Category Archives: Literacy

Auchindrain / Achadh an Droigheann

On the last week of term, June 2014, the pupils of Sandbank Gaelic Medium Unit visited Auchindrain as part of their local history project and Crofting Connections work. They had brainstormed a set of questions that they wanted to ask the curator, Mr Bob Clarke, which would help us to understand the forces of change in the lives of local people through the last couple of centuries. Mr Clarke took us on a tour of the houses, telling us about some of the inhabitants and their way of life. We learned so much that we would not be able to write it all down in one report!
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Whole School Orienteering at Sandbank Primary!

A whole school orienteering event took place at Sandbank Primary School on the last Thursday of the June term 2014. The pupils of Gaelic medium P6/7 had walked up to the Heritage trail the previous week, chosen a safe but challenging area for a star-orienteering exercise, drew the maps and planned the course. Back at school they prepared the materials (bilingually (Gaelic & English) and laminated the maps ready for the big day. Miss Wombwell split the rest of the school into mixed ability teams.
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Strone Primary win illustration prize!

When our P1-3 pupils at Strone Primary School attended the Scottish Book Trust Awards in Glasgow earlier this year, our school was entered into a competition to win an original illustration from one of the nominated books, and to our surprise and excitement we won! Here are some of our P1-4 class showing off the prize. The illustration is by Ben Cort, from the book Jumblebum by Chae Strathie, one of the pupils’ favourite reads.

Small Isles Primary win Community Archives and Heritage Group award

On March 26th Small Isles Primary heard that the school had been nominated (as part of the Jura Lives project) for the Community Archive and Heritage Group Inspiration Award. On 12th June, it was announced at the annual conference of the Community Archive and Heritage Group that Jura Lives has been named Community Archives and Heritage Group Overall Winner 2014, and that Small Isles Primary’s Community Cafes received the ‘inspiration’ award.

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P6 Cycling Success at Dalintober PS

P6 Cycling Proficiency success at Dalintober PS

All P6 pupils in Dalintober PS completed and passed their Cycling Proficiency theory test and practicals. The class and their teacher, Miss Brown, would like to thank June and Kay and all the volunteers and parent helpers who gave up their time to help with training.

Reading Force at John Logie Baird Primary School

Mrs Smith and Mrs Cambridge launched Reading Force at John Logie Baird Primary School with two special events. The first was a visit by Star Author, Janis Mackay, who read to the children from her book “The Accidental Time Traveller”. Janis also spoke to the children about Reading Force and about setting up their own book groups. Children then had the opportunity to explore the Reading Force scrapbooks and many also bought a signed copy of one of Janis’ books. Perhaps they’ll read this in their book groups!

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Tobermory High School Dazzle!

Tobermory High School recently presented its third musical production with two sell-out performances in the Aros Hall Tobermory. Dazzle, told the story of Poppy Pringle and the Dazzle Bay Fun Palace and featured a cast of 30 pupils from P5-S5. The cast all gave confident performances and delivered the songs with gusto. A live band helped to bring the story to life, and was made up of local musicians as well as friends of director, social subjects teacher, Ryan Lowe. Candyfloss and sticks of rock were sold at the interval to keep the fairground theme running from beginning to end. A fantastic show!

Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland

There’s a world of fantasy and adventure waiting for you when you take part in Mythical Maze, the Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge 2014! Lose yourself in your local Library as you explore the maze and meet some weird and wonderful creatures from myths and legends. All you have to do is read any six books over the summer – just as long as they are borrowed from the library. They can be story books, fact books, picture books, joke books and audio books. Continue reading Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge Scotland

Port Ellen News

Successful Scent-Citizens

‘Scent-Citizens’, a social enterprise business run by P4/5 in Port Ellen Primary School, has been presented with a Social Enterprise Academy Award by John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth.

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Commonwealth Games

Rothesay Primary were delighted to be asked to send another 50 pieces of art for the Commonwealth Games Athlete’s Village. Initially, we sent 10, as the winners of an art competition, but Game On Scotland were so impressed with our entries that they asked for more – a lot more!

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St Joseph’s Visit The Sunshine Room

Primary 2’s from St Joseph’s Primary School had a very special morning when they visited their classmates at The Sunshine Room Nurture Group at Parklands School. The pupils came together for a storyteller event by Bea Ferguson. Bea told some great stories, she told us one about a possum and some fairies who loved cakes, she also taught us some funny songs. All of the pupils and staff had a wonderful morning. Continue reading St Joseph’s Visit The Sunshine Room

Oban Musical Success for Rockfield Pupils

Children from Oban’s Rockfield Primary had a fantastic time at the recent Highlands and Islands Music and Dance Festival, taking part in a range of competitions involving over 100 children from pre-school to P7.

The Festival’s Action Song class is an event in itself. Rockfield’s Gaelic pre-school and P2/1 Gaelic class performed Seo a’ Chroit aig Calum Ruadh, a Gaelic version of ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’, while the P2 classes performed The Fireman.
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Oban Pupils Present Prize-winning Gaelic Drama

Pupils from Rockfield Primary School’s P1-4 Gaelic classes performed a prize-winning play at the recent Argyll and Lochaber Gaelic Drama Festival, held in Oban’s Corran Halls.

The children presented ‘An t-Each Acrach’ about a very hungry horse, and were delighted that their performance was awarded the prize for best costumes and props.

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WALKING THE KINTYRE WAY

Pupils from Drumlemble and Carradale Primary Schools spent a day walking part of the Kintyre Way. We were accompanied by Duncan Leckie and Sharon Baikie.

Pupils used their map reading skills and the waymarkers to plot their route and took photographs of interesting features of the landscape.
We would like to thank Anne, Duncan and Sharon from the Kintrye Way for supporting us and engaging us in our learning.

Lismore’s mountain adventure

May has been Mountain Month at Lismore Primary School. The children began the project by comparing the highest mountain on each continent with Ben Nevis and Lismore’s own highest point of Barr Mor. They made scale pictures of each mountain to compare the range of heights. They then went on to look at how mountains are actually formed and travelled to Glencoe to look at the volcanic and ice age activity that shaped the landscape. They also looked at the basalt, slate and quartzite layering in the Ballachulish Quarry.

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Dalintober PS Pupils Encourage MOKRUNNERS

P2, P4 and P6 pupils from Dalintober PS designed posters to motivate and inspire participants in Campbeltown’s MOKRUN 10k route. MOKRUN – a 10k and half marathon – is an annual highlight in the town, and was voted the world’s number one event by ‘Running World’. All at Dalintober PS wish the competitors all the best in their endeavours, with a special mention for the staff members, parents and family members who are participating. Good Luck!

Parklands School and John Logie Baird Primary School Storyteller Event

Primary 3 pupils from John Logie Baird Primary were invited to join their classmates who attend The Sunshine Room Nurture Group at Hermitage Park for a special storyteller event. Bea Ferguson a professional storyteller was able to share some of her wonderful stories after The Sunshine Room received funding from Creative Scotland’s Live Literature Programme. The programme is set up to inspire and enthuse the primary pupils to engage and enjoy literature. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed Bea’s visit, especially her interactive story about Mary and her Granny.

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: P2 Open Afternoon at Castlehill

Primary 2 presented the story of ‘Little Moon’ to their parents at an Open Afternoon on Friday. All the children took an active part in this presentation and proudly showed their parents all that they had been learning throughout this Day/Night/Space Topic. Parents then had the opportunity to look around the classroom and open area at all the work covered in this Interdisciplinary Topic before sampling some of the Alien snacks the children had made.

Rockfield Egyptian Day

To celebrate the end of their topic, both Primary 3 classes in Rockfield Primary enjoyed an Ancient Egyptian morning which was packed full of activities. They tasted healthy Egyptian food, designed an Egyptian tunic, made a scarab beetle biscuit, had their faces painted and decorated Egyptian jewellery.
In the afternoon, the children had a book launch for their Egyptian adventure stories. Parents and carers came along to join in the fun and were extremely impressed with the children’s hard work.

Shadowing the Kate Greenaway Award for Illustrations at Kirn Primary

P3 have been taking part in the Kate Greenaway Awards by ‘Shadowing’ the judges on this very prestigious prize for book illustration. Kirn’s PTA generously funded the purchase of the seven shortlisted books, and P3 are reading them, commenting and discussing each one then posting their thoughts on the national website, along with thousands of others.

The shortlisted books this year (maybe you have read some of them already) are:

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