On Tuesday 4th October Port Ellen primary went to Bowmore on a rugby trip with other schools on the island. First I did tag rugby and then I did skill practice and then touch rugby and then bull dogs. I learned that no matter what you have to run forward in rugby. When it was lunch time everyone ran to the grass where our pack lunch was. I had cheese sandwiches, some crisps, some ribena cartons and a banana. Then in the afternoon we only did rugby and also we got a snack which was a bottle of water and a fruit bar donated by the Islay Rugby club, who also paid for our bus which was very kind. It was very fun.
Mod 2016
This year for the Mod Port Ellen Choir are going to Stornaway. The Mod is on the 19th October. We are going to sing a puirt a bueil, and two unisons. I think we are doing pretty well so far and I am looking forward to the Mod. Some people are doing a solo, poem or a duet and I am doing the three. Soon we are going to have a fundraiser event to earn money for the costs of going to the Mod called the Pre Mod concert, we have to sing at it and some people are doing their solos, poems and duet. I am very excited to go to this mod too and I hope we will win something this year. We are going to the Mod in a short time and hopefully we will be ready for this year! We are against Bowmore Primary choir and many other choirs. We are singing at the Mod because we want to win and show people how good we are. We have learned to control our voice and to sing high and low notes very accurately a good pace when we are singing and learn and read Gaelic and sing Gaelic.
By Rowan and Kaya.
P5/6/7 Mesolithic Quest Tales
On Monday 3rd October P5/6/7 wrote Mesolithic quest tales for their clans. The clans are Orca clan, Golden Eagle clan, Artic Fox clan and Red Deer clan. Each clan had a different tale to work on and we had to have a hero to overcome a problem in the tale. While writing the quest tale we learned how to add onomatopoeia, personification, similes and metaphors into our writing and include paragraphs. Everyone in each clan gets filmed when they are telling their part of the quest tale.
Our Trip To The Woods
On Wednesday 5th October, P5/6/7 from Port Ellen Primary School went to Cairnmore woods to live in Mesolithic times. At school we all have four clans, The Golden Eagle Clan, The Arctic Fox Clan, The Orca Clan and the Red Deer Clan. In our clans we got given a leaf and we had to find out what tree the leaf came from and then when we were at the woods we had to find a tree in our clans that aaas the same tree as the leaf. We then made a den at the woods. We made a model of a village for our clan and an actual den. The Golden Eagle clan had a beach tree. The 
Arctic Fox clan had a sycamore tree. The Orca clan had an oak tree and The Red Deer clan had the ash tree. The Golden Eagle Clan had a tree and they made their den under it and made the model outside. They also had a spy hole where they could see the Orca clan who had a mud trap near them. The Arctic Fox Clan’s base was a fallen over tree that we could get over to get to our den but the rest of our base had a massive mud pile in and we used some of the mud to make our mini village. We did a hunt for sweets, this was to improve our hunter gathering skills. The Orca clan got the most sweets. We also made clay tree spirits to leave guarding our dens. We had really good fun. We learned to observe objects better than we did before. We hope to go back soon.
Making a Fire and Gutting Fish
On Wednesday 5th October p5,6,7 went on a trip to the woods. After we had made our dens and completed some challenges we went to have our lunch near the beach. When we went to the beach Mr Gairns had set up a fire for us to have our lunch round, and we had brought firewood from the woods to put on our fire. When we had finished all our lunch some of us went to gut some trout so we could put it on the fire to cook and we also got to roast home grown apples as well. We put the trout and apples on sticks to cook them and when they were cooked they tasted delicious. We also got to try other Mesolithic foods for our lunch, cockles and nuts. Not many people liked the cockles but we did like the trout and apples. It was interesting to see what food would have been like in Mesolithic times.
Percussion at Port Ellen
Port Ellen Primary School have just got some colourful, outdoor drums for our playground. The drums have been put in beside our stage which has just been done up. They look good together as they are both bright and beautiful. Ellen and Morgan think they are loud, popular and FUN! There are five sizes of drums and they all make different sounds. All the pupils and staff are very happy with them.
The school got a grant of £500 from the Fourteen Fund and the same from Diageo. The drums cost £1600 so the rest of the money came from the Parent Council. The school paid for the stage to be fixed. The pupils and staff would like to say a huge “Thank You” to everyone who helped to make it possible.
The drums are a great addition to the playground and the pupils think they are amazing.
Aiden Munro (P4) said “The drums are really good to play with because they make different sounds”. Mrs Campbell (Treasurer from the Parent Council) said “The drums look and sound fantastic”.
By Rhuraidh Blair (P4) and Aiden Munro (P4)
Primary Rugby festival Bowmore 4th October 2016
120 Children from across Islay and Jura took part in the Active Schools Primary Rugby Festival. Having already taken part in a series of coaching sessions with Allan Wright Rugby Development Officer over a series of weeks the children were looking forward to the festival. Children from P4/5 and P5/6/7 from Port Ellen took part.
During the day the children took part in several drill’s and games to develop their skills. These sessions were refereed by nine of the Islay High School Sports Leaders. The Children’s skills noticeably improved as the day progressed. A special thanks goes to the Islay Rugby club for organising some of the travel and snacks for the Children who attended.
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The Kelpies
After we had had our dinner we were going to go on a night trip to The glowing flashing Kelpies. We left our day bags in our rooms. After dinner we got into our groups that we found out when we were on the ferry. We all partnered up and then left to see the Kelpies. On the bus it was dark so everyone was excited because that would mean the Kelpies would glow up. Before we got off the bus they talked to us about being safe they had said to stay away from the canal and watch out for cars also strangers. When we got there we got of the bus and walked towards the Kelpies everyone knew they were huge because they were really big even when we were far away from them. Once we had arrived there was two huge horse heads that were glowing up, they were changing colors after about a couple of seconds. I didn’t know it was going to be two heads I thought it would be one, it was a fantastic sight.
Roald Dahl Day
On Tuesday 13th S
eptember it was Roald Dahl day! Everyone got Roald Dahl cakes and every cake had something to do with one of Roald Dahls books. We were doing art to do with Roald Dahl and at 2:30 we got to watch Matilda for a hour. It was great! Here is a picture of Bronagh with Mavis Gulliver receiving a framed copy of her BFG picture.
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Stirling University
On Thursday 15th September p6/7 from all the schools from Islay and Jura went to Stirling University and while we were there we got to dissect fish. When we were dissecting the fish I was working with Rowan and we were testing to check the bacteria in the kidney but first me and Rowan had to push away a bubble that was protecting the kidney. After we pushed away the bubble we stuck a plastic stick in the kidney to get a sample of blood to rub it on a petri plate so that when they take it out a warm fridge they would be able to see the bacteria that was in the fish’s kidney. After we dissected the fish we did a quiz that had nine questions in it and me and Rowan got 7 questions correct and two questions incorrect. When we got back outside we all got tour of the university and we even got to see what the rooms would look like. After the tour we headed back to the youth hostel.
By Rebecca Morris
swimming competition
On the 8th of September Struan and other people from Islay High School went on a swimming trip with the Dolphin to the Argyll and Clyde competition. There was five swimming teams there including Dolphins. Struan beat all his PB apart from his back stroke. The highest place he got was in breaststroke which he got 5th, the person who 6th was about 7 seconds behind. It was his first time doing 200 meter IM which means you do all the stokes two times including butterfly. He got 15th that.
P6/7 Trip To Stirling Castle
On Wednesday the 14th of September, P6/7 from all the schools on Islay and Jura went to Stirling Castle. We had to walk up a small hill just to get to the castle. When we got up to the castle we had to go into the middle of the courtyard. Then we got told by a tour guide just to go up to the main hall and wait until the woman came and told us to follow her and then we went into the grand hall. We were told that the grand hall was used for when the king was having his dinner. It was also used for dancing and it was used for the servants to sleep in. Then the woman took us over to the palace. The palace had two rooms in it. One room held all the people that the king had requested to meet. But the king only picked some of the people to meet in the other room. If you were very special you got to meet in his bedroom. The queen had the same thing two rooms and a bedroom. Then we got to go into a room when we got to dress up as characters from Mary queen of Scots times and Robert the Bruce. Then we went back to the bus and we drove of to the Bannockburn centre
By Ruaraidh Macdonald
Blair Drumming Safari Park
Most of P6/7 from Islay and Jura went on the Stirling trip on the 13th till the 16th of September.
One of my favourite parts was going to Blair Drummond Safari Park so that’s what I’m writing about today.
Me and my group (Mrs Mactaggert, Anna, Lorne, Ewan, Toby, Daisy, Ryan and Sam) started of at at the Elephant (Mondy) and it was very interesting then we went into the Rhino section. Bruce the Rhino’s Mum Dot was pregnant with her fourth calf. We also looked at giraffes but they were quite boring because they were just standing there. After that we went to look at the lions and we saw a male lion eating a calf. Then we headed to the horses and the two tigers. After we got to go see penguins, meercats and sealions. Next we went to the park and played with the amazing, gigantic wooden castle. Soon after we drove through the all the animals in the car my favourite animal I saw in the car was the zebra. But sadly after we had to leave to get to the ferry.
By Eva Munro
Bowling Fun At Stirling
After a long day on the bus we got to the youth hostel had our dinner and back on the bus, but this time we went to go to the AMF bowling.
We got into our groups and set up the TV which tells us who goes next but sadly I had had to go last. In my group from Port Ellen it was only me and Darren. I was the only one that got a strike in my group, I was so excited. We kept on going and when we finished the game it took me quite a while for me to realize that I had won!! Seconds later Anna from Bowmore came running over to me and said I had to write my name on the winners board. But then the time had come for us to get back on the bus to go back to the Youth Hostel.
Stirling Castle
When P6/7 were in Stirling we went to go and see Stirling Castle and when we got there it was like wasp heaven, there were wasps everywhere. When we went into the castle we went to these wee rooms and we went in for about five minutes in the rooms. There was one that was very fun it was like a dressing up room I was dressed up like a queen. Then we went into the Kings room and it was all empty the reason that it was empty because the King did not get to live in the castle he died when it was just about finished. Then we went into the Queens room and then we met two men and one of the men were talking to us about the castle and the other one was playing a loot. After that we went into the outer room and people went in there to speak to the King after we went into the inner room only the important people got to go in there. After we had been through all of the rooms we went to the learning room and we had to get changed into a dress and we had to tell if we were in Mary Queen of Scot’s times or her fathers times and I was in Mary Queen of Scot’s fathers times and then after that we had our lunch. Then, sadly we had to leave. I really enjoyed Stirling Castle and I would really want to go back.
jouring the week.
Once Primary 67 were away on the Stirling trip the P5s did some independent work.On the first day we had Mr Shaksphere for music.We were creating music that the people that were making in Mesolithic Times without the instruments we have now. It was my first time ever using Garage Band and I was muddled. My first bit of music was stuff with a rock. I was tapping and scraping with them to make loads of music. Then I put all of the bits of music together and looped, then cut the bits with mistakes. After that I made another bit of music with wood. There was banging against other materials like leather. Then we got our work marked by Mr Shaksphere and mine was fine.
BY JACK
P6/7 Stirling Trip Wallace Monument.
On Tuesday the 13th September, P6/7 of Port Ellen School went to the Wallace Monument to have a look at it. It was a very steep walk up to it. When we got up to it, we saw nearly the whole of Stirling because it was so high up! When we looked around we saw how massive it was. I thought that it would just be a statue of William Wallace. But it actually was a large tower with William Wallace near the top. I thought that was amazing that such a massive tower was created for the honor of William Wallace. I thought that the Wallace Monument was an amazing thing to go and see and I hope to go there again sometime with my family to go inside it to see what is in there.
By Kaya Middleton.
Bannockburn
P6/7 of every school from Islay and Jura went on a stirling trip. On the first day of being in Stirling they went to Stirling castle and Bannockburn. We visited Bannockburn because a famous battle happened there. The battle was between King Edward the second of England and Robert the Bruce. Robert the Bruce defeated King Edward the second. We visited the site of the battle and stood in the same spot that Robert the Bruce had put his sword through a rock. We found out a lot about the battle like it took place on the 23rd june 1314, it was Robert the Bruce against King Edward the second of England. There was a 3D place where we had to wear 3D glasses, the glasses made the battle look realistic. It was actually just a screen with videos of what the battle would have looked like. I stood in front of an arrow as it was being shot and it went through my head. I also got shot in the arm and the leg. There was also famous people from the battle from the English side and the Scottish side. To work the people you would stand on a grey metal plate that was in front of them then they would start talking to you. Then you could wave your hand and find out more information like where they lived, what weapons they used and who they were. After that we played a battle game where we all got split into two teams and had to fight against each other. One team was the Scottish and one team was the English. We would take it in turns and if we were an archer we could shoot move or attack. The English were trying to reach Stirling castle and the Scottish had to stop them. I was in the Scottish team and the Scottish team won. We had a great time and hope to visit again.
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Port Ellen Primary School Bramble Picking
On Wednesday 7th September Mrs.Clark’s class and P1/2/3 went bramble picking at the croft road. There was 2 people in each pair and every pair was given 1 bag to put the brambles they find in. As we set off to get brambles a buildbase lorry went by and we all had to get on the grass and let the lorry pass. After the lorry was gone we started to pick the brambles and there was a lot of brambles found just at the start of the road. Matthew and his little brother William started to get further down the road. People were on left and right trying to get the biggest and most purple brambles so that they can make the best bramble jam. Ciaran was always at the front of all the people just because some people at the front said that they would get the most brambles because they were at the front. Closer to the end of the path there were more brambles but most of us decided to take out time because if we did that we could still find a lot of brambles which no one knows about. We picked over 5Kg of brambles and made it into bramble jam. Yum!
Forth Road Bridge
Today Ellie, Kaitlyn and Sarah found out about the Forth Road Bridge because their class are going to Stirling for an annual school trip. They will be visiting Bannockburn, The Forth Road Bridge, Stirling castle and Stirling university. We found out that over 70,000 vehicles cross the bridge every day and over 24 million vehicles cross the bridge every year. It took around 6 years to build and seven people died building it. On the 5th December 2015 a small 2cm crack was found and the bridge had to be rebuilt. The bridge is 51 years old. It is owned and operated by Network Rail. It is the 4th longest bridge in the world. It is over the fifth of the forth. It cost about £19.5 million. It is Britians first all steel bridge. It used nearly 40,000 tonnes of steel and 125,000 cubic metres of concrete. The designers were Benjamin Baker and John Fowler. They will be visiting it next week, hope they have a great time. By Kaitlyn, Sarah and Ellie<img
Stirling Castle
Mary queen of Scots lived in Stirling castle nearly all her life. Stirling castle was built on an excint volcano which was 250 feet deep underground. Stirling Castle is named the heart of Scotland.
Here are some facts about Stirling Castle. It has an amazing view of its surroundings just like Edinburgh Castle and it s one of the most famous castles that people like to visit. It was built in the 12th century and between the years 1490 and 1600. There are steep cliffs on three sides of the castle.
Here are some facts about Mary queen of Scots. She was born on the 7th of December 1542 and died on the 8th February 1587. Mary became queen when she was nine months old. She was crowned when he mother and father died. She got married at the age of 17 and she was married to Francis II.
By Abi, Rebecca and Kaya.
P5/6/7s Maths Challange
P5/6/7 in Islay Primary School have entered the Mathematical challange for 2016-2017 the p5 have been finding it challing to do the maths for the challange this year and next year. Only some of the p5s have completed the first questions on the paper. P6/7 are a little bit more confident than p5s and most of them done it last year.
Our Trip To Stirling University
As a student you get to choose your own subjects. You get set essays on a set time.You can also do courses. You also get to meet new people that will be you friends forever. They have a major sports program.
Advantages – You get a student discount. You get Christmas, Easter and the Summer off. You get a University flat. When you graduate you get to go to the grad ball and get pritty pictures. You are close to the cinama and yummy restrants and a very good swimming pool and gym.
My Aunty (Shona Isla) studeyed Animal Biology and very recently gratuated. Her friends still come to visit with there parents.
By Eva Munro
Stirling University stands with rich and varied history. The estate was bought by John Hope in 1678 then it was passed over to Ralph Dundas whose son was John Dundas.
By Ruaraidh
A team from Stirling Universaty went to Rio 2016 they got to go on Tv.
Some people from Stirling Unaversaty is part of team Gb
The are four swimmers from team GB which was taught by Stirling University. They also do golf . They also do running, football, rugby and many more.
By Darren
Stirling Trip to Bannockburn
On the 13th September p6/7 are gong to Stirling and we are going to Bannockburn for a visit. We have been researching Bannockburn and this is some questions and their answers. Where is Bannockburn? Bannockburn is just out of Stirling. When was it? 24th June 1314. Who was the battle between? It was between Scotland and England. How did it happen? England crossed the border and that’s how it started the battle. What is the battle of Bannockburn? Bannockburn was a war in First war of Scottish independence and a landmark in Scottish history.
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