Our pond

This is our pond. When we bought the new land it had an old pond in the corner. I started clearing some of the old wood last weekend, and found the overflow pipe. I decided to block the pipe to see if the pond would hold water. This weekend it rained very heavily and you can see that the pond now has over half a metre of water in it. I hope that by allowing the pond to fill up we might get lots of wildlife.

Belmont transmitter

This is the Belmont television transmitter. We can see the top from our house. This picture was taken at night and shows the lights. The transmitter is the highest structure in the United Kingdom and Europe. It is 385m high.

Here is a picture of the transmitter in the daytime.

And another picture taken nearer the transmitter at night.

Clementine

This is the clementine tree that we grew in the classroom last year. Someone had a pip and we researched how to plant it on the Internet. We had to plant it in very moist compost and keep it very warm. We kept it on the radiator in the classroom.

We were surprised when it started to grow. I took it home over the summer holidays and kept it in the greenhouse. As you can see it is now very tall.

Learning the piano

I have always wanted to learn to play an instrument, and a few years ago started to learn the recorder with some of the children at my school. Since then I have tried the guitar, and then the piano. Sometimes you have to try things to find out what is right for you. I have decided that the piano is my instrument.

I am now having piano lessons, and bought this piano from someone at school. It is not perfect, because some of the keys stick. I have set myself a target; if I complete the first lesson book, then I can buy a new piano.

When you are learning new things you can sometimes think "I will never be able to get it right". I always remind myself:

"I can't do it yet,

but I will one day if I keep practising"

Art by Edvard Munch

I was talking to another teacher about a painting by the Artist Edvard Munch; he painted a famous picture called 'The Cry'. This one is a modern version of that painting. Edvard Munch used interesting textures and colours in his paintings. Notice how the colours flow like water and shades are smudged together.

Here are some of Edvard Munch's paintings.

A medieval feast

These two photographs were taken at Pembroke Castle. The life-size models are enjoying a medieval feast. Only the rich would have had such good food. Notice that the light would have come from candles and there is a big fire behind them to keep them warm.

Music would have come from a musical instrument like a Bombarde or Shawm.

Light patterns

These street lights are between Grimsby and Lincoln, on the A46 at Cabourne. The street lights make a pattern when you see them from a certain angle. I had taken a picture without a tripod, but the exposure was too long which made the image poor quality. What shape can you see? I think they make the shape of a seal.

Light sources

This lighthouse is at Dunnet Head, the most northerly point on the British mainland. The lighthouse makes light with a powerful bulb, but also reflects light with large mirrors.

Bullying!

Watch this animation.

How are the birds behaving at the start?

What happens when they see the big bird?

What happens when the big bird tries to make friends?

What happens at the end?

Shrek

One of my favourite films.

Be a wise old bird!

I like this poem because it reminds us that we can learn a lot by listening.

A wise owl lived in an oak;
The more he saw, the less he spoke;
The less he spoke, the more he heard;
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?

Wisdom begins in wonder.

'Wisdom begins in wonder'

These words are from Socrates, a man who died around 400 years before Jesus. He became a philosopher when he was older, which means that he questioned the world around him.


He believed that if people asked questions they would become wiser.