Moving Monsters

This week, Nightingales class have been working hard on their moving monsters. We designed the monster first, then spent 2 afternoons making them look as brilliant as possible! We then looked at air resistance and pneumatics, making our monsters mouths open using some plastic tubing and 2 syringes.
We think they have turned out really well! Well done Nightingales.  

J Rock fundraiser!

The Physical Challenge for our fundraiser is now complete!

Mount Everest is 8,848m.  The Physical Challenge was a circuit involving climbing up, along and over numerous obstacles.  Each lap completed was awarded 5m towards our total.  

Puffins - 1060m

Kingfishers - 960m

Robins - 1500m

Swifts - 1320m

Nightingales - 1300m

Rooks - 1480m

Owls - 1445m

Kestrals - 1400m

Our grand total was = 10,465m  So we not only achieved our goal of climbing Everest - we started our descent as well!

Every class approached the challenge with determination and all children showed great enthusiasm, supported and encouraged each other to help reach our target.  

The children should now be completing the Healthy Living Challenge - can they give up sweets for the week?

Please remember children have been asked to collect sponsorship for the 2 challenges - all monies and forms need to be brought into school by Thursday 22nd October.

Lia Chance and Hannah Craggs 

States of Matter investigation

Year 4 have been learning about the air around us and types of common gases.
We have been investigating whether carbon dioxide is heavier or lighter than air.
First we needed to make some CO2...

 

Result: Co2 is much heavier than 'air' or helium

Our Super PTA!

Thank you to everyone who came to the PTA AGM last night and for all the work Sam Carey and the PTA have done in the past year. The new team were elected as Jennie Mugridge (Chair), Kirsty Niziolek (Vice Chair), Sarah Bradley (Secretary) and Jools Gowan (Treasurer). They are ready and raring to go with organising fundraising events to help raise money for the school. This year the aim is to raise enough money to fund new House Team flags, funky furniture for the school library and even an outdoor classroom. But they need your help to make it happen! 

There are various ways to get involved: join the committee and attend half-termly meetings, give your time to help out at fundraising events, help prepare behind the scenes for various events (e.g. wrapping presents, baking, making bunting), donate goods or services for raffle prizes, or use your contacts to access free or discounted supplies! We don't expect you to do everything, but if lots of people do a little bit, we can make a big difference. If you would like to get involved in any way - no matter how big or small, please email ptahelpers@bitternemanor.net. 

You can also help by shopping online via easyfundraising.org.uk where you can automatically start raising money for the school without having to do anything!

Look out for more news on the notice board, the newsletter, on the PTA web page, or find the Bitterne Manor PTA Helpers group on Facebook. The next meeting date is Tuesday 3rd November 2015, 3.30pm at school - we look forward to seeing you there!

The Great Space Race!!

This afternoon, Year 5 completed their technology projects with their friends and families. They built the bodies of their vehicles using egg boxes, cereal packets, milk bottles and other materials; making some creative and imaginative designs. Children (and Dads!) with more competitive streak,  modified their components in order to make them faster and more streamlined.  

The Grand Finale was the "Great space race" on the playground , where the children raced their buggies against each other to find the fastest design. Well done to Joe Finn and Daniel Watson. Next week we will evaluate our designs and make suggestions for improvements. 

Thank you so much to all the parents who came in to help - the children had great fun and learnt a lot from your expertise.

River Mission

Rook class have been working very hard on their 'River Mission' board games.

All week they were writing mathematical word problems for a snakes and ladders style game. The goal -  to follow the river down the  mountain in one piece answering questions on the way.

Some of the questions were challenging!

Year 5 "Space Race" preparations

This afternoon Year 5 have been making the finishing touches to their moon buggy chassis by giving them their engines!! We added battery packs, motors and gears and tested them outside to see if they worked. Adjustments were made to make them go faster or more ... forward!  We look forward to seeing our friends and family next week for the building of the bodies of our moon buggies, and the grand finale - the space race!