Year 1 D&T- Exploring Cutting Techniques for Food Preparation
Today in their food technology lesson, Year 1 explored two types of cutting techniques. They practised the bridge cutting technique and fork secure cutting technique. This will help them to safely and successfully prepare their fruit for their healthy breakfast pots next week.
Year 1 D&T- Food Tasting
In Design Technology this half-term, Year 1 are working towards designing and making a healthy breakfast pot. Today in their lesson, they tasted various fruits (peaches, pineapples, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, raisins and dried apricots), healthy cereals (weetabix, shreddies and special flakes) and multiple yogurts (peach, strawberry and Greek style). The children then had to record whether they liked or disliked the foods in a table. Next lesson, the children will give this table to a partner who will design a breakfast pot for them using the foods that they like. They are really looking forward to this!
Year 3- Food Technology-Developing Cutting and Peeling Skills
Over two lessons, Year 3 chefs have been building their confidence in essential food preparation skills. They worked in a carousel-style rotation, moving between different stations to practice a range of techniques. At one table, they focused on chopping, while another group worked on peeling. A third table group practised the skill of grating, allowing them to explore different textures and refine their fine motor skills. Using their developed skills, the children designed their puff pastry tarts, selecting from a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables. They also explored the nutritional benefits of different colours in food and discussed how their ingredient choices contribute to a balanced diet. In the next lesson, they will evaluate their creations, reflecting on taste, texture, presentation, and the overall success of their recipes.
The Little Craft Club
This week at The Little Craft Club, they celebrated St Patrick’s day and had lots of fun together making Irish themed crafts.
Reception Visit to Imagine That
Our Reception class visited Imagine That today. They had a brilliant time using their imagination in imagination village, creating art making magnets and bags. They also made snow and slime! The children really enjoyed the dry ice experiments and loved the science room where we got to explore and learn. It was a wonderful trip where lots of memories were made. The staff commented on the children's behaviour and how amazing they all were, what superstars! For all images, please look at our gallery: https://stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/reception-visit-to-imagine-that
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Year 3- Art- Paper Weaving- Making baskets -
Over two lessons, Year 3 budding artists created their woven baskets, selecting colours from their mood boards, tie-dye T-shirts, and other sources of inspiration. They explored the work of Anni Albers, a key figure in the Bauhaus movement, which revolutionised modern weaving techniques. The children practised weaving using paper strips, developing an understanding of key terms such as warp and weft. Once the weaving was complete, the edges were folded to form the sides of the basket, with children adjusting the height to approximately 5cm or their preferred size. The corners were then creased and stapled for stability, and a leftover weft strip was used to attach a handle. They were all pleasantly surprised with how well they turned out.
Year 3- Food Technology- Where does our food come from?
Today, Year 3 began their Food Technology unit by exploring how different foods grow in various climates. To remind ourselves, we explored the concept of climate zones, explaining that these describe the typical weather patterns of different parts of the world, including rainfall and temperature. The children discovered that the UK has a temperate climate, meaning it experiences four seasons, which affects the types of food that can be grown here. They also learned that different climates around the world allow different countries to grow specific foods. Using atlases, the children worked in pairs to locate countries where certain fruits and vegetables traditionally grow. This activity helped them understand the link between climate and food production. We also discussed how the UK’s temperate climate influences the food available to us and how this can impact our diets.
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Year 2 - Making Sandwiches
Today, year 2 made their sandwiches they had designed in their DT work. We have used our knowledge of nutrition from our science work looking at the 5 good groups: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fats and Oils, dairy and fruit and vegetables. When designing our sandwich we wanted it to be balanced and healthy. We aimed to use one item from every food group. When making our sandwiches, it was important to use the correct techniques to prepare our ingredients. We used the claw grip when cutting our vegetables and the bridge technique when cutting our sandwich in half. The final results were fantastic and the children were really proud of their work. I’m they they tasted as good as they looked.
Foodie Friends club- Valentine Biscuits
Our talented bakers created delightful Valentine’s biscuits in various heart-shaped sizes for our final Foodie Friends Club today. They measured flour and sugar, whisked eggs, rolled out the dough, and used food colouring to achieve a lovely shade of pink. The club has been a fantastic experience. Most children have enjoyed it so much that they’ve been recreating the easy bakes at home for their families.
Year 3- English-Sparking Ideas for The Iron Man
Before starting our writing unit on The Iron Man in English, Year 3 carried out a practical activity to spark creativity. Each group was given a selection of objects and asked to carefully examine them, thinking about where they might have come from and what they had in common. Working together, they sorted the objects into three categories using adjectives such as shiny, flexible, or symmetrical. The adjectives were recorded on a flipchart to build a shared word bank. Next, the children were challenged to use their objects to construct a standing structure or a flat design allowing them to be imaginative, even if their creation wasn’t functional. Some of the creations included: A Victorian Castle in the schoolyard, a Tower Made of Lego Bricks or a Mysterious Robot Afterwards, we discussed key questions before setting the main task: writing an opening paragraph for a story inspired by their creation. This activity helped them generate ideas and descriptive language before diving into The Iron Man.
Foodie Friends club- Cupcakes
Today, in Foodie Club, the bakers worked in small groups to make cupcakes. They carefully weighed the butter, flour and sugar, whisked the eggs, and followed the recipe closely to ensure a smooth and well-blended mixture. They particularly enjoyed licking the spoon and the mixing bowl.
Reception: Presentation of Learning all about Chinese New Year
This week, Reception class have learnt all about Chinese New Year. Today, they presented their knowledge to the whole school. They shared what they had made and a little bit about Chinese New Year. We learnt that this year is the year of the snake. The children made some wonderful lanterns, wrote Chinese numbers and also painted the animals from the great race. Some of the children even took part in a dragon parade. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the rest of the school Reception, we learnt lots!