Our assemblies yesterday morning were about mindfulness.  We had the opportunity to listen to some calming music, forget about problems in the past or worries about the future, and just focus on our breathing in the ‘here and now’.

Below is some music and some of the activities we tried if you want to practice at home!

1. Mindful Breathing – Sit up straight but comfortably, place you hands on your belly and breath deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Count to 3 in your head between each breath.  Feel your body move with each breath.  Listen to the sound of the air and notice how it feels.
2. Breath Star – Spread out the fingers on one hand and trace around that hand with the index finger of your other hand.  Breath in as you trace up a finger and out as you trace down.
3. Belly Buddy –  Lie down with a soft toy or cushion on your belly.  Just focus on the weight on your belly as you breath in and out and notice how the object moves.
4. Back to Back – Sit back to back with a friend or family member.  Repeat the  Mindful Breathing exercise together but this notice your partner’s breathing too.  Are you ‘in sync’?
5. Mindful Eating – Next time you eat an apple or a chocolate bar, take your time.  Breath slowly and focus on the smell of the snack, the texture and the taste.  Which parts of your body are you using to chew and swallow each mouthful?

Which activity do you like best and what do you think are the benefits of mindfulness exercises like these? Leave a comment below.

Mr P

 

Congratulations to the four children in Year 6 who received an actual golden ticket, inviting them to the Essex Schools KS2 Mathematics Competition Final!

We are very proud of these four mathematicians.  They have accomplished something very special by  believing in themselves and showing the school values of passion, aspiration and resilience in the way they approach their learning in maths.

Here’s the poem Mrs Baker read out for reflection time in assembly today.  Leave a comment below explaining what you think the message of the poem is…

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a person’s will.
It’s all in the state of the mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the person who wins
Is the person who thinks they can.

 

Lawford Mead Primary is a ‘Growth Mindset’ School.  That means we all believe that everyone can improve and achieve success through effort and determination.  That is why ASPIRATION and RESILIENCE are two of our values.

In both assemblies today we watched two music videos with lyrics that contain a growth mindset message.  We then came up with words of encouragement that we can say to our friends when we see them facing a challenge.  Here are some examples…can you add more in the comments section below…?

“Don’t give up.”

“You CAN do it!”

“Stay calm.”

“Keep on trying.”

“Believe in yourself.”

And if someone says “I can’t do it”, we say “You just can’t do it YET!”

Of course, if you are finding the learning difficult, you can say these to yourself too.

Who will you encourage this week?

Mr P

 

 

Below are the two videos about kindness we watched in our Key Stage 2 assembly.  The first explains the science of kindness and how being kind is good for YOU as well as good for other people!  The second video is an inspiring short film to help you think about the ‘chain reaction’ of kindness that YOU have the power to start!  Remember the list we came up with in assembly.  Here are some examples of those kind acts we can try at school to improve someone else’s (and our own) day…

– give a compliment or just a smile and a ‘Good morning!’

– help someone in the playground who looks lonely or if they have hurt themselves

– help someone with their with work and encourage them

– jut ask someone how they are and if they are ok if they look sad

– hold a door or carry something for someone

Leave a comment below and tell us something kind you have done (or someone has done for you) and how it felt.

Mr P

 

World Book day was rescheduled due to snow so we still had a wonderful day of reading and recommending books.  All in fabulous costumes of course!

Keep an eye out on the Highlights section and our blogs to find out more.

Leave a comment below and tell us your favourite books and authors.  I love the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis and His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman.

Mr P

P.s. Here are the poems about reading books that Mrs Baker and Mrs Wilson read to us for reflection time today…

I Opened a Book
By Julia Donaldson

I opened a book and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.
I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.

I’m wearing the cloak, I’ve slipped on the ring,
I’ve swallowed the magic potion.
I’ve fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.

I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter
And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.

I finished my book and out I came.
The cloak can no longer hide me.
My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.

Notes on the Art of Poetry
By Dylan Thomas

I could never have dreamt that there were such goings-on
in the world between the covers of books,
such sandstorms and ice blasts of words,
such staggering peace, such enormous laughter,
such and so many blinding bright lights,
splashing all over the pages
in a million bits and pieces
all of which were words, words, words,
and each of which were alive forever
in its own delight and glory and oddity and light.

 

 

 

Well done to our amazing Year 6 Maths Team! They represented Lawford Mead to compete against 12 other teams from schools in the Chelmsford area and came a fantastic 4th place! The competition was very close as there were only 4 points difference between our score and the winners’ score.

They worked together to solve a range of mathematical puzzles based on the theme of the Royal Wedding. Tasks included: solve a seating plan puzzle for the Wedding Reception; solve algebra clues to crack the safe holding the wedding rings; use ratio to create recipes for the Royal Wedding cakes; and use co-ordinates and shape knowledge to track the flight-path of the media helicopters!

Our team showed excellent co-operation, resilience and aspiration throughout the morning and we are very proud of them!

Mrs Wilson

Here are some ideas for activities to try at home whilst school is closed…

Inside:

• READ! It is Book Day after all.  We’ll reschedule Book Day activities at school as soon as possible
• Write a book review
• Design a new front cover for one of your favourite books
• Write a sequel or new chapter for a book you have enjoyed
• Look out the window and use the weather as inspiration for a story, poem, weather report or drawing
• Ask an adult for help with making a paper snowflake
• Research icicles and snowflakes.
• Visit the blogs and Highlights on our website and leave some comments.

Outside (stay warm and dry!):

• Look for footprints
• Take photos of your observations and then get in the warm to draw them
• Make a snow angel
• Build a snowman
• Collect snow in pots and time how long it takes to melt in different rooms in the house.  Which are the warmest and coldest rooms?

Leave a comment below with any ideas of your own!

Mr P

We came into celebration assembly today listening to ‘This is me’ from The Greatest Showman.

It’s a wonderful song with thought provoking lyrics about celebrating our differences and being proud of who we are. A perfect anthem for LMPS!

Below are the lyrics that Year 6 read out for reflection time and you can scroll down to listen to the song again below…

Have a great weekend.

Mr P

 

We rocked out on ‘air guitars’ in our celebration assembly today and Tyrese and George from Year 6 wrote a little poem about resilience for reflection time.  Here it is…

 

Resilience

Resilience is to never give up

If you don’t show resilience you won’t succeed

It’s one of our values you will always need

Don’t give up just because it’s the easiest option

If you do you’ll never succeed

With resilience you will always achieve

Thank you to Rhys and Shashank from Year 6 for presenting our celebration assembly today! They set a great example of passion and pride in their school.

A big thank you also goes to two more Year 6 role models, Vienna and Callum, for a fantastic reflection time poem about smiling.  Here it is…

Smile more.

Even if you’re hardcore.

It will make your day good.

Try it, you really should.

 

You could make someone’s day

by rubbing the tears away.

Simply show your smile

and theirs will grow by a mile.

 

Smiling is key.

It will help you be happy.

Nobody can stop you

so don’t let them mock you.

 

Don’t feel sad.

It will make your day bad.

If you smile more

your day won’t be a bore.