Elm Class 2020-2021

The Normans - Spring 1

Topic Fact Sheet - The Normans

Plague, Pox and Antibiotics - Autumn 2

Bread making WOW-Out

As part of our Topic this term, and also linked to the Science we have been learning about, we made bread. Bread has been a s5taple part of humans' diet for hundreds of thousands of years and as our topic has been looking at illness and medicine through the ages, it seemed fitting to investigate this ageless classic.

First, we tasted different breads that are currently on the market and saw how bread is mass-produced. Next, we thought about what ingredients would have been available to people in Tudor times (where our Topic started), to see what we could add to our dough to make it more appealing. Finally, we each made and shaped bread dough, adding in an extra ingredient or two.

Once the bread had baked, we tasted and evaluated what we had produced - MOST of the class really enjoyed their bread!

Yeast Experiment

To demonstrate the importance of including yeast in the bread dough, we set up an experiment to see what yeast contributes. By mixing yeast and sugar (which would be found naturally within flour) with warm water (to 'activate' the dried yeast) we were able to see how the yeast gradually released carbon dioxide. The mixture was poured into a clear plastic bottle and a balloon placed over the top, to catch the carbon dioxide. Over the course of the afternoon, we witnessed how the balloon gradually filled with gas, mimicking the process of bread dough proving before baking.

The discovery of Penicillin

As part of our Topic investigation into how medicines have advanced through the ages, we found out about Alexander Flemming and his discovery of penicillin - a mould based medicine which destroys many different bacteria.

In groups, pupils were asked to perform a freeze to show which point in the discovery timeline they felt was the most significant to the production of the medicine that we know and use today.

Plague Pox and Antibiotics Wow-In

To kick-off our new Topic, Elm class took part in a carousel of activities to explore Tudor medicine, the weird and wonderful remedies used and 'medical' roles that were undertaken by society at the time. Pupils had the opportunity to:

- Make a Plague Doctor mask

- Create natural 'healing positions' like the Apothecaries at the time

- Research remedies and useful information like Monks

- Use picture sources to explore Barber Surgeon tools

- Investigate the healing properties of herbs that Herbwives prescribed