Weathering

“A” and Mum write:
Rocks are broken down by erosion and by physical, chemical or biological weathering.
Physical weathering can be due to freeze-thaw, which happens when water gets in cracks in rocks, then freezes and expands, putting pressure on the rock before it thaws and releases that pressure, eventually causing the rock to split.
Another form of [...]

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Metamorphic Rock

“M” writes

Metamorphic rock is formed by existing rock getting changed by heat and/or pressure.
Metamorphic rock may have small crystals, some have layers, like marble and slate.

Metamorphic means ‘changed form’
Examples (as found in CGP KS3 Geography and CGP KS3 Science)

sandstone becomes quartzite
limestone becomes marble
granite becomes gneiss
clays become slate
When [...]

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Learning About Tornadoes and Cyclones

In our Literature lesson this week we have started to read L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz”. Today we read the first chapter, which tells of Dorothy’s life on the Kansas prairies with her Uncle Henry, Aunt Em and her little dog Toto.
Reading about Dorothy’s experience of a cyclone prompted us to learn more [...]

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Sedimentary Rocks

“A” writes:
Sedimentary rocks are made from tiny particles of rocks and sand ,or tiny pieces of shells, plants or animal remains, which form layers and eventually become rock.
Here are some websites that give more information:
http://fi.edu/fellows/fellow1/oct98/create/sediment.htm
http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/earth/geology/sed_intro.html&edu=elem
Limestone is a sedimentary rock. It is formed from tiny shells and micro-skeletons.

Below is a picture of sandstone.
It is made [...]

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Igneous Rock

“M” writes:
Igneous Rock is formed from cooling magma (molten rock).

Igneous comes from the latin word ignis for fire.

The volcano in the diagram above is like a tube of toothpaste with holes in because when you squeeze a tube of toothpaste it squirts the paste out of the top, [...]

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The Cocoon at the Natural History Museum

“M” writes:
The Cocoon is an interactive gallery in the Natural History Museum in London.
The Cocoon has more than 2km of display cases and has many interactive educational games.
I saw many different display cases with animals in, and some interactive tables where you can zoom in on different small animals that you can’t [...]

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TES Education Show Oct 2009

Last week we enjoyed taking part in the TES Education Show at Olympia in London. It was a great experience for both myself and the children, who enjoyed joining the “world of work” as they demonstrated a range of technical equipment for use in the classroom and beyond. They both enjoyed the chance to use [...]

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Henry II and Thomas a Becket

Thomas a Becket, born in London in 1118, was the son of a merchant. When working as assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas was introduced to King Henry II. They became friends.
Henry II appointed Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury in 1162, no doubt hoping that his friend Thomas would support him in his dealings with [...]

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The Dragontree Garden

“A” reports from The Dragontree Garden:
Here at Dragontree we have been growing our own fruit and vegetables.
We have turnips, parsnips, blackcurrants, peas, broad beans, onions, garlic and apples, strawberries, radish, tomatoes and runner beans.

We also planted some potatoes but they didn’t grow very well. We covered them over each time they sprouted up above the [...]

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Street Pianos London

“M” reports:
The artist Luke Jerram is responsible for the placing of 30 pianos around London.
Every piano has laminated music sheets for those rainy days and each is painted with a theme relating to the part of London it is in, along with the invitation ”play me, I’m yours”.
For more info, check out these links:
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/street-pianos-london-feature-3079.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8114859.stm
You can [...]

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