Thursday, July 22, 2010
19th to 22nd July
This short week has ended our school year and we have now broken up for our summer holidays.
One of the main pieces of work this week has been a science topic about sound. We thought about sound sources, what sound is and how to change sounds. We thought about how sounds are changed on different musical instruments and we also investigated glockenspiels and "tea chest" basses. We also did an investigation to find out which sorts of materials muffle sounds the best.
We have also used MovieMaker to produce videos showcasing the automata that we made. Everyone videoed their automaton, filming the whole thing, the mechanism and the moving "figures". These clips, together with some still images, were put into a film together with some written commentary, titles and credits.
Our other main activity this week has been a study of film interpretations of The Wind in the Willows. We have watched two different versions and thought about how the film makers have communicated the story and the use of lighting, music and sound effects to help create the mood and atmosphere for the different scenes.
We have also had quite a lot of "sorting out" to do - completing our Records of Achievement and selecting work to take home. We finished the term with a special assembly to say "goodbye" to our Year 6s.
School is now closed and will re-open for pupils on 7th September 2010.
One of the main pieces of work this week has been a science topic about sound. We thought about sound sources, what sound is and how to change sounds. We thought about how sounds are changed on different musical instruments and we also investigated glockenspiels and "tea chest" basses. We also did an investigation to find out which sorts of materials muffle sounds the best.
We have also used MovieMaker to produce videos showcasing the automata that we made. Everyone videoed their automaton, filming the whole thing, the mechanism and the moving "figures". These clips, together with some still images, were put into a film together with some written commentary, titles and credits.
Our other main activity this week has been a study of film interpretations of The Wind in the Willows. We have watched two different versions and thought about how the film makers have communicated the story and the use of lighting, music and sound effects to help create the mood and atmosphere for the different scenes.
We have also had quite a lot of "sorting out" to do - completing our Records of Achievement and selecting work to take home. We finished the term with a special assembly to say "goodbye" to our Year 6s.
School is now closed and will re-open for pupils on 7th September 2010.
# posted by Mr Jennings : 6:27 pm
Friday, July 16, 2010
12th to 16th July
We have had our music concerts and Family Schools' Music Festival this week and these went very well, with lots of great performances. We also had an International Day on Tuesday when we went around school doing up to eight different activities related to different countries of the world.
We have made a lot more progress with our automata which are mostly finished and we have now started creating our project portfolio including our designs, prototypes, finished product drawings and evaluations. We have also continued our work studying the techniques used by film-makers in communicating stories and our maths unit.
As well as these activities, we had our usual PE and French sessions, music (finishing off our work on Peter and the Wolf) and we ended the week with evaluating the Christian Aid and Islamic Relief websites.
We have made a lot more progress with our automata which are mostly finished and we have now started creating our project portfolio including our designs, prototypes, finished product drawings and evaluations. We have also continued our work studying the techniques used by film-makers in communicating stories and our maths unit.
As well as these activities, we had our usual PE and French sessions, music (finishing off our work on Peter and the Wolf) and we ended the week with evaluating the Christian Aid and Islamic Relief websites.
# posted by Mr Jennings : 7:16 pm
Friday, July 09, 2010
5th to 10th July
We have begun a new unit of work in English, thinking about how film makers communicate story in their productions. We are linking this with the classic text we have been reading and studying (The Wind in the Willows). After watching the first part of a video adaptation, we discussed our impressions. Then, to help us understand how the story was communicated, we went back to the beginning and, watching it again, wrote down every word spoken in the first five minutes of the film to find that there were less than thirty words said and that almost none of these communicated the plot. We then started to think about this was done by other means.
We have continued making good progress with our automata and hope to finish these next week. Many of us have now finished the moving figures and some have connected these to the mechanisms. In maths, we did a little more work on percentages and then moved on to coordinates. We also enjoyed our Sports Day on Thursday.
# posted by Mr Jennings : 9:14 pm
Friday, July 02, 2010
28th June to 2nd July
This has been another short week as Monday was the second of two INSET Days for the teachers.
In English we have been studying the novel, The Wind in the Willows as our "classic fiction" book. We have written from one of the character's points of view and have now begun writing a new episode, trying the keep the characters consistent with those created by Kenneth Grahame.
Our maths work has focussed on fractions, developing understanding of equivalent fractions and we have begun to relate these to percentages. This week, we have also been revisiting some of the maths that we covered earlier this year.
We had a special geography activity on Wednesday, with a whole class debate about a planning proposal for a development in the Lake District. Everyone in the class had a role, representing one of six different groups in the community which would be affected by the plans. After discussion and opportunities for groups to question each other and revise the plans, a vote was taken and (on this occasion) the proposal was defeated.
We have also spent some time on our technology project this week. We have designed automata and are now in the process of making them. This week we have been finishing the frames and the mechanisms to create the movement.
In English we have been studying the novel, The Wind in the Willows as our "classic fiction" book. We have written from one of the character's points of view and have now begun writing a new episode, trying the keep the characters consistent with those created by Kenneth Grahame.
Our maths work has focussed on fractions, developing understanding of equivalent fractions and we have begun to relate these to percentages. This week, we have also been revisiting some of the maths that we covered earlier this year.
We had a special geography activity on Wednesday, with a whole class debate about a planning proposal for a development in the Lake District. Everyone in the class had a role, representing one of six different groups in the community which would be affected by the plans. After discussion and opportunities for groups to question each other and revise the plans, a vote was taken and (on this occasion) the proposal was defeated.
We have also spent some time on our technology project this week. We have designed automata and are now in the process of making them. This week we have been finishing the frames and the mechanisms to create the movement.
# posted by Mr Jennings : 9:43 pm
