Year 4 had visitors from Durham university to learn about the Vikings. We looked at where the Vikings came from, why they settled in Great Britain, and the origins of some of our words in the English language. We also learned about ancient Runes and designed our own. Finally, we looked at replicas of ancient Viking objects whilst pretending to be archaeologists.
As part of Science Week the whole school took part in a competition that centred on this year’s theme ‘Time’. Children could be creative in their presentation of this poster with some choosing life cycles over time or how over time, the planet is being destroyed as their focus. There were winners chosen from each class who were presented with an award and congratulated for the excellent efforts. Winning entries were also sent to the British Science Week 24 and we await to hear if we have any winners in early summer.
Year 4 visited Father Thompson at All Saints Church to learn about why Lent is such an important period for Christians. We noticed that the church was decorated in purple, looked at a crown of thorns and pictures on the walls depicting, the stations of the cross, which tells the story of Jesus carrying his cross and being crucified.
Today a scientist, Katie from Science Buddies, visited our class to help us learn more about our theme of ‘Time’. We completed three experiments with baking powder (our alkaline). One was mixed with water, one with lemon juice (acid) and the other with vinegar (acid). Then we timed the experiments, for one minute, to find out which ones gave out the most carbon dioxide and inflated the balloon to the largest size.
This year’s World Book Day was focused on how children are more likely to enjoy reading when their choices are championed and we make reading fun.
Children and staff were encouraged to wear a costume relating to a book character.
For the full day lessons were focused around WBD. As part of this pupils were given the opportunity to take part in a school competition where they had to create a blurb and a front cover for a book that they would like to read. Additionally, they could enter another competition for which their entries will be sent away, this involved them design a national book token.
As part of World Book Day an author called Paula Fowler visited our school to tell us what inspired her to start to write books. She lives locally and is a self-published author of Wizard Beano and Pals.
We had great fun finding out about the two books she has written so far and finding out about the characters in her stories and how she created them. The themes of the stories are friendship, adventure, helping save the planet and looking after our wellbeing. We also found out a little bit about the book she is currently writing.
School and Science Council have been teaming up to help create an improved and cleaner environment around out school. Using litter pickers and black bags so far years 5 and 6 have joined forces to collect discarded litter. We were certainly surprised by how much litter was caught in bushes and hedges and found all sorts ranging from crisp packets, to cigarette boxes, plastic bags to pop cans. Next week years 3 and 4 will help the anti-litter campaign around the school premises.
A group of year 4 children attended Temple Park to compete in an athletics event. All of the children tried very hard and had a lovely time taking part in a selection of field and track events.
On Thursday 11th January, we were visited by Will from a group called Rocksteady. He taught us about the various musical instruments such as an electric guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and drumkit that make up a band and we listened carefully to the different sounds they made. We enjoyed singing and dancing to various songs that Will sang and played.
Year 4 visited Jarrow Hall to learn about life during the Anglo Saxon era. We looked at: the different animals and their uses, houses and buildings, ailments and their remedies, we made an Anglo Saxon medicine to cure sore eyes, looked at weapons and war clothing and finished with a re -enactment of a battle.
