Year 4 REACH Group

We have begun our Year 4 Reach Group. We have been learning about the ancient and the modern olympics. As we do this we are also learning to use different graphic organisers and thinking tools. As we talked about the Olympics we began to talk about Continents so we decided to learn a bit more about them and made a Wordle. Next we worked in pairs on differnt PMI's - One was 'Anyone found guilty of taking performance enhancing drugs should be banned from all competitive sport for life' We had to think about all points of view. This was especially interesting as soon after our own Olympic Athlete Valerie Adams got Silver because of this actually happening when the gold medal winner was tested positive for drugs. Today we compared the Ancient Olympics with the Modern Olympics and completed a Venn Diagram to show the similarities and differences. I wonder what we'll learn about next week????????????????????

Suter Art Gallery Extension Programme

Wow! What amazing sessions we have had with Esther at the Suter Gallery. 15 Year 4,5 and 6 students were selected to attend three art sessions. We began by viewing a great exhibition created using photographs and a printer. The artworks are unusual as they often show two or more objects or landscapes that just don't seem to go together. Such as a train tunnel on mars?? After discussing and taking a close look at these, the students began by learning about layering. They worked with partners to use a layering collage technique similar to the artworks. Next session was back in the same exhibition taking a very close look at how the printer had shaded the different areas. The students learnt about using lines in different directions to create shading. The session ended with the students taking a small part of their collage artwork and working with fine tipped black pens to carefully show the detail using the shading technique. Great learning team - you all did so well and from your reaction I think we'll be seeing some of these techniques used back at school and at home. Well Done!

Coral is cool

The F.P.S group is working on a coral scenario. It is very interesting! We have to protect natural coral from artificial coral. Our scenario is about the Great Barrier Reef. We had to think up ten challenges and then an UP(underlying problem) Now we are working on ten solutions. FPS is about getting a really big problem and breaking it down into a smaller problem so it can be solved. Well the man is making artificial coral which might affect the natural coral. We have been figuring out solutions to help the natural coral to grow and survive.FACTS. Tiny plants called algae grow inside coral and also give them their colour. If all the algae's die then that is called coral bleaching. Coral is a animal.An estimated 25 percent of coral has already disappeared. Coral is valued because of its medical values. Hurricanes are good for coral because they cool the seas down.

By Emily, Chloe and Julia. :)