Wednesday, 30 November 2011

Christmas Games for all on SWGfL Merlin

The '12 Games of Christmas Game' is now available for all pupils to play through SWGfL Merlin. This features 12 educational games and activities for children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The games have a value of £29.99 and we hope that you will enjoy playing them free through SWGfL Merlin. P.S - If you have forgotten your login details, please see Mrs. Dukes in the Library or Mr. Spracklen who will happily get you a fresh copy.

OLYMPIC TORCH HAND OVER

On Monday 28th November 2011, pupils from our school took the DASP Olympic Torch to Manor Park. Carrying banners proclaiming the Olympic values, we walked across town to deliver the Torch. As we passed Dorchester Middle School, we were cheered on by all the pupils who had come out of lesson to see us. On our walk we were accompanied by members of the Thomas Hardye Student Voice. A large number of Manor Park children welcomed us on our arrival and watched the handover of the Torch.

Monday, 28 November 2011

Olympic Fun

Well done to the children in Year 3 who made a great effort to learn some of those Olympic Facts last week.
We had an enjoyable week working on the Olympic theme. Gold medals for the whole class!

Wednesday, 23 November 2011

Wonderful Maths Homework.

Thank you Tom Stevens and Thomas Hoskins for some wonderful measuring homework.  Tom has weighed various items around his house and taken digital photographs of the measurements he found and the objects he weighed.  He even found that a tiny lego figure weighed just 4g.  Thomas has been using his measuring skills around the farm and provided me with the recipe for preparing feed for the cattle!  Wow, Thomas, don't they eat a lot!

DASP Olympic Torch Arrives

Today (23/11/11) we received the DASP Olympic torch which is making its way around all the schools in the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership. Today children from St Mary’s Dorchester shared with us some of their learning about the Olympics. On Monday (28/11/11) November some of our children will be making their way across town to Manor Park. We shall be working with some of their classes and passing on the work we have done in making our banners. All of this will be filmed by students from Thomas Hardye School. For more information on the torch relay visit the dedicated page on the DASP website: http://www.dasp.org.uk/daspolympictorch.htm. Mr. Spracklen

MARK NEWTON - PARALYMPIC MEDALIST VISITS

Today Mark Newton, former pupil of Maiden Castle School visited us. Mark competed at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, winning a bronze medal in the 4 X 100m relay. Mark, who has cerebral palsy, led an assembly with Mr. Spracklen and unveiled a special piece of art work that the pupils in Year 2 have created. The work includes a picture of mark made of all the images of pupils in Year 2 using a mosaic effect. Mark inspired us to think about what we could become if we are determined enough. Following the assembly, Mark worked with unit roll and other pupils on a special PE session led by Mrs. Hibberd. Mark also visited each class and had a picture taken. We now all very inspired! Mr. Spracklen

Monday, 21 November 2011

Olympic Facts - Home Learning

I have given the children a piece of writing about the Olympic Games. For their home learning this week I have asked them to try to learn some facts that are mentioned on the sheet so that they can take part in an "Olympic Quiz" on Friday afternoon. (They should not learn the countries where previous Games have taken place; apart from the first one- Athens 1896 and -also London 1948)
They will also be given some time in school to read the text with their "Reading Groups".

Here is a copy of the text:

 Modern Olympic Games – Some interesting facts



The best amateur athletes in the world match skill and endurance in a series of contests called the Olympic Games. Almost every nation sends teams of selected athletes to take part.


The purposes of the Olympic Games are to foster the ideal of a "sound mind in a sound body" and to promote friendship among nations.


The modern Olympic Games are called the “Olympic Games” because of athletic contests held in ancient Greece.


They were banned in AD 394 but were revived and made international in 1896.


They take place every four years.


The Winter Games were added in 1924.


World War I forced cancellation of the Olympics in 1916.


World War 2 forced cancellation in 1940, and 1944.


After 1992, the “Winter” and “Summer” Games were no longer held within the same calendar year.


Winter Games were scheduled for 1994, after only a two-year interval, and every four years thereafter.


The Summer Games were scheduled for 1996, and every four years thereafter.


In most events men and women do not compete together against each other.


Summer and Winter Sports - more facts for you


Summer sports include archery, basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian events (horseback riding), fencing, field hockey, gymnastics, handball, judo, rowing, shooting, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, weight lifting, wrestling, and yachting.


Winter events include skating, skiing, bobsledding, luge, tobogganing, ice hockey, and the biathlon (skiing-shooting).


The Decathlon (from the Greek words deka, meaning "ten," and athlon, "contest"). Contestants compete in ten different running, jumping, and throwing events. The athlete scoring the greatest total number of points is the winner. The Pentathlon, consisting of five such events- based upon five military skills--fencing, riding, running, shooting, and swimming. The Marathon race, covering 26 miles 385 yards, honors the ancient Greek runner Pheidippides, who ran from Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory against the Persians.

DM