Alphington Primary School develops the land
A few facts
Our pond is full of creatures, just busting, and I am going to tell you a few facts about our pond and creatures.
I am going to tell you about a Bloodworm, a Lesser Water Boatman and a Mosquito Pupa.
First, is the Bloodworm. It has no legs, lives at the bottom of the pond and its way of moving is burrowing and it swims in a figure of eight. It is red and tends to be small. It has less than 20 segments and is a larva of a midge.
Now, I will tell you about the Lesser Water Boatman. It swims the right way up, unlike the Greater Water Boatman. It has no tails and it swims using leg paddles. It lives on plants and the surface of the pond. It is a goldy colour and it is a strong swimmer. It is usually very small. We caught 2 of these.
The Mosquito Pupa has no legs and lives in open water and is a jerky swimmer. It hangs from the water's surface using its ear trumpet. It only has one eye, that's why it's a jerky swimmer.
Our pond is very small with a lot of creatures and one of my best friends, James Probert, caught a Greater Water Boatman.
Picture and fact page by Michael S
Planting Tomatoes
Three months ago we planted potatoes and tomatoes in our school allotments, and this is how we did it.
First we grabbed our spades and put on our overalls (so we didn't get muddy) and ran outside. Then we marked out a rectangle with our spades. Next we made little squares with our spades and dug them out. When we finished one row we started on a new row, then made little squares again. But then with that row we put the mud from the second row in the hole from the first row, then carried on doing the same. Then, with the last row, all the mud that was left from the first row was put in the hole for the last row. Then we planted them in.
One month later we went back and speared some more soil on the potatoes to make sure they would grow properly. And they were fine.
Next were the tomatoes; we don't know about them because the year 4s did them and we are in year 5.
Here is our veg now !!!!
By Finola, Molly and Megan
Plants in our allotment
We have lots of different plants and flowers in our allotment, some are big and some are small. The bind weeds are so interesting they twirl in every direction. Another favourite of ours is the buttercup. We also find it interesting that they can tell if you like butter or not.
We planted some potatoes earlier in the year. Darron the gardener showed us how to plant potatoes in the allotment. We helped him compost, fertilise and weed the potatoes. When the potatoes are ready we will be able to help him pull them out of the ground. Then we will be able to eat the ones we have got. Then we can plant some more.
Tomatoes
In our allotment we planted some tomatoes. We poked bamboo sticks into the muddy ground. After about two weeks the plants started to grow but we are still waiting for the tomatoes to burst in to life. In a couple of weeks they will start to be ripe enough to eat and drink.
Sunflowers
We also have sunflowers growing in our allotments. The year 3/4 planted them, and they are growing very nicely. They have also got bamboo sticks to hold them up. Sunflower seeds will be very useful.
Trees
There are lots of different trees in our allotment like Holly trees, a Hazel tree and a Willow tree, but the one that inspired us most was the Oak tree. We wrote a poem about it and this is how it goes...
Tree Top
It's like a mountain towering in to the sky
Tree Top
It's like a firework spreading into the night sky
Tree Top
It shines like a star glittering glamorously
Tree Top
It's as smooth as the Queen's throne made of silk
Tree Top
It smells as plain as the cloudy night sky
Tree Top
It's as cold as the blue Atlantic ice
Tree Top
It's as crunchy as an ice-cream cone
Tree Top
Its leaves are like feathers fluttering every where
Tree Top
It's as amazing as Mount Everest.
Charlotte Ward