On 23rd May four girls and four boys from Year 4 enjoyed the morning representing school in the Tyne and Wear area qualifier of the Tony Blair Challenge Cup, school tennis competition. It took place at Northumberland County Ground, Jesmond on the indoor courts. The children came second out of four schools. They did extremely well considering they were up against tough competition. Their attitude and behaviour were excellent.
On Wednesday 7th May Mr John Smith from Action Aid visited Year 4 to teach us about India and the village of Chembakolli which we are studying in Geography. We learnt that Action Aid is helping the Adivasi (the people who live in Chembakolli) to assert their right to the land and organise themselves to improve the facilities and living standards in the village. We also found out about the work, houses, schools, food, clothing and customs of the Adivasi people.
An ice-cream seller visits the village on a bicycle.
On 29th April Year 4 visited the Mosque at Newcastle University. We learnt many interesting things about Muslims and how they pray. We watched people praying and we were shown around the Prayer Hall with its patterned carpet designed to help people pray in neat rows and the Mihrab arch which shows the direction of Mecca.
On Wednesday 5th March Year 4 visited Segedunum where we met an Ancient Egyptian farmer and a high priestess who told us all about the fascinating lives and deaths of the Ancient Egyptians. After our encounter with the time travelling Egyptians we spent time looking at Egyptian artefacts in the Land of the Pharaohs gallery.
On Monday and Tuesday of this week Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 hosted the children's author Adam Bushnell. Each class spent 2 sessions with Adam and what an inspiration he was! With Year 4 he told captivating stories and encouraged the children to think of their own ideas, helping them create their very own stories. Some children had the chance to sit on his storytelling chair! We hope he can come back sometime.
Last week Year 4 spent a morning at the Gateshead CLC. We worked in pairs using the program Photostory to create a presentation about World War 2. We learnt lots of different skills including how to record sound. We had a fantastic morning and can't wait to go again!
Last week Mr Gardner visited Year 4 to talk about his experiences as a child in World War 2, a topic which Year 4 have been learning about in their history lessons this term. Mr Gardner told us how he was evacuated to a cousin's house in Norfolk but that there were so many airfields in the Norfolk countryside that it became too dangerous for him to stay there, so he was sent back home to Whickham. He told us that some schools were closed or amalgamated due to a shortage of teachers - many went to fight in the war. we could not believe that bananas were never seen in the shops during World War 2!
Year 4 have been making fantastic calendars! Inspired by their learning about Japan in World Week, earlier this term, Year 4 children have been reproducing paintings by Hiroshige to create the centrepiece for their calendars. Hiroshige was a Japanese artist who lived from 1797 to 1858 and he is well known for his paintings of Japanese landscapes.
As part of our RE work on Pilgimage we visited Durham Cathedral. We learnt about why Durham Cathedral has and continues to be a place of pilgrimage. A World Heritage Site, it houses the relics of St Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede. We thought it was a majestic building with a very special atmosphere.
Mrs Atkinson is a Teaching Assistant at our school.
She is also a school governor.
Mrs Boath is a Teaching Assistant at our school.
Mrs Latham teaches Class Four.
She leads our school choir.
In History, the children will be looking at different aspects of World War 2, including what it was like for children during the Second World War, the blitz and rationing. They will also look at the treatment of Jewish people during the war by learning about the experiences of Anne Frank.