September
In ICT, we have been learning about creating 3D games using the software from Purplemash. The children designed their games with a theme in mind. They had to add designs for every part of the game, from deciding what the 'coins' would look like, that you need to collect for points, and the what the 'baddies' would look like. They could alter the way in which these parts would be animated and what rewards or forfeits you would get. We gave each other feedback on the games and had great fun with them.
Check out the links below to play your friends' games. Which one is the trickiest?
October
During this month, we have used equipment we call manipulatives. These are objects which are designed so that a learner can perceive some mathematical concept by manipulating it, hence its name. The use of manipulatives provides a way for children to learn concepts through developmentally appropriate hands-on experience. We used them to help with addition which helped us to see where we had to carry digits to the next column and in subtraction why we sometimes need to exchange and use the decomposition method. Please look at our calculation policy in the policy section if you would like to see how we set out the written work.
November
In Science we have been learning about 'States of Matter'. While making chocolate crispy cakes, we investigated how we could melt a solid and change its state from a solid to a liquid. Science has never tasted so good!
December
We completed our topic on The Victorians and wrote a diary as if we were living in Victorian times and had been involved in an accident at a ropery factory. We learnt that accidents in factories were very common in Victorian times and also that children were often the ones who were hurt. We were glad to find out the Factory Act in 1833 meant that conditions began to improve for children, but it took many years before the factories stopped employing and using children as cheap labour.
January
We started our new topic this month - It's All Greek to me and we learnt lots of super new things. We were introduced to a brilliant new book too, all about Greek Myths. The book told them in a very funny way.
March
Phew - what a busy month this is! First we went to the Openzone where we used Scratch to write some code and we all used the Green Screen to make some videos, which showed us being travel agents and persuading people to go to Greece for their holidays. Glee club went to Durham Cathedral to sing with some Choristers and other schools and March isn't even over yet!
Year 5 went to visit some animals at Jarrow school, and they were all very brave with the creepy crawlies and the snake! Later in March, we have a Year 4 athletics competition for some of our children and some of the Year 5 children are going to a dance festival!
Click on the link to watch some of our videos we made at The Openzone
https://youtu.be/z5uvStEIids Year 4/5 T
https://youtu.be/h0itl57aNLY Year 4/5G
Out Takes from year 4/5G https://youtu.be/kITbevbs0RQ
May
This month was the first of our educational visits to support our topic of Water is Life. We went on the Shields ferry to explore the mouth of the River Tyne. Next month, we have a further 2 trips. One to the riverbank in Durham and another to the Quayside in Newcastle. In literacy, we have been looking at The Wind in the Willows and have explored the setting and the characters. We then wrote a new scene based on this.
June
This month has started well with our trip to Durham's riverside and the Cathedral.