Week 6

June 2020

Welcome to Fauna week

See you all next term from the Outdoor Explorer Team

We would like to say a big thank you to to all our Outdoor Explorer contributors both big and small. We have received books, films, photographs, stories and pictures. Adults and children have come together to produce an awesome mixture of fabulous fun, fascinating facts and stunning stories which celebrate the nature, health and people of our Smithton Primary School Family. We are so privileged to be able to work alongside such awesome people of all ages. Seeing all your stories has helped to bring smiles to our faces, love in our hearts and a spring in our steps.

See you all next term - have adventures, have fun, stay safe - The Outdoor Explorer Team.

Miss Bills has put together a special end of term film, we hope you like it.

Human Life - Humans are amazing creatures

Caring for our bodies

We can move in the most amazing and creative ways. Here one of our Outdoor Explorers demonstrates how to do a headstand.

Caring for our planet

Outdoor Explorers' are passionate about caring for their planet. In this video we receive some really useful tips on how making small change in our lives, can make a really big difference to our planet.

Caring for our mental health and wellbeing

Outdoor Explorers are also interested in caring for their mental health and well being. This short video demonstrates 5 ways we can care for our mental health and well being.

Pond Life

Ducks

We are so fortunate

Newts

to have amazing life

Tadpoles

above and below the water.

Bird Life

Treasures of our woodlands

Look what we found when we were playing. Deep in the woods where we like to play, some baby birds are hiding away. They are being looked after by their mum, who is keeping them safe and making sure that they are well fed, warm and protected from the many predators who also live in the woodland.

If you find a nest of fledglings in the woodland, make sure you do what these Outdoor Explorer nature detectives did. Be very quiet, leave them alone, admire from afar and then go off and play somewhere else where you won't disturb them.

A young bird with feathers is called a fledgling. A bird without feathers is called a nestling. This is a nest of fledglings, who will soon be able to fend for themselves.

One of the nicest sounds to wake up to in the morning is the sound of birds singing. If you click on the videos below you will find out just how loudly they can sing.

Cosy in the nest

These birds will be waiting for the adult bird to come back to feed them and keep them warm.

Birds singing -

in Mrs MacMillan's garden.

Birds singing -

in Mrs Aitken's garden.

Inside this egg a baby chick is growing.

It is getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

Until the egg slowly cracks open.

And the baby chick is hatched.

These films were sent in by

Mrs Walker from nursery.

Farm Life

Lambs

Calves

Crias

Ducklings

At this time of year we can see a lot of baby animals in the fields around the areas that we live. All the photos above have been sent in by Outdoor Explorers who have discovered some very cute animal babies on their travels: lambs (baby sheep), calves (baby cows), crias (baby llamas or alpacas), ducklings (baby ducks).

This Outdoor Explorer tells you the story of the

Wonky Donkey.

A book inside a book. This clever book has been made by Mrs Lambert. If you look carefully you will find out all about Highland Cows and a story about a Highland Cow called Hamish.

Bug life

Millipedes

Millipedes have long bodies with short antennae and short legs that are vertically in line with their bodies. This compact body shape enables them to plough through soil. Most millipedes are largely black, dark brown or grey with bolder shades of red, purple or yellow on their segments and legs.

Explorer

The study of insects, it is called entomology and a person who studies them is called an entomologist.

Snails

Malacology is the study of molluscs (including snails.) A person who studies them is called a malacologist.

This Outdoor Explorer was inspired

by Mrs Hendry's rainbow walk

and went on a colourful walk

herself.

Bug makers, Hunters and Hang Outs

Bug Makers

Bug hunters

On a visit to their local woodland Mrs Aitken and Laura found and photographed an array of bugs and their habitats. See their pictures below of where some of our bugs like to hang out.

Spider/Harvestman

Ladybird

Butterfly/moth

Bee

Fauna Art - by Mrs Aitken and Laura

Find a stone, cover it with paint...

draw on your fauna favourites.

Zoo life

This Outdoor Explorer enjoyed drawing and learning about zoo life.

The red panda is Mrs Munro's favourite animal and can be seen at Highland Wildlife Park.

Another Smithton Primary favourite animal is the polar bear.

Caring for bird life

We love this book made with Book Creator which shows how to make an 'Easy peasy bird feeder'. Click on the book to read the pages or look below to see them displayed as slides.

Music Life - Celebrating Beethoven's 250 Anniversary - with a nature and Pastoral Symphony

Beethoven

Lots of things have been missed because of lockdown. You might have missed a birthday party or a holiday. You will almost certainly be missing swimming or football or some other club. Another thing that has been missed is lots of musical concerts that were planned to mark 250 years since Beethoven’s birth in 1770.

Click on the video to listen to Mr Speakman's blackbird tweeting in harmony with Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony.

Beethoven and the Blackbird

Beethoven loved being outdoors and would definitely have been an Outdoor Explorer. One of his most famous pieces of music is his Pastoral Symphony. The word Pastoral means countryside, which is where he loved to walk. Mr Speakman was playing Beethoven's music last week when a blackbird started singing to the music - at least he thinks it was. Play the video and listen to the short bit of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, and the blackbird who lives in Mr Speakman's garden, singing along.