Our second attempt at making recycled paper, at the Pre 5 and P1/2 joint session, produced a much nicer looking paper! And the wee ones loved sloshing about in the paper pulp!
Learning about recycling
At the Pre-5 and P1/2 joint session the children were learning about recycling. They sorted materials and decided which could be recycled. They looked for the triangular recycling marks on the plastics and discovered lots of different numbers – because there are lots of different types of plastics. These can all go in our pink recycling bags at home!
Eco Assembly
The new eco committee held their first eco assembly. Eco monitors from each class reported to the school what had been happening in their classes – even our Pre-5 eco monitor who closes the door, switches off the light and helps take the fruit peelings to the worms! The committee shared their ideas for the coming year with the school.
Sunflowers battered by the wind
Our fantastic sunflowers, planted by P3/4 last session have finally collapsed in the wind…..but the Pre-5 unit have saved the heads and the birds are now enjoying sunflower seeds for lunch!
Paper making in P1/2
P1/2 have been learning that paper comes from trees. They found out all about the process that turns trees into paper and thought about what this meant for the planet. They think that we should not waste paper, that we should recycle more paper and reuse our scrap paper, and that people should plant a tree for every tree that is cut down. Here we are turning old newspaper into paper pulp – we enjoyed using the zapper! Our first recycled paper turned out a bit grey but we are going to try and refine our technique.
Bookswap
P1/2 held their first book swap of the year. One of their customers was so keen to get some new reading material that she brought 5 books to swap! Swapping books is great fun. It lets you get new books, which don’t cost anything and you can get rid of books that are too young for you. It is also good for the environment – reducing paper being used, and reusing books. The book swap will run every two weeks but remember to fill in a swapping form first!
The Cheeky Chicks
Mrs Clark brought 5 chicks to the school and a mum called Kracken.
The chicks are all yellow orange and are so cute. The mum’s feathers are crazy and are everywhere but don’t tell her that she is ugly because that will upset her, (she thinks that she is beautiful!) Sadly the little black chick, Smudge, has died due to bad weather and is no longer with us.
The chicks have water food and little crumb things around the outside of their chicken coop that Alicia made for her Endeavor last year and looks beautiful.
The chicks have to go home for the holiday to Mrs Clark’s house in case their food runs low and in case of bad weather.
Hope the chicks have a lovely holiday.
By Izzy
Book Festival
On the 3rd and the 4th of October it was the Islay Book Festival. WE got the chance to meet different authors such as Janis McKay, Barry Huchison, Mavis Gulliver, Dannielle Sacrodotti and Badger the Mystical Mutt. It was really good and we learned top tips on how to start your own novel. We then had a chance to buy these authors books so we could read them.(we also learned that a set of three book is called a trilogy!!!) 🙂                  Â
Port Ellen Pre Mod Concert
On Wednesday 8th October Port Ellen Primary Gaelic Choir, had a Pre Mod Concert with lots of sing and poetry recitals plus lots of Gaelic and music. That evening we had fiddlers whistlers and accordionists, and best of all lovely home baking and tea, along side a big raffle with lots of Islay whiskey and prizes.
At the end we sang Fama Clamosa with a big last song sorry life, and that night =The Best Concert Ever!!!!!   🙂
Mrs Regli
A teacher from Switzerland came to Port Ellen Primary School. She has been here for 3 weeks, but sadly she is leaving on Sunday 
Mrs Regli has been so much fun and she is great when it comes to music. She helps us with everything. She came with us to the Islay Life Museum and to Port Charlotte. Mrs Regli makes sure that everyone is working hard and not chatting. For her leaving, the class has given her presents and cards made by us. When she is teaching us music, she teaches us Swiss-German songs, a french song and an English song and we play a game called Peter called Paul and an animal version of it.
The whole class is sad that she is leaving but are very happy and grateful that she came and will hopefully come back.
Bye-Bye Mrs Regli :’(
By Abbie and Izzy                         
