Habitat search

Today the children went on a 'Habitat Search' in the nature garden. They looked for living organisms - and found worms, woodlice, a frog, slugs and spiders. They weren't easy to find, as they had all hidden themselves under logs and stones.
The children used thinking skills and communication skills.

Geography - Plantasia trip

Year 4 getting lost in the rainforest!

This term the children in Year 4 are using their geographical skills and studying the world's rainforests. This links on perfectly with our last half term topic of St Lucia. The children are really enjoying developing ther geography skills and are able to locate rainforests using maps and atlases throughout the world. We have generated geographical questions in class as part of our enquiry. Plenty of thinking skills have been used over the last few weeks!

As part of our studies, we decided to visit Plantasia in Swansea to experience first hand the conditions of a rainforest. We have been learning in school about how life is different for people in the rainforests and about issue of deforestation. We learnt plenty more about these areas on our trip today.

The children thoroughly enjoyed it and it gave them a real insight into the size and range of plants that would be found in a tropical rainforest. Just look at the size of the plants and their leaves.

The trip was also an important part of our work in Science.We have been comparing and contrasting different habitats.We have chosen to compare the rainforest with a local habitat.We were able to investigate the habitats and environment of the rainforest biome.They looked at artefacts from a rainforest, watched a video, then looked at and recorded some of the plants in their sketchbooks. We will use these as the basis of a painting next week.
They needed to use communication and thinking skills.

Areas of Study - Rainforests '09

Entrepreneur Day

Our own 'Dragon's Den'.
Year 4 worked out a business plan to market toy land yachts(which they will be making this term).
They cost the making of them, and decided how much they should allow for labour charges, and how much profit they would make if they sold them for £10. They kept in mind that they should be ethically sound, and allow a fair amount for the labour costs. They made their decisions using 'Place mat' - all working on the same sheet of paper, and adding their own ideas.
They designed their adverts, aiming them at children around their own age or a little younger. The adverts would be placed in comics, shop displays or on TV.
This involved the children using all the skills - thinking, communication, number and ICT

Maths Circuit

Year 4 completed a maths circuit, moving from station to station. Each one involved a different activity which included adding several small numbers to obtain the answer, whether it was throwing a bean bag into numbered hoops, rolling a dice or recalling times tables.
All this involved using number skills, communication skills (as they worked as a group) and thinking skills.

Weights investigation

For their investigation, the children found 2 objects that they estimated weighed 1N, 5N and 20N. They tested them on a newton meter, and recorded their results in a way that they decided was clear and easily read. Some were amazingly accurate!
To do this, they used number skills and communication skills.

The fastest way of getting there

Which is the fastest way of getting there?
Children measured a 10m line on the playground, then timed themselves walking, hopping and skipping. They recorded their results along the line.
Skipping was the fastest! To do this they used number skills to measure and compare length, and order events in time.