Student Daily Update Monday 11th May Time to learn Welcome to another week at our virtual school. All work for all students is now set on Microsoft Teams and this must be completed and submitted to your teachers on time. You must continue to work hard, do not fall behind. We cannot state enough the importance of students working hard at home and that is why we are so pleased to see that the majority of our students are submitting work to their teachers, on time, all of the time. Many students are even doing more than they are asked by using this opportunity to carry out additional research, learn new skills and extend their studies. The number of students receiving Pride points and being nominated for student of the week is fantastic. Please remember that you must let us know if you face any difficulties around illness or IT and we will support you. If there are no difficulties then we expect 100% completion of work and for it to be completed to your highest standard. Using Microsoft Teams Now that all work for students is being set via MS Teams, Mrs Din would like to share a video to help students to get the most out of it. To access the video, please click here. This is not just a PowerPoint show, it contains a voiceover to explain how to get to MS Teams and an embedded video of how to access different teams, how to access assignments/tasks and how to upload completed work. Year 8 Gateway Students in year 8 students will be selecting the subjects that they wish to continue to study in year 9 and beyond over the next week. You will be selecting two choices of gateway subjects from a range of subjects in the creative, physical and technological disciplines. We realise that these are important choices for the students to make, and full information is now available on the website, including information and specific detail of all the courses on offer. There is also a specific Year 8 Gateway Forum where students and parents can ask any questions that they may have. The deadline for the return of choices is Wednesday, 13th May. If you have any queries, please contact Ms. Riddy, Deputy Headteacher Year 9 Options Students in Year 9 will be making their final GCSE and BTEC option choices this week. You will continue the subjects that you chose at the end of year 8, but will now be selecting your option choices from the languages and humanities subjects. Most students will be studying the full academic suite of qualifications (you will study a language and either geography or history). Some students will be given different options to accommodate their needs and allow them to achieve well according to their ability. There is information available on specific subjects on the school website, as well as a specific Year 9 Options Forum for parents and students to be able to ask any questions that they may have. The deadline for the return of the option choices is Wednesday, 13th May. If you have any queries, please contact Ms. Riddy, Deputy Headteacher. High quality work Here is some amazing work from Noah Cook 9M where he wrote and created a Duke of Edinburgh hike around Helvellyn in the Lake District using a variety OS maps skills and photos – great to link geography and D of E when students can’t actually do it. Your Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Helvellyn range in the Lake District will begin at the car park to the south east of the Thirlmere Lake, in which on this expedition you will see the best of what the Lake District has to offer, from mesmerising tarns and lakes, to scenic mountains and pyramidal peaks clutching at the sky. Natural wonders such as the Helvellyn, Red Tarn and Striding Edge will all feature prominently in your expedition, whilst exhibiting the majesty of the Lake District and the immense power of glaciers to sculpt and contort entire landscapes. This car park is located at NS 34 13, in which you will then proceed north into the forest that dominates the eastern bank of the lake, known as the Wythburn. Eventually, the Hause Point (which lies at the heart of the lake) will become visible to you at NS 338 152, in which you will pass the Helvellyn Screes. These are vast congregations of particles of disintegrated stone and silt, which languish at the base of the Helvellyn mountain and were dislodged by frost shattering as a result of the presence of a glacier. You will continue along this route for a while until you reach a stream which is referred to as the Helvellyn gill and has been swollen by two tributaries of meltwater that have descended from two separate corries. It is at this point at NS 340 167 that you will turn left and begin your long yet invigorating and exhilarating hike upwards towards the summit of the Helvellyn mountain. On your route up to the summit of the Helvellyn at 949 metres you will be able to indulge in the spectacular sights rife in the mountain range, including the Brown Cove crags (which are a collection of breath-taking precipices and sheer rock faces) at NS 355 159 and Lower Man. Lower Man, at 925 metres, is the second largest peak in the Helvellyn mountain range in the Lake District. A brief scramble will then ensue up to the Swirral Edge arete, from where the magisterial and sublime summit of Helvellyn at NS 362 152 will be visible. You will then continue along the Swirral Edge arete and the Striding Edge arete, from where you will be the highest people in the vicinity. As you advance along Striding Edge, the picturesque and tantalising sight of the Red Tarn (a lake of meltwater left after the main glacial body receded and melted due to increasing temperatures and inability to sustain itself) at NS 368 152 You will then move south into the Nethermost corrie, in which you will be able to see the nethermost Pike, towering at 891 metres at NS 361 142. From here you will move east until the eagle crags are in sight at NS 37 14, so that you will not be impeded by a near vertical descent if you were to continue south. After moving east, you will then move south past the magnificent eagle crags until you reach your campsite in Grisedale Forest at 37 13, where you will reside for the night. As you can see, this route provides the optimum view of the most spectacular sights of the Helvellyn mountain range, whilst being both a challenging and physically demanding experience that should be relished as it will stimulate fitness and create memories that will never be forgotten. Plank Challenge in PE this week Last week students in Year 7 and 8 completed the plank challenge. This involved completing different plank exercises and holding the positon for between 30 seconds and 60 seconds. A number of pupils uploaded pictures of themselves doing the plank exercises. Thank you to all the pupils who did this, here are a few of the pupils performing the plank including Erin Preger, Imogen Collins, Reuben Ryder, Liam Clayton, Daniel Roberts and Jack Towell. Culture and Enrichment Why not visit the Giants Causeway today? This fantastic section of County Antrim’s Atlantic coastline is made up of more than 40,000 interlocking, geometric (mostly hexagonal) basalt columns. Legend has it that the unusual rock formations are the remains of a stepping- stone causeway path to Scotland, built by giants. Scientists believe they were in fact formed by lava flowing into the sea, as molten basalt erupted through chalk beds 50 to 60 million years ago. The National Trust has created a series of virtual tours, what an experience. The early bird catches the worm Make sure you get your morning off to a flying start with Joe 'The Body Coach' Wicks. You can view the daily workout here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ Physical activity strengthens your muscles and bones, prevents excessive weight gain, and reduces the risk of diabetes, cancer, and other conditions. Physical activity is also very beneficial to your mental wellbeing. 1 minute Burpee challenge We are pleased to announce the winner of the Burpee Challenge is Mr. Miller - he managed to pull 27 reps out of the bag. Well done! Coronavirus Positives A new Banksy artwork has gone on display in a hospital corridor paying tribute to NHS staff during the Coronavirus pandemic. The artwork, which is called 'Game Changer', shows a boy dressed in dungarees playing with a toy nurse who is in a flying superhero pose along with a superhero cape. There are two toy figures of Batman and Spiderman in a basket on the floor next to him. The picture is on display in Southampton General Hospital, where Banksy left a note for workers saying: "Thanks for all you're doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if it's only black and white." Once lockdown is lifted, the artwork will be sold to raise money for the NHS. Please send any of your good news stories to: [email protected] Have a productive week Stay alert, work hard and stay safe. The Mossley Hollins Team .