Autumn/Winter Sessions

4M

Week 1 - Tree Study

Year 4 took at closer look at some of the trees growing around our school grounds. They learned to identify some of our local species by their leaves. Once they'd identified their tree they measured the girth of the trunk and even their approximate height. To find the height they used some very sophisticated methods using a pencil, a trundle wheel, and a partner. Finally, they studied the leaf structure and bark texture through observational drawings and crayon rubbings. Next week we will finalise our observations and they will be collated into a book for our classroom.

Week 2 - Tree Study 2

We completed our tree studies today and had a closer look at the bark and seeds of some of the species around our playground.

Week 3 - Habitats

In the past there have been rumours of turning the garden area into overflow car parking, so we used this as an opportunity to study the benefits of having our wildlife area on school grounds. The purpose was for students to explore and examine the various living things in our rain garden to deter any future car park plans! We discovered a myriad of organisms who filled numerous essential roles;

• Spiders help maintain population levels of various insects, including the ones who bite us!
• Trees and bushes filter the carbon dioxide from our air and provide us with oxygen. They also produce their own energy from the sun, in turn providing energy in the form of food for our birds, insects and other animals.
• Woodlice, slugs, and worms break down organic materials into compost, to provide nutrient-rich soils for new plants. They also help break up hard soils so the roots of new plants have space to grow.
• Wasps, bees, and butterflies transport pollen from plant to plant to help reproduction and produce new seeds.

The highlight of our morning was finding a smooth newt beneath the willow dome logs! We put it in a viewing container with some damp leaves for cover so we could have a closer look, then released it back to the logs before heading in for lunch time.