Favourite Detectives
Maths Day 2013
Year 6 enjoyed many activities this morning for Maths Day.
We started by using pairs of compasses to create circles with specific diameters and using the instruments to create different patterns on the circles.
We used these for the Tower Of Hanoi puzzle and worked out the fewest number of moves needed to complete the puzzle.
For 3 rings it was 7 moves. For 4 rings 15 moves. No one managed to complete the puzzle for 5 rings in the fewest number of moves, which was 31.
After this we looked at whether Faruq should take £1000 now, or 1p that keeps doubling each day. (eg. Day one: 1p, Day two: 2p, Day three: 4p, Day four: 8p, and so on.) What would the amount be after 30 days? Try it for yourself.
How is this related to The Tower of Hanoi?
Well, Kayode spotted a pattern and we were able to work out the formula for working out the number of the fewest moves if you know how many rings.
There is a history about an Indian temple which contains a large room with three time-worn posts in it surrounded by 64 golden disks. Brahmin priests, acting out the command of an ancient prophecy, have been moving these disks, in accordance with the immutable rules of the Brahma, since that time. The puzzle is therefore also known as the Tower of Brahma puzzle. According to the legend, when the last move of the puzzle will be completed, the world will end.
If the legend were true, and if the priests were able to move disks at a rate of one per second, using the smallest number of moves, it would take them roughly 585 billion years or 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 (eighteen quintillion, four hundred forty six quadrillion, seven hundred forty four trillion, seventy three billion, seven hundred nine million, five hundred fifty one thousand, six hundred fifteen) turns to finish, or about 45 times the life span of the sun.
Maths Magic
This intrigued Class Six this morning!
Follow these steps for some Maths Magic!
1) In secret, write down the number 6801 on a piece of paper and fold it up. Tell everyone it’s a prediction.
2) Now, ask them to write down a 3-digit number. (They should make sure that the first and last digits are not the same nor should they have a difference of 1.)
3) Next they should reverse it, and subtract the smaller number from the larger. For example, if they chose 285, they would reverse to get 582, then work out 582 – 285.
4) Whatever answer they get, they should now reverse and then add. So, in our example, 582-285 = 297, so they would reverse to get 792, then add this to 297.
5) Show your prediction – they will all laugh as you are wrong. Now slowly turn it upside down, and watch their faces as it now reads 1089, which is exactly the total they will ALL get!!!!
This trick uses some very interesting algebra, and whatever starting numbers they select, they will always come up with the magic 1089!
Leave a comment if you have tried this on your friends or family.
Book Day
Year 6 had an enjoyable book day and even in numeracy our learning surrounded reading.
These are photos of assembly and two Y6 children leading it.
Christ Rests In Peace
Today we visited Southwark Cathedral to see the new sculpture by Nic Fiddian-Green, “Christ Rests In Peace”.
It is striking in its size, but also, as Father Andrew put it, for “the humanity in the face of Christ”.
I look into your face, Jesus,
at rest, at peace,
your eyes closed,
the world hushed,
crowned with thorns,
at rest, at peace.
Yet this is not the rest that will last
for you will rise,
the world alive,
crowned with glory,
for eternity, for all.
And you will be my rest,
you are my peace.
I look into your face, Jesus,
and I see my present,
I see my future
and you,
Lord and King of all.
Amen.
The Very Reverend Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark.
Design Museum
Today Year 6 visited the Design Museum to explore the design of chairs.
We suggested improvements to the designs based on the purpose of the chair.
Then we explored the museum independently.
The education leader of the Museum described the class as the best group she had taught in years!
Graffiti
If you want your Graffiti to be painted then you’ll need to persuade the Local Council, which won’t be easy!
Consider these points which might help…
- Graffiti is a much misunderstood form of art. It is not art or literature as we have known it in the past but it is an expression of people’s feelings, and is therefore just as expressive as polished works of art.
- Graffiti is created by ordinary people, not just professional artists, which means that it often consists more of everyday thoughts and ideas which everyone has an opportunity to understand, if everyone should take the chance to try and understand the meaning behind the writing on the wall.
- When Banksky painted a wall in Bristol 97% of the local people that voted in a poll wanted it to stay! Bristol City Council decided it would be left on the building.
- Not all graffiti is good; but people rarely take the time to look deeper into graffiti which is too often just thought of as a bad thing. Perhaps the graffiti where we live means that we are becoming more artistic, even to the point that we are running out of places to put our art.
…. And what better place to put art than a drab, empty wall?
The Attic – By Emily
One week after my grandfather’s death, I crept slowly into my grandfather’s attic trying not to disturb others around me. I walked in and everything blurred a little because of the darkness. The creeks of the sounds on the floor making me shiver as I walked in. Spider webs stuck to my clothes as I moved. All the dust lifted to my nose making me sneeze. I saw a photograph of our day in the park and suddenly everything turned to black…
I see my grandfather and I playing in the hot sunny park. I see ice cream on the floor and I ask my grandfather to get me an ice cream. All I could hear were birds screeching from a distance. The ice cream dripping on my top slowly when suddenly, I realise I am back into reality…
As I carefully put down the photograph, I could smell the scent of chlorine. I knew it was coming from the boxes but which box was it coming from? I searched for the thing I needed but it just wouldn’t appear. How long would it take for me to find it? The spiders in the room crawled under my feet and they tickled me as I walked. I could see a trophy shining in a corner of the room. Suddenly the room started to go darker and darker…
I am at the swimming contest today and I can smell the water in the distance and hear the cheering from the crowd. My grandfather is the winner and he is waiting to receive his trophy. He is so excited at the moment and I can’t wait to see his smiling face with the trophy. I look at the trophy and everything left in smoke…
I continued searching for the things I could dump out from the attic. Looking around, suddenly I realised that there was a bike wheel which stuck out in the corner of the room. I thought why the bike was there when I suddenly remembered our bike outing. Everything started turning and my mind was not focused…
I can see my six year old bike in the park. My grandfather is trying to push my bike up the hill. Suddenly I trip and fall down a few steps. What will happen to me? My head lost in thoughts when suddenly someone’s hand is on me. It was my grandfather. My grandfather having a spare first aid kit, helped me wrap up my wound. I look at my knee now, but the scar is faded…
There are still loads of boxes full of items and my mind is filled with happiness. What more will appear in my eyes? I stopped for a moment and thought shall I really dump these items out? Just as I opened another box, my mum called me for lunch. I slowly walk back to the door and shut the door with respect. I see a wet drip on the handle and I looked at my face. I saw that they were my tears…
By Emily
Flashback Writing
Attic: 0s -32s (32 seconds)
Flashback 1: 32s – 47s (15 seconds)
Attic: 47s – 1m 20s (33 seconds)
Flashback 2: 1m 20s – 1m 36s (16 seconds)
Attic: 1m 36s – 1m 52s (15 seconds)
Flashback 3: 1m 52s – 2m 21s (29 seconds)
Leave Attic: 2m 21s – 2m 41s (20 seconds)
