympic Games the warriors wore their armour for running and they also had to carry their weapons as well.

If you weren’t a warrior then you wore a robe or even nothing at all.

 

Nudity

In Ancient times Nudity became the ruling in fifteenth Olympiad held in 720BC. Rules had been changed so they knew if it was a man or woman competing.

 

The Events

Wrestling

In wrestling there were three main events. In the first one, upright wrestling, an athlete had to throw his opponent three times to win.. The second type of wrestling was called ground wrestling. The contest carried on until one man gave in. The third, called the pankration and was the most dangerous as any tactic apart from biting and eye gouging was permitted.

Running

This was the oldest event in the Olympics. The track was 192m long and made of clay covered with sand. There were three main events: the stade (one length of the track), the diaulos (two lengths) and the dolichos (twenty or twenty four lengths).

Boxing

A boxing contest clould last for several hours and was only decided when an athlete lost consciousness or conceded defeat. Athletes would have targeted most of their blows at an opponent’s head, virtually any blow with the hand was permitted. At first the contestants’ hands were bound and later boxing gloves were developed.

The Pentathlon

The Pentathlon was a competition consisting of five athletic events such as running, wrestling, jumping, discus and javelin throwing. The Pentathlon was designed to finds the best all – round athlete. The Pentathlon was a very demanding competition which required great strength and endurance.

 

Winners and prizes

Winners were presented with an olive wreath, palm branches and woollen ribbons. They also had a statue made in their honour. On the fifth day of the Olympics some of the prizes were given. The idea of the games was that athletes should seek only the honour of competing and the personal glory of winning. By the fifth century BC some athletes were professionals. They made their living by representing the city states at the various games. Athletes could also reap many material rewards.

 

A city gained prestige by sponsoring a successful athlete, and would pay him well. Prizes were simple. The overall winner won a simple crown of wild olive, their names were recorded and they were allowed to wear purple robes like a king.

 

Woman

In Ancient Greece woman could not compete and were not allowed to play in the Olympics. Married woman couldn’t even go closer to Olympia during the Games. The one married woman who could present was the priestess of Demeter who represented the Goddess of the Game. Games could not take place without her. Woman found out at the Olympics would be thrown off the cliff. Woman must have been allowed to take part of the games because the Spartan princess  Kyniska became the first female Olympic champion.

 

 

Modern Olympics

The Ancient Olympics ended by 395AD when Olympia was destroyed by two violent earthquakes. In AD 1896 the Frenchman, Baron Pierre de Coubertin organised the first modern Olympics. Some ancient traditions have been observed such as the torch relay and the lighting of the Olympic flame.

 

Conclusion

The Olympics started in 776BC but it did not survive the ancient world for long.

In 4AD the people thought that the games were going against god.

In 395AD Olympia was destroyed by two violent earthquakes.

However the Olympics started again in 1896 and still thrive today.

Theseus & the Minotaur – The Dance

This term in dance we have been looking at Theseus and the Minotaur. Each week we have created, practised and evaluated a different part of the dance, then today we put it all together and performed it as a whole.

There are six scenes to the dance:
1) King Aegeus choosing the victims for the Minotaur
2) The journey across the sea to Crete
3) Entering the labyrinth
4) Fighting the Minotaur
5) Exiting the labyrinth and leaving Ariadne on Naxos
6) Returning home and the suicide of Aegeus.

The children worked in four groups:
1) Alex M, Oliver, Alex C, Jack, Josh NB, Elias and Cameron
2) Elyse, Katie, Lily, Kirsten, Charlotte, Susie, Abi E and Abi P
3) Will R, Will C, Will W, James, Ben, Harry, Korban and Jake
4) John, Emma, Madeleine, Lucy, Eve, Josh F, Georgina and Emily

All files can be played with Quicktime

Theseus & the Minotaur Group 1
Theseus & the Minotaur Group 2
Theseus & The Minotaur Group 3
Theseus & the Minotaur Group 4

Theseus and the Minotaur newspaper articles

Journalistic writing is one of the most difficult things that children have to learn, so we have spent a lot of time this week studying newspaper reports and writing our own. We use the story of Theseus and the Minotaur as a stimulus as the class is now very familiar with the myth. The children had to pick part of the story and give it the newspaper treatment, quite often with bias. Articles are now available to download below with more to follow.

Dumped – Katie

Minotaur killed – Will C

Abandoned – Lily

I can fly – Oliver

Death of our beloved king – James

Trouble with a princess – Eve

Cruel Killing – Madeline

Jilted – Lucy

The terrified man – Josh F

Minotaur dead – Josh NB

Aegeus is dead – Harry

 

Quick escape – Abi E

Abandoned – Abi P

Escape – Georgina

Cretans are cretins – John

Hysterical – Elyse

Selfish Theseus – Will R

Escape – Emma

The role of women in Greek society

Today, in History, we have been looking at the role of women in Greek society. Over the past few weeks we have examined a great deal of evidence from Greek pots. Today we composed some writing to explain what we had found out. We tried to ensure we made clear what class of women we were talking about, highlighting the lack of evidence and also expressing uncertainty at the evidence we have. Harry and James worked with Mr Stanley. Here’s their explanation.

 

 

We do not know a great deal about Greek women because most of the evidence is about men. For instance, the majority of Greek vases depict the lives of men or gods rather than women.

 

We do know from vases that rich women had slaves and their jobs involved a lot of work both inside and outside the house such as collecting wool and then making clothes. Also, from reading Greek plays, we know that rich women were rarely allowed to leave the house. They could get into trouble with their husbands if they did so. Rich women had the responsibility of taking care of the children by making sure that they were well fed and educated. Girls did not attend school. They were taught how to spin and weave and look after their house by their mothers. Again, evidence from vases suggests that wealthier women were taught how to read and write.

 

Poor women had more reason to leave the house because they would not have slaves. We know from looking at a vase that they would place vases on their heads and take them to the fountain in order to get water. If the vase was upright it would be full of water, if it was on its side, then it would be empty. Poor women might have to earn money outside the home. This might involve working as a musician, dancer, cook, cleaner, nanny or even a barmaid.

A woman spinning

Rich women and their slaves

Women collecting water from a fountain

A woman making bread

Red group’s biography of Alexander the Great

This week in Literacy we have been working on our own biography’s of the famous Greek king, Alexander the Great. We examined his life and tried to write biographies in the third person, past tense, with good connectives and some of our opinions. Korban, Harry, Josh F, James and Kirsten all worked hard to produce this biography.

 

I can write a biography of Alexander the Great

The life of Alexander the Great has been told many times and he is clearly a very famous historical figure. But what made him so great? Why is he still talked about today, over 2000 years after his death? To answer this question and many more we need to explore his life story fully.

Alexander was born in 356BC, the son of Philip II of Macedonia, this is where he grew up. When he was twenty his dad was murdered and he became king. It was potentially a problem for Alexander becoming king at such a young age because there were many enemies in the surrounding countries who thought he would be a weak king. However, Alexander was determined to prove everyone wrong.

Alexander set his sights on becoming the greatest leader in the world. We know he was serious about conquering Asia because of an incident in a temple in the town of Gordium. There was a special rope with a knot in it and it was said that whoever could untie the knot would conquer Asia. Alexander took out his sword and instead of untying the knot, cut it off instead with a single blow.

His first step was to take on the Persian empire of King Darius. He took 35,000 troops into Asia Minor to attack the Persians. His first big victory over King Darius was at the battle of the River Granicus. Over the next two years he kept defeating Darius. One of the towns he captured was near the mouth of the River Nile in Egypt. He renamed it Alexandria after himself, giving a clear indication that he was a strong leader who wanted to be known around the world.

By 331BC Alexander had continued to win more battles. Furthermore, he had King Darius on the run. After a major battle at Gaugamela in which Alexander defeated Darius and his men, the unfortunate Darius was murdered by his own people because they were disappointed by his defeats to Alexander. After this, Alexander was crowned King of Persia.

After becoming King of Persia, Alexander inherited a large, well-trained army with high morale ready to invade India. A year later the Indian King, Porus, was defeated by Alexander at the Battle of the River Hydaspes. Porus was taken prisoner, however because Alexander was a fair man and he felt Porus had fought so bravely he gave him back to his people. This was the same place that his horse, Bucephalus, died. Alexander was devastated because he felt the horse was a good luck charm in so many of his battles and had carried him through. In memory of his horse he named a town after Bucephalus.

The great leader, Alexander planned to make Babylon the capital of his new empire but before he could do this he died of a fever in 323BC. His soldiers were allowed to go through his room one by one to say farewell to the great King.

The wise King, Alexander never lost a battle and looked after his men wisely, he was named Alexander the Great. His name lives on and is shown in many places, such as the Roman mosaic in Pompeii depicting the Battle of Issus.

Olympic and Paralympic Values

In PSHE we have been looking at the Olympic and Paralympic values. They underpin the philosophy of Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics. In class we watched a short film about the Olympic and Paralympic values and then made our own posters to promote them. The values are as follows:

• respect – fair play; knowing one’s own limits; and taking care of one’s health and the environment
• excellence – how to give the best of oneself, on the field of play or in life; taking part; and progressing according to one’s own objectives
• friendship – how, through sport, to understand each other despite any differences

The Paralympic Values are based on the history of the Paralympic Games and the tradition of fair play and honourable sports competition.

They are:

• courage
• determination
• inspiration
• equality.

Some of the children’s posters are shown below.

Respect by Harry

Inspiration by Elyse

Friendship by Georgina

Determination by Susie

Friendship by Charlotte

Friendship by Katie

 

Sand fairy: Red group description

 

The sand fairy

 

 

 

The sand fairy looks like a goblin which can change colours. It looks scary, but at the same time you don’t want to run away.

 

Surprisingly, he has bright green eyes. Of course the sand fairy was covered in sand from head to toe. Fluffy like a teddy bear, rough as a rock, soft as a jelly. Curiously, he reminded me of Yoda when he chatted. He makes the sound of crunching stones as he walks. The sand fairy is sandy and furry like a teddy bear left in a sand pit. Smelly like an old dish cloth,looking like a grandpa with a wrinkles and sharp pony ears, he’s got long whiskers that flow above his mouth.