Explorers
Outdoor Elements Trip
We had a fantastic and adventurous time at Outdoor Elements in Simonstone! We took part in lots of activities including team-building, problem solving and shelter construction. We even made and toasted our very own bread on an open fire. The activities helped us to imagine what it would be like to be an explorer and appreciate the importance of teamwork. We would like to say a big thank you to all the staff at Outdoor Elements that helped to create a valuable and memorable experience for all of us!
English
Our topic this half-term is Explorers. As an introduction to the topic, we read poetry about different places that people could explore. We used our reading to help us write our own versions. We created videos to publish our poems. Follow the link below to watch some:
https://whitefield.primarysite.media/playlist/class-8-1
Our key text for our story writing unit is The Great Explorer by Chris Judge. We are enjoying reading some of his other books, particularly the different adventures of The Lonely Beast. The link to Chris Judge’s website is below:
We will write character and setting descriptions, thinking about what an explorer might need and see in the Arctic.
We will use the plot of our key text to help us write our own versions of the story.
Maths
In maths, we will cover multiplication, statistics, fractions, money, volume and capacity and time. To help us with multiplication, we made arrays and interpreted them as number sentences using the multiplication symbol. In statistics, we will look at how information can be represented and interpreted using tables, block graphs, pictograms and tally charts. In factions, we consolidated our understanding of 1/2 and 1/4. In money, we will make values in different ways using coins and add coins to make a total. In capacity and volume, we will measure using millilitres and practise reading different scales on measuring cylinders. We will practise telling the time with half past and quarter hours.
Science
Our topic in science this half-term is ‘materials.’ We thought about what we remembered from Year 1 by selecting objects in the classroom and discussing their materials, properties and their uses.
We are learning new scientific words to describe the properties of materials. We will investigate the suitability of materials and why they are used for certain objects.
We also carried out experiments to test different materials.
Design Technology
This half-term, our design brief is to design and make a bag for an explorer to carry his equipment. We have investigated existing products - looking at what bags are made of, how they are joined and what they are used for. We will also investigate different joining techniques and practised stitching, stapling and gluing. We will then design our bags before making them and evaluating them against our design criteria.
History
In history this half-term, we anre learning about Captain Robert Falcon Scott and his expedition to the South Pole. We have asked questions to help us find out about him, before we look at photographs of him and his team at the South Pole and read his diary to find out what happened. We will research by reading non-fiction texts.
We will sequence the main events of his expedition on a timeline, and compare his decisions to Ronald Amundsen, who beat him in the race to the South Pole.
The Antarctic Heritage Trust website is a great place to find out more about Scott and his final expedition. Follow the link below:
History of Scott's Expedition | Antarctic Heritage Trust (nzaht.org)
Geography
In geography, we are learning about the continents and oceans of the world. We will use atlases and globes to name and locate them, and to help us remember them, we are learning these songs (follow the links below):
We will also use the internet to research the different continents to find out more about them.