Yesterday we were lucky to have a visit from an organisation called: Flying Back To Nature.
They talked about the role of pigeons in the 1st World War.
Over 100,000 pigeons were used by all sides in the war to deliver coded messages from the front line to headquarters.
The children got to handle some racing pigeons and to attach a coded message.
The pigoens were then released just before 12.00am from the school playground.
Miss Montague (who organised this event) then got an email to say that the pigoens arrived at Kingsmead School (in Staffordshire) - 145 miles away at 3.36pm.
Dear year 5 students
messages:
I NEEd food nOw
GERMANS ARE ATTACKIG
Thank you for taking part in the Secret Messages project. Your bird
GB12E13504 arrived back at Kingsmead School loft at 15:36:22 Your bird was liberated at 12:00:00
I NEEd food nOw
GERMANS ARE ATTACKIG
Thank you for taking part in the Secret Messages project. Your bird
GB12E13504 arrived back at Kingsmead School loft at 15:36:22 Your bird was liberated at 12:00:00
Dear Year 6
Message:
QUICK! WE NEED BACK UP THE GERMANS ARE COMING!
NWHU2010 A3859 arrived back at Kingsmead School loft at
15:35:42 Your bird was liberated at 11:55:00, in a light sw wind.
We really enjoy having the pigeons at our school.
They are great fun
and we have learned lots of different subjects through them. On most Saturday’s they come home from hundreds of miles away in France. You can see our school in http://flyingbacktonature.com/
and we have learned lots of different subjects through them. On most Saturday’s they come home from hundreds of miles away in France. You can see our school in http://flyingbacktonature.com/
We are also on http://www.secretmessages.org.uk/kingsmead-school-project.html
Mathematics Challenges
1.How fast has the bird completed the journey?
2.Can you produce a spreadsheet to work out all the
velocities/speeds? (Distance divided by Time equals Speed).
3.Which bird completed the journey the quickest?
4.Which team won the race?
Geography Challenges
1.Using Google Earth, draw a route from your school to Kingsmead
School (post code).
2.Right click on the route and select the elevation profile.
3.Describe the journey the pigeon has taken to get home? Comment on
the landforms and settlements the birds have passed over.
History Challenges
1.Why was Royal Blue a famous pigeon?
2.Research the famous pigeons in WW1 and WW2. Produce an annotated map
of their heroic performances.
3.Watch the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pigeon Race on. It has a fantastic
ending. This is a available on the Flying Back To Nature website.
Please submit your answers to peter@humphries.com and win the
following prizes for you and your school. School Competition.
Secret Messages website: http://www.secretmessages.org.uk/
Flying back to Nature website: http://flyingbacktonature.com/
1.Using Google Earth, draw a route from your school to Kingsmead
School (post code).
2.Right click on the route and select the elevation profile.
3.Describe the journey the pigeon has taken to get home? Comment on
the landforms and settlements the birds have passed over.
History Challenges
1.Why was Royal Blue a famous pigeon?
2.Research the famous pigeons in WW1 and WW2. Produce an annotated map
of their heroic performances.
3.Watch the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pigeon Race on. It has a fantastic
ending. This is a available on the Flying Back To Nature website.
Please submit your answers to peter@humphries.com and win the
following prizes for you and your school. School Competition.
Secret Messages website: http://www.secretmessages.org.uk/
Flying back to Nature website: http://flyingbacktonature.com/
Homing Pigeon Starter Pack: http://secretmessages.org.uk/the-homing-pigeon-starter.html
Kind regards
Kingsmead Students
Kind regards
Kingsmead Students
