Wednesday 29th April
Hello, hello, hello - to you, and you, and you! I hope that you are having a good day. Just to remind our whole school community - grown-ups and children alike - we are here to support you, please do contact us with any questions, queries or concerns, or if you just need someone to talk with. You can email us at info@olive.dudley.sch.uk (adults) or children@olive.dudley.sch.uk (children). You can phone the school office between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday.
This week we have looked at the importance of scientists and how important rain is for our planet. Today I felt we needed some participation from the other members of staff at Olive Hill, and I know how much you like learning about your school grown-ups. This morning I asked them about their favourite animal and there is a quiz at the end of this blog, asking you to match the school grown-up with their favourite animal. Do you have a favourite animal?
What is an animal? Animals are the most advanced organisms on the planet. The first animals are thought to have evolved over 550 million years ago and they have since spread to all corners of the globe and diversified into million of species. Animals can be distinguished from other living things by the combination of three features: they are unable to make their own food; they have multiple cells; and each cell has a nucleus and other specialised structures called organelles. It is pretty complicated science, but that won’t stop you from being able to name lots of animals. At secondary school I learnt the acronym ‘MRS GREN’ to help me classify whether something was a living thing (movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, nutrition). Test your home grown-up on those words - can they remember them from their time in school? Yes children, your parents and carers did go to school once upon a time!
Animal species are often split into vertebrates and invertebrates. Vertebrate species are animals that do have a backbone such as humans (yes, you are an animal), birds, fish and reptiles. Invertebrate animals lack a backbone and often have a skeleton on the exterior body such as insects, jellyfish, worms and spiders. Invertebrates make up roughly 95% of all animal species, but I bet you know more about vertebrates.
Mammals are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates. They have hair or fur and mammary glands for milk production. How many mammals can you name?
Reptiles are a group of animals that include snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles. They are cold-blooded, egg laying vertebrates, often with scales rather than fur or feathers.
Birds are easily distinguished by their feathers and wings. Some have the incredible ability to fly and often perform amazing migrations over hundreds and even thousands of miles. Can you name any flightless birds?
Fish are a group of aquatic animals with skulls, gills and digit-less limbs. Fish were the first vertebrate to evolve and there are now more than 30,000 species living on Earth. Is a dolphin a fish or a mammal?
When asked about their favourite animal, most of the school staff named a mammal. I’ve previously told you how I adore goats - they are definitely my favourite animal. I have included a picture of me with a baby goat in the quiz, it was taken at Hatton Country World the weekend before school closed, I was very reluctant to put the goat down and unfortunately it wouldn’t fit in my handbag.
Miss Jenkins likes these clever animals. But she is not the only member of staff that does. She could watch them for hours. In her photo there is only one.
Miss Clarke has one as a pet. This is a picture of when it was very small, surrounded by his siblings.
Miss Wajid finds these animals very majestic and caring creatures. She is not the only one. In her picture you can see mother and baby.
Miss Walters adores this domestic animal because they love you no matter what.
Mrs Birch thinks these tall animals are amazing. She is not the only one. Her picture shows this animal amongst the trees at Animal Kingdom in Florida.
Mrs Parker saw these animals on her school visit to India. Her and Miss Skidmore saw them in the street. Miss Jenkins likes the same animal.
Mrs Waldron is in the picture. Can you spot her? These creatures were a huge part of her life and she had a bond that was unbreakable with the one in the picture.
You already know mine!
Mr Priest is in the picture. Can you spot him? A fact about these animals: they have the same number of bones in their neck as humans.
Mrs Shinner likes the same animal as Mr Priest. They are not the only ones. Mrs Shinner has shared a photo of a baby.
Mrs Higgins held this creature during an animal man visit to the school and felt really calm as she was holding it. Mr Higgins won’t let her have one as a pet - please Mr Higgins, buy Mrs Higgins the pet of her dreams!
Mrs Hamblett fell in love with this creature on a school trip. They are super cute and most active at dawn and dusk.
Miss Macaskill had a toy one of these when she was little, and it came with her when she had an eye operation. They even bandaged the eye. It likes to stand on one leg.
Miss Homer (Y6) loves these huge creatures. This is a picture she took of the mummy when she was on safari in Africa.
Miss Cooper also loves these tall animals. The one in the picture was from Dudley Zoo (Mr Priest took it - I just borrowed the photo because Miss Cooper hadn’t sent me one).
Miss Raphael - I think we can all guess that one! She loves their little personalities and how cuddly they are. Her favourite place to visit them is Hatton Country World (now I know why she always asks if she can go on the year six trip).
Mrs Marriott likes these spiky creatures because they sleep all day and party at night.
Miss Grice would love to swim with these creatures one day.
Mrs White, along with a quite a few other staff, loves these giant animals. She recently found out that they use their trunks to greet each other by putting the end of their trunk into another’s mouth.
Mrs Stonehouse is another fan of these giant animals. She loves how they move. Her picture shows the male - known as a bull, and they prefer to live alone.
Mrs Copson had one of these when she was younger. They are very powerful, yet gentle creatures.
Mrs Hackett is yet another fan of these giant animals. She finds them fascinating to watch. Mrs Waldron tried to claim two animals as her favourite, so I have stolen her picture for Mrs Hackett - it shows two youngsters and the leg of an adult.
Miss Thacker enjoys watching these cheeky little chaps! They are always on the lookout to keep the rest safe from attack.
Mrs Fawke would love to visit a school in Borneo for these orphaned animals - the one in the picture does have the cutest smile. We hope your dream comes true Mrs Fawke.
Mr Brady finds these feathered creatures really funny.
Miss Best likes these feathered creatures because they stay with the same partner for life. There is a lot of love in her picture.
Mrs Dudley has found her kindred spirit with these native Australian animals. They love to eat and sleep.
Mr Holder loves the colours of this stripy animal - which is quite funny considering he is colour blind.
Miss Richardson saw one of these creatures trying to fill a fruit shoot bottle with water at Chester Zoo, she didn’t take a picture so I have shared one of mine from Malaysia - this time drinking Fanta.
I hope you have enjoyed today’s quiz. Don’t forget to keep drawing pictures of animals with our Art Adventure - we have been printing off your pictures and putting them on display ready for when you return.
We miss you all.
Stay safe.
