80s Dancing

The Oil Palm Tree

Over the past few weeks we have immersed ourselves in ‘The Great Kapok Tree’. Then using our Writing toolkits and Magpie page we wrote our wrote version of this story.

The Great Oil Palm Tree by J4

Sarah

Two men walked determinedly into the rainforest. The rainforest was picturesque, picturesque because of the golden-brown trees and moon-grey rocks.  Moments before, the forest had been alive with the sounds of squawking birds and howling monkeys.  Now, all was quiet.  The larger man, who had black, hypnotising eyes, stopped and pointed to a great Oil Palm tree.  Then, he left.

Without stopping to think, the smaller man took the axe he carried and struck the tree. Bash! Bash! Bash! The sounds of the sickening blows ran through the forest. Thud! Thud! Thud!  The man wiped off the sweat that ran down his face and neck.  Bash! Thud! Bash! Thud!

Soon, the man grew tired.  He sat down to rest at the foot of the Oil Palm tree.  Before he knew it, the warmth and peace of the forest had lulled him to sleep.

Zikra

In the Oil Palm tree, there lived an orangutan, who climbed down the trunk to where the man was sleeping.  He looked at the gash the axe had made in the tree.  Then, the orangutan swung very close to the man and spoke in his ear: “Senhor, this tree is a tree of miracles.  It is my home and where generations of my family have lived.  Do not chop it down.”

Vincent

Moments later, a hummingbird and a butterfly swooped down from the canopy and settled on the branches nearby.  “Senhor!” hummed the hummingbird, “you must not cut down this tree.  People set fires to clear the underbrush, and soon the forest disappears.”

Evie

After watching the butterfly fly away, a chameleon crept from a nearby branch and climbed silently over to the sleeping man.  No-one had noticed him.  The chameleon slobbered in the man’s ear: “Senhor, the Oil Palm tree is home to many bugs and insects.  If you cut it down, where will I find my dinner?”

Abi

That afternoon, many more animals visited the sleeping man and gave their reasons why the tree was important.  Finally, a little boy from the nearby Kayapo tribe, who had colourful, elaborate face paint, knelt down by the man.  “Senhor, you are chopping down trees with no thought of the future.  And surely you know that what happens tomorrow depends on what you do today.  This tree provides oxygen, shelter and food.  Senhor, when you awake, please look upon us all with new eyes.”

Dylan

Suddenly, the man awoke to a living crowd, all of whom depended on the Oil Palm tree.  Sunlight streamed through the canopy and vibrant and dazzling plants seemed to dangle in the air from the Oil Palm tree.  The man smelled the exotic perfume of their flowers but he heard no sound, for the animals were strangely quiet.

Jake

Drowsily, the compact man stood and picked up his razor sharp axe. Purposefully, he swung back his short arm as though to strike the tree. (Inside, however he felt guilty about destroying the animals’ home, food and shelter).  As quick as a flash, he stopped, turned and looked over his shoulder at the animals and the child.  He hesitated.  Then, he suddenly dropped the axe and walked out of the rainforest. The rainforest was fearful in case the men ever returned.

Rainforest Layers Posters

We created these posters to show what happens at each layer of the rainforest

Maisy and Georgina

Aidan and Hana

Dan and Gabriel

Dylan and Isaac

Eliza and Eve

Evie

Jake and Rory

Jamie and Will

Libby and Eva

Luka and Eddie

Malachi and Niko

Haaris and Safi

Sarah and Abi

Vincent

Zikra and Ameera

Layers of the Rainforest

Use the links on the picture to help you learn more about the layers of the rainforest.

1970s Dance

Dust off those flares and boogie down with the 1970s!

1960s Dance

1950s Dance

This half term in PE we are exploring dance. We have been dancing through the decades. Follow the video to practice your 1950s moves.

Rainforest Tribe Facepaint

We have been creating masks inspired by the face paint used by the tribes found in the rainforest. Two tribes that use face paint are the Matses and Mayoruna tribe. The Matses tribe face paint designs are often a combination of black and red across the face, used to make the wearer appear fierce. The Mayoruna tribe face paint designs ‘transform’ the wearer into an animal or mystic figure. Can you see these elements in our designs?

Comparing the lives of indigenous rainforest tribes to our own.

Rainforest Vs Hunters Bar Juniors

The Rainforest is home to many exotic animals such as toucans, piranhas, sloths, boa constrictors and jaguars. However, the animals are not the only inhabitants. Rainforests are home to many indigenous tribes of people such as the Korubo, Kayapo, Tupi and the Panara tribe. How does life in the rainforest compare to that at Hunters Bar Junior School?

Both rainforest people and HBJ students are educated.  Tribal children learn about the forest from their parents and other people in their community. However, we study subjects such as Maths, Literacy, Science and Languages in school. The rainforest people learn skills essential to their immediate survival, whereas the skills and knowledge we learn is more about giving us the best opportunities in the future.

Food – Jake, Dylan, Dan and Niko

Food is essential, we all need it to survive. To get the food we need we can either order it, click and collect it or go to the supermarket. The rainforest people however have to hunt, go fishing or get it off the trees. We believe that living where we do is much better as it is much easier to get food.

Homes – Sarah, Abi, Eva, Evie, Libby

Both tribal people and HBJ students have homes that provide shelter and a place to rest. Our homes are made of cement and bricks. Rainforest people’s homes are made of bamboo, banana leaves and sticks.

Transport – Isaac, Malachi, Tom and Haaris

We both have transport to help us get around. HBJ students have cars, buses or trains available. Whereas people from the rainforest have kayaks and canoes especially the Karubo tribe who live near the river.

Clothing – Rory

Clothing helps us keep warm and comfortable. Clothing also helps us identify which group we belong to. The Kayapo tribe wear colourful headdresses to identify tribe members, we wear a uniform with a badge to identify which school we belong to.

Overall, we believe that HBJ students have a much easier life compared to those living in a rainforest. Life is easier because we can simply buy food when we are hungry, we have warm comfortable shelter and we can move around quickly.

Rainforest Tribes

Clink on the links to learn more about the people of the rainforest

Scratch Link

Follow the link below for todays lesson

Scratch Link

Great Kapok Tree Story Map Part 6

Deforestation Trailer

Will, Dan and Aidan created this trailer to highlight the impact of deforestation on the orangutan population.

Anti-Palm Oil Posters

After learning about which brands use unsustainable palm oil in their products we created these protest posters.

Abi and Sarah

Zikra and Ameera

Jamie and Dylan

Gabriel and Haaris 

Jake and Niko

Georgina and Hana

Libby and Eliza

Eva and Maisy

Rory and Isaac

Safi and Evie

Tom and Malachi

Great Kapok Tree Story Map Part 5

Great Kapok Tree Visualisations

We created artworks inspired by this passage from the Greak Kapok Tree "Sunlight streamed through the canopy and strange and beautiful plants seemed to dangle in the air from the great Kapok tree.  The man smelled the fragrant perfume of their flowers but he heard no sound, for the animals were strangely quiet". 

Eva's Home Learning

Eva brought in some rainforest inspired artefacts.

Great Kapok Tree Story Map Part 4

Rainforest Products

Use the links below to learn more about the products that come from the rainforest.

The Great Kapok Tree Story Map Part 3

Maths Word Problem

In Maths we have been studying word problems. Abi, Jake, Jamie, Dylan, Isaac and Rory collaborated on creating their own word problem. Can you solve it?

Abi bought some chocolate bars to share equally with her friends. She bought between 50 - 80 bars altogther.

If she shares the bars equally with 7 friends she has 3 left over.

If she shares the bars equally between 6 friends she has 5 left over.

How many bars did Abi buy?

Maisy's Home Learning

Inspired by our work on Rainforests Maisy has been researching some of the issues facing the inhabitants of the rainforests. With help from mum Maisy found this very powerful video.

Great Kapok Tree Headlines

Reading the 'Great kapok Tree' we created headlines to summarise a section of the text.

Great Kapok Tree Story Map Part 2

Deforestation!

Tragedy has struck our rainforest as you can see! See the impact logging and deforestation has had on this once abundant rainforest.

Before

After

The Great Kapok Tree Story Map

Practise retelling the first two paragraphs of the Great Kapok Tree using the story map below.