Year 4 Blog

 This week the children discussed how humans used deserts. Some of the children identified that tourists use the desert as well as films being set there. From there, they looked at other reasons why humans use deserts. 

 This week, the children recapped their previous knowledge of the continents and oceans.  They then debated the words: habitat and adaptation. Some very interesting ideas. From there they researched how (using real cacti) cacti are able to live in the desert through their use of long roots system so they can gather up as much water as possible as it does not rain much in a desert. Furthermore, they have spikes on them instead of leaves to protect them from being eaten and animals sucking out its water.  Following on, the children looked at how a camel is able to live in the harsh conditions of a desert. Did you know that they have two sets of eyelashes? They can close their nostrils and their fur protects them from the sun as well as keeping them warm at night. 

 This week the children researched the difference between weather and climate.  Weather is what you see and feel right now and it changes very quickly.  Whereas, climate is what you expect to find in a place and it is measured over a long time: 30 years.  The children then  used an atlas as well as their knowledge of the Equator and the Tropics to find different countries that would have a hot climate and a cold climate.  Then, they studied a climate graph of the Sahara ( hottest desert in the world) and saw there was very little rainfall and the temperatures were quite high there as The Sahara is near the Equator.