Category Archives: Active Learning

The Great Outdoors

Primary 6 pupils have been finding out what life was like in the Stone Age during a programme of outdoor learning in their local woodlands.
The class have been reading Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver, which is a novel set in the Mesolithic Period. To bring the story to life, they have been visiting Ardenconnel Woods to experience a Stone Age existence.

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Red Nose Day at Arinagour Primary School

We managed to raise over £550 for Red Nose Day. We are very proud of our pupils’ efforts. We would like to thank the local community who were very generous as well as the parents who supported many aspects of our fundraising.

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Campbeltown Nursery Transition to Castlehill

As part of the nursery transition programme, Campbeltown Nursery joined Primary one and two at Castlehill Primary for a “Happy Healthy Me Morning”. They participated in a wide range of activities which included Zumba, golf, healthy eating, fruit tasting and dental care. A fantastic morning was had by all.

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Minard and Kirn Primary Pupils learning outdoor together

Argyll & Bute may be geographically vast but that doesn’t prevent us from making the most of connections between schools to allow pupils the opportunity to learn co-operatively. On Friday 21st April five P4 pupils from Kirn Primary School in Cowal travelled with their teacher Mr Mair to join the Minard Primary School pupils in some outdoor learning activities in Minard Primary, near Inveraray. The Minard pupils were delighted to welcome pupils from far flung Cowal to share in the outdoor learning opportunities which are on their doorstep.

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BMT day at Glenbarr Primary School

On Friday 17th March, Rhunahaorine and Gigha pupils joined pupils at Glenbarr Primary School for a day of BMT (Better Movers and Thinkers). They were joined by Rona Young who led the day. In the morning P1-3 pupils got the chance to have some Active Start together while the p4-7 took part in some BMT activities in the classroom. They tried a variety of activities – Body Lift, Body Parts, Finger Taps, Clap Patterns and Fours on the Spot.

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Title – Open Afternoon at Southend Primary

Pupils became teachers for the afternoon at Southend Primary. Parents, Guardians and members of the community had taster sessions on writing newspapers reports, creating Animations, making Power Points, designing Rennie McIntosh screen prints, experiencing the thinking behind BMT and having fun learning about the weather in French.

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“Lost at Sea” in Kirn

Catherine Wheels Theatre Company visited Cowal Schools at Dunoon Grammar School this week. “Lost at Sea” was a production about the scientific tracking of a shipment of rubber ducks which had fallen overboard. The play was performed in the round, and children of Toward, Kilmodan, Kirn, Strone and Strachur Primaries enjoyed a funny “out-of-the-box” dramatic experience.

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Sport Scotland Award for Strachur Primary

Last week we were very excited to receive a bronze award from Sports Scotland for our physical activity both during class and outwith class time. The award was presented to our oldest pupil, Tara, and youngest pupil, Leonie, by Councillor Alex McNaughton. Also pictured is Active School Co-ordinator for Cowal, Ruairidh McGregor.

Next year we are hoping for silver!

Thank you Sports Scotland 🙂

BMT Masterclass at Dalintober PS & ELC

dalintober-dr-dalziell-janaury-2017Dalintober PS & ELC were delighted to welcome Dr Andrew Dalziell as part of the school’s commitment to developing the acclaimed ‘Better Movers & Thinkers’ programme across the whole school and ELC. Dr Dalziell is highly regarded for his work and research in this area and worked with the staff and pupils on the theory and practice of BMT and the marriage of healthy, active bodies and healthy, active minds – we look forward to welcoming him back in March.

Barcaldine Primary Virtual Games Winners

Barcaldine Primary School children took part alongside other rural schools in a virtual games competition organised through Active Schools.

Over a 5 week period the children, who had been split into two separate age categories (P1-3 & P6-7), did the same games each week. In the final week, each game earned the children points for their achievements.

Our P1-3 children received third place in the competition.

Here the children are with Active Schools co-ordinator Gillian Walker showing off their medals.

Furnace and Minard Pupils Go Gruffalo Hunting

furnace-and-minard-gruffalo-2Last Friday, while the ‘bigger’ pupils were off learning how to become Digital Leaders, Furnace and Minard ‘littler’ pupils decided to go off on a Gruffalo Hunt to Ardkinglas Gardens to have some outdoor fun and learn some more Scots words. The crispy cold day added to the sense of adventure, especially as we had recently read The Gurffalo’s Child. We followed the little mouse’s directions past Tod’s ‘deep-dooon hoose’, Hoolet’s “tree-tap hoose” and Snake’s “log-hoose”.

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Carradale Primary – Golf Sessions

carradale-golf-sessionsThis is an article written by Catriona Newman, P7

The P4-7s from Carradale Primary School have recently attended a 4 week golf session run by Dr Abernethy and Mrs Margaret Campbell. They were split into two groups, the ones that hadn’t played golf before and the ones that head. They had great fun playing on the field, chipping and putting.

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‘Dare to be Different’

At the end of August, 19 Park Primary School girls from Primary 6 and 7 attended Dare to be Different at Knockhill Racing Circuit. It was an event organised by Susie Wolf (an ex pupil of Park Primary) to encourage girls into motor racing and to promote the message that gender doesn’t limit your choices. We made a hover craft, experienced go-karting, learned how to do a pit stop, participated in a fitness routine and took part in an interview with Sky Sports and some of us even got on the STV news. It was an amazing day that we will never forget.

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Right on Track at Rockfield Primary!

rps-scotrail-workshops-1Pupils from Primary 6 and Primary 7 in Rockfield school recently took part in active workshops, which focussed on being safe around trains, train stations and railway tracks. These safety workshops were provided by Scotrail and encouraged the pupils to think about all of the issues surrounding rail safety. The workshops included discussion work and drama activities, which the pupils really enjoyed.

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Medieval Historians and Firemen at Furnace Primary School

furnace-and-minard-careers-4-sept-2016Medieval Historians and Firemen – what do they have in common? Furnace Primary children have had active learning sessions from both in the last week. Why? We have been learning about different types of careers as part of our “World of Work” topic and were visited by Dr Steve Marritt from the University of Glasgow Medieval History department (complete with armour) and we visited Lochgilphead Fire Station where we had a tour from David Gilmour the Community Safety Officer.

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