Pillars
Week Beginning Monday 6th July
As the last week of what has been a very different term ends, it may feel a bit strange and odd. When we are feeling a bit unsettled, something that can help us feel better is to smile and make those around you smile too. So this week's challenge is to complete as many acts of kindness as you can! Use the image below to give you some ideas.
Week Beginning Monday 22nd June
I hope that you have seen on the news the incredible achievements of footballer Marcus Rashford to ensure that Free School Meals vouchers are provided to families in need over the summer holidays because of the impact that COVID has had on families and their incomes. Have a watch of the video below to hear the reasons behind why this cause was so important to Marcus.
Read more about the impact his work has done here: "Boris Johnson has been forced into a humbling U-turn over providing food vouchers for some of England’s poorest families after a campaign launched by the footballer Marcus Rashford threatened to engulf his government in another crisis."
What do you think of what Marcus Rashford has managed to achieve?
Week Beginning Monday 15th June
Racism in football: Balraj's story
Meet ten-year-old Balraj. He's Sikh and is football mad! But he has experienced racist abuse for playing the game he loves.
Balraj went to two different football camps in 2017 and 2018, where he was called names, grabbed, bullied and isolated by some of the other children there.
At the time he felt very confused and sad, and didn't understand why people were being mean to him.
He now knows that the other children were being racist, and Balraj has made it his mission to help stamp out racism in football. Click on the image below to listen to his story.
What are you first thoughts about Balraj's story?
List the examples of racism that Balraj speaks of - what would you have struggled with the most if you were Balraj?
What would you have done if you had witnessed Balraj experiencing racism?
Week Beginning Monday 8th June
Click on the Newsround image below and watch the video on reactions to George Floyd's death.
There have been many different signs and slogans that have been used to spread the message across the world that Black Lives Matter. Create your own poster or banner that you would hold to show your support for this anti-racist movement.
Week Beginning Monday 1st June
What is 12 year old gospel singer Keedron Bryant singing about in this video? What is his message to his audience? Do you know why he posted this video last week? What was his song inspired by? What can we learn from Keedron's song?
Week Beginning Monday 11th May
Wall of Hope
As all of us look forward to life returning to normal, it's an important time to stop and think about what you are most looking forward to doing once lock down has been lifted. Nicola sent me the image below of her daughter writing on the 'Wall of Hope' that her community has created where everyone can write what they are most looking forward to doing when things return to normal. Over the next couple of weeks, in Pillars, we are going to create our own wall of hope with pictures of ourselves holding or showing what we are most looking forward to. Here is my 'When this is over, I am looking forward to...'
Send a photo of yourself holding a message, completing the sentence, 'When this is over, I am looking forward to...'. If you are camera shy - that's ok! Instead send in a photo of your message and put your name on the bottom so we know who it is from.
Either post on Twitter or email Sophie.
Week beginning Monday 3rd May
VE day pillars poster competition!
Every year the end of World War 2 is celebrated with VE Day (Victory in Europe). On Friday 8th May 2020 it will be 75 years since World War 2 ended; a very special landmark in British history.
To celebrate this day, Millgate has created a Pillars poster competition to mark the event. Students are to create a poster to celebrate VE Day this year as the 75th year since the end of World War 2.
Please enter your posters by Friday 8th May either by email or by posting them on the Millgate Twitter page. Winners will be awarded a posted prize - good luck!
Week beginning Monday 20th April
Pillars Play Activities
See how many of the below you can complete this week! Posted prize for the most completed in a week!
Week beginning Monday 23rd March
Pillars Play activities:
See how many of the below you can complete this week! Posted prize for the most completed in a week!
COVID-19 Diary:
We are living in unprecedented times, at a time of real social history – history that you will tell your own children about in years to come and which future generations will learn about from textbooks, based on eye-witness testimony from people who lived during the times – people like YOU!
This is where you come in. I would like you to keep a diary about your experiences of the Coronavirus pandemic – your experience of daily life, your thoughts and feelings about the current situation and how it is impacting upon the way you live, your family, friends and relatives.
How you keep the diary is up to you. You might write a short entry each day, or a weekly entry or an entry when you think something important, unusual or interesting happens. The format of the diary is also up to you. You might have a small notebook, or pieces of paper assembled together or a WORD document. What you write is also entirely up to you. It could be facts, your opinion or the views of other people, either from your direct experience or something that you have seen on TV, or the thoughts and feelings of people you have been in touch with on social networking or blogging sites. However, we would ask you to write sensibly and not to swear, use hate language or echo any sort of discriminatory, prejudicial or racial view of any kind. That would be unacceptable and wrong. The diary of Anne Frank (if you are familiar with it) is a good example of the way a diary should be recorded.
As young people going through this time it is a genuine opportunity to take careful note of the world around you and to record what you see, feel, hear and experience as a form of living testimony (memory) – eye-witnesses to history if you like. You will be producing primary source material in the writing of your diaries. You may also consider creating a time capsule filled with items that you think tell the story of our current emergency and/or interview your family at home. Why not create your own video diary on your phone as well?
When you all eventually return to school, I will collect up your diaries and read them with the idea that a booklet will be created from your range of observations.
Email any of your thoughts and ideas that you wish to share with me to stales@klms.leicester.sch.uk.
Sophie
Inspiration for your diary from a girl who wrote down her experiences:
Thursday 26th March - 'Fear' lesson
Watch the clip below:
Answer the questions:
1. What do you think are the main reasons that Terrance/'Little Terror' does what he does?
2. What examples of racism do you see in the video?
3. What impact do you imagine the racism has on the different characters?
- Assad (when walking across the bridge)
- Woman walking out of the shop
4. What is the first thing that Terrance/'Little Terror' is told to do for the gang and what is he told he will get in return for doing it?
5. What do you think is being said to Terrance/'Little Terror' under the bridge between 5mins 48secs - 6mins in to the video?
6. Would you consider Aminah calling Terrance "white boy" racism? Why/why not?
7. Is Aminah's discussion of the colour of Terrance's skin different to other mentions of race within the film?
8. Why does the film include the flash backs of Terrance witnessing racism (Assad) just before he stabs Aaminah's brother? What message is the film trying to give?
9. What impact would this crime have had on:
- Terrance
- Aaminah
- Aaminah's mum
- Terrance's mum and dad
- Teachers in the school
Email your responses to the above to Sophie.