In science the children investigated how far different materials can stretch using non-standard units to measure them. After plenty of pulling, measuring, and recording, each group compared their results. We had a great discussion to establish which material was the stretchiest and which was the least stretchy. Once all the data was in the children ordered their materials according to how stretchy they were.
We then looked at how we could test the strength of paper folds. Working in pairs the children carefully measured a 15 cm gap between their pots before testing the different folds in paper. With each fold, they placed cubes on top, recording how many each would hold. Once all of the testing was done, the children used a block graph to record their results.
This week we began our Expert of the Mantle story, and the children took on expert roles in drama based learning. This helped them to learn through problem solving, creativity and team work.
In our story the children received an urgent mission request from The Education Society asking them if they would become a team and explore how schools were in the past and look at whether children had the same opportunities back then as they do today. The children were excited about this and began by looking at pictures of schools from the past, placing them on a timeline.
In DT we have been looking at mechanical and non-mechanical objects and explored a variety of toys, carefully sorting them based on whether they had moving parts or not. Building on this, we also looked at levers and pivots. The children discovered how levers help make tasks easier by reducing the amount of force needed to move an object and how a pivot acts as a fixed point, allowing a lever to move up and down. With this knowledge the children were set a task to design a moving monster, which we will make over the next few weeks.
We had a lovely time celebrating World Book Day. Our focused story was, The Magic Paintbrush, by Julia Donaldson. The children did activities around the story, using drama to act out different parts and wrote about what they would paint if they had a magic paintbrush. 🖌 Thank you to the parents who were able to attend this session. 😊