Friday 28 September 2012

History

Our history group resumed today after a long summer break. The children are continuing to look at the Victorian period - particularly people who lived during this time. To start off the new term they looked at Francis Fry who made Frys Chocolate, discovered the history of chocolate, had a chocolate tasting session and then had a go at thinking up their own chocolate bar.






Hannah's chocolate is called Cows Own and is a rainbow bar - she even invented an easy open package which keeps most of the wrapper on the chocolate so you can eat it even when you're playing in dirt and can't wash your hands!!

Good job Hannah!

Wild Group - Nature Science

This week at wild group the topic was The Weather.

The children built a weather station and completed a weather record sheet with the temperature, wind direction and weather conditions (in future they will also measure the weekly rainfall). The weather station has a thermometer, a compass, rainfall collection glass with measurements and a weathervane. They loved it and were really interested to find out how it all worked.

Next they all made weather symbols to stick onto a felt weather chart, and then it was time for lunch!

After lunch we had 'circle time'. Each child had brought a weather poem with them and took turns to read their chosen poems out to the group. Some had made up their own poems and others had chosen favourite poems from books - they were all really lovely and it was so good to see Hannah read her poem out confidently to the group.

Once the poems were all read the children shared their news about their week, and one family brought in the caterpillars they are raising for their butterfly habitat - they were amazing!

Finally all the children made natural tree decorations by threading conkers, fircones, feathers, leaves and wooden beads on to strings to hang on the trees around the gardens.

It was a really great session - Hannah enjoyed herself so much, and learnt alot as well - perfect!

Ready to start

Building the weather station

Tallest person (that would be me!) gets to hold it aloft (for ages!) to make sure it's working!

Fixing it in position - Vicki is getting lots of helpful advice!!

Recording the readings

Hannah completing her weather chart


Making a sunshine for the felt board

Lots of weather happening here - it's going to look great!

Hannah reading her poem to the group.

The Caterpillars

Tree decorating.


Friday 21 September 2012

Search Museum - Fossils and Dinosaurs

Today Hannah has been to a workshop at a museaum in Gosport to learn about fossils and dinosaurs. It was great! The teacher told the children how fossils were made, talked about the period that the dinosaurs lived during and then helped the children with lots of hands on activities to discover more!

Learning the chain of events needed to discover a fossil


Drawing and labelling their own fossils.


Learning different animal characteristics and groups.

Finished!

Guess the fossil!

Who met the dinosaurs activity.

Hannah and Melissa viewing bugs fossilised in amber.

All about the Wooly Mammoth!

Rocks and fossils



Hannah's favorite, the Amethyst.

Wildlife Watch September.

Last weekend Hannah went along on a Water Vole and Fungi spotting walk with her wildlife watchers group. It was a beautiful autumn morning and although they didn't spot any water voles, they saw plenty of other wildlife and signs of autumn.
Hannah's list of things she saw included a fox, four jays, nuthatches, blue tits, squirrels,dragonflies,  lots of fungi, blackberries, hawthorn berries, and acorns.

Overlooking the largest pond in the Wildgrounds Nature Reserve.

Hannah in the hide!

Possibly a Lacrymaria velutina?

One of the small ponds.

Another of the small ponds, this one had dragonflies flying over it - beautiful!

In the woods!

Ganoderma applanatum?

 

We followed the Old Man Trail

More fungi - possibly Hydnum repandum.

The Old Man!

The children spotted a 'pigs head' in the tree

The Old Mans Face??

Spider home in the foot of the tree

Wildlife watch gang!

River Alver in the sunshine.
Wildlife watch is run by The WildLife Trust and is a brilliant opportunity for children to get out and learn more about the natural world. They hold monthly meetings and is really good fun!

Thursday 20 September 2012

Goodwood Revival

Last weekend we were really lucky to win tickets to The Goodwood Revival. It was an amazing day! We saw vintage car racing, flight displays, shops, a fairground, motorbikes, music and an event full of people in 1940s and 50s wear!










 
 
 
 
 



 Hannah and Dean dancing to the band playing tunes from the fifties!




A milk float

A scene from the past.

Swingboats!