Spring 2 2025 Forces and Magnets

For this half term we are learning about forces and magnets. Exploring how forces work in action and discovering mystical magnetic fields.

Investigating forces in action

We began by observing the way a block moved across a table. Sometimes the block travelled further, this was due to how much of the driving force, the push was put in. Some groups were so interested in how much further the block went under different circumstances so decided to use their hands or paper markers as non-standard units of measure. One group even used a ruler for a standard measurement. Great investigative skills and curiosity Oak class!

But why did it stop? Friction where the block rubbed against the table and air resistance where the air pushed back against the moving block both slowed it down. We had a go at drawing the forces then voted for the most accurate representation. Here is the winner showing how air resistance and friction work in the opposite direction to the push force slowing the object down.

We continued our investigation outside looking at how the push of a ball or hoop from our hand can be slowed by the friction of our fingers slowing it. How the push from our toes when we kick a ball moves the ball but the friction from the underside of our foot can slow and stop it. We noticed that when the ball or hoop wasn't moved quickly enough with the push then it would be pulled by another force (gravity) downwards. Then we explored how the pull force could be balanced or unbalanced at either end of a rope.

Spring 1 2025 Animals including Humans

For Spring half term we are been learning about animals including humans. We are very excited to be enjoying some really interactive lessons with lots of time for questioning and exploring.

What food groups do we need?

To begin our new unit we began by learning which foods belong in each food group. We recorded data to show the number of portions humans need of each of the main food groups each day.

Making a Balanced Meal

In this lesson we applied what had learned about the food groups which humans need to eat. The children discussed the word balanced and what a balanced diet is. We reflected on some of our learning about healthy eating in DT last term and discussed the difference between healthy and balanced, as the children asked each other whether they should choose wholemeal or white bread. We decided that for a balanced diet we need carbohydrate and both types of bread could give us carbohydrates, however the wholemeal bread was high in fibre which was an additional reason to make it a healthy choice. Children thought hard about each food group and how much to put on. It was so much fun and so many of us tasted something new as well.

Skeletons

We learned about the bones in the human body and noticed how we have a lot in common with other animals with backbones. It seemed really clear that the purpose of our skeleton was to keep the body upright so we began learning the different names of the bones in the body. As we discussed the different bones it seemed the skull and ribs didn't do so much to keep the body strong and upright, so what was their purpose? To protect! To protect the brain, heart and lungs. We even talked about the spinal cord and how it is protected inside the spine.

Playing a game to remember the names of the bones and where they fit in the body was the perfect way to help us remember!