Thursday 28 January 2016

24 hours old!

The chicks hatched on Wednesday.  The eggs started moving on Tuesday and we learnt that the chicks 'pip' their way out of the egg using their egg tooth.  Once out, the egg tooth falls off and the chicks are damp when they get out.  They are also exhausted so sleep a lot to start with.  They soon fluff up, in maybe an hour.

The twelfth chick is still poorly so he is in the staffroom, in the incubator.  The other chicks are now in the brooder in our classroom.  We have a lot of visitors to our classroom at breaktime and lunchtime!  We feed them twice a day and they are eating chick crumb.

Next week the brooder will go around the school and they are going home with Mrs Lunt at the weekend.

We've taken some pictures -  the browner chicks are girls and the boys are yellow.

written by Year 5 Digital Leaders




Chicks

The whole school have been captivated by our new additions: 12 eggs, which have been hatching yesterday and today.  All 12 have hatched and 11 of them seem to be very healthy.  Unfortunately, one is poorly and so is still in the incubator.  Our fingers are crossed that it will pull through. 




Tuesday 19 January 2016

Zut!

The children across the school are getting better and better at French now.  We have been learning colours, numbers and greetings and many of the children can ask various questions such as:

Comment t'appelles-tu? (What is your name?)
Quel age as-tu? (How old are you?)
Ou habites-tu? (Where do you live?)
Tu es comment? (What are you like/What do you look like?)
Tu aimes ...? (Do you like ...?)

I have found this wonderful website which you might like to try at home - please let me know your favourite game and why you like it!  Has it helped you to learn?

Games on Zut! Junior

A bientot!

Madame Varndell
(French subject leader)

Sunday 17 January 2016

Digital Leaders appointed

After interviews on Friday, Mrs Mason and I are delighted to say we have appointed 14 new Digital Leaders from Years 4, 5 and 6.  It was a difficult decision as the children were all so enthusiastic and answered our questions very honestly.  I can't wait to get started working with them! 

Mrs Davis

Thursday 7 January 2016

Vacancies for Digital Leaders!



We are very excited to announce that we are advertising for Digital Leaders within the school.  Applicants must be:

  • ICT enthusiasts
  • prepared to give up some free time
  • confident and patient enough to teach others
  • aware of e-safety at all times

In return, the children will have

  • opportunities to try new software first!
  • opportunities to teach others
  • responsibility and leadership opportunities
  • possibility of affecting ICT change at our school

Children can get application forms from their teachers. 

Closing date for applications:  Tuesday 12th January
Interviews for short-listed candidates : Friday 15th January

I look forward to working with lots of hard-working and enthusiastic children!

Mrs Davis
ICT Subject Leader




Cuckoo Tracking

This week all the classes have looked at how technology is being used to help find out why cuckoo numbers are declining.  Scientists are tracking cuckoos on their migration using a solar 'tag', weighing the same as a 20p piece. 

  Solar tag, weighing 5g, attached to a cuckoo!




Did you know ...

  • Cuckoo numbers have declined by 50% in the last 20 years
  • Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds' nests and get another (much smaller) bird to do all the hard work bringing up their chicks!
  • The male cuckoo says 'Cuckoo, cuckoo' but the female bird makes a gurgling noise

The scientists working on the tracking project have also found out that:

  • Sometimes cuckoos travel SW after leaving the UK, crossing the Sahara desert on the West of Africa and then come back East, travelling 3000 miles further than those that migrate directly South. 
  • One cuckoo stayed in the UK for only 6 weeks before migrating back to Africa!

These links are really interesting if you want to see for yourself!

Common cuckoo chick ejecting reed warbler eggs
BTO Cuckoo Tracking website


Mrs Davis

ICT Subject Leader