Year 1 History: Packaging in the Past
Year 1 compared differences between packaging in the past and packaging now. We noticed that in the past, they used lots of paper, metal and glass to package their items. They were particularly shocked to find out that fish and chip shops used to sell their food in newspaper from the previous day. Then, we noticed that most packaging now is made from plastic. Year 1 shared that plastic is better to store food in as it keeps it fresh for longer, you can see what items are inside the packaging, it is waterproof and stronger than other materials. However, some children noticed that packaging from the past was better for the environment. For example, paper is better for the environment when recycled and metal tins can be reused. We also discussed that milk men deliver their milk in glass bottles, which can be washed and reused again. We agreed that although plastic packaging is good for some things, we should use more environmentally friendly materials when we can. For example, buying Bags for Life when shopping rather than purchasing plastic bags and throwing them away. Year 1 also had a go at wrapping items in paper and using string, as they would not have tape. It was good practice for them with tying knots and some children could even tie bows!
Year 5 - Ancient Greece in VR
Today PrimeVR visited St Barnabas, allowing classes to experience immersive, computer generated simulations through virtual reality. Year 5 had the opportunity to travel back in time to Ancient Greece and witness the Parthenon in its original splendour and offer tribute at the statue of Athena. We also got a taste of everyday life in Ancient Greece, seeing close up how people travelled and fished.
Year 3- Bringing the Stone Age to Life with PrimeVR
The children had an absolutely incredible time during our PrimeVR experience day, with the highlight being their deep dive into the Stone Age. Through the power of virtual reality, they didn’t just learn about history; they lived it, transported thousands of years back in time to explore ancient landscapes and see firsthand how early humans survived. The children came face-to-face with woolly mammoths, examined prehistoric cave art up close, and discovered how Stone Age people communicated. It was an unforgettable, immersive adventure that truly brought our history topic to life!
Year 1 History: Off To The Market
Year 1 visited “the market” today and we absolutely loved it. We started off in class by comparing some differences from shopping in the past to modern day. Then, we each wrote shopping lists with 6 items and we had £1 to spend. When we arrived at the market, some of the children became the shopkeepers and some as the shoppers. The shopkeepers had to tell the shoppers how much their items were and count the money and give change. The shoppers could keep their items in brown paper bags. It was lovely to see the children working together, using their imaginations and they have all asked to do it again.
Year 2 - History - Florence Nightingale
Year 2 have started a new unit of learning in history about Florence Nightingale. We learned lots about her and quizzed each other.
Year 5 - History
In History, we concluded our study of Ancient Greece by learning about some of the great philosophers including Pythagoras, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. We then looked in greater depth at the trial of Socrates and how his anti-democratic stance and questioning of authority created powerful enemies. The children were then asked to decide if they thought Socrates was deserving of his punishment.
The Vikings in Year 4
Today Year 4 looked at the impact of events using cause and consequences. We discussed important events in Anglo-Saxon and Viking struggle for Britain, explaining the meaning of cause and consequence and suggested the impact of these events. The children really got involved in these discussions and worked really hard to identify the correct answers.
History in Year 4
In our history lesson today, Year 4 explored why trading was important to the Vikings. They had to describe what the Vikings traded with, identify trading routes and find out if the Vikings should be classed as traders or raiders. We found out that traders journeyed across Europe and obtained and exchanged many different types of goods that included honey, glass, pottery vessels, metals and animal fur.
Year 4 English - How to be a Viking
Today we began our new English unit which uses the text - How to be a Viking by Cressida Cowell. Our objective for the lesson was to predict events. We first explored the front cover, title and blurb to predict what the story might be about. After this we read the first part of the story which introduced the main character Hiccup the Viking and his father Stoick the Vast. Following this we predicted what would happen next as they set off to sea for the first time.
Year 4 History
Today we started our new History unit on why the Vikings invaded Britain. We started by looking at our previous history units: Roman Britain and Anglo-Saxon Britain. Next we placed key events on a timeline starting with when the Romans invaded back in BC 55, all the way through to the Vikings arriving at Lindisfarne in AD 793. The children focused in on the Viking timeline, creating their own in groups, adding key dates and events up until when Edward the Confessor (Anglo-Saxon) became King of England in AD 1042.
Year 3- History- Mapping Our Prehistoric Past
In history class today, the Year 3 Historians took their learning beyond the classroom and became true historians as they explored the Prehistoric Ages. We started by investigating the massive timeline in our school hall, which shows how humans have lived in Britain for over 900,000 years. To deepen our understanding, we then used an interactive timeline. We discovered how the Stone Age lasted for a vast amount of time as humans mastered flint tools and early farming, followed by the Bronze Age, where the discovery of metal-working changed how people traded and lived. Finally, we saw the rise of the Iron Age, characterised by powerful hillforts and advanced tools.
Heroes of Troy
We are so proud of our drama club for their fantastic production of ‘Heroes of Troy’. We loved seeing you all shine on stage and it was amazing to see how much your confidence has grown over the last ten weeks. A huge thank you to Miss Woods and Mr Mealor for their support and direction. Also a massive thank you to all of the parents and carers who came to support. All of the photos are available here and the recording will be shared soon. https://www.stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk/photo-galleries/heroes-of-troy-drama-club-production