We have watched lots of clips on the CTouch board that have given the children a fantastic insight into all the customs and traditions that take place during this special time of year. We also learnt a little bit about China, the animals that live there and where it is on the map.

It was lots of fun learning about the story of The Great Race which explains the Chinese zodiac and which animals represent each year. We listened to the story that explained how each of the 12 animals took part in the race across the river. Some of Form 1 were born in the year of the Ox and some children were born in the year of the Tiger. The children considered if they had any of the qualities that their animal portrayed in the story. We learnt that this year is the year of the Horse.

We also learnt about the power of the Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree. One of the age-old traditions of Chinese New Year in Hong Kong is a visit to this wishing tree in Tai Po. Visitors write their wishes on placards, tie them to a mandarin (for luck), and throw them onto the tree. It is believed that if the placard catches on a branch and stays, the wish will come true. Form 1 loved writing their own wishes and we secured them carefully to a mandarin. We had fun taking them to a tree in the paddock and trying to throw them into the branches, hoping they would catch. Fabulous writing is emerging as the children continue to develop their phonological awareness and their confidence to apply this in their writing is growing every day.

To further learn about Chinese New Year, Form 1 made their own stir fry! The children chopped peppers, broccoli, sugar snap peas, baby sweetcorn and carrots. Using the special safety knives, the children worked carefully to prepare the vegetables and discussed the importance of washing their hands and the vegetables before setting to work. Once all the chopping had been done we visited Robin's kitchen and cooked the vegetables and noodles in the wok. A tasty Kung Po sauce was added and the children enjoyed trying their creation. Everyone thought it was pretty delicious and the prawn crackers were also very popular. The children then enjoyed opening their fortune cookies and we read their fortunes out aloud.

In maths this week, the children have been learning how to measure weight. We learnt how to use the bucket scales to compare two objects' weights using the vocabulary light, heavier or equal. The children then learnt how to use cubes to find the weight of different objects. By putting an object in one side of the scales and cubes on the other, we added cubes until the scales balanced. The children then counted how many cubes they had needed to add to be equal to the weight of the object.

As a group, we applied this new skill to weigh out ingredients to make a cake. By placing 2 eggs in one side of the scales, we then added flour to the other side until it balanced. Then we did the same to weigh out the sugar and finally the butter. We added the eggs at the end and everyone had a turn mixing the ingredients together. To celebrate the Year of the Horse, we made our cake in the shape of a horse and her foal. We added red and yellow icing and enjoyed eating our cake at snack time with our milk.

The children have also loved making paper dragon puppets and lanterns this week, listening carefully to the steps needed to make these. Form 1 have also enjoyed learning how to represent numbers 0-10 using Chinese characters. After watching a video of a group of children in Shanghai taking part in a calligraphy lesson, we decided to try this using paintbrushes and black paint on red paper. It was tricky but also fun!

The Chinese Restaurant role play has also been very much enjoyed as the children have had fun writing down orders, preparing the food in the kitchen and pretending to be customers enjoying a meal.

Tying in with Mental Health week, Form 1 have been thinking about the importance of belonging, what this means and how it makes us feel. We decided that belonging is that warm and fuzzy feeling of knowing you are exactly where you are supposed to be. It’s like being a piece of a puzzle. We all have our own unique shape, and the whole picture wouldn't be the same without each of us. Each child decorated their own puzzle piece to represent themselves and we plan to put them together to show how we all fit together, not only Form 1, but as part of our Russell House school community.