Class 2 are finding out about rivers. For one week we are spending 15 minutes every morning observing the River Exe and estuary. We are recording the temperature, weather, tide times, sea state, wildlife and traffic. We are also noticing the difference in the tide over a few days.
Day 1: Monday 30th January- the weather was cold, windy and raining. The wind was blowing a ESE at a speed of 17mph. The temperature was 5 o c and high tide was 10.30am. There was approximately 26 boats on the estuary (Cockwood side) and only one fishing boat actually moving. At high tide the estimated height of the water was 3.4 m.
DAY 2: Our second day of ‘River watch’ was a little brighter than day 1. The temperature was 3 o’c and the wind speed was 11 mph. The sea state was calm with gentle, small waves. The wind direction had changed and was blowing a gentle frosty breeze ENE. We described the weather as calm, cold and frosty.
Day 3- Wednesday 1st February
The weather today is icy, cold and a frosty wind. The wind speed is 14 mph and it is blowing in a ENE direction. The temperature today is 2 o c.
Hannah A said, “The sea state today is calm and flat with small ripples.”
The children noticed today that the tide is getting lower each day this week and we can see 3 long, thin sandbanks stretching across the estuary.
We have done some descriptive writing each day based on our observations of the estuary and the weather.
Katie, yr 3: “The sand banks are like three lions sleeping in the middle of the desert. The sun is peeping from behind the mauve clouds. The estuary is like shattered glass on a muddy floor.”
Victoria, yr 2: “The long, orange, brown and yellow fingers reaching across the estuary.”
Evie, yr 4: “The long, sandy finger lays on the estuary, trying to get out.”
Gracie, yr 2: ” The sand banks are like straight brown hair laying in the water. The sun is like a pink, orange and yellow dress flowing out from the clouds.”
Warren, yr 2: “The sand banks are like a brown piece of chocolate melting. The clouds are like a big bottle of orange juice.”
Portia, yr 2: “The sand banks look like bits of custard trailing across a blue bowl.”
DAY 4: Thursday 2nd February
The weather today was bright, blue sky. It was cold but very sunny. The temperature was 1 oc and there was a gentle breeze blowing ENE with a wind speed of 10 mph. The tide was coming in but we could see more of the sandbanks.
DAY 5: Friday 3rd February
Today it was bitterly cold but very sunny. The temperature was -1 oc and the wind was a gentle breeze blowing from the E, with a speed of 6 mph.
The sea state was calm and flat. we saw some men fishing in a small rowing boat and the sandbanks were very big today. It has already been low tide and the tide was just starting to come in.
Katie- ” You can look at the sandbanks to tell if the tide is in or out.”