In science, Lower 4 are currently working on the ‘Keeping Warm’ topic. The children learn all about conductors, insulators and measuring temperature. They recently undertook an investigation to test how good different materials are at slowing down the melting process. They were given a variety of materials such as tin foil, felt, bubble wrap and foam and challenged to keep their frozen hand intact for as long as possible. As the pictures show, some of the groups were more successful than others!

Measuring the temperature of the frozen hand.

Ouch! Broken fingers!

How can I stop this from melting?

Mmmmmm maybe these will help?

Trying out different materials.

 Maybe the bubble wrap will do the trick?

The big melt begins!

Maybe you could try this?

The children in Lower IV were extremely fortunate to spend a recent science lesson in the company of some very special visitors.  Thanks to one of our pupils, who is a big fan of all things creepy and crawly, the children were able to learn all about stick insects as part of their work on habitats.  As the pictures show, these friendly little creatures made quite an impression and got very close to some of the braver children.

This brave young man prepares to introduce the visitors to the class.

One of our visitors has stage fright!

This one seems to like our uniform!

Our guest teacher for the afternoon!

This is what a stick insect egg looks like.

Another of the friendly creature meets the class!

They really do like the uniform!

The tie is not bad either!

They really aren’t too attractive!

We have been on a trip to Shibden Hall as part of our history topic on the Tudors. At the hall we met Mistress Jane and Lady Agnes who told us lots of interesting things and showed us around the hall. We completed inventories for ’strange’ household objects and made pomanders and herb bags called ‘tussy mussies’.  We had a fantastic time and none of us wanted to leave!

Recently the children in Lower 4 have been spending time using their skills to solve all sorts of interesting mathematical problems. The photographs show the children attempting to make numbers as they would appear in a digital display, using a maximum of only 7 headless matches. They found that by working together and applying logic to the problem, it was possible to make every digit.

The children had a wonderfully exciting morning thanks to Mrs Wilson. As part of their work in Thinking, Mrs Wilson organised an orienteering exercise based on the environment. Children were given a number of clues which, if correctly followed, would lead them to a series of letters dotted around the school playground. They worked efficiently in pairs to solve the clues and complete the challenge. Teachers and staff were exhausted by the time the winning pair, Marmaduke and Jasmine, finally solved the puzzle!

Last year, with the help of the green fingered Mr. Kirkham, the children had the opportunity to make a contribution in the wonderful school garden. As the pictures show, the children recently had a chance to reap the harvest of their efforts. They were delighted that they yielded a bumper crop of potatoes.

We went on our history trip to Shibden Hall - we are learning about Henry VIII and the Tudors. At the hall we met Mistress Jane and Lady Agnes - the ladies of the Manor! We had a wonderful time, we were shown around the house, completed inventories for ’strange’ household objects and made pomanders and herb bags. All too soon it was over but we will always remember our ‘Tudor experience.’

Money Containers

The children have recently undertaken a project to design and produce their own money containers. Ideas ranged from purses and wallets through to money boxes and safes. The following pictures show some of the children taking the first steps to make their designs.

 
‘This needle threading is trickier than it looks!’

 
‘Deep concentration required to sew this material!’

‘I think I am finally getting somewhere with this!’

‘Actually, this sewing can be quite good fun!’

 
‘The first stage of our design production is complete!’

In Lower 4 Literacy, the children are currently studying the newspaper genre.  We have recently been concentrating on the use of fact and opinion in news stories.  These pictures show the children role playing a television news interview. Each group had an anchor person, a reporter and a number of interviewees.  The stories covered included ‘Pop Star Shock!’ and ‘Flying Saucer lands in Dorset Village!’, which created some fascinating coverage on our 6 o’clock news shows.  Judging by the quality of some of the presenters, Harry Gration should watch his back! 

Lower IV are currently studying skeletons as part of topic 4A Moving and Growing. The children, who had previously studied the skeletons of whales. monkeys, elephants and various rodents were building their own replicas of the human skeleton. As the pictures show the children had great fun and produced some stunning work! Next, the children will be learning about creatures with liquid skeletons, such as earthworms. Thankfully the lesson is not until after lunch!