Advent is almost here…

Year Two have been enjoying learning about Advent in RE for the last two weeks. As well as making our own Advent calendars, we have also found out about the more traditional Advent wreath. Advent wreaths are usually made using leaves but we loved making our own versions on Friday. Starting with a paper plate, we then drew round our own hands on green paper so that we could cut out lots of hands and stick them around the plate to look like a wreath. We then rolled up four pieces of red paper to represent the candles for the four Sundays of Advent, compete with yellow paper flames. We finished our creations with a white candle (rolled up white paper this time!) in the middle of the red ones to represent Christ.
Of course, most of us will be enjoying a chocolate filled Advent calendar throughout December but this year we will be able to open the windows on our very own handmade calendars too.

A Victorian Treat!

Today Year Two had a real treat. Monty brought in two genuine Victorian nightdresses, both of which had been handmade. The first had been made by Monty’s Great Great Great Great Grandmother (his Grandmother’s Great Great Grandmother – I hope you’re keeping up!) when she was aged just 8. She made it for the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1851. The detail and fine stitching was simply amazing and we were all enthralled by it, especially the fact that it has yellowed slightly with age but is otherwise immaculate. The second garment was equally wonderful and made by Monty’s Great Great Great Grandmother in 1866 at the age of 12.

Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale – Victorian Nursing Heroines

Year Two have been busy learning all about two Victorian nursing pioneers who had the same goal, to revolutionise nursing. However, Florence Nightingale, without doubt the most famous of the pair, and Mary Seacole had very different experiences, although both overcame prejudice against gender and race in order to achieve.
Although Mary Seacole’s story was well known at the time of her death in 1881, her story was overshadowed by that of Florence Nightingale and was quickly forgotten before being resurrected in the late 20th century.
Find out more about Mary Seacole’s story here.
Follow this link for more information about Florence Nightingale.

What’s a Thaumatrope? Ask Year 2!

This afternoon we made our very own Victorian toys. Many people have never heard of the word ‘thaumatrope’ – have you? As Year 2 now know, a thaumatrope is a Toy that is thought to have been invented in the 1820s, just before Queen Victoria came to the throne. It was a popular toy throughout Victorian times and is a simple optical illusion which is easy to make. We had great fun deciding what pictures to draw and working out where to position them in order that they would be effective. Once the holes had been punched and the string tied on, we excitedly started to spin our pictures around before letting them unwind and watching carefully to see people posting letters, fish in tanks and even a crab biting a toe! It is quite hard work spinning the pictures round but one enterprising pupil decided he had the perfect solution for making the task easier – ask a friend to do it for you!
Why not click on the link and follow the instructions to make your own thaumatrope?