Monthly Archives: March 2018

Spam fake emails

Today Kestrels have been discussing what spam email is and how you should deal with it. We started off discussing what we thought spam was. The children came up with lots of ideas such as it being something that you receive that you don’t want or someone repeatedly sending you the same message.

We then looked at a scenario where a young boy had received an email telling him he had won a prize. We discussed what the boy had done, why he made those decisions and what he should have done to deal with the email. After discussing these questions we came to the conclusion that you should not open emails that are off someone that you do not know and include suspicious content. The message should be deleted straight away and you should inform your parents or carers.

Video: Chemical reactions

Year 5 Kestrels have looked at more chemical reactions. We watched clear water turn blue when methylene blue was added to it.

As we were watching it, it began to become clear again!

Then Miss Edwards shook the bottle and it turned blue again!

That was amazing to see.

Then Miss Edwards kept the bottle still and we observed the liquid return to clear.

Watch the video and see for yourself.

The children observed and decided that the methylene blue was absorbed into the clear liquid or it dissolved.

They also decided that it was a reversible reaction and that is why it returned to clear (once it was not shaken any more).

This happened because oxygen was introduced into the solution (when shaken) and this made it turn blue again.

‘Soda Snake Firework’

Today in science year 5 were watching a demonstration called ‘Soda Snake Firework’.

A glass bowl was filled with sand and topped with some baking soda and icing sugar mixed together. Then a bit of Propan-2-ol was drizzled on top of the mixture. After setting it alight the mixture started to caramelise and eventually what looked like a black snake emerged from the bowl.

It did take a few attempts for us to get it right, but we got there in the end!

Milk with detergent investigation

This afternoon in science Year 5 have been investigating what happens to milk when detergent is added to it.

We started off with a bowl of milk with a few drops of different food colouring scattered around. Then we dipped a cocktail stick into some detergent before sticking it in the centre of our milk. The colours all merged today and swirled around the bowl. It was pretty amazing to watch!

Peer Mediation training – Feelings

This afternoon Miss McClelland came in for some further Peer Mediation training.

They started with showing some emotions with facial expressions. Can you guess this one?

They talked about feelings and thought about recognising them.

It was interesting to see how many qualities are needed to be a Peer Mediator and how those qualities need to be worked at- constantly.

We will be looking out for all those skills being shown daily.

Bowling and batting skills

Year 5 Kestrels had some more cricket training this morning.

It was another chance to put their bowling and batting skills in to practice. More and more skills are being built on and put in o the test when the matches are on.

Well done Year 5. Lots of concentration and listening skills were needed, great practice for training in the afternoon.

Taking part

Today Year 5 looked at why it was good to take part.

There were lots of excellent ideas.

Most people thought it was a good idea whereas others thought it depended on whether the activity was safe, worth it or if it made them uncomfortable.

They went on to discuss how perseverance is important and making mistakes is just another way of learning.
Well done Year 5.

Calcium carbide investigation

Year 5 Kestrels continued their investigations on chemical changes this afternoon.

They reviewed yesterday’s experiment and discussed how alcohol makes paper burn easily but water stops paper from burning.

Today they investigated how some changes result in the formation of a new material.

Calcium carbide was added to water. We could see that there was a production of bubbles, smoke, fizzing and then when it was lit there was a pop and a huge flame.

Tiny particles of carbon cake floating down from above us too.