HMS Liverpool
What a brilliant day year 3 had in Portsmouth on Tuesday. We were lucky enough to visit HMS Liverpool, a type 42 Destroyer. We were met by Lt Michelle Mifflin, the ship’s navigator, who gave us a fantastic tour of the ship. We were introduced to some of the crew, who took us in groups, to see different areas. As we arrived, there was a fire demonstration, highlighting how important both fire and water can be on board a ship. We then had a tour of the bridge, the Ops Room, the Control Room, the Ward room, (the Captain’s bedroom) and the sailors living quarters, as well as much more. It was very interesting to see how much had changed on a battle ship since Nelson’s day. Some things not at all! The crew were very helpful and answered a huge list of questions. The boys were ready to join up and the girls were very impressed the ship was navigated by a girl. Our visit ended with lunch and a thirst quenching drink on the deck. Thank you to a naval parent who arranged the trip for us.
.
|
Action Stations
Next it was off to Action stations. Everything we had seen in the morning was illustrated in the exhibition, and the children had fun learning about weapons, flying helicopters and modern day pirates. There was a battle to see who could be the best marine and climb the practice wall the quickest. It was a very informative and exciting day and helped the children to be able to compare Nelson’s navy with the modern Navy of today.
|
The Moghuls
The Moghuls invaded India five hundred years ago; as part of their study of India, Year 3 have been investigating the impact the Moghuls had on India. They recently spent the day at the Nehru gallery at the V and A Museum in London to find out more about this fascinating era of history as well as life under the British Raj. They were amazed at how precious some of the pieces were and enjoyed drawing many of the Moghul artefacts. They thought the children’s daggers in the weapon section were very fierce and loved the Indian toy, Tippoo’s Tiger.
Walking through the Museum, they discovered ‘Volume’, a sculpture which allowed children to run through it and make music and light patterns. The adults made a few tunes too!
|
Maths in Year 3
The children have been learning about place value as part of their maths curriculum. Here they have created a their own number game.
|
Science Tree Study
On a misty day in October, Year 3 spent the morning in the Orchard exploring trees for their Tree Project. After writing comprehensive instructions in the classroom, the children took equipment down to the Orchard and carried out experiments on their own chosen tree to discover its age?
|
Butser Ancient Farm
Year 3 have been very lucky to have three project trips this term. Buster Ancient Farm is always a favourite, with the children having the chance to try out real Celtic crafts and explore life in a reconstruction of a roundhouse. They made wattle and daub fences, chalk House Gods and spun using a drop spindle. ‘Clunching’ or Celtic cement was used to help build a storehouse wall.
|
Liss Roman Dig
In September 2006 the children visited the archaeological excavation at nearby Liss. They learnt about being an archaeologist and investigated a trench full of pieces of building material and pottery. They sifted the spoil that they created using the large sieve and found more pieces all of which were placed in the precious finds tray. There was a replica of a Roman Kiln on the site and so the children also became experimental archaeologists using unrefined clay to copy the whorl from a drop spindle found on the site earlier.
|
Andover Iron Age Museum and Danebury Hill fort
The Museum at Andover gives the children a very good insight into Celtic life and offers them the chance to see real Celtic artefacts along side C21st replicas. After exploring the Museum, it is exciting to be able to walk up to the hill fort at Danebury and act out Celtic life. Weaving, farming, cooking and building were all taking place and the day was rounded off with a very gentle battle; everyone dying at least twice!
|
Lifeboat visit to Hayling Island
Year 3 children from Dunannie school, had a wonderful summer evening on Hayling Island beach visiting the RNLI Station. Parents and children relaxed on the beach, making sand sculptures, collecting shells and playing games in the warm weather. Picnics followed allowing everyone to enjoy the scenery and watch all the different types of crafts as they travelled by. As part of their Sea and Ships project, the children have been researching different boats and ships and have learnt how the RNLI operates to help save people every year on the South Coast.
They were able to present a cheque to Nigel Roper, for £1200, part of the money raised by the school at the annual Fun Run. Many of the children managed to complete the maximum fifty laps, which was a staggering six miles. Crew man Andy, showed everyone how he could change his gear at top speed, in under a minute, and explained that the children had raised the exact amount to buy his entire crew clothing, suit, life jacket and helmet. With the crew kitted up and ready to go, they climbed aboard the lifeboat, and the children watched as they raced across the beach and into the water. Everyone definitely decided it was worth running all those laps!
|
PE in Year 3
Children in Year 3 have been trying out stretching sequences in their gym lesson. The gym is a shared facility between Dunannie and Dunhurst, and has a wide selection of equipment and floor to ceiling mirrors. PE lessons are taught weekly.
|
Penpals USA
After a very busy afternoon dressing up in traditional costumes and learning about African cooking, Year 3 welcomed American visitor Diane Bramble from Friends school in Boulder, Colorado, to their classroom. She told them about her school in America, and offered them the chance to write to her class. Everyone is very enthusiastic to be able to ‘pal up’ with a friend in Boulder, choosing similar hobbies and activities, and is looking forward to getting to know them more. Diane ended her stay with a taste of ‘Irio’, a mixed vegetable mash with a rather interesting taste!
|
Exploring Africa
In the Spring term Year 3 are learning about Africa and Kenya in particular. They are learning about the location of Kenya and the different types of landscape. The children have been challenged to learn the names and location of all the countries that neighbour Kenya. They are investigating life in Nairobi and in a small village and comparing them with each other and with life here in England. They are learning about homes, food, clothes and many other aspects. Our science lessons have an African theme also as they are researching African animals and discovering how they are adapted to survive in their habitat.
|
The science of springs
In the first half of the Spring Term we have been learning about the forces involved in springs. We have seen that some springs, like elastic bands, store energy when they are stretched while others store energy by being compressed, like in a pogo stick. We experimented with different lengths and thicknesses of spring to find out which could store most energy. We looked at the uses of both types of spring around the classroom. Take a look in your home – it’s amazing how many things have springs in them.
|
The Lazy Lion and the Clever Fox
The class presented an excellent African assembly to the school this week. They learnt a song in Swahili and now all the school know how to say hello –Jambo. Dressed as different African animals they performed a story about a lazy lion who thought that he shouldn’t have to hunt for his food but that it should come to him. Led by the clever fox, the other animals outwitted the lion and got rid of him forever.
|
Penfriends in Nairobi
As part of our Africa project we have been learning about Nairobi and we are in contact with a school there – Kenton College. The children have composed joint emails to send to the two Year 3 classes at that school. We have also been writing instructions for playground games using our word processing skills to present these for inclusion in a book and to send them to our friends in Nairobi. We hope that they will tell us about the games that they play.
|
Visit to Winchester Cathedral
Over the last few weeks, Year 3 have been learning about Christianity, in particular the buildings where Christians worship. After the visit to a village church in Steep, it was interesting to make a comparison with the impressive building of Winchester Cathedral. On entering, it is quite a surprise to look up in the magnificent building with its’ wonderful carved, vaulted roof. The children were able to walk round and look at the different styles of architecture and furniture there. They were very interested to see the ancient tombs and learn many interesting stories from our guide. They wrote poetry and made sketches, inspired by their surroundings. Before lunch, everyone had the opportunity to see some of the cathedral’s treasured vestments, a collection of intricately embroidered copes and stoles.
|
Marwell Zoo
It was a wet and cold day but we approached it with a sunny disposition and thoroughly enjoyed seeing many of the animals that we had been learning about. We went to the education centre for a lesson with one of the zoo’s staff, and a chance to dry out! At school the class had been investigating African animals and how they are adapted to their habitat. The children learnt how to be habitat detectives by looking at the characteristics of an animal and they were very good at it. They thought about the type of skin, its colour and how the animal moved. The zoo has a large collection of animal skins and other items confiscated by customs. All of the ones in our classroom were from African animals and this gave the children a chance to discover what some of the animals would feel like. We started by identifying the habitats of three different wild cats by looking at their skins and then we saw some live animals and looked at the clues for their habitat. The children had a close up view of Kylie the stick insect and Ronnie the corn snake, both of which they were able to touch if they wanted. There was also an African clawed toad but it had to stay in its aquarium. During the rest of the day we looked at as many African animals as we could, alternating between indoor and outdoor exhibitions so that we could keep as warm as possible. Around the zoo there are ‘Safari boxes’, for some of the animals, which contain activities to help the children learn about the animal. We tried out the activities for the giraffe, gemsbok, meerkat, porcupine and gibbon. By the end of the day we were windswept but pleased that we had been able to see so many animals.
|
Wild in Africa
Year 3 had great fun preparing for and presenting an African assembly for their parents. Having settled on the idea of a TV wildlife program called ‘Wild in
Africa’, they chose an animal to talk about and wrote their part of the script. They learnt their words quickly and had good dramatic ideas. They had also been writing poems about animals based on the idea of a recipe - what ingredients would you need to make the animal – and a few of these were mixed in with the animal information. They had also been practising two pieces of music. First there was a drum chant using greetings from two African languages but both meaning ‘How are you doing?’ – ‘ I’m doing fine’. Abinyadi - Abanyama in the Mandinka language and Nangadef - Mangifi in the Wolof language. The Hippo song was one that they first learnt in choir and we formed a class orchestra so that we could play the tune as well as sing it. Everyone worked really well to prepare this and it was thoroughly enjoyed by the rest of the school and the parents.
|
Visit to Steep Church
Sitting in the stillness of
Steep Church, the children
were able to appreciate how many people had worshiped at Steep through the centuries. They listened as the
Rev. Paul Kennedy told them about the history of the church and how each century has changed the building.
They looked at the different types of architecture and the beautiful stained glass windows. They learnt
how colour plays an important part in the Christian faith and they were able to taste communion biscuits,
as they were unblessed. Paul showed them the various parts of the church and gave them a demonstration
of a baby being christened at the font. The visit ended with a quiet time listening to the Lord’s
Prayer, said in the language Jesus would have heard.
|
26th January 2006
Peter Pan
It is always a highlight of the year when Year 3 receive their parts for the Christmas play.
This year was no exception as the children fitted the characters perfectly and thoroughly enjoyed joining Peter Pan in Neverland. Everything went brilliantly, even when a nasty bug hit the class and understudies for Tinkerbelle and Wendy stepped in at the last moment.
|
 |
20th October 2005
Viking Weaving
As part of their project, the children have learnt about Celtic and Viking clothing. How was it made? What colours did they use as dyes?
They have made Viking models and are using use traditional methods to make their clothes. A Viking family would have had a loom on which they would have woven cloth. Year 3 have woven cloaks for their models using traditional colours.
|
 |
20th October 2005
Fun with Forces
The children have been learning about the different forces with a focus on friction. We visited the excellent exhibition of automata at 'The Bedales Gallery' and investigated which forces were being used to produce the movement. The children identified many pushing and pulling forces and also found examples of gravity and friction being used. |
 |
20th October 2005
Experimenting with Sounds
In their Music lesson this week Year 3 listened to a scary poem and used percussive instruments to create a soundtrack to go with it. After a few practices they heard a professional performance on CD, which made them jump and gave them ideas for improving their own performance. |
 |
20th October 2005
Pottery in the Cobb
Year 3 children have the opportunity to use the extensive art facilities in 'The Cobb' at Dunhurst, Bedales Prep school. They have pottery lessons for half of each term and can go to Pottery Club once a week if they wish. They learn skills such as slabbing and coiling. This term's Pottery Club have made rather an impressive array of squirrels.
|
 |
20th October 2005
Enjoying Quiet Reading
Everyone at Dunannie has the chance to read and enjoy books in a variety of ways. Children have their own reading book and there many wonderful books of different genre in the classrooms and the school library to choose from.
On several days, after lunch, there is an opportunity to read quietly or share a book with a friend. Each class also has reading groups where the children share and discuss books together with an adult. |
 |
20th October 2005
A Tree Study
Each child in Year 3 has chosen a tree in our orchard to adopt. They have measured it, collected a leaf and had their picture taken with it.
They used their senses to answer questions. What did the bark feel like? Was it rough or smooth? Over the year they will learn more their tree and at intervals will be re-measuring it. |
 |
20th October 2005
Danebury Hill Fort
The children were keen to investigate the hill fort and as they approached the outer banks of the gate they were surprised by their height and the complexity of the arrangement - "like a maze". They split into two 'tribes' and one moved inside the fort to plan their defence strategy. The other tribe split in half and tried to attack from each side of the gate. All agreed that the banks were steep and difficult to climb and that the high vantage point gave the defenders an advantage.
Back together again they imagined the fort with huts, people and animals and enjoyed a walk around the top of the inner bank. The slopes were impressively steep but half way around they climbed down where some steps had been cut and it was some time before they found a place where they could climb back up.
|
 |
20th October 2005
Back in Time
Year 3 have gone back in time over 2000 years to the time when the Celtic people lived in Britain. The children helped to construct a section of a round house in the classroom which they used as a role play area. They imagined what it would have been like to live as Celts and have learnt about the clothes that the Celts wore and the everyday activities that they performed in a practical way. They have also learnt about why people choose a particular place to settle, the sorts of jobs that people of the tribe would have done and the structure of their society.
|
 |
20th October 2005
The Museum of the Iron Age
The class were very excited when we set off out for Andover to visit the Museum of the Iron Age, where we saw artefacts excavated from the fort at nearby Danebury. There were also many reconstructions, including the original outer wall and a round house, replicas of weapons and tools, and general household equipment. It is important for the children to learn the difference between an authentic item and a modern replica, made to demonstrate its construction and use.
|
 |
20th October 2005
Butser Celtic Farmstead
Sitting around the smoky fire in the large roundhouse Year 3 really felt that they had gone back in time. Pots were stacked against the wall, a skin stretched on a rack, a weaving loom leaning against the curved interior. They marvelled at the construction of the building and later in the day were able to get their hands dirty, helping to repair the outer walls with daub. They also had opportunities to weave hazel poles to make a fence, to grind wheat into flour using a quern stone and to spin wool using a drop spindle.
|
