“Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven with repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
Viking Day
Year 4 rounded off their History topic on Vikings, by having a Viking Day. The children were all given Viking names for the day and each took on a role within the village, from chieftain to warriors, boat makers, weapon makers and cooks. Across the day they carried out the various roles, had a go at writing and reading messages written in runes and learnt about Viking gods, before setting off on to raid the British Isles.
Year 4 were amazingly industrious, and very fearsome, Vikings!
Bellboating
Year 4 had a lovely day bellboating. They learnt how to paddle and work as a team, then paddled up to the weir (going through the diamond shaped lock) and back, before enjoying some racing and a catwalk activity!
Tag Rugby Festival
Year 4 took part in a tag rugby festival at Blessed Edward Oldcorne. The children were put into two teams and both played very well. One team finished 2nd and did not loose a match, the other team finished 4th. We were very impressed with everyone’s rugby skills and also their understanding of the rules of the game.
Geography Fieldwork
Years 4 and 5 visited the Knapp and Papermill Nature Reserve to take part in some geography fieldwork. During the day the children investigated the erosion and deposition of the streams, and profiled the stream by measuring the speed of the current and the depth of the water at various intervals. With these measurements they were able to work out where the erosion and deposition would take place.
In a separate session, groups took samples of the water and identified the living organisms that they found. They examined the creatures and recorded the types of animals they had found. This enabled them to draw conclusions on the pollution levels and health of the stream.
The children all had a fantastic day and learnt so much. Thank you to all the staff who planned and accompanied the children and to the reserve staff, who ran the sessions.
History: Vikings
Year 4 were visited by a Viking! The children enjoyed a morning of role play and at the same time their history knowledge of Viking society, beliefs and civilisation was broadened, as they were transported back to AD 793.
The children got into character by creating their own names and practised saying them in their scary, Viking voices. They spent some of the morning learning about Viking beliefs and their Gods. They worked in groups to chose a God and represent them in a freezeframe.
Over the course of the morning, amongst other things, they learnt how to build and crew a long boat, and then sailed away across the sea on a Viking raid to Lindisfarne, tossed this way and that on the stormy waves! On the way they played some Viking games and made up riddles for each other, like the Viking raiders would have done.
They finished off by sitting round the ‘camp fire’ and listening to Viking sagas, just like the Vikings would have done.
Thank you to the PTA for part funding the session.
Music: The Big Sing
Year 4 took part in the the Big Sing, organised by Severn Arts and the University of Worcester, which took place at University of Worcester Arena on Thursday 16 June 2022.
The Big Sing is an interactive performance where key stage 2 pupils gather from across Worcestershire to sing prepared pieces as part of a huge singing workshop. It is an exciting and motivational opportunity for children and teachers alike to be part of a large-scale musical experience, led by world renowned singing leaders Ula Weber and Suzzie Vango, accompanied by a live band.
The theme for this year’s event was ‘Around the World’. Each song had been carefully chosen and was used to improve vocal technique as well as providing an opportunity for links to the National Curriculum.
Children and staff had a wonderful time and learnt lots! Thank you Mr Lister for booking this and for teaching the children all of the songs in their music lessons.
Art: Take One Picture
As part of their Take One Picture work, based on George Bellow’s painting, ‘The Men of the Docks’, that is hanging in the National Gallery, Year 4 looked at the colour palette and the feeling and mood that this colour palette conveyed. The children then thought about how different colour palettes would give the scene a different mood and then used watercolour to repaint the scene using their chosen palette.
