Dans, Senufos, Baules and Woyos!

We have been continuing with our math work in multiplications, reading groups and RME topic (weddings). We are quickly working through our times tables and building them up using concrete materials.

Zoe, Lucy and Dylan building up the 4x tables

However, more and more we are spending time exploring our topic, Africa! Over the past two weeks we have used Africa to inspire our letter writing. I hope you received a personalised invite to our parents open afternoon and P4 assembly.  This week we have written letters to children in Muona, Malawi. The pupils are very excited to send letters to the other side of the world!

On Tuesdays (with Mrs Johnston) , Primary 4 have been investigating the climates found on Africa and recording the temperature in Malawi and Stromness... I'm afraid it is much colder here! much. colder. This involves our ability to predict and interpret graphs.

Creating a 3D map of Africa's climates

We used sand for deserts and will use felts and wood for forests

 We have spent a lot of time exploring African art, especially African masks. We started by discussing four types of African mask: Dan, Woyo, Senufo and Baule. Each have their own characteristics and special features.
Next we chose a type of mask to make and created a design. Secondly, using fabrics, paints, jewelry, scissors and a little help from mums and dads we created our masks. Looking at the pictures we can see a range of designs:

Out in the Sun, creating our mask designs

Dylan, Owen and Aiden working hard on their mask designs

Boys creating their Dan masks. Dan masks have pout lips, pointy chin and long forehead.

Pupils creating their Senufo , Baule and Woyo masks.

P4's finished masks. Notice the contrasting colours!

Leigha's Senufo mask. Senufo masks are used to contact the dead in the Senufo tribe.

We have really been enjoying our project yet in some parts of Africa children don't have enough to eat, or clean water to drink. We have learnt that there is enough food in the world to feed everyone but not everyone gets the food they need to survive. We have been saving money to provide children with school uniforms and meals to eat. In some lessons we explored rights ( a right to health, education, play) and we ordered these by importance:

P4 comparing children's lifestyles here and in Africa

Nell and Eileen dramatizing pouring cups of water from a pump in Africa

Organising rights in order of importance.

We realised that although education, shelter, food and play are rights for every child... not every child has these yet.