Year 6 have just completed an egg-tastic character and set design project.  As part of our design technology curriculum; and to celebrate Easter, Year 6 were posed with the challenge of creating egg characters and set designs that would complement their selections.

Getting busy to work, the students had to ‘blow out’ real eggs so that they could devise their fictitious characters.  Once this ‘gross’ task had been finished, they were able to enhance the eggs using paints, sharpies and so on.  The backdrop had to complement the egg characters and the students used an array of medium to fulfill the requirements of this task.

The final results are fantastic.  Please view our included photographs so that you can get a sense of the selections made.  The Year 6 students had a lot of ‘messy fun’ while engaged in this creative Easter task.

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A simple science lesson led to the manufacturing of Rocket Fuel in Year 4 this week!

As part of our science topic on Electrical Circuits, Year 4 were asked to test whether water acts as a conductor or insulator of electricity. With the very small charge (3 batteries) that we were using, it appeared that the water was an insulator. However, when children returned from breaktime to discover that bubbles had formed on one of the connecting wires, they began to think that the water actually was conducting a small amount of electricity.

We learned that salt water (and other impure water solutions) will conduct electricity. As soon as we added salt to the water, each connecting wire began to fizz.

Children immediately wanted to know what was happening. Instead of finding out right away, we enlisted the help of Year 6 (and all their experimenting experience) to capture the gasses that were being created.

By working together in small groups, we managed to manufacture 6 test-tubes of rocket fuel!

Watch our video to find out how we did it. And, more importantly, how we proved that we really did have rocket fuel… [Read more…]

Who is Iggy Peck and have you heard his fantastic story?  Year 1 was introduced to ‘Iggy Peck the Architect’ by one of the children in the class (They love this story because their Dad is an architect). An architect is someone who designs buildings and structures.  In the story, Iggy builds a suspension bridge from boots, tree roots and strings, fruit roll-ups and other things. Year 1 decided to see if they could follow Iggy Peck and build their own bridges.

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Over the past few weeks in Year 2, the children have been exploring measurement. We have looked at measuring cups, rulers, weighing scales and thermometers to figure out how to accurately find out the length/ height, capacity, weight and temperature (how hot or cold) of various objects found around our school. We also thought about where we have seen different examples of the those kinds of measuring tools, such as the scales in the fruit and vegetable area at IGA and the scales at the doctor’s office.

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During MindUp this term one of the things we have been talking about in Year 3 is the word ‘Gratitude’. We had lots of fun making our Gratitude Post Box, plus thinking, talking, discussing and role playing what the word actually meant! After much deliberation, we came to the conclusion that to us it meant being ‘truly truly thankful’ for all good things, however big or small that passes our way.

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As part of our topic on ‘Space and Segregation’ we have been studying in detail the famous ‘I have a dream ‘ speech by Martin Luther King Junior. After identifying all the techniques he used so well to make such a powerful and emotive speech, we decided to write our own speeches.  Year 5 were encouraged to think of any issue at all that they felt really strongly about or wanted to change on a global or personal scale. The range of issues is both interesting and thought-provoking. The children then drafted and re-drafted their speeches in their best handwriting, ready for our classroom wall – please feel welcome to come in and read them. They then had to memorise their speech (as much as they could) before being filmed performing it. We hope you are inspired by their persuasive and compelling reasoning and formal, emotive language!

Take a look at our amazing Year 1 Architects in action!  What a variety of creative bridges, palaces, campfires, tepees, hotels, resorts, homes and dens they have built!

One afternoon, Ms Shara brought in 3 big tubs of wood for the children to use to create structures.  Working alone, in pairs or in a group, they thought, planned, explored, made decisions, built, changed their plans, started all over again and finally built a structure that they were proud of.

As you will see in the photos below, a selection of small and large wooden pieces, patiently balanced with precision, can create all sorts of wonderfully creative designs.

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