At Brandling we love to keep fit and healthy.This week, Year 4/5 took part in the Thomas Hepburn half marathon at Gateshead Stadium.

The marathon was a team event, and the pupils had to run in teams to complete 50 laps of the track. This is the equilavent of 13 miles!

Each time the children ran, they were given a sticker. When they completed their lap, the sticker was placed on a chart.

It was pretty hard going, and the children had to make sure that they drank lots of water to keep themselves hydrated.

They all tried really hard, and were very proud each time they completed a lap of the track.

Both teams managed to complete their charts, and even did two laps of honour to celebrate.

We were all tired at the end of the day, but had a great time. The children decided that running is a great way to keep fit and have fun!

Posted by L.Georgeson at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Year 4/5 pupils have recently been taking part in the Take One Picture: North, South, East, West project at the Laing Art Gallery.

The project was based around a painting called The Bard, by an artist called John Martin. Bards were medieval people who used songs, poems and music to convey their thoughts and feelings. The painting illustrates a poem called The Bard by Thomas Gray (1757). In the painting, the last surviving Welsh Bard is depicted standing on a cliff top, cursing King Edward’s troops below for their hatred and oppression before throwing himself to his death in the raging waterfall below.

The pupils visited the Laing Art Gallery with Miss Hopkins to look at the original painting in more detail. They analysed the colour and textures used, and discussed how the picture made them think and feel. They then took part in a painting workshop to experience colour mixing and to try out brush techniques etc. They also acted out the scene through drama activities to familiarise themselves with the story behind the painting.

After the visit, the children spent some of their Art/ D&T lessons working on the painting so that they could recreate it by making a 3D model. The children experimented with painting techniques and painted various parts of the picture.

They then cut out and assembled their pieces to recreate the Bard as a 3D model. The results were outstanding, as I am sure you will agree!

The completed model is now on display in the Year 4/5 classroom, along with poetry that the children have written about the story of the Bard.

Visit the Laing Art Gallery website to find out more at www.takeonepicture.org/

Posted by L.Georgeson at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Year 4/5 have been studying the Anglo Saxons this half term. To find out more about their topic, they visited Bedesworld at Jarrow.

When they arrived they were shown around the museum by Kathleen, the teacher for the day. Bedesworld celebrates the extraordinary life and achievements of the Venerable Bede who lived and worked at the monastery over 1300 years ago. They were shown a model of the site, and looked at how the monks used to work and worship.

They then visited the monastery, and even dressed up as monks for a church procession.

At lunchtime, they enjoyed playing in the grounds- the play park was great!

After lunch, the pupils visited the Anglo Saxon farm, and got a real taste of what it would be like to work there years ago.

Their favourite part of the day was meeting the animals, especially the sheep. One managed to follow us around the site!

Bedesworld is a great day out. We can't wait to visit again.

Posted by L.Georgeson at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)