Year 3- Food Technology- Where does our food come from?
Today, Year 3 began their Food Technology unit by exploring how different foods grow in various climates. To remind ourselves, we explored the concept of climate zones, explaining that these describe the typical weather patterns of different parts of the world, including rainfall and temperature. The children discovered that the UK has a temperate climate, meaning it experiences four seasons, which affects the types of food that can be grown here. They also learned that different climates around the world allow different countries to grow specific foods. Using atlases, the children worked in pairs to locate countries where certain fruits and vegetables traditionally grow. This activity helped them understand the link between climate and food production. We also discussed how the UK’s temperate climate influences the food available to us and how this can impact our diets.
Year 3- Class Worship - Tourism - Should we be allowed to travel anywhere we like?
In class worship today, Year 3 explored the Christian value of respect, connecting it to the recent news about increased Everest climbing permit fees in Nepal. From September, peak season climbs will cost $15,000 (a 36% rise from $11,000), while off-season permits (Sept-Nov and Dec-Feb) will also increase by the same percentage, costing $7,500 and $3,750 respectively. These fees are a crucial source of income for Nepal, with climbing and trekking contributing over 4% to their economy. We discussed how our travel decisions impact the environment and the importance of responsible tourism that respects both the planet and its people, reflecting on what the Bible says about this. Children shared examples of local issues, like litter around Darwen Tower and how we should do our bit by not littering. We sang a hymn celebrating God's creation and asking for guidance in making thoughtful travel choices. A big thank you to Harry for leading our prayer, and to Lotti and Lyla for reading out facts about Everest climbers.
Year 1- Geography
This week, Year 1 are enjoying a Geography themed Role Play and Investigation Area. In the Investigation Area, we have been creating our own booklets to represent where we all live on a larger scale and have gradually zoomed into where we live on a smaller scale. For example, we are part of the world and Europe but on a smaller scale we live in Darwen. In the Role Play Area, we have been taking on the role of a travel agent. We have had to book a holiday (in the United Kingdom) for a customer. The customer has had to choose a destination e.g. Scotland or more specifically Edinburgh and the travel agent has had to advise them about different types of accommodation and the best mode of transport. We understand that if we are travelling to Scotland, Wales or staying in England then a car, bus or train will be suitable but if we are travelling to Northern Ireland then a boat or aeroplane would be necessary.
Year 5 - Children’s Mental Health Week
Today, Year 5 took part in a live Lyfta session focused on this year’s theme for Children’s Mental Health Week: Know Yourself, Grow Yourself. During the session, the children were introduced to a young girl from Azerbaijan and explored the places where she felt safe, as well as how she expressed herself through dance. Following this, the children reflected on their own safe spaces and the ways they express themselves.
Year 3- PSHE- Lyfta- Know Yourself, Grow Yourself: Exploring Mental Health and Aspirations Through Malahat’s Story
Today in class, our Year 3 students joined hundreds of other schools in a live Lyfta session, exploring the theme "Know Yourself, Grow Yourself" and the importance of children's mental health through the inspiring story world Dancing in the Land of Fire. During this engaging 45-minute session, our students, alongside thousands of their peers, reflected on self-awareness and well-being, inspired by the journey of 11-year-old Malahat, who dreams of becoming a world-famous dancer and building a new home for her family in Baku. The children were fascinated to learn about Azerbaijan, particularly its vibrant capital, Baku. Through this experience, they gained a deeper understanding of mental health, resilience, and self-growth. The session encouraged them to think about their own dreams, emotions, and personal strengths, helping to build their confidence and empathy. It was a valuable opportunity for them to develop a global perspective while also reflecting on their own well-being and aspirations.
Year 6 Geography - Wind Energy
In geography, year 6 have been discussing the advantages and disadvantages of wind energy. We talked about how we use energy in our everyday lives, they types of energy we use and whether these are renewable or non-renewable, why wind energy is a good and sustainable energy source, but also why some people have concerns about its use. We used the key vocabulary from the lesson to produce some super writing.
Year 4- Creating Patterns in Art - Fabric of Nature
In art, we have been exploring using a textile technique to develop patterns. Our success criteria included: to discuss the work and patterns created by William Morris, creating a pattern using a drawing and developing a pattern using inspiration taken from research. The children used their artwork from the previous lesson - One picture, four views and using tracing paper they traced their drawings, picking out main shapes. They then transferred their traced shapes and patterns into a piece of paper in preparation for the next stage which involves Batik artwork. We can’t wait to see the final result in a few weeks.
Reception - Chinese New Year
This week, Reception have been learning about the celebration of Chinese New Year. We have been looking at the traditions and festivities celebrated in China, but also by people all over the world too! We read the story of the great race and learned about the position the animals came to determine each year. This year is the year of the snake. We performed dragon dances and will be tasting some traditional Chinese food!
Reception: Presentation of Learning all about Chinese New Year
This week, Reception class have learnt all about Chinese New Year. Today, they presented their knowledge to the whole school. They shared what they had made and a little bit about Chinese New Year. We learnt that this year is the year of the snake. The children made some wonderful lanterns, wrote Chinese numbers and also painted the animals from the great race. Some of the children even took part in a dragon parade. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with the rest of the school Reception, we learnt lots!
Year 4 - English: Debates
We love a good discussion in Year 4, and with our new English topic being “Debates”, we certainly have a chance to shine! After a little research into deforestation, we recorded some of the reasons mass tree felling occurs, followed by a look at the positive and negative effects. We then went on to sorting the effects into two piles - for and against. It became evident to the children that there were more reasons not to fell so many trees than to continue, we will see what their finished balanced arguments look like.
Year 4 Geography - What are the main features of a rainforest?
Today’s Geography lesson focused on recognising features that make up a rainforest including specific rainforest food and animals. We looked at a range of both food and animals, labelling examples and adding these to our collection. We then moved onto classifying the animals into reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals.
Year 5 - Day and Night
Today, Year 5 embarked on an exciting hands-on activity to deepen their understanding of Earth's rotation and how it causes day, night, and time zones. The children created their own model, using a ball of clay to represent Earth, a dowel to demonstrate its axis tilt and rotation, and a torch to symbolise the Sun. Through this interactive experiment, the children were able to visually explore how Earth rotates on its tilted axis, causing different parts of the planet to experience sunlight or darkness at various times. The children also discussed the significance of time zones and how Earth's rotation impacts the way we measure time across the globe. As the torch illuminated one side of the clay Earth, the children observed how light represents daytime, while the shadowed side represents night. This hands-on approach helped them connect scientific concepts to real-life and why we have day and night.