Month: May 2014

To help you in your mission, take a look at the following videos and consider how explorers survive in extreme conditions.

(Please note these people are professionally trained so do not try this at home).

http://www.discoveryuk.com/web/born-survivor/videos/?video=born-survivor-a-wormy-nibble

http://www.discoveryuk.com/web/born-survivor/videos/?video=bear-grylls-born-survivor-leeches

http://www.discoveryuk.com/web/born-survivor/videos/?video=bear-grylls-born-survivor-improvised-abseil

In year 4 we have really enjoyed our chocolate topic and we are looking forward to selling the chocolates we have worked so hard to design and create.

Each company created an advert to tempt you to buy their chocolate – watch them and choose your favourite!

There are many different species of animals that live in the rain forest such as:  Orang-utans;, Anacondas; Sloths and Tapirs. They all have different characteristics.

Orang-utans eat fruit and leaves. The definition of ‘orang-utan’ means person. You can find them sleeping in trees, every night they make a new nest made out of sticks. You can find them in the rain forests of Sumatra and Borneo.

Sloths are very lazy! Guess what? Sloth means lazy. The sloth is the slowest mammal on earth. It can sleep up to 15 hours a day. You can find them in the Amazon is south America. They eat leaves shoots and fruit.

The Anaconda is one of the thickest snakes in the world. Its length can measure up to 30 feet long. You can find this magnificent creature in south America and the east of Andes Mountain. It likes to move around and relax in slow moving water.

The Tapir is a pig-like animal; they live in damp forests in Asia, South America and southern Mexico. It is great at swimming and only goes into the water when it feels threatened.  The Tapir feeds on water, plants, leaves, buds and fruit.

By India Dullay (4M)

Over 40 different kinds of animals live in rain forests. Most of them are rare and beautiful. There is 1500 flowers in a rain forest.  There are 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies. Half of the worlds animals live in rain forests. Scientists haven’t researched all the plants in the rain forest yet. 25 percent of the medicines come from rain forests. Rain forests are diapering quickly. 20,00 people live in rain forests. Which are in bad condition. The yanomi is the biggest tribe. The tribes have gone to talk to talk to the out sides before. They live in northern Brazil. Many tribes of amazon are very diverse in the culture, language and heritage. There is 180 different languages  spoken by these people.They gather food from the rain forest and many believe in animal ism this a believe that animal spirits are in everything.

A Rainforest can be described as a tall, dense jungle.  The reason it is called a “rain” forest is because of the high amount of rainfall it gets per year.

These  are some of the main facts about a rainforest that we have been learning about in school:

•   The climate of a rain forest is very hot and humid so the animals and plants that exist there must learn to adapt to this climate.
• These incredible places cover only 6 %of the Earth’s surface but yet they contain MORE THAN 1/2 of the world’s plant and animal species!
• Most rainforests are between the tropic of Capricorn and the tropic of Cancer.
• Most of them are in South America and South Africa
• There are over 750 different types of trees in a rain forest.
• Some of the trees can grow up to 300 feet tall, that’s the  size of a football pitch standing up.
• Rain forests produce most of the Earths oxygen.
• There are over 350,000 species of plants and animals in there.
• Lots of rain forests are disappearing because of the amount of paper we use and that’s why we need to recycle.
• 1 out of 4 ingredients in our medicine is from the rainforest.
• Possible cures for life threatening diseases come from plants that grow in the rain forest.
• Due to poor agricultural practices, over logging and population increase, Rain forests are being destroyed.
• It is estimated that 8% of the Rain forests in the world have been destroyed.
•  This means that over half of the original species have been destroyed as well.

        

As you can see from these facts rainforests are very important for us, so we should help saving the rainforest by recycling more. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sloth

Sloths are extremely slow-moving mammals found in the rainforest canopies of Central and South America. There are two species of sloths:two-toed and three-toed. Most sloths are about the size of a small dog and they have short, flat flat heads. Their hair is grayish brown but, at times they look grey-green in color because they move so slowly that tiny camouflaging algae grow all over their coats.Some sloths stay in the same tree for years. Their huge hooked claws and long arms allow them to spend most of their time hanging upside-down from trees. Since they have a slow metabolism, they need very little food. They feed on fruit, leaves, buds, and young twigs. Sloths also sleep upside-down for up to 18 hours at a time. Mothers also give birth to babies upside-down. Babies cling to their mothers until they are able to take care of themselves.Sloths are nocturnal and sleep curled up with their head placed between the arms and the feet drawn close together. This disguises them as part of a tree so that its enemies like the jaguar do not see them. Sloths rarely climb down from the trees and can live for up to 30 years.

Spider Monkeys

Spider monkeys are large in size. Adult monkeys grow to be almost two feet tall excluding the tail. They have a powerful tail that they use as an extra limb. Spider monkeys like to hang upside-down with all four limbs and the tail holding on to branches which makes them look like a spider and thus their name. They also have the ability to swing from branch to branch at a high speed. Their fur color can be black, brown, golden, red, or tan.Spider monkeys spend most of their time high up in the canopy where they can find fruits and seeds to eat. They also eat plants. They are unusual monkeys in that they have only four fingers and no thumb. Spider monkeys are heavily hunted and are in danger of becoming extinct.

 

Macaws are the largest of all parrots. There are 16 different species of macaws and they range in size from a little over three feet to one foot. They have beautiful, graceful, tails that are as long or longer than their bodies. They also have long, pointed wings that enable them to fly swiftly.Macaws have sharp, hooked bills which are perfect for eating nuts, fruits, and seeds. The beak is strong and is used to break open nut pods. Their feet have a very strong grip which allow them to grasp easily. Two of their toes point forward and two point backward. They can use their foot to grasp food and bring it to their mouth.Macaws are very social and intelligent animals. They can be found in Central and South America in the canopy and emergent layers of the rainforest. They like to nest in holes in trees. Macaws are on the endangered species list because their numbers are declining due to rainforest destruction and people capturing them for pets.

 

Toucan                       

 

There are about 40 different kinds of toucans. They vary in size from about 7 inches to a little over two feet. They have short and thick necks. Toucans are distinguished by large, colorful, yet lightweight bills. The color of the bill may be black, blue, brown, green, red, white, yellow or a combination of colors. The bright colors on his bill help to attract a mate. Toucans also have a narrow, feather-like tongue. They can be noisy birds with their calls sounding harsh and raspy.A toucan’s bill is sharp and has saw-like edges. The bill is used to squash the many kinds of fruit and berries he eats. He may also use the saw-like edges to tear off parts of larger fruits. Also included in their diet are small birds and lizards. Toucans make their homes in holes in trees. They usually live in pairs or small flocks. White, glossy eggs are laid once a year and when they hatch, the new chicks have no down covering them.Toucans are found in South and Central America in the canopy layer of the rainforest. When they sleep, they turn thier heads around and tuck their bills under their wings and tail. The toucan is very important to the rainforest because they help to disperse seeds from the fruits and berries they eat.

 

Poison-arrow frogs

Poison-arrow frogs are social frogs found in Central and South America. They are known by their bright colors which warn other animals that they are poisonous. Its poison is one of the most powerful known and can cause paralysis or death. It is so potent that one millionth of an ounce can kill a dog and an amount smaller than a grain of salt can kill a human. One frog carries enough poison to kill about 100 people. Native hunters use it on the tips of their arrows which is how the frog got its name.

Poison-arrow frogs are about the size of a man’s thumbnail (less than one inch). The tiny frogs lay their eggs on leaves. When the tadpole hatches, it is carried on one of the parents’ back to a bromeliad where the parents feed it small insects, ants, spiders, crustaceans, and tiny water animals. The mother frog may also lay infertile eggs as food for the tadpoles.

 

Poison-arrow frogs are beautiful to look at. Their colors vary from red to yellow to blue. The enemies they encounter are large animals (including humans) who may step on them. Though poison-arrow frogs carry a deadly poison, they are usually harmless if left alone.

 

Thank you for reading  🙂

 

 

Year 4 have been working incredibly hard to design, create and advertise their chocolate bars.

On the 20th May at 9am, Year 4 will be selling their delectable chocolate bars. All Year 4 parents are welcome.

Take a look at their astounding adverts below to tempt you…

My Movie 17 from Bearwood on Vimeo.

My Movie 18 from Bearwood on Vimeo.

My Movie 19 from Bearwood on Vimeo.

My Movie 20 from Bearwood on Vimeo.