Author: Calder Lodge School

The topic this term has been based on Tremors.  This has included work based on Pompeii, the volcano Mount Vesuvius and the lives of the people of Pompeii. In class we have used clay to create models of the body casts from the excavations by archaeologists.  We continued to use clay on our class trip to Fired 4 U.

The children from Fairsnape travelled to the shop in Higher Walton and were a credit to the school.  They showed good manners and respect.  They clearly enjoyed decorating the clay pots.  The children used drawings and information from their previous learning in their designs.  They added a lot of detail in their designs on their pots

They worked really hard at Fired 4 U and we can’t wait to see the finished product after it has been fired and glazed.

Oakenclough have enjoyed a trip to Waddacar, where they have put their orienteering skills to the test. 

This activity links with their current geography topic, giving children the opportunity to extend their directional language skills; know the four points of a compass and navigate their journey using a map.

The children worked in teams to win the race to the finishing location! A great time had by all!

Calder Class, plus guests from Fairsnape and Bleasdale classes, went to visit South Lakes Zoo on November 7th 2023 for our Culture Capital experience.

Calder class have been learning about animal classification in science.  The zoo had a wide ranging variety of animals of all shapes, sizes and classification categories.

The two most popular animals were the (rodent) capybaras and the ring-tailed lemurs, which the children hand fed.  The howler monkeys provided lots of hysterical laughing with their exuberant play fighting.

We also were lucky enough to see close up views of the lions, tigers and the majestic jaguar.

We have had lots of fun throughout the last week of term. We visited Wrampool Pumpkin Patch on our quest to find the ‘perfect pumpkin’.

It was a wet & windy experience for some of us, so we had to get wrapped up & wear our wellies to navigate the boggy field. Lots of fun was had by all.

On Thursday we held our ‘Halloween Experience’.

The children & staff looked fabulous in their costumes & had a fun packed day, with spooky stories, sensory activities & lots of in class fun.

We listened to spooky tales and put our senses to the test as we explored the wiggly worms and jiggly jelly trying to locate the hidden treasures.

On Tuesday October 10th, Calder Class visited Beacon Fell.  The class has been studying variations of plants in science.  We were hoping to spot some fine tree specimens in the woodland.  Mrs Mott suggested that if the pupils were quiet enough they may even spot some woodland wildlife.

Ten minutes into the trek, the pupils spied two members of the armed forces on camouflage manoeuvres.  The pupils were instructed to stand and watch without interrupting the big men with guns.  A few moments later, an army sergeant’s booming voice echoed behind us instructing the soldiers to stand down.   To the children’s amazement, up popped about ten soldiers in full camouflage.  We were totally unaware that they were hiding in the undergrowth.

Mr Meadows guided us to a clearing where the children were shown how to build a structure from branches.  The pupils all separated to different areas.  Some buddied up to work in pairs.  There were lots of cooperation skills and the pupils worked brilliantly together.  Once the pupils had gathered enough branches, Mr Meadows introduced his cutting equipment.  Mr Meadows demonstrated how to use the tools carefully and safely.  Most of the children were keen to develop their sawing and whittling skills (with high levels of supervision).

The children returned to school buzzing with excitement about their experience in the outdoors. Mrs Mott conducted a finger count – no missing digits just lots of grubby hands and dirty knees!

In Bleasdale class as part of their Topic on the Blue Abyss we visited a shop in Morecambe called Reef and River, which sells fresh and saltwater fish. Whilst in the shop the students were encouraged to ask many questions about the fish. All of the students managed this well and they discovered many more facts about the different species of fish.

Example of the questions are:

-Is it easier to take freshwater or saltwater fish? (freshwater)

-Why is a saltwater tank difficult to look after? (you need to get the level of salt correct)

-What does the number mean after the name of the fish? (location from the water they live)

-Why does the fish sign have a yellow border around it? (to inform people research is needed before you purchase this type of fish)

-What do freshwater fish eat? (flake food)

-What does territorial mean? (the fish will patrol areas of the tank and scare other fish)

-What size does this fish grow to? (it will inform you on the label)

-What water do sea monkeys prefer? (saltwater)

From asking all these questions the students decided they would prefer to have a freshwater tank and began to look at the freshwater fish. They all chose what freshwater fish they would like to have and with research they all picked fish which are community fish, meaning these fish should be safe to be together in a fish tank. 

On September 26th 2023, Calder Class, including two pupils from Bleasdale class, visited the Golden Mummies of Egypt exhibition at Manchester Museum.

Calder class has been learning about pharaohs this term.  The first hand evidence of mummification and elaborate sarcophagus structures brought their learning to life.

The pupils loved using the ICT equipment which provided x-rays of real-life mummies in the exhibition.  The pupils were also amazed at the intricate details of the stone hieroglyphics also on show.

Whilst we were there, we ventured into other exhibit halls.  The dinosaur and fossil room was a big hit.  We could have stayed for many, many hours exploring the vast museum pieces, but time was against us.  Some of the pupils were mesmerised by the hustle and bustle of the big city – especially the ‘skyscrapers’.

On the 19th September Bleasdale class participated in their first culture capital with a visit to the Sealife centre in Blackpool. This visit is closely connected to the class Topic this term, which is called the Blue Abyss.

The students had the challenge of asking questions about the sea creatures’ diets and to keep a close eye on their physical characteristics. Almost immediately they began to ask questions to the staff working there and they were allowed to touch some of the starfish, crabs and some egg cases, which they were all thrilled about.

As the students explored the sealife centre they began to be fascinated with all the different types of sea creatures and the favourite of all was the stingray, along with the different types of eels a close second.

Oakenclough class enjoyed a visit to Beacon Fell for their Cultural Capital trip this half term.

The children used their observations to collect appropriate materials for creating their own bug habitats over the coming weeks.

This will enable the children to make observations and develop their knowledge of how an animal’s habitat is purposeful for their survival to enhance their understanding within our Science topic. The children were able to get close to nature on a minibeast adventure looking for habitats in the local environment.

In addition, the children enjoyed working as a team in a den building activity; they thoroughly enjoyed themselves!

12/09/2023-Morecambe Bay Crabbing

Today’s Culture Capital trip involved Calder class visiting Morecambe Crabbing Pool.  This was a new school experience for all of the pupils.  Some of them had been ‘crabbing’ when on holidaying with their families.  One of the class members is a keen angler.  He was eager to put his skills into action.

The class had all the relevant equipment, and a super-charged spirit to catch a bounty of crabs.  Unfortunately, the crabs weren’t tempted by the bacon bait and many of the pupils were disheartened.  However, there was lots of peer on peer support and a dogged determination to succeed. 

The few pupils that did find some crabs were spontaneously congratulated by their peers.  Dark rain clouds meant an early finish but the pupils were cheerful and chatty on the drive back to school.