Your Guide to the Summer Term
You’ve made it! Welcome to the final term of this academic year - we are that bit closer to the summer.
It may be the last term, but it is by no means least. There are plenty of upcoming events and occasions to celebrate. And we have put together a timeline of what there is to look forward to this term, as well as some suggestions on how to get involved!
International Dance Day
When:
29th April
What it is:
International Dance Day was founded in 1982 by the UNESCO initiative ‘ITI’ (International Theatre Institute). The day is intended as not only a celebration of dance in all its forms, but also as an opportunity to revel in the ability of dance to bring people together through the universal language of movement.
Ways to get involved:
Check out our teaching dance blog series for a comprehensive guide to running your own dance sessions in class.
BBC School Radio also have a fantastic array of guided dance exercises, each based around a different topic or theme.
Why not organise a visit from a professional dancer? Our Dance Around the World workshops are a great way to introduce children to difference styles of dance from all over the world, from the French Can Can, to the Russian Kalinka, to the Highland Fling!
Share a Story Month
When:
Throughout May
What it is:
National Share a Story Month is an annual celebration run by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups (FCBG). The purpose behind the initiative is to inspire events and activities which allow children to enjoy the power of storytelling.
Ways to get involved:
Take part in one of FCBG’s competitions based around the theme of ‘Travelling Tales’.
Take a vote for your class’ favourite author and run a project all about their top storyteller. Take a look at our 5 Ways to Get Creative With Roald Dahl blog for some inspiration!
Drama can also be an incredible tool for helping children to share stories in new and exciting ways - our Story Explorer workshops are the perfect way to get the whole class engaged.
Post-SATs celebrations
When:
Week Commencing 20th May
What it is:
You don’t need us to tell you about the Standard Assessment Tests! Hardworking KS1 and KS2 children take these examinations in the summer term and certainly deserve a special treat once they’re over!
Ways to get involved:
If your children have been sat at a desk a lot this exam season why not give some drama activities a go? Don’t panic, our ‘Guide to Teaching Drama’ blog series can talk you through it!
Or how about treating the children to a dance event? Many schools use our Friendship and Teamwork workshop as a way to mark the end of SATs through a celebration of collaboration and dance.
World Environment Day
When:
5th June
What it is:
World Environment Day is organised by the United Nations to highlight the issues facing our planet today.
Ways to get involved:
Watch some of the amazing documentaries that have been produced this year. There’s a plethora that both celebrates our planet and looks at how we can protect it.
Catch up on Blue Planet’s Live Lesson for primary schools.
Take a different approach to learning about the environment with a day-long drama project for the whole school. Our World Our Future is our new environment workshop which allows each class from Reception to Year 6 to explore a different issue facing our planet, before presenting it to the rest of the school in a whole-school performance.
Get out in the natural world! Clean up your local area (this could be a beach or a forest or even the local play area) or go on a nature hunt in a nearby park.
Also coming up this term
On 1st May join us in Birmingham for a free evening of CPD ‘Exploring Shakespeare in Primary Schools’.
Or you can also join us on the 23rd May in London for a free evening of ‘Exploring Children’s Books Through Drama’.
So there we have it, the summer term in a nutshell! We would love to see what you get up to - tweet us @WestEndinSchool!
-Katie