Shadow Forest

Our class read at the moment is Shadow Forest by Matt Haig. We are loving it so far!

Here is a link to the Shadow Forest website. It is full of really interesting things to find out.

I found these questions on the website. Can you answer them?

1. Norway is a very beautiful country but at first Samuel hates living there? Why do you think this is?

2. Why does Samuel shout at his sister on page 55? And at what point does his opinion change of her?

3. Martha's silence is brought on by the sudden death of her parents. Can you find an instance where her silence brings danger to both herself and Samuel?

4 Can you spot the clues that give away Samuel has visited Norway before?

Challenge areas

Here are some of the challenge areas we enjoy using in class. 

Write back and tell me which challenge areas you have used and how it has supported your learning.

How can they be improved? What else would you like to see?

Literacy and examples of guided reading activities

In literacy we have looking at stories based in an imaginary setting. Here are some photos of the literacy work, Big Write sessions and guided reading.

It was Storytelling week last week and we had fun sitting around the campfire making up stories.

Literacy: Inference and deduction

Following on from the work we did based on The Tunnel by Anthony Browne, the children looked even closer at the text and illustrations. His picture books are full to the brim with hidden clues and meaning that add to the overall story.

There are 4 clues inside each envelope belonging to a different person, here the children are working in groups to deduce who it's referring to.

What skills did you use and how did you come to your final conclusion?

Here is a link to a website about Anthony Browne

Here is a link to some more information about deduction

The Tunnel - story with a dilemma

On Tuesday we started a new unit of work based on stories with a dilemma. Because we love picture books and stories written by Anthony Browne, this was the one Mrs Warner decided to use.

Describing the main characters

The children were left in suspense when we reached the part where the girl had to make a decision about whether she would follow her brother into the tunnel.

To help understand how she might be feeling we played a game called "Conscience Alley"

The girl asking for advice from both sides

We continued to read the story and then asked each other what was on the other side of the tunnel?

What awaits the girl on the other side?

Everyone worked really hard using their imaginations and drawing on the clues in the illustrations, to work out what might be on the other side of the tunnel.

Turning the description into drawings

Partners tried to draw what was described to show the writer how well they had achieved the target of "painting a picture" for the reader.

Finally, the children peer marked the work giving it a star and a wish.

Assessing the work with a star and a wish

Some finished pieces of work,

Leave a comment about the feedback you gave to your partner or how you will act on the suggestions you received. 

A mysterious coded message arrives in Y4

During guided reading Yellow Team read Pandora's box. After a little bit of reciprocal reading, we got ready for Literacy time but before we could begin, Mr Walls had taken delivery of a very interesting chest. Once the mysterious package arrived in class the atmosphere in Y4 was electric.

Initially some children begged me not to open it, after all, Pandora had caused all sorts of trouble letting out those pesky spites.
As a class we decided to take a risk, Bailey proudly announced he was willing to sacrifice himself for us.
Cautiously we opened it ..

This is what we found inside.

Underneath the scrolls we could see a book and what looked like a map, although it was really difficult to see.

What does it say?

The map

Reading the mystery message.

Inside the drawer was a pink crystal and a small box

Another box it open, I wasn't brave enough.

The map

What is inside it?

A very anxious Mrs Warner

Now time to crack the code

Sharing code

More sharing, then it was playtime but we hadn't completed the coded message

Excited children keen to work out the message

Outside Y4

Another word cracked

A completed message

and so our adventure begins!

The mystery delivery

We are really looking forward to finding out more about the journey that awaits us. 

Who can remember the message? Write back and tell me how you feel about our adventure? Are you feeling brave, anxious, excited?

On Thursday you all designed your own MYST journals. Here are some photos of them.