Computing

Splendid Sound!

 in Class Three / Computing / Science by

Class Three have been very busy learning about sound. We have looked at a variety of musical instruments and identified how the sound was made. We now know all about vibrations! We used the drums and rice to investigate the link between the noise level and the vibrations. We concluded that the louder the noise the greater the vibrations. In computing we are learning how to use data loggers and this has proved very useful in our science lessons. We have investigated sound levels around school at different times of day and also in different locations. We discovered that Class Three was nearly the quietest place in school! We will continue with our sound topic and the next step is to learn about how we hear sounds. There are lots more experiments to come.

Computing in Class 2!

 in Class Two / Computing by

We have been learning how to log onto the computer and use the mouse and keyboard. We have had a go at typing and drawing on paint on the computer!

The Human Network

 in Class Four / Computing by

In their computing lessons, class 4 have been studying how computers can link together. We use computers in this way more and more in our interconnected world as the internet forms a larger part of our daily lives. Here’s what we’ve learned so far:

Computers on the internet all have their own IP address. This stands for internet protocol which is a set of rules for how computers should communicate. Computers work best with numbers, so this looks like a long string of numbers. For example, the IP address of the computer which stores our school website is 5.61.120.34. That’s kind of difficult for humans to remember though, so we also give websites names in words which get translated to an IP address later.

 

Once you know which computer in the network you want to talk to, the message you want to send is given an “envelope” with the information needed to get it to the destination. This is called a header. Messages on the internet are usually broken up into lots of very small pieces (called packets), so it’s important to make a note of what order they should go in and how many are being sent!

Finally your message is ready to send. All of the packets of information are sent, one by one, towards their destination. This usually starts over WiFi, through a router or server and along telephone lines. Messages often make several stops along the way to their destination, being sent on by other computers in the network. In class we acted out a very simplified version, with each child standing in for a computer. It took a while for us to remember that computers cannot move, and so must send their messages by passing them through the network!

Anglo Saxon Settlements

 in Class Three / Computing / Design and Technology / History by

Class 3 have been really enjoying their history topic all about Anglo Saxons. They have worked very hard on a special homework task over the past two weeks. After researching Anglo Saxon villages, they set about presenting their research in creative ways – some made models, others drew pictures and some created digital representations using Minecraft. An amazing array of wonderful work was proudly shown to the whole school in Celebration Assembly on Friday. Well done all and thank you for the extra time and effort that has undoubtedly gone into your work.

 

Safer Internet Day 2022!

 in Class Four / Class One / Class Three / Class Two / Computing / SCARF / Whole School by

Today is Safer Internet Day 2022, when schools and youth organisations across the country take part in a global campaign to promote the safe and responsible use of technology. Safer internet day calls on young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers and more to join together in helping to create a better internet.

Using the internet safely and positively is a key message that we promote in school, and celebrating Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for us to re-emphasise the online safety messages we deliver throughout the year.

This week, Class 1 have listened to a story about Smartie the penguin, joined in with Mummy penguin’s song and learned about what to do if we feel unsure, scared or upset by something we see online. Class 2 have met “Jessie and Friends” and explored how to share pictures online appropriately and use online games responsibly. Class 3 are and Class 4 have both looked in detail at online gaming by teaching an alien from another planet about how online games work, what’s OK, what’s not and where to get help if we need it.

We would be delighted if you could join us in celebrating the day by continuing the conversation at home. To help you with this, you may be interested in downloading the free Safer Internet Day resources for Parents and Carers which are available at: saferinternet.org.uk/sid-parents.

There are top tips, quizzes, and films which you can use at home with your child.

Some other resources which you may find helpful in supporting your child online are:

● Tips, advice and guides for parents and carers from the UK Safer Internet Centre (saferinternet.org.uk/parents-and-carers)
● Advice for parents and carers from Childnet (childnet.com/parents-and-carers)
● Reviews and information about games, apps, TV shows and websites from
Common Sense Media (commonsensemedia.org)
● Help on using parental controls and privacy settings from Internet Matters
(internetmatters.org/parental-controls)
● Information and reporting of online grooming or abuse from CEOP (ceop.police.uk)