Science - Year 3 & 4

"That's not flying ..... that's falling with STYLE!"
  Buzz Lightyear 

Our first sessions involved finding out how we could speed up or slow down how objects falls through air and water. 

Using fair testing we experimented with different materials and different surface areas. Each group changed one of the variables.

We worked out that design of objects can influence their rate of movement through the air or water by decreasing or increasing the action of air resistance on them.

Each team started with one plastic supermarket bag, some curling ribbon and a cotton reel. Using this equipment we made a parachute with a buddy, then went out to find out how well they worked.

When we came back we discussed gravity and air pressure. Then we brainstormed things we could change to improve our designs. 

A book by Pablo Bernasconi titled Captain Arsenio inspired us to take some risks with our ideas. All ideas are valuable.

Once we had a whole lot of ideas, we selected one thing that we could change then we built and tried out our new parachutes.

What will be the outcome? Keep watching this space.

Emotion Writing with Year 1

Emotions are something we feel all the time but we cannot see or touch. We tried to make the way we experience emotions come alive to others through our writing. 

We read a story and brainstormed some of the feelings in the story. 

We then took one of these emotions and wrote a poem together.

Disappointment is pale green.

It looks like the losing team.

Disappointment sounds like a whinging child.

It feels cold and slimy.

Burnt baking smells disappointing.

It tastes like stale chocolate.

We are now working on our own poems and will publish them on the computer.

Watch this space!

Philosophy with Year 2 Thinkers

Today we had our first session of philosophy with a group of year 2 thinkers. We read the book 'Something Else' and explored the concept of friendship. We started our thinking by exploring what we thought a friend was. We then discussed whether you could be friends with someone you didn't know.
Today we also practised disagreeing politely using the words "No I disagree because..." We also tried to make sure that we were justifying our answers by giving a reason to our ideas.