🌟 What a Week! A Performance to Be Proud Of 🌟
What a week it has been! We have worked incredibly hard in the lead-up to our big performance, and we are so proud to say that the children did an amazing job. Everyone remembered their lines, spoke loudly and clearly, and used big actions on stage. Most importantly, they shone with confidence.
As a class, we worked together to put on the show—just like the children in the story, who also had to rely on one another. Each student played an important role, and we depended on teamwork to make the performance a success. The children shared ideas for their lines, helped shape parts of the play, designed and decorated their own crowns, and chose their costumes. We spent a lot of time practising together and expressing ourselves through both performance and dance.
The teachers are all so proud of our students, and we are sure you are too. Most importantly, we want the children to feel proud of themselves and recognise how their hard work paid off. Please be sure to give them lots of praise, especially highlighting the effort they put in along the way.
Here are a couple of pictures I took backstage, and some other teachers managed to snap. Unfortunately we were very busy and I couldn’t take many pictures. If you have any good pictures or videos from the performance, please share them with us!
✏️ Phonics & Writing
Alongside our performance practice, we also continued our learning in phonics and writing. This week we focused on “ee” (what can you see?), practising through reading cards and activities.
🎵 Phonics song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgsdaqN6OEM
📖 Reading cards:
https://wordwall.net/resource/1984528/ee
🎉 New Year Traditions Around the World 🌍
With New Year over the holiday, here are some traditions from around the world. Many cultures celebrate the New Year by wishing for luck and good fortune, and over time, lots of interesting traditions have developed around this idea.
Lucky foods at New Year include:
- Japan: Toshikoshi soba for long life and good luck
- Spain: 12 grapes at midnight—one for each month
- USA (Southern states): Black-eyed peas for prosperity
- Italy: Lentils, which look like coins and symbolise wealth
- Philippines: Round foods and polka dots for luck and money
In many countries, loud noises such as fireworks, bells, or even banging pots and pans are believed to chase away bad spirits. In Denmark, people jump off chairs at midnight to “leap” into good luck!
🧹 A Fresh Start
In many cultures, families clean their homes before New Year’s Day to sweep away bad luck and welcome a fresh start. Interestingly, in some places, cleaning on New Year’s Day is thought to be unlucky, as it might sweep away good fortune instead!
🥂 Fun and Unusual Customs
Some New Year traditions are especially fun:
- Scotland (Hogmanay): “First-footing” — the first visitor after midnight brings luck
- Brazil: Wearing white and jumping seven waves for good luck
- Colombia: Running around the block with an empty suitcase to invite travel
- Greece: Smashing a pomegranate at the door for abundance
How will you celebrate this new tears? What traditions will you take part in? Perhaps your child could make a drawing, write a sentence and/or take a picture/video to show their friends at school how they celebrated.
🎶 Songs & Videos We Enjoyed
Here are some of the songs and videos the children enjoyed this week:
- I Like Cake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47CTskVOCdA - Days of the Week https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XzNRBRNU7E
- Pingu the Penguin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWBTH7nR2JE - Mr Bean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UCRNldC3s
It has been a busy, exciting, and rewarding week. Thank you, as always, for your continued support—we are so proud of everything the children are achieving 🌟
