Welcome to Topaz Class - Yr 3/4
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Term 1
Welcome to the Topaz class page! I sincerely hope everyone is well-rested from the long summer holiday and is ready and raring to go for an extremely busy first term of the year! On this page, you will find links to useful websites, information about our topics and recent activities and options to download key documents.
As always, if you have any queries or questions, I am available every day after school, or by email at samp@netherfield.e-sussex.sch.uk. If it is more convenient to set up an appointment, please come in before or after school to do so.
Please do not hestitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about anything.
Remember: Please bring in your good news from home slips! All news welcome!
Computing - Purple Mash
A reminder that we have joined the Purple Mash community for teaching and learning computing and digital literacy. The children all have their own logins to access the games , activites and programs on the website, and they will be able to explain to you how it all works. If they have forgotten their login, we have a record of them and will be able to provide them to you! Click the picture to go to the login page.
Our Virtual Classroom
Term 1 DICE Topic - Flow
This term, our DICE topic is entitled 'Flow' and focuses on the rivers of the United Kingdom and the wider world, giving the children the opportunity to explore the physical and ecological features of rivers.
From humble beginnings the river flows down the mountain and into the sea. Pull on your wellies and wade right in... How deep does it go and how fast does it travel? What soil types can you find by the riversides? Which animals make their homes there? Let's get down to the riverbank and find out!
Now hop on an imaginary boat and travel some of the world's most majestic rivers - the Ganges, the Thames, the Amazon and the Nile - and keep a journal as you follow their course.
Time to investigate! As part of the local news team, it's your task to track down the source of some mystery pollution. Where did it come from and who is to blame?
Let's meander through the world of rivers, taking a dip into their watery world!
Home Learning
This year Maths Home Learning will be due in on a Friday. Spellings will be due in on Wednesday, as spelling tests will be on this day. Times Table tests will be on Thursdays, therefore Times Table homework will be due in on Thursdays as well. The children will also have an Arithmetic Test and a Grammar Test to help prepare them for similar tests at the end of Key Stage Two, but will be tested solely on knowledge and skills learnt within the classroom.
Those children who forget to bring in their homework, or fail to complete it to the deadline, will have to complete a portion of the homework during their lunch time.
Useful Websites
Here are some useful websites for Home Learning or extra research! As always, the websites have been checked and are all age-appropriate. However, do feel free to check yourselves or choose your own websites.
River facts – 3D Geography - Interesting river facts, images, videos and 3D model ideas to help children learn about rivers.
River facts – One Geology Kids - Simple, clear webpage explaining features of rivers, including key facts, photographs and maps.
Rivers – BBC Education - Clips, information and other world river resources.
National Geographic encyclopaedia - More in-depth facts and photographs about rivers.
Water cycle – BBC Learning Zone - An animation showing how the water cycle works.
Water cycle – National Geographic Kids - A more in-depth explanation, for older children or teachers but useful for more able readers.
Floods – BBC Newsround - A basic guide to flooding, covering questions such as ‘Why do the same places flood?’
Why is flooding happening? – BBC Newsround - A child-friendly article covering the reasons why southern England was so badly hit by flooding in 2014.
Floods in South England – BBC Newsround - A short report on the floods that hit southern areas in February 2014 and the impact on residents.
Things to do on the River Thames – Visit Thames - Links to activities available on this famous river.
See and do – Canal and River Trust - Links to information about leisure activities on or near rivers and canals.
River flowing gently – YouTube - A video showing a gentle stream flowing, with the sounds of the water.
Fast-flowing river – YouTube - A video showing a fast flowing river, with the sounds of the water.
Waterfall – YouTube - A video showing water flowing down a waterfall, with sounds of the water.
Fun Facts
Did You Know?
The longest river in the world is the River Nile in Africa. It is 6650km long and travels through 10 countries. Wow!
The Amazon carries more water than any other river. It also has the largest surface area and the biggest number of tributaries.
Most rivers have a mouth which flows into a larger body of water, such as a sea, ocean or lake.
Water covers three quarters of the Earth's surface (although 93% of this is saltwater, so its undrinkable).
River dolphins can be grey, white, pink, yellow, brown or black in colour and have snouths up to 58cm long!
The amount of water on Earth has remained the same for two billion years! The glass of water you drank with your lunch could once have been drunk by a dinosaur!
Most of the world's largest cities have been built on the banks of a river; London on the Thames, Paris on the Seine, Rome on the Tiber - the list goes on!
One of the largest aquatic plants in the world is the Amazonian water lily, or the Victoria Amazonica. It has leaves up to 3m wide!
The Zambezi River in Africa is home to hippos, baboons, elephants, crocodiles, hyenas and lions. It's a risky place to be when they're hungry!
Hydropower uses the force of water to create kinetic energy, which provides one fifth of the world's electricity.
Many people think that rivers always flow south, but four of the 10 longest rivers in the world flow north.
There are between 5000 and 7000 different species of bacteria in a single gram of soil.
Songwriters and storytellers often use the image of a river as a symbol of life and the passage of time.