Year 5 were lucky enough to visit the Nottingham Trent Bridge Cricket Ground last week. We began our day in the Pavilion and learnt about past players and some history of the sport. After the Pavilion, we ventured outside to look at the ground and even got to ring the bell. We then put our geography and history knowledge to the test by using atlases and timelines to find information about key events in cricket history. After lunch, Grahame taught us how to play cricket and developed our catching and batting skills – ending in a game. We had the best time and are so inspired to learn about cricket next year.
Last week we had to fight our way along an overgrown path, but this week we took another route and a pair of secateurs! Both weeks, we have been successful in our quest for ladybirds and butterflies. The children have learned facts about these insects, spotted them in the woods, found out what their names are and recorded their finds. They have also played kindly together and challenged themselves to climb trees. Can’t wait until next week!
Big Data & Computer Systems and Networks
Year 6 started the summer term learning all about Barcodes and QR codes and how they are used to transmit data over different technologies. We were able to spend as lesson researching how infrared waves can transmit data and that is can be used for three other purposes; proximity measuring, a barrier and heat detection. Using this knowledge Year 6 were able to put on their creative hats and devise a new type of use for infrared technology in the school that uses either data transmission. We definitely had some interesting ideas!
For the second part of the half term Year 6 have been focusing on ‘Computer Systems and Networks’. They understand that codes can be used for a number of different reasons and decode messages. We spent some researching about Bletchley Park and the need to build electronic thinking machines to solve cipher codes. We also discussed the importance of historical figures and their contribution towards computer science.
Stop Motion Animation
Year 5 started this term on the topic of Animation. We began by exploring the term animation, the history of animation and looking at some 19th century animation toys. The children then started planning their own animations using a story board and gaining ideas from famous amination programmes such as ‘Wallace and Gromit’. Once the planning was completed, Year 5 were able to start creating their animations using play dough models and iPads. They followed their story boards and made small changes and movements to the models while taking images of each frame. They used a program called ‘Stop Motion Studio’ to create and edit their animations. There were some wonderful space themed animations created!
Data Handling
Staying on the theme of Space, in the second part of the Summer term Year 5 have been learning about Data Handling. The children learned about the various rovers that have been sent into space over the years to explore Mars and complete research. We discussed the length of time it took the rovers to get to Mars (from Earth) and the distance between the Earth and Mars itself. We also learned about Data transmission and Binary and that data needs to be simple to survive being transmitted over such a vast distance and that ‘binary’ was created as an international code for the transmission of on/off data. Year 5 have really enjoyed working with Binary numbers and completing the binary challenges.
Further coding with Scratch
In the first part of the Summer term Year 4 spent some times finishing off their Scratch projects. The children created their own ‘Times Tables’ project in Scratch using ‘Variables’ and ‘Conditional Statements’. These projects consisted of a sprite asking some ‘Times Tables’ questions based on two given numbers (variables) and if the player answered the question correctly (conditional statement) the sprite would return a specific message, e.g. either “Well done” or “Try again”. Some children were able to extend their projects to ask other maths questions such as addition and subtraction sums.
Web design Using Sway
This term Year 4 pupils have been learning about Website design and how websites are a collection of pages linked together with interactive features. Pupils have been busy planning and designing their own websites in Microsoft Sway. They chose their own favourite topic and created web pages with interactive features such as hyperlinks, stackable images, videos and text. Year 4 have really enjoyed creating these and are very proud of their work!
Stop Motion Animation
Year 3 have also been exploring animation this term. They have been using a range of techniques to create a stop-frame animation using tablets. Before creating the animation; Year 3 were able to create a storyboard with details of movement, characters and background. Pupils were able to use tablets to carefully create stop-frame animations, paying attention to consistency. While creating their animations, the children were fantastic at making links to their History topic about the Roman Empire and its’ impact on Britain!
Comparison Cards Database
For the second part of the half term Year 3 have been learning about Databases. They were able to discuss what databases are and how we use these in our everyday lives, from simple class registers and records to online directories. Year 3 did a great job at explaining the pros and cons of both computer and paper-based databases. Having understood that Databases are made up records, fields and data and that they can be ordered and filtered; they were able to create their very own ‘Top-Trumps’ Cards.
Stop Motion Animation & Data Handling (International Space Station)
Year 2 have been learning all about animation. They have a good understanding that an animation is made up of a sequence of photographs. The pupils have been creating short stop motion animations using iPads and image cut outs. To do this – they took photographs of their cut-out images in front of their chosen backgrounds, while making small changes each time. Once they played all the photographs back in order, they could see that they created a short animation.
In the second half of the term we have been learning all about the International Space Station and how astronauts’ survival needs are met aboard the ISS. The year 2 were able to show a brilliant understanding on how space exploration can benefit life on Earth and while reading data to identify whether a planet might be habitable. Maybe we can live on Mars one day! We also discussed how sensors are used in the ISS to help make decisions and how they use ‘Conditional statements’ to output results. Year 2 then created their own If-Statements that could be used in their everyday lives!
Programming Bee-Bots
Year 1 kick started the summer term with some programming! They began by exploring virtual Bee-Bots on a website and programmed them to reach a given destination. They then moved onto the real Bee-Bots and their Maps. They learnt that you can programme a Bee-bot with some simple directions to make it travel to specific points on the floor maps. Year 1 learnt that when things go wrong you have to debug the code to solve the problem! To control the Bee Bots, the children programmed them using the buttons on top. Year 1 had a great time exploring the robots!
Data Handling
During the second half of the term we have been looking at Data! The children have been learning all about the different types of data and why it’s important to collect it. They have been able to represent animal-themed data in different ways, using objects such as counters and then do the same using technology (as pictograms).
This week, Year 2 have been using their bodies and getting physical, learning cricket skills on our Cricket Enrichment Day and dong yoga outside with Miss Bathgate.
See what we’ve been up to below!
Year 3 were lucky enough to have lots of visitors to our classroom last week. Even better, they helped us with our very own ‘Fraction Museum’ We then sang with Year 4 for our families with Mr Treloar. What a lovely afternoon it was!
