Class 3 have been very busy learning about the Amazon Rainforest. We have learnt all about the climate, animals and zones of the rainforest. The children were then challenged to make their own rainforest in a shoebox. I think you will agree they are fantastic.
On Friday 5th June the sun was shining as Class Three went on their outdoor adventure day to Brathay. We all had a fantastic time canoeing, pole climbing and orienteering. Some of us even braved the water for a dip! The children displayed fantastic team work, helping and encourage each other and celebrating everyone’s achievements. All the children pushed themselves to improve and participated in every activity. Great job Class Three!
Over the last month, the whole school has been involved in exploring the significant impact human behaviours have on destroying our planet. This learning kicked off on Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday on Friday 8th May. Since then, every class in school has take on a different theme – they have conducted surveys, research, observations, experiments and explored a range of aspects on natural habitats, pollution, waste and our carbon footprint.
Read on to find out more about the learning each class has undertaken and how they are inspiring their peers, their families and the staff to make a change for the good of planet earth; starting now:
Class Three- Composting
Class Three investigated what happens to our food waste in school and at home. We discovered that food waste goes to landfill and then produces methane gas and this contributes to global warming. We decided to set up a composting scheme for the fruit and vegetable waste in school. We wrote letters to members of the Playing Fields Committee to ask if we could empty our bins into the composting area of the community garden. We set up bins to collect the waste and made posters. We then investigated what happens to household food waste and discovered that other councils are using this for anaerobic digestion and created electricity and fertilizer. We then found out that Westmorland and Furness Council are not doing this and are not planning to until 2034, we feel this is not soon enough, so decided to try to persuade the council to act sooner. We wrote persuasive letters and sent these to the council.
Class One – brilliant bees!
Children in nursery and reception have been exploring the importance of bees and what can be done to promote more bee-friendly environments. They explored wild flowers, learning that they provide a crucial food source for bees and worked together to make and plant wild flower seed bombs in the outdoor area of our classroom. Children in Reception also completed some ‘bee spotting’ homework over the half-term holidays to research the colour of flowers the bees were most attracted to. They enjoyed an interactive visit from a local bee keeper, learning about the process of pollination and how this is a crucial process for producing the vast majority of fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Class 2 – Plastic Pollution!
We have been learning about plastic pollution and how it affects habitats, oceans, and animals around the world. We explored how plastic waste can end up in rivers and seas, where it can harm wildlife by being eaten or becoming tangled around animals. We discussed the dangers that single-use plastics, such as plastic bags, bottles, straws, and packaging, can pose to living things and their environments. As part of our learning, we investigated ways that people can reduce plastic pollution and make more environmentally friendly choices. We talked about the importance of reusing items, recycling correctly, and choosing sustainable alternatives whenever possible.
To share our learning with others, we created eye-catching posters to raise awareness about plastic pollution and encourage people to think carefully about the choices they make. We also wrote persuasive letters encouraging people to stop using single-use plastics and to adopt more environmentally friendly habits.
Class 4 – Courageous Advocacy
Class 4 began by studying the steps of Courageous Activism. We already knew that we wanted to advocate for the environment, so we began to investigate. We thought about all aspects of our school life and considered what was going well and what we might like to improve. We needed data to support our decisions, so we decided to get some. Fully gloved up, some brave Class 4 students went for a bit of a dig through some school bins. Were we recycling as well as we thought we were?
After logging the data, we drew some charts and graphs to help us visualise what these numbers meant. We found that, on the whole, people are reasonably good at recycling across school. However, we did identify some areas for improvement – use of paper towels for hand-drying and food waste from uneaten snacks. Based on what we found, we made suggestions and set challenges for the whole school to widen our impact. Helpfully, Class 3’s project on composting would make an impact on the food waste. With some encouragement towards use of hand-dryers around school instead of paper towels, we will see an improvement when we check again in the future!
Class One and Two had a fabulous time at Brathay this week! The children took part in a range of exciting activities, including canoeing, climbing walls and poles, woodland adventures, and bushcraft. They showed great determination, teamwork, and resilience as they tackled new challenges. Despite the wet weather, everyone had lots of fun and made many wonderful memories.
Class 3 had a wonderful afternoon in the woods learning all about invertebrates and their importance. We all enjoyed a mindfulness activity, lying on the forest floor and looking at the trees and sky above. We went on a minibeast hunt and discussed habitats and the importance of looking after our world.
This week, our pupils have enjoyed a range of rich and varied activities, designed to deepen their understanding across the curriculum and inspire curiosity beyond the classroom.
A highlight of the week was our visit to a local secondary school science laboratory. Pupils had the opportunity to work in an authentic laboratory environment, using microscopes to carefully observe onion cells. This hands-on experience allowed them to apply their prior knowledge of living things and develop their scientific enquiry skills. Pupils also investigated how different chemicals affect the colour of a Bunsen burner flame, sparking excitement and thoughtful discussion about chemical reactions.
We were also delighted to welcome a visitor from SCARF, who led an engaging and informative session on the risks associated with both legal and illegal drugs. Through clear, age-appropriate discussion, pupils developed their understanding of making safe and informed choices, supporting the PSHE curriculum. The session was made even more memorable with a visit from Harold the Talking Giraffe, who helped to reinforce key messages (and give us stickers!)
Later in the week, pupils visited Park End Wetlands, where they took part in a fieldwork investigation to assess water quality. Developing their scientific sampling techniques, they measured both the number and variety of invertebrate species present. This is an activity completed by Levens pupils in the past, so it was a great opportunity to measure the health of the wetlands over time. Mrs Mason who supported on the trip was even there when the wetlands were first developed and planted by the community!
The week concluded with a special assembly, where pupils had the opportunity to share their learning with parents and carers. As part of this, they developed their oracy skills, preparing short presentations about an aspect of the week that had particularly interested them. Pupils worked hard to speak confidently without relying on a script, focusing on maintaining eye contact and using a clear, expressive voice.
I am incredibly proud of the pupils’ enthusiasm, curiosity and independence. It has been a fantastic way to end the term and get outside the classroom walls following the hard work our year 6 pupils put in throughout SATS week.
Check out a selection of photos from the week below!
The children had a very informative lesson with Bob this week. They learnt all about first aid and even had a good at resuscitation and placing people in the recovery position. They also produced some fantastic posters using all their newly gained know.
Last week, we celebrated the birthday of David Attenborough by creating informative posters all about his life and work. We learned about how he helps people understand the importance of looking after our planet and protecting wildlife.
The posters were a fantastic way to begin our new environment topic in school over the next couple of weeks. We enjoyed researching facts, designing eye-catching layouts and sharing ideas about how we can help care for the Earth.
Class 2 have made their very own pouches! This fit in perfectly with our money work in maths. First, we practised our sewing skills by learning how to do a running stitch. Then we carefully cut our fabric and sewed the pieces together to create our pouch shapes.
Class 3 have been working on their translation skills by studying a version of Jacques et le Haricot Magique. We had great fun ready the story and then spent our golden time drawing the key characters and props. We then used French dictionaries to label these.
