April blog

STEM - Landmarks Challenge

As part of our IDL context on famous landmarks, we created models of famous landmarks from around the world. We were put into groups of three or four and had to work together to choose a landmark, research what it looked like, and decide which materials to use to built it. We had to draw a scale model and think about the different properties of materials.

Check our our Burj Khalifa, Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, Leaning Tower of Pisa and more!

IDL - Famous Landmarks

On the left you can see part of our classroom wall display linked to our learning on famous landmarks in Scotland and around the world.

We learned all about the major cities in Scotland - Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Stirling, Inverness, Perth, Dundee and Dunfermline. We looked at where they are on a map of Scotland and then discussed some of the famous landmarks you might see if you visited these cities. We researched three landmarks that we were most interested in and took notes about them.

We then worked together to make a giant map of Scotland and labelled all the cities!

P.E. - Hurdles

In P.E. we have started our block on athletics. This week we were focused on hurdles.

We began by jumping over cones to practise the correct movements, then we progress to small and large hurdles. We had to do a run up then jump as far as we could. Someone else measured out jump going from the furthest back part of our body which was usually the heel of our foot.

We have decided that it's easier if you have longer legs like me!

By Samantha

P.E. - Long Jump

This week in P.E. we continued our block on athletics. This week we were focused on long jump and triple jump.

We began by looking at how to perform them both, looking at the difference between a run and jump, and a hop, skip and jump. We found the triple jump quite difficult as we are used to doing just the long jump.

We also talked about how to accurately measure someone else's jump - by measuring from the furthest back part of their body (usually the back of their heel).

We then had a go to see how far we could jump. Do you think anyone managed to go all the way off the end of the mat?

Numeracy - Time

In Numeracy we have been learning about time, more specifically tenths and hundredths of seconds.

We started by watching some videos of Formula 1 races and discussing how time is used in those. How do you separate two cars who cross the finish line in the same number of seconds? You have to look at tenths and hundredths of a second.

We then went out to the MUGA and took part in a range of activities involving skipping, running and jumping jacks. We recorded each other's results in a table, correctly noting tenths and hundredths of a second.

We then compared who was the fastest or had done the most repetitions for each activity and ranked the top 3 people for each. It was important to remember that unlike many situations, the fastest time was the lowest number and not the highest.

Art - Rhinos

Linked to our new IDL concept of Endangered Animals, we did some drawings of rhinos!

We studied artist Albrecht Durer and his famous drawing of a rhinoceros. Back when he was alive, there weren't any online pictures of a rhino, so if you didn't live in a country where you would see one in the wild, you wouldn't know what they looked like.

The story goes that a rhino was sent from Goa to Portugal and then on to the Pope, but it drowned when the boat it was travelling in sunk en route. The rhino was the first to arrive in Europe for centuries and caused a sensation.

Durer didn't see the animal itself, but instead based his surprsingly accurate picture on descriptions from other people. Albrecht was only given a description and a sketch of what rhinos look like.

Art - Red Pandas

Following on from last week's art lesson, this week we had to draw a red panda. Except, we didn't know it was a red panda!

We were given a list of bullet points describing the shape, colour and various other parts of the animal and asked to draw it.

Some of us guessed during the process but some of us have never seen a red panda before so found this quite challenging.

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