Contact Details
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Shotton Primary School
Grange Terrace, Shotton Colliery
Durham DH6 2JP
Science
Year 6 have been continuing their science work on the topic of light. They were tasked with investigating how to make the biggest shadow possible. They made some simple puppets and worked together to measure and record how to make the shadows get smaller and larger.
In Year 4 we have been learning about light and shadow. On Tuesday, we set up a shadow stick experiment to observe how shadows changed and moved over the day and enjoyed drawing around our own shadows too.
Year 1 in science have planted cress seeds and are leaning what a plant needs to grow . We are looking forward to recording how the cress grows and then writing instructions and measuring the growth
To finish their unit on forces and magnets, 4W made games today. They had to use a magnetic field and force of attraction to move a character around a board. This was lots of fun!
This week 4W have been investigating magnets. We tested which magnet is the strongest, what materials are magnetic and we managed to make a paperclip hover with only string and a magnet!
Our Year 4 science topic is magnetism. Today the children investigated which magnetic poles attract and repel each other. The children also investigated which direction the magnets will float when submerged in water, no matter which direction the north magnetic pole faces.
Year 1 have been learning all about Spring. On Monday we went outside and looked for signs of Spring. We made lovely Spring pictures using the items we have found.
This week in Reception we have started learning about the life cycle of a butterfly through our story of the week 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar.' The children have enjoyed looking for caterpillars and other mini beasts outdoors.
Year 5 have been learning about the moon's craters, what causes them and why they are different sizes.
Year 1 had a brilliant afternoon learning all about astronauts and the special skills they need to have. We found out astronauts need to be strong, resilient and excellent at problem solving. We put our skills to the test with an egg drop project, space gloves activity and a crater experiment. We can safely say all the children in Year 1 would all make amazing astronauts!
As part of Science week children across school have been 'Standing on the Shoulders of Giants' looking at the work of notable scientists throughout history. Year 3 have been learning about Mary Anning as part of Science week. Mary lived on the Dorset coast 200 years ago and found some very special fossils, including an Ichthyosaurus and a Plesiosaurus. The children were given three pieces of a skeleton and had to imagine what the rest of the animal might look like. They did a great job
As we celebrated Science Week each year group explored a scientist who linked with their current topic. They explored the scientists' discoveries and their impact on our lives now. We had lots of fun carrying out experiments linked to our chosen scientist's work. Year 6 explored Michael Faraday and investigated circuits and wind turbines.
Last week Nursery found a spider in the home corner on a big web. He brought us a new book called ‘ Arghhhh Spider’. This lead us to learn “Incy Wincy Spider” and do lots of fun things while learning about spiders. Did you know that spiders webs come from glands in the tip of their abdomen? We also found a huge spider on our spider hunt!
As part of Year 4's science electricity topic this half term, we have started to investigate static electricity and circuits. We were given wires, batteries and bulbs . We had to first make a working circuit with one bulb and then investigated how many bulbs we could get to work using one battery. Next lesson we will be investigating conductors and insulators using a variety of products including vegetables.
In Science Year 4 have been looking at types of skeletons and the different bones in our body. The children put together and labelled a human skeleton and then made their own skeletons using cottons buds.
Science investigations in 2HL today really captured the children's interests, investigating the most suitable material to build a roof for teddy's house.
Some children from Mrs Oakes' class have been busy gardening. Mrs Oakes has asked them to monitor the bulbs and to give regular updates to her and the rest of the class throughout the coming weeks.
Nursery had lots of fun exploring Autumn treasures. They used the magnifying glasses to play I-Spy in the sensory bags. The children also used the numbers to count the Autumn items.
Year 5 have been busy investigating if some materials will dissolve in water to form a solution.
Year 2 have been designing and conducting their own investigation looking at how far a mouse can be projected using a milk carton.
Learning Through Song
The reception children have been learning a song all about space and developing their knowledge of our solar system.
The reception children loved exploring the new classroom environment today. They have met aliens, been astronauts in space and super scientists exploring moon rocks!
A new learning environment for our Reception children has appeared after the holiday..... We are excited to see the children’s faces and wonder what learning adventures “SPACE” will take them on!!
Children in Year3/4 have used their knowledge of conductors and insulators to create a switch. They enjoyed applying their understanding of how circuits work by putting a circuit into a model so that it lights up or moves.
This week, the 'Story of the Week' in Reception is Leaf Man. The children have enjoyed an 'Autumn Walk' around our school grounds today talking and looking at the changes Autumn brings. They also collected lots of leaves to make their own leaf man!
In Science, 3MF have been finding the differences between the teeth of herbivores, carnivores and omnivores. They sorted skulls using their observation skills. They then used their observation skills to sketch the different skulls
Year 1 had a wonderful time concluding our science learning about plants by being able to complete a tree hunt in our school grounds. We now know what an evergreen and a deciduous tree is and what their special features are!
1FL visited our local garden centre today to see if we could recognise common plants that we have been learning about. We saw rosies, pansies and even saw an apple tree!
