Wow! Primary 1-4 have been learning everything there is to know about TREES! We went a big walk into the forest to collect conkers recently. We also made collages in the playground with various other interesting things we found, for example pine cones and strange shaped twigs!
We made crowns decorated with different shaped leave and petals from wild flowers. Our teacher, Mrs Leyland, told us what trees the leaves had come from.
Continue reading Strachur P1-4 ‘Trees’ Topic
Park Primary 1 and Early Learning and Childcare Centre share learning experiences in Early Level activities. This term the activities took the children to Dunollie woods where they chose to learn about trees. Each group made friends with a tree and got to know their new friend really well(its name, shape of leaves, type of seeds, parts of a tree, bark pattern).
On Monday 3rd October the pupils from Luing Primary visited the Atlantic Island Centre on Luing to see the farming exhibition. Jane MacLachlan and Col MacDougall showed the children round and explained some of the exhibits and photographs. Col, who had worked on the farm for 55 years, answered lots of questions about how farming has changed. All of the children found it very interesting and they especially enjoyed seeing relatives and neighbours in a lot of the old photographs. Continue reading Luing Pupils Visit The Atlantic Island Centre
North Bute Primary School had a roaring time when the Wild about Scotland Bus came to Port Bannatyne. The RZSS experts taught our pupils about the skull structure of our native wildlife. We all learnt about conservation that is happening here in Scotland and the children were able to have all of their scientific questions answered. Thanks to the bus we now have so much to investigate ourselves. The children have been inspired to be biologists. Our school quiz was amazing with everyone involved using their new knowledge to gain team points, and win the game. Well done Team Wolves, who won by a whisker!
On Sunday 25th September 2016 the pupils, parents and staff of Furnace Primary celebrated being awarded our 4th Eco-Schools Green Flag. Our celebration morning started early on Sunday with a garden taskforce made up of parents and pupils setting about clearing our wildlife garden and pond, cutting back bushes, making bottle sides for our plastic bottle greenhouse and generally tidying up our school grounds and gardens. We found some interesting marine life in our pond in the process. Our volunteers were rewarded for all their hard work with a picnic lunch and a fantastic “Green Flag” cake made by Mrs Baird. Continue reading 4th Green Flag for Furnace
Despite the wind and rain on Tuesday the Eco-committee managed to start a very important task. Many of the shrubs need pruned so the pupils took the opportunity to take soft wood cuttings and pot them up. If they root successfully the shrubs will eventually be planted out in the school grounds and at the school’s planned pond area. The photos show our blueberry and raspberry cuttings.
As part of their forest topic, Dalintober Primary 4 visited Beinn Ghuillean. They spoke to Wildlife Ranger Kevin McKillop and beat Ranger Barry Bruce. Both men told the children about their jobs in the forest.
Primary 4-7 pupils experienced a very rare and exciting outing to Coll on Wednesday. The Clansman was buzzing with eagerness from members of our whole Tiree community. Once on Coll we found ourselves in an unfamiliar landscape of rugged hills and twisting, turning roads. Mrs MacKechnie impressed us all by manoeuvring the new mini bus past the few not so passable ‘passing places’!
Excitement was in the air at Lochdonhead Primary on Mull when the official opening took place of the school’s outdoor science laboratory by Michael Russell MSP. The laboratory was created using the £1,000 prize money that the school received as a result of winning last year’s “Our Environment” competition. Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Education, Councillor Rory Colville said: “This is a wonderful initiative and the pupils of Lochdonhead Primary School are very worthy winners. Continue reading Science Shed Opening and School Fair
On Friday 16th September 2016 Minard Eco Team delivered Harvest Gift Bags to the houses which are our nearest neighbours. We managed to fill nine Harvest Bags with produce grown by us from Spring 2016 in our school garden. Our neighbours were delighted to receive the Harvest Gift Bags of carrots, onions, potatoes, leeks and we even managed to make 2 jars of plum jam with the plums from our plum trees. One of our neighbours gave us a bowl of damsons with a note “Thank you so much for your gift and veggies. So now here are some damsons from our garden – I hope you enjoy then as much as we enjoyed your contributions. Keep gardening!” Continue reading Minard Eco Team’s Harvest Gifts to Neighbours
On Saturday 10th September, the Colgrain Community came together to spruce up the grounds of our school. Parents, children and staff worked together to tidy our willow archway, fix our bottle greenhouse, clean our pirate ship and much more! Everything is looking FANTASTIC! A special thanks to Mrs Drummond and Mrs Bates for organising this wonderful day, Mrs McClelland for providing refreshments and to all the families who attended. Continue reading Green Fingers at Colgrain!
The Eco-committee, Gill and Caroline harvested some brambles which will be used to make jam. Later in the week the whole school will get to sample the jam. We can’t wait.
An unusual helper popped up in the shape of 11 year old tortoise, Humphrey. He lives near the school and loves company.
Primary 6 from Castlehill Primary School took part in a beach clean with Wayne Dixon and his dog Koda.
Wayne is currently walking the coast of Britain picking litter as he goes. He hopes to complete his journey over the next 3 years.
Primary 6 worked extremely hard and in only one hour collected 16 large bin bags of rubbish, along with crates, welly boots, clothing and even a picnic bench and table!
Primary 3/4/5 at St Andrew’s Rothesay, have had a very busy start to Autumn. Last week, they worked on the school allotment and were amazed at the range of vegetables that had grown over the summer months: carrots, potatoes, beetroot, parsnips and the most enormous cabbages they had ever seen!
Salen PS Eco-committee Gardening Diary
We dug up our tatties, cooked them and shared them out. They were delicious! Thank you Crofting Connections who sent us the seed potatoes from their Heirloom Collection.
Root Camp is a not-for-profit social enterprise committed to changing the consumer habits of young adults in the UK. They work with 14-21 year olds, spending a week in a rural environment, dividing time between cooking in a professional kitchen and hands on experience in the fields – planting, harvesting, foraging and fishing.
Continue reading Autumn Education Programmes at Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute
Pupils have been busy picking perfect potatoes, enormous cabbage and delicious cherry tomatoes from our polytunnel – all the hard work has paid off! Thank you to Mr Burke for his expertise and commitment to our school. Also thank you Mrs Speirs in the kitchen for preparing the vegetables to serve in the lunch hall.
What will we plant next?
“A couple of girls from Campbeltown Nursery Centre using grass and wet mud to make some chilli sauce!”
Pupils at Cardross Primary had great fun on our recent Green Day whilst learning important survival skills, starting with an assembly for Save The Children Den Day. Mrs Adirangga shared with us her experience of an Earthquake and Tsunami when living in an area known as the Ring of Fire and how she helped a community build emergency shelters.
During the week of 6th-10th June pupils and staff at Colgrain enjoyed an activity packed Eco Week. The Eco Committee have been working very hard this year to plan and implement a variety of Eco initiatives. During the Eco Week pupils took part in a variety of group sessions, including: making fruit kebabs, Judo, Sports Day, Litter/Recycling with Argyll and Bute Council, SSPCA workshop, a visit to Waitrose and iCycle.
