Autobiographies

This week everyone in Owls and Otters handed in their autobiography.  The teachers are looking forward to reading them over half term but today some of us read them in our English lesson and peer assessed them.

Brunel Bridges

As part of our Victorian topic we have been looking at the work of Isambard Brunel.  We were set the challenge of making a bridge that would take a train with Queen Victoria in it.  Only straws, pipe cleaners, string and Pritt Stick glue were allowed.

Plans were drawn first and then the construction began...

It certainly was a challenge but the end results were fantastic.

Queen Victoria managed to cross most bridges safely, even if some were a bit wobbly!

Victorian Invention Radio Adverts

In ICT this term we have been researching Victorian inventions and then using iPad apps to create radio adverts, advertising our product. 

We used the Thinkbox app to study adverts and then, in groups, we thought very carefully about persuasive techniques and then came up with a script. 

Then, using Garage Band, we rehearsed our scripts and then recorded our voice (altering our pitch and volume) as well as layering music, and adding instruments to our adverts.

Please have a listen and let us know what you think!

This is Cameron, Elliot, Kyle and Jordan's advert for the light bulb.


This is Charlie, Christian and Elliot's advert for the motor car.


This is Cheyanne, Lucy and Willow's advert for the steam ship.


This is Henry, Ben and Luke's advert for motor car.


This is Honey's advert for the steam ship.



This is Lylie, Evie and Carla's advert for Morse Code.


This is Melissa, Jess and Thomas' advert for ice cream flavours.


This is Ruby, Gabrielle and James' advert for the light bulb.


This is Callum, Kieran and Nathan 's advert for toothpaste.

Brunel bridge making in the Otters class

This term, our design and technology work has involved bridge making. We have studied that Victorian engineer and his work on bridge making - to construct our very own bridges using art straws, pipe cleaners and glue.

• Firstly, why is Brunel famous?

  What Brunel did
  Isambard Kingdom Brunel was a famous engineer. He built bridges, tunnels, railways, docks and ships.
  When did he live?
  Brunel was born in 1806. He lived at the time of Britain's Industrial Revolution. Victoria became Britain's queen in 1837. Brunel died in 1859.
  Brunel's legacy
  Brunel built bridges, railways and the world's biggest ship. Brunel showed the world what engineers could do.
  Brunel's work meant that people could travel and trade in a new way.

Brunel was famous (amongst other things) for designing the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol.

Check out our bridge designs below (they were all tested to see which ones could hold a train carrying Queen Victoria - I wonder if you can guess which bridges were successful...?)

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Workhouses

In the Victorian times the workhouse was considered to be a symbol of poverty. People dreaded having to go into the workhouse and only went in as a last resort. Life was tough and husbands and wives hated being separated from each other and from their children.

In English we have found out what workhouses were like and considered how people felt about going inside.

Here is a selection of some poems that we have written.

Some workhouse still be seen today. At Pulham Market ( next door to Cherry Lane Garden Centre) the workhouse has been converted into flats.  The building outside still looks the same as it did in Victorian times.  Look out for it when you next go to Norwich.