Keep up to date with all that's happening!

• Cuerden Valley

  Wed 08 May 2019
  Today we had a lovely time in the rain! 😉 We took measurements including the strength of the current, width and depth of the river. The children searched for creatures using two methods - Sweep sampling and kick sampling. They found lots of interesting creatures!

  The children were introduced to key scientific vocabulary including:
  🌟Source
  🌟Tributary - where they all meet
  🌟Meander
  🌟Upper / middle / lower sections
  🌟Water cycle
  🌟Precipitation
  🌟Evaporation
  🌟Estuary - opens up into the ocean
  🌟Mouth - where the estuary enters into the sea
  🌟 Transportation - moving the pebbles / sand etc

  We discussed how the River Lostock meets the yarrow (near Preston), runs into the Douglas and then into Ribble.

  We continued to think about what a river does. Flowing from the source, a river does a range of things called river processes.

  The three main processes are:
  🌟erosion (wearing it away - from the start from the v shape valleys, rubs the rocks and breaks them away. They tumble and become pebbles)

  🌟Middle course - meander
  Still erodes but slightly different.
  Roots are usually under the ground. It crashes into the ‘wall’ the outside bank erodes more than the inside bend. When there is most rain it is stronger.

  🌟Inside bend - deposition. River puts everything down as it’s not as much energy so it cannot carry the pebbles or dirt. Makes areas called the river bank or river beach. Puts all the sediment (sand, grit) back that it has been carrying on its journey.

  We have lots of very soggy children...not because of the rain, but them not realising how ‘high’ their wellies were 😉

  

• Staying Safe NSPCC visit

  Fri 03 May 2019
  Today the children were visited by the NSPCC who delivered a special assembly on staying safe. Our visitor discussed how children can sometimes have worries that can build up over time causing our 'Bag of worries' to overflow.  She explained to children the different types of mistreatment that can happen to children and adults in a child appropriate manner and explained ways that we can 'get rid of those worries' by speaking to trusted adults including parents, family members, teachers, the police and also by ringing the national number for Childline. Our Year Five children then took part in a more in-depth workshop identifying different types of abuse - they had to read a statement and say whether they agree/disagree/unsure with the statement being ok or something they should speak to a trusted person about. The workshop was very informative for our children and provided lots of opportunity to discuss the topic of staying safe.