Science
We have started this term with a new science unit all about rocks and fossils. We began with looking at different rock samples and we had to use all the clues and questions to figure out which rock was which. Some were obvious (like chalk) where others were a bit trickier as they could come in many different forms (granite). We then looked at the 3 main types of natural rock: sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. We ‘made’ our own rocks using chocolate! To represent sedimentary, we grated 3 different types of chocolate and crated separate layers (1 on top of each other) to show the process of how over time, these layers become the rock. When we looked at metamorphic, we moulded the 3 types of chocolate rock to show how heat and pressure changes the formation of them and create something new. Finally, for igneous, we heated the chocolate to change the rock into a liquid form and then let it reset and remould itself. This week we went on a walk around Minch to look at the ways rock is used in our surrounding areas. We visited the church and saw how limestone can appear different depending on how it is used. We are looking forward to learning about fossils soon.
English – The pebble in my pocket
To link to our science work, we are using a book called The pebble in my pocket. The book is all about the journey of a pebble and how it starts off over 400mya (million years ago) and then travels and changes as the earth does. We’ve written poetry using a technique called blackout poetry. We take some of the text of the book and black out some words, leaving behind the ones we need which then create a poem. We have also written some of the journey but from the point of view of the pebble so it is like the pebble is telling us its life story!
Y3 rock pebble art
While the Y4s were away at Viney Hill, the Y3s had the chance to make their own art using pebbles. We looked at examples of ones made previously and had to think how we would arrange the different pebbles on our board to create a simple yet effective image. Some of us added small little details with pen and/or leaves, twigs and other natural resources. We were really pleased with the final pieces and enjoyed making them.
Art – Banksy stencils
This term’s art is focusing on the work of Banksy. We looked at lots of examples of his work and how he uses his art to get messages across. We had a discussion about whether or not graffiti is art as some people would say it is not because they see it as vandalism instead. A lot of us liked the style of graffiti art. We have started to look at how to use stencils to create an image and we will soon be making our own stencil to use to create a poster all about the impact of pollution on the planet.
Geography – river flooding data
We were given a challenge this week to interpret 10 years worth of data that showed the river levels of the River Severn and the flooding trends. We had to look for the highest recorded data for each month and record that on a specifically coloured lolly stick (the colour was linked to a particular year). Once this was done for the year we were assigned, we then had to plot those results on the graph. These sheets were then put together so we could see the patterns across the years. We started to ask questions and tried to make links to our previous learning in Y3 about collate change. Some of us wondered if the increase in flooding events were linked to the increase in the temperature.
