9 November 18

Today at Beach School we mainly focused on Remembrance Day commemorations.  Following on from class maths and PE activities, we held a Remembrance Worship.  Mrs Threlfall told us about her relative Jack Hart, who died at the Battle of the Somme.  She read some extracts from letters he wrote home about the poppies that he saw on the battlefield, we listened to some Remembrance poetry and prayers and made poppy crosses.  We then put our crosses, together with poppy pebbles, in a circle before having a minute's silence and a finishing prayer.
 
After lunch we split up again for afternoon activities with a Remembrance theme.
Puffins and Starfish
The morning was blustery but dry, so suitably wrapped up we went down to the beach.  Our first job was maths, where Starfish practised some counting, and singing '10 red poppies, growing in the dunes', whilst Puffins played target maths games to reinforce mental addition and subtraction.  Then the two classes joined together to play some relay race games - everyone had rosy cheeks by the end of it!
 
In the afternoon the two classes went into the dunes, by 'the wall', where it was beautifully sheltered.  We listened to a story about Flo, a medical dog who helped wounded soldiers in the trenches.  We thought about different animals that were used in war, and why they might be better at some things than humans.  We then dug our own trench in the sand, and made paper aeroplanes to fly over them.  Puffins then thought about what life might have been like in the trenches, and wrote postcards home.  Finally we had a game of 'truce football', having listened to the story about the match played between British and German soldiers at Christmas time.
Orcas
After some maths work, we warmed up with some throwing and catching practice before playing a game of Truce Football - England won, which was good news!!
 
In the afternoon we went to explore some different lookouts and pill boxes left behind from WW2.  We read a text and answered questions, developing our comprension skills.
 
We also visited one of the pillboxes in the dunes and wrote some post cards, we either wrote a letter to a loved one or a poem. 

I am sad, I am afraid

Will I die or will I stay?

People die and cry out loud…

Them poppies started to grow

Blood gone without a trace.

The war is over yippy yippy yay!

Now we remember the soldiers who died,

But don’t you cry.

Daniel – year 5

 

Amongst the muddy stone cold trench walls,

The gun shots fire away.

Bloody murder bones and gore, noise throughout the nights and days,

4 years of absolute torture.

I still quiver at the thought.

Of going back into the war.

It left me distraught.

Abbie – year 6

 

I have no future,

No hope for life,

I will never see my children or wife again,

This tunnel is endless,

With no light at the end

For my country I have to kill and defend and with sin on my shoulders,

I have to confess.

I really have got myself in a deep deep mess.

I won’t come back, not in one piece.

Tell everyone….even my niece.

Barnaby – year 6

 

The soldiers fought a battle what made use today.

The soldiers fought every day for four years.

The soldiers drove tanks to win the war.

The soldiers used the guns in the trenches to defend the ones they loved.

Now today we thank he soldiers for the world today.

So thank you soldiers for today.

Josh year 6

 

I sit here weeping, waiting for you,

To come back to me

I miss you so badly, I can barely breathe.

We are living safe compared to you.

Your sisters are worried just like me

When you come home, as I know you will.

I’ll give you a hug and some chocolate.

When your loving hands touch mine.

I will be feeling full of glee.

The family loves you keep that in mind.

Your adventure continues with those you will find.

I feel so bad I can’t help you much.

I also miss your gentle touch…..

Max – year 6

 

The guns stopped and the tanks stopped driving That was 100 years ago.

We remember the soldiers that fought for us the solider that fought for our country.

The poppies bloomed in the battle field and that is why we wear that flower.

The 11th hour of the 11th month was when the guns fell silent.

That was 100 years ago.

 

Dear Brother,

It’s been two years since I’ve last seen your face.

I long for this war to end….

I hope a bullet doesn’t hit you in the head.

My life is dull and scary with you not here.

When you come back please don’t be killed or injured.

I miss you beyond anything you know…

Alfie- year 6

 

Today is 100 years of peace in our home land;

Today is 100 years of not a single gunshot in our home land!

100 years ago today we made peace with our enemy, by 100 years ago today I lost part of my family and also part of me…

Caroline year 4

 

During the first world war, soldiers kepy fighting while pigeons were flying.

The soldiers moaned

As others groaned

While horses whined

No Germans with kind

The awful guns kept firing until they were stopped.

Today we remember the poppies that grew and the soldiers that died.

Jack year 5

 

Dear friend my life has taken a horrible bend.

All my friends I made at war,

Let’s just say I don’t know no more.

All I want is for you and me,

To be as happy as can be.

We could be so happy,

To finally have more family.

I wanted to say I love you.

And to the war I say shoo

Hope you live a happy life,

Because mine will end tonight.

Tabitha – year 5