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As part of our Year 2 Science topic, Animals, Including Humans, we enjoyed an exciting educational visit to Farmer Parrs. During our visit, we explored the farm and observed the different animals that live there. Children worked collaboratively to identify and locate the animals, developing their observation skills and building on their scientific knowledge. Children were given a “Can You Find…?” activity sheet, which challenged them to find the adult animals that matched the baby animals pictured on their sheets. Children worked together to locate each animal and successfully identified all of the adult animals! The visit was a fantastic opportunity to bring our learning to life, deepen our understanding of animals and their young, and develop our teamwork skills.

The class enjoyed an exciting and engaging Greek morning, immersing themselves in Greek culture, music, food and history. They had the opportunity to make their own delicious tzatziki, exploring new ingredients and flavours while developing their culinary skills. The children also listened to traditional Greek music, experiencing the sounds and rhythms of Greece.

As part of their historical learning, the class discovered the fascinating story of the Trojan Horse and how it played a significant role in the legend of the Trojan War. They then used their creativity to draw their own interpretations of the Trojan Horse, bringing the ancient story to life through art.

It was a fantastic morning filled with hands-on learning, creativity and cultural discovery, allowing the children to explore Greece in a fun and memorable way!

At Calder Lodge we were delighted to come together to support Macmillan Cancer Support. We raised money by selling delicious cakes and enjoying a drink together, while also watching a video to learn more about the amazing work Macmillan does to support people and families. It was a wonderful opportunity for our children to learn about kindness, compassion and the importance of helping others, while having fun and making a difference to such a worthwhile charity. We are incredibly proud of everyone who took part and helped us to support this fantastic cause.

Our trip to the farm provided the children with an enjoyable and engaging opportunity to learn through first-hand experiences. We explored a variety of farm animals and discussed their different habitats, as well as how they can be categorised into different groups.

As we fed the animals, we also talked about their diets and explored what different animals eat. The children enjoyed being able to interact closely with the animals, developing their understanding through practical, hands-on experiences.

Alongside the educational aspects of the trip, the children also had valuable opportunities to communicate and socialise with one another. It was lovely to see them enjoying each other’s company, developing their confidence and strengthening their friendships throughout the day.

We also enjoyed some time playing in the outdoor play area, providing the children with opportunities to exercise and engage in a range of physical movements. Through climbing, balancing, running and active play, the children were developing their gross motor skills, coordination and physical confidence, while enjoying the benefits of being active and playing outdoors.

As part of our Stargazers topic, the children visited Alston Observatory to develop their knowledge and understanding of space and the night sky. The visit provided a valuable cultural capital experience, allowing the children to apply their classroom learning in a real-world setting and experience an environment and subject area that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to access.

Prior to the visit, the children worked together to plan and generate questions that they wanted to find out the answers to. This encouraged curiosity, critical thinking and active participation, while helping the children to identify what they already knew and what they wanted to learn more about.

During the visit, the children were able to deepen their understanding of key curriculum concepts linked to space, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and stars. They were introduced to new vocabulary such as ‘constellation’ and were beginning to identify some of these by name. They listened to expert knowledge, asked their prepared questions and made links between what they had learned in the classroom and what they experienced at the observatory.

Upon returning to school, the children showcased and consolidated their knowledge through a quiz, recalling key facts and sharing what they had learned during the visit. This provided an opportunity for the children to demonstrate their understanding and reflect on their experiences.

The trip supported the development of scientific enquiry, vocabulary, communication and questioning skills, while also broadening the children’s experiences and understanding of the world beyond the classroom. It provided an exciting and memorable opportunity for the children to develop their curiosity about the universe and further engage with our Stargazers topic.

Bleasdale Class had a wonderful day out at Brock Bottoms with Charlie from the Wyre Rivers Trust. The children had lots of fun while learning about rivers and the natural world around them.

Charlie introduced the children to the natural and man-made features of a river. He showed the children how to draw a river and explained how to use a map key to add important features. The children then went for a walk to find a suitable spot to complete their own river drawings.

As we walked, the children spotted and discussed lots of natural and man-made features. They then used what they had learned to complete their river drawings and added the key features using a map key.

The fun continued with a wildlife guessing game! The children wore animal headbands and had to ask questions and use clues to work out which animal they were.

After the game, we walked back towards the cars and completed a river study. The children used nets to collect animals from the river. They gently kicked up the river bed for twenty seconds before using their nets to collect the creatures that had been disturbed.

The animals were placed carefully into shallow trays so that the children could observe them closely. They worked together to find, identify and name the different river animals they had discovered.

It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to learn outdoors, explore nature and develop their understanding of rivers and wildlife. Lots of fun was had, and a great time was enjoyed by everyone!

In Nicky Nook class we headed down to the river to become rock detectives!

We explored the riverbank and carefully collected a selection of rock samples to bring back to school. We looked closely at the different colours, shapes, sizes and textures of the rocks and discussed what rock type they might be. The children were encouraged to collect a variety of rocks, which they all did very well and finished the walk by using the rope swings.

Back in the classroom, we will use our samples to investigate and compare the rocks more closely. We will sort them into groups, examine their features and begin to learn how rocks can be identified and classified.

As part of our learning about castles, the children visited Lancaster Castle to explore its external features and develop their understanding of how castles were designed and used. Although we did not go inside the castle, the children worked in pairs using a “Can You See?” castle features sheet to identify and discuss key features, such as towers, walls, battlements, windows and entrances.

Working in pairs encouraged the children to communicate, share ideas and work cooperatively as a team. The visit provided an opportunity for them to observe real-life castle features and apply their classroom learning in an authentic setting.

We will use our experiences from the visit to support the children in writing a recount of their trip, focusing on sequencing events, describing what they saw and recalling their experiences. The visit will also provide a strong link to our Design and Technology topic, where the children will design and create their own castles, using the features they observed at Lancaster Castle to inform their designs.