African Adventure Day 1

We, the Emergency Relief Team, have arrived at our accommodation beside the African Village. The weather is warmer than we are used to, but we are beginning to adjust.

Our first tasks on arrival involved getting to know our fellow team members. We were divided into sub-groups ( Lions, Elephants and Hyenas) and began with some problem-solving and team-building activities.

We then began to get our bearings around the site, using maps to orient ourselves.

Following a break for lunch, we began to explore the site in more detail. We discovered a number of features, including five abandoned African huts in a village compound; a minefield beside it; an archery range; and a graveyard. In our teams, we used what we had found to build physical maps of the site.

We are beginning to piece together what has happened here after finding a box dropped by the UN. It seems the villagers have been driven out by raiding soldiers, and have no access to food or water. There is also a minefield outside the village which needs to be cleared.

We began to solve the first problem, by finding food in the forest to restock the supplies.

At the end of our first day, we have only just begun, but feel proud of our achievements so far. We have a big task before us, but are hopeful that we will be up to the job!

This is Mosuwe, signing off for today. I'll be in touch again tomorrow.

Here are all our photographs from today.

Duxford - A Grand Day Out

Whilst the Year 6 children were heading off for their 'African Adventure' the rest of the school had an adventure too. We headed towards the Imperial War Museum, Duxford as a starting point to our week's focus on flight. It looked like the children had a great time - I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

Rainbow Class

As the intrepid explorers set off for the depths of Norfolk (How Hill) on Wednesday...

...those of us left in school came out to wave them off. 

We were left with an odd mixture of year groups: almost all of year six; a couple of year fives; no years fours at all; some of year three; and all of reception to year two. We split into two classes for the week. Mrs Stoney kept Reception, Year one and half of Year two (a combination of Red and Yellow class, which has for some time been known as Orange Class), and I took the remains of the older year groups, plus the other half of Year two. This left us with a dilemma to solve. I had some of Blue Class, and some of Yellow class. We had already named this mix Green Class when teaching Year three to Year six in the afternoons for the past year or so. Now, however, I also had some Year twos...from Orange class. Luckily, I was saved from having to name them Brown Class, by a clever Year two girl, who thought of the name Rainbow Class.

So for three days, we were Rainbow Class and I was Mr Rainbow. We took the opportunity to do lots of art and maths, based around the story Math Curse by Jon Scieszka and the classic poem Jabberywocky by Lewis Carroll.

It was a lovely three days and I really enjoyed working with this great bunch of kids.

How Hill - Final Post

Well, our adventure is almost at an end. All that is left is to load the coach and travel back to Earl Soham. The children have been brilliant throughout and the How Hill staff have repeatedly commented on their behaviour, attitude and knowledge - they really have been a joy.

This morning we started with environmental art in the woods...

This was followed by orienteering which was ultimately highly successful as all the children found their way back.

See you at around 3pm.

How Hill - Friday

After an interesting evening which included a massive thunderstorm and resultant power cut the children have woken up ready for the final day of their adventure. Bags are being packed, weaving being completed, chess masters are in full flow whilst we're trying to locate the owner of the rogue grey sock!

Breakfast will be ready shortly - I'm not sure if the children could eat any more toast than yesterday but they seem keen to give it a go. The mist is clearing and it looks like it's going to be a lovely morning for environmental art and orienteering...

How Hill - Thursday Afternoon

After a hearty lunch we completed our carousel of activities.

This was followed by a visit to Toad Cottage. Built in 1840 this was the home to a marshman, his wife and nine children. It was rather cosy in this 2 bed roomed establishment!

The afternoon activities ended up with a game of Hawks and Blackbirds which outlined the difficulties faced by birds in feeding and protecting their young from predators!

How Hill - Thursday Morning

This morning we've been working in three groups; river trip, thatching and owl pellet dissection. The trip along the River Ant was fascinating with the children seeing a range of birds including herons, kingfishers and crested grebes as well as many varieties of ducks and geese.

Owl pellet dissection saw the skeletons of brown rats, water voles and small birds discovered much to the delight (or disgust) of the children!

Thatching required a substantial level of teamwork to enable their team members to remain dry (ish) during the ultimate waterproof test.

How Hill... Up and at 'em!

After a good night's sleep we have awoken to a crisp sunny morning. We've discovered the showers, wet our tooth brushes and have settled down to a spot of weaving, diary writing and games before breakfast.

Last night's evening meal of sausages, mash, peas and baked beans (followed by chocolate pudding) went down incredibly well. This was followed by a night walk down to Toad Cottage and the fresh air seems to revive the children for the rest of the evening! The tuck shop was opened, hot chocolate was made and then it was bed. A while later it was sleep!

With the sun now breaking through the early morning mist we're looking forward to our boat trip along the River Ant to Barton Broad, thatching and owl pellet dissection. Blog you later...

How Hill - Wednesday Afternoon...

After lunch the children took part in two activities. The first activity was 'dyke dipping' which saw the children discover a wide range of invertebrates in an interesting habitat. For many the highlight was finding a caddis fly lavae which have the ability to camouflage themselves with stones, leaves and shells.

This was then followed by a nature walk which saw the children explore the following habitats: wet woodland, dry woodland and a grazing woodland. 

How Hill - We Have Arrived!

Afternoon everyone. Just to let you all know that we have arrived, had lunch, started to unpack and are now getting ready for our afternoon activities...

Dyke dipping here we go! 

Swimming Silver

This morning our swimming team travelled to Diss Swimming Pool to take part in 'The Suffolk School Games' swimming competition.

There were a total of 18 primary schools taking part (some 'large' some 'small') and a magnificent display of individual and team swimming saw Earl Soham finish in 2nd place. 

Well done to everyone involved, including their swimming teachers, and thank you to everyone who supported and transported.

Writer of the Week

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Simile and Metaphor Poems

In Literacy lessons in Blue Class, we have been learning about similes and metaphors and today the children wrote their own poems using these devices. 

I think they have done an amazing job. Here are a selection; I hope you like them as much as I do.

Bottles

A T.V. is like a bottle of shows

A forest is like a bottle green

A graveyard is like a bottle of gloom

A mum is like a bottle of love

A classroom is like a bottle of learning

A dog is like a bottle of friendship

A friend is like a bottle of laughter

A toy is like a bottle of fun

And you are like a bottle of hope

Joseph

Your Class

Imagine your class was a box full of trouble

Think that your book was a field full of trees

What if your teacher was a box full of strict;

Your playground a planet of fun

I know the staffroom is a tin full of chocolate

The office is a world of information

But your school is full of care.

Grace

Spring Poem

The chestnut nocturnal birds swoop low over the field like a hang glider.

The new spring buds are like a blanket over the bed frame.

The newborn buds are like a swarm of bumble bees committed to the hive.

The lambs’ new grown coats are white clouds floating in the sky of green..

Blossoming bushes are works of art just about to be sold.

Vibrant emerald grass is like an ocean on a warm summer’s day.

The newly grown arms curved over the meadow sheltering the duvet of verdant fur.

Naomi

My Room

My room is like a valley

My bed is a mountain top, way up high

My light is like the moon, shining down at night

My toys are like the people that live in the valley below

My wardrobe is like a forest hanging with clothes

My rug is like a meadow where I run and skip and play

My mirror is like a lake reflecting me back

My room is my personal world

Come and visit me one day!

Lucy

What if?

What if I was as tall as a mountain?

I would see the world pass by.

What if I was as sly as a fox?

I could sneak some chocolate if I try.

What if I was as quiet as a mouse?

I could have a midnight feast.

What if I was as strong as an ogre,

I would scare people like a beast.

What if I was a big bad monster,

Stomping around the town?

Would my friends still like me?

Or will I have let them down?

Sadie

I wake up in the morning

The alarm clock is like an eject button,

throwing me from my bed.

The clothes are like sandpaper,

waking me from the dead.

The breakfast is like fuel

giving me energy for my head.

The mum calling is like a nagging child,

waiting for some chocolate spread.

The school bus is like the peaceful calm,

before the storm of the day ahead.

Alice

Mum

My mum is like a little ray of sunshine glowing in the distance.

My mum is like an elf wrapping up presents.

My mum is like the friend that goes to school with me.

My mum is like my teacher who shows me what to do.

My mum is like the Dairy Milk bar which I really love.

My mum is like my toy bear which I love to cuddle.

My mum is like the float which helps me to swim.

My mum is like a school supervisor who helps  solve problems.

My mum is like the blossom which is pink and soft.

My mum is like the piece of candy which is very sweet.

My mum is my mum who I love very much.

Maddie

Classroom

The classroom is so loud it is like bombs of laughter are being dropped.

Your teacher goes hush, hush, hush as if you’re hiding from your predator.

Then the bell goes ring like it is freeing you forever.

But down in that bottomless pit you know it’s not true.

You go back in and oh no! It’s geography! It’s like death has really come!

Its lunch time yum yum yum it is like heaven’s been born in your mouth.

“I don’t like you anymore!” it is like death has finished you off.

You get home and you start to complain but then you stop and realise something.

Your school is the best!

By Bella.

THE WORLD

The world is a bundle of memories,

Still left from the world before.

The future’s a bundle of pathways,

Which each day grow more and more.

The past is a bundle of strangeness,

Now left forever behind.

The people are a bundle of difference,

Some mean, some sad, some kind.

The world is already changing,

Right before our eyes.

And one day no one will remember us,

For our lives will belong to the skies

By Elsie

Capacity

To begin our latest theme in numeracy, Yellow Class spent Monday morning undertaking a range of practical capacity tasks. I'd like to point out that the water was coloured to make the reading of capacity easier! The class compared a variety of containers to guide them with their estimates as to what their capacity might be. Then they filled the containers with water and poured the contents into measuring jugs to establish the actual capacity.

The children certainly had fun, the weather was incredibly kind and we all learnt something new...

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