Is your creature fierce or friendly?

Congo class children have been busy working on a 3-d creative project. First, they looked at different sculptures of dragons, from different countries and in different time periods. The Chinese dragons were amazing!  

Next, they spent some time drawing facial expressions, noting how facial features like eyebrows can affect how friendly or fierce a creature can appear. 

After that, they experimented with different joins, which included split pin, double-sided tape and using a glue gun. 

The children then designed their own 3-d creatures, and worked collaboratively to make their models. The results were stunning!  They most definitely showed great expressions. The children also had to consider the stability of each model. 

Here are some examples we made. When the children evaluated their models, lots of them realised that probably the strongest joining method was using split pins. However, for a lot of children, using double-sided tape was a new technique. And who knew clothes pegs could be so good at holding material in place whilst it dries?  What amazing creations you have made, Congo Class!

Visit by Sizewell Staff

Many thanks to Ann and Jo, our visitors from the Sizewell nuclear plant, who gave fantastic talks to the key stage 2 classes. All the children had been learning about energy sources, and a little about the new Sizewell C reactor. This meant that they were able to engage with our visitors in some depth. As well as a really informative slideshow and discussion, the children also enjoyed the challenge of a team building activity. They had to imagine they were creating their own power station using gravity as the generator. What a challenge!

Many thanks to Sizewell and EDF who delivered these talks.

A Very Creative Way To Explore Tables

Children in Congo Class have been investigating the patterns made by different times tables, using a 10-point circle. They made points on the circle for each ‘ones digit’ up to twelve, then joined up the points. The patterns made are incredibly interesting, and helped us the see some connections between different tables. What amazing work you’ve all done!

Forest Schools – Tuesday 22nd November

Science Week at Fressingfield

Children have been celebrating British Science Week by holding a Classroom Olympics.  We tried out activities such as Hop, Skip and Jump and Shot Put (with a bag of cotton wool!).  We also measured our heights and foot lengths.  Then we had a good look at trends and patterns in our data.  Well done to everyone for such a high standard of collaborative work.’PS – please would you be able to rotate one of these!

Sports Relief Day

What a great time we had on Sports Relief Day.  It was fantastic to see so many of you in your favourite sports gear.  And well done to so many of you who joined in our sports activities at lunchtime.  Many thanks to the children in Key Stage 2 who organised this and kept scores.  And we raised around £100 – well done, everyone.

Hollowford Day 4

Activities days are all about trying new things and challenging yourself to do just a little bit more, and today was certainly a day of challenges. As one of the boys from Laxfield said, “You can’t be brave if you’re not scared.” And today, we have had lots of very brave children.

Scroll through the photos below and you will see Charles overcoming his nerves and climbing to the top of the high wires, then balancing precariously on the top of the wobbly ‘Leap of Faith’ pole. It is no mean feat – up there the ground seems very far away, the wind whistles past your ears, your heart pounds in your chest and your legs feel like jelly. Why we put children through this terrifying ordeal is a bit of a mystery really, but, my goodness they made us feel proud for doing so, and hopefully learnt a small lesson about what they are capable of along the way. Grace, Alyssa, Megan and Jessica (who discovered her inner-guinea-pig the moment she left the ground and squealed her way through all of the challenges) were amongst those who managed the Leap of Faith despite feeling terrified beforehand. Well done them. Others don’t make it to the top of the pole, but nonetheless are able to push themselves to the limit of their comfort zone: step forward Lewis who balanced his way to the very top of the wobbly pole before dangling his way to the bottom. Others still seem to have no fear at all as they climb the ropes: it seems as if Billy, Dylan and Sam were born to it – they’re obviously able to channel their inner apes! However they managed it, we are proud of them all.

This morning, Miss Hunt’s group with Lydia and Rosanna, and Miss Cragoe’s group, with Evie, Kira and Zoe each built a raft. Both teachers were tremendously impressed with their groups’ teamwork and all the children enjoyed the races. Well done Evie, Kira and Zoe who won the dash around the island in the middle and back again. Incredibly, neither team’s boat sank, so neither of them got wet – but, of course, they all celebrated by jumping in.

Evie’s name was also mentioned this afternoon as someone who is fearless – she had been weaselling and attempted every challenge. The bruises on her knees and shins are testament to the amount of crawling and squeezing she had done.

This morning Jessica, Isaac, Jacob and Megan went down Bagshawe Cavern for some squishing and squeezing of their own. I was so impressed with Isaac and Jessica who were not keen, but who battled their nerves and went through every tiny hole and tunnel. Amazing. Whilst down there, we all turned out our lights for about ten minutes and sat in total darkness – an eerie experience. We also took the opportunity to conduct the polo experiment. Did you know that when you snap a polo in two, it emits a tiny flash of light? We do, because with our eyes adjusted to the pitch black, we saw the mini blue flash.

This evening has been the room inspections, and Fressingfield won both the boys and girls prizes for the tidiest rooms – top bananas! Then, the highlight of the whole week –Hollowford’s Got Talent. We had a rich and varied line up this year, with singing, comedy, land-swimming, gymnastics, karate and dance. Well done Megan who came second with her friend Charlie with a lovely gymnastics routine, and well done all who competed including Jacob, Lydia, Rosanna, Kira and Jessica.

It has been a fantastic week, and the activities are just one part of the greater challenge – that of coming so far away from home for so long. We have had quite a few homesick children this week who have battled on and enjoyed themselves despite missing home. This has got much easier as the week has gone on of course, but we are all now looking forward to our own beds, lots of cuddles with mums and dads and a relaxing weekend. I hope when they reflect on their week they will feel proud of all their achievements. Mrs Stansfeld and I certainly are.

 

Hollowford – Day 3

We have been really lucky with the weather, which seems to be changing – the forecast for wet weather today and storms tomorrow seems to have changed, so today we needed hats and suncream for our walks around Castleton and up Mam Tor.

This morning was spent pottering around the beautiful village of Castleton. We first made our way to the entrance to Peak Cavern to have a look at one of the country’s biggest cave entrances and learnt that it used to be a rope-making factory. Then we walked to Peveril Castle to spend an hour exploring the ruins and admiring the view. The entrance to the castle is spectacular – the path winds up a very steep hill and is an exhausting climb. Once at the top, we took in the keep, the scenery on all sides and relaxed in the sunshine. Those with cameras took photos of the views, and we tried to spot the other pupils who were climbing Mam Tor in the morning. Isaac, Rosanna, Jessica, Evie and Billy enjoyed rolling down the slopes inside the bailey before we set off once again for the most important stop of the week – the souvenir and sweet shops.

I am always impressed by how many gifts can be bought for £10 and I have seen that there are precious stones, magnets, special pencils, fridge magnets and more that will be finding their way back to homes in Suffolk very shortly. Best of all though is the old-fashioned sweet shop, where 100g of bon-bons, rhubarb and custards, liquorice allsorts and other treats can be bought in stripy paper bags. Lovely.

After lunch, we set out on our own epic journey up Mam Tor with our guide, Frag. He was a fount of knowledge about the geology and history of the area and soon all the children were finding and identifying limestone, sandstone and shale. Rosanna found a beautiful piece of quartz too; and some found tiny pieces of coal that must have been dropped by travellers long ago. He was very good at bringing the landscape and scenery to life. We learnt that the path we were taking had been used for thousands of years because it led from the shelter of Peak Cavern, to the hill enclosure on Mam Tor. We had a lovely time: Billy, closely followed by Sam, led us both up and down; Isaac and Jacob acted as ornithologists, pointing out buzzards and other birds of prey; Jessica and Rosanna spotted a heron standing in a stream before it flew away; Zoe found a dung beetle that she stroked before it scuttled off; Megan was in charge of good manners and wished all the other walkers a cheery, “Good afternoon!” as we passed them by; Evie was photographer-in-chief, capturing the landscape in all its glory; Dylan, Grace, Alyssa, Lydia, Lewis and Kira kept me company chatting about everything and anything; and Charles kept on walking determinedly despite a little blister on each heel.

It was very blowy at the top, so we took the opportunity to have a little dance in the breeze before Frag taught us about the burial chamber and fortifications. We took more photos, pulled some funny faces and took even more, then headed back down at record speed, arriving exhausted at the centre just in time for tea.

This evening has been quiz night. Well done to Billy and Dylan, Sam and Jacob whose teams both finished in first place.

Tomorrow it’s back to the activities – caving, high-ropes, weaselling and raft-building, then the (in)famous Hollowford’s Got Talent. Then there’s only one more sleep before we come home – doesn’t it go quickly?

Y6 Residential – Hollowford 2019 – Day 2

What a busy day! We have been squeezed, squashed, launched, dangled, soaked and many other verbs besides! Today was our first full day of activities and, following a hearty breakfast, we met the instructors who will work with us while here at the centre.

This morning, Jacob and Isaac, Megan and Jessica designed and built the good ship HMS Floatie using six planks, four barrels and some rope. And while their boat actually did float, it wasn’t long before the entire crew had abandoned ship by leaping into the murky depths below. What followed was twenty minutes of splashing and screaming as the children tried to regain their places, throw others off and generally soak as many people as possible – including me!

Meanwhile, Alyssa, Grace, Billy and Sam in one group and Kira, Zoe and Evie in another group were launching a new Hollowford underground fashion that includes trousers muddy up to the knee – for Grace – and up to the thighs for everyone else, brown socks that harden to a solid lump when dry and hair matted with cave mud. They had ventured into Bagshaw Cavern and waded through puddles and sumps until they were in the heart of the mountain, where they all sat down and turned out their lights! Scary! Billy and Sam, needless to say, were happy to take on the extra-specially squeezy challenges!

At the same time, Rosanna and Lydia, Dylan, Charles and Lewis were exploring the craggy rocks of Higger Tor. They were weaselling, which involves clambering over the bigger slabs of rock, then squeezing themselves through short sequences of tiny holes. It pays to be small for these challenges, so Charles stepped forward as a pioneer explorer.

In the afternoon, Lewis, Dylan and Charles built their own raft – called, “You can do it if you B&Q it!” and – as with everyone else – their favourite part wasn’t the paddling but the jumping in at the end. This evening they have also enjoyed a mega game of football with friends from their club.

For Jacob, Isaac, Megan and Jessica it was weaselling time – but at Burbage Edge for us. I was so impressed with our Fantastic Fressingfield Four, for, having wedged themselves tightly into a very tricky spot, they all extricated themselves, overcame their nerves, took a few big gulps of air then carried on with all the rest of the challenges. Our leader, John, told us that we hadn’t had a good day if we hadn’t got a few scrapes and bruises, so by that measure (and by the children’s smiles), we certainly had a good afternoon.

Lydia, Rosanna, Evie, Zoe and Kira spent the afternoon on the high ropes, eventually completing the reopened Leap of Faith. It seems that these girls are fearless as they all made it to the top, and they all took the leap; this involves climbing up to the top of a telegraph pole, balancing at the top (and dancing if your are Zoe), then leaping off to try and catch a trapeze bar swinging just out of reach. Well done Evie and Lydia who managed to catch it!

This evening we’ve had a long play outside, half of a quiz and the eagerly awaited room inspections. I’m afraid the results are rather a mixed bag here, but well done Isaac, Billy, Sam and Jacob who won the prize for the best room on the boys’ corridor. Not bad!

Tomorrow we’ll visit Castleton in the morning and spend our pocket money, then we’ll walk up Mam Tor in the afternoon.