This year the whole of Islay are putting together a big thing where all the musical groups on Islay take part, like choirs, soloist and instrumentalists. the reason this project is taking place is because 2 years ago (2011) the Islay feis done a famous poem by an Islay bard(poet) called William Livingstone, the poem was called The Battle of Traigh Gruinart, a very talented lady called Clare Jordan put the poem to fantastic music. All the choirs will learn the song in different parts , the junior choirs will only learn some parts whereas the adult choir will learn all the songs. It will be very tiring yet very fun and exciting.
Art With Mrs Onions
On Tuesday 23rd April, Mrs Onions came in and talked to us about art. There was lots of different artists and paintings and we had to look at the styles and textures that the artists used. We researched lots of paintings, then we would pick our favourite one and then we had to choose what we would use to colour our pictures in. Mrs Onions also set out a bottle of wine and a bowl of fruit incase we wanted to pick that for our picture. So we all picked different ones and then we started to colour them in.
MAKING THE ECO FERRIES!!!!
Three weeks ago we started making Eco ferries for a competition. We had great time building them. We built four prototypes and four real builds as well. There was two well built boats and two boats that were falling apart. So the two best built boats were altered and entered. One was wind powered and one was paddle and part wind and propeller. They were both made out of recycled materials and glue. Lets hope one or the other wins. We tested them in the sea.
by Ewan and Cameron
Mrs Negretti
We have a visitor called Mrs Negretti and she comes from the south of Switzerland and she speaks Italian. Instead of cars to get to their house they walk or take the cable car but if they need to deliver furniture or get to the hospital they get a helicopter. They have take the cable car or walk because there are so many mountains. Mrs Negretti teaches 3 schools and teaches them all arts and crafts. Mrs Negretti loves walking, reading,cooking, singing and dancing.
GLOW MEET WITH INDIA
Today we had a glow meet, with our partner school in Delhi in India. We partnered up with P3/4 to ask children from India three questions. We wanted to find out about their life style, and ask quistions like, have they ever gone camping? Have they been out of India before? What is their living space like?
We found out that they live in three story buildings, their favourite food is burger and pizza, they listen to Taylor Swift and Western music as well as traditional Punjabi music, they like Hollywood films like James Bond and they do a lot of reading. Our Gaelic folk group also performed their first international concert playing traditional Scottish music. It was really interesting and next time we hope to do a Glow Meet where we can celebrate Holi, the Hindu festival, together.
Wave Power Devices
Primary 6/7 were learning about wave power and decided that we would make wave power devices and my groups name was called DUNLLY!!! and we tested it in the sea. Our device had one problem at the beginning of the design, we couldn’t get the LED light to work but managed to problem solve and sandpapered the wires to get the light to flash in the waves. We changed the light around until we managed to get it to flash, it was really hard to make it generate electricity but we managed it in the end. But I think every group had a problem. When we were making the designs we got better at our communication skills, also there was another group called The DOUGHNUT Device they had a problem it sunk instead of floating, but eventually they made electricity too.
Cycling Proficiency
In about three weeks p7 will be having cycling proficiency with there janitor Mr Gairns and another person who is trained to help us. Through the course we will learn to indicate and the skills we need to learn to cycle on the road. We all have a choice whether to do it or not. We will do some of it in our school playground and some out on the village road. I can’t wait till I start.
By Liam and Reece
Citizenship Award And Clubs
At Port Ellen we have talked to the parent council about a citizenship award. We now have a citizenship award for the Primary 7’s and we have been going over what makes a good citizen because everyone will vote towards the end of a school year. Each of the houses got together and discussed what makes a good citizen. We have just started the citizenship award this school year.
Port Ellen have started new clubs too, including rugby and bug clubs. These are run by the children at lunch time.
Science afternoon with Dave
One afternoon a scientist called Dave came to see use to tell us about light and lasers. It was fun. We made a thing that can see spectrums. We told the p3/4s about our day with a scientist. He told use about the laser that he built and the biggest laser in the world. I hope he comes back because it was really cool.
by Ewan and Scott
P7 Islay High School Visit
On Thursday 21st March every P7 in Islay and Jura went to the the Islay High School to do some science. The day started when Mr Kitchen filled a flask with water and placed it on a gas cooker. The water turned into steam which came out off the flask and then he put the lid on it. Then we went to Ms McNaughton who was talking about air in our lungs. She also showed us how to float a straw in water and measured in many different ways. We also found out how to get a boiled egg into a flask without touching it.
India Afternoon Food
The India afternoon was an afternoon where parents could come in and see what we had learned about India. There was a stall that let people eat Indian food like, Chapatis, banana pure, nan bred, potato curry, veggie pakoras, poppadoms and a super hot chick pea curry.
INDIA!!!!!
P6/7 and P3/4 have been learning all about India, we have learn’ t about Hinduism; here are some things we have learn’ t, Hindus believe in many gods like Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma. In India they have 3 seasons, Wet, Dry and Cool. Some Hindus wear saris, a long piece of material with several patterns. There are over 1 billion people living in India and 750 million of them are all Hindus. Hindus paint patterns on feet and hands with Hena, that is called Mendhi.
Food Experiments
Last week was science and engineering week.In school we were learning about food science. We tested for glucose, iron, fat, protein and starch. For the protein we got protein strips and food juices. We then got a test strip and dipped it into the food juice. We then looked on the bottle and seen what colour it matched to. For the iron we got different cereals and put them into a sandwich bag and then we sealed the bag tightly. Then we crushed the cereal with a rolling pin and then added a bit of water. Then we got a strong magnet and kept sliding it back and forth looking for iron(wee black dots). For fat, we got a piece of brown paper and drew a circle it, then rubbed what ever it was, and held it up to the light and the parts in it are fat. For glucose we used Benedicts solution.
India afternoon
On the 26th of march we had a India afternoon we invited parents and we had stalls ready for the parents to interact with. Like a food stall and a India quiz. To start of the day we showed power points on different celebrations in India we also made Indian God masks to show to our parents. In p3/4 there Rangoli patterns to do also hand paints and guess the spice. We also set up a build the Taj Mahal with lego stall.
by Robbie and Liam
Easter Egg Competition.
On Tuesday 26th March the Port Ellen Primary school and the Pre 5 unit took part in an Easter egg competition. We do this every year and if you take part or win 1st 2nd or anything else you would get points for your house and you would also get a Easter egg! Each class has it’s own competition and if you win you get 100 points and if you get 2nd you get 75. If you enter you get 50. This year Texa and Nave both got 1100 and Orsay got 975 points. There was Egg Craft, The ReserEGGsion of Christ and Eggie the Eagle. Everybody tried really hard and we all liked looking at the different eggs!
By Danni and Elinor.
Indian Gods and saris
In the primary 6/7 class room we have been learning about Indian gods. Mrs Clark has also been telling us Indian stories about the different god and what their job is. The whole class did a god mask for each Indian god there is, for example Ellen’s god was Brahma, and Alicia’s god was Annapurna. We found out that in most Indian stories there is a god.
We also learned all about saris. A sari is an outfit that women wear in India. We all learnt how to put on a sari( we thought it was hard).Mrs Clark and Miss Brown wore a sari on India day, the saris had very nice patterns on them. On India day we also designed a sari with the P3/4 class and our mums and dads. We designed it with rangoli patterns and it looked very pretty in the end. We had a very fun day.
By Alicia and Ellen
Eco Ferrys
In our class we are making eco ferrys for a science compition in Glasgow. We made them in our table groups. We did a practise speed boat which worked alright. But our real thing will have to carry cargo and the boat that is done in the fastest time will win. You can go back and forth as much as you want. The ferry can only be 18 cm wide as thats as wide as the tank is. You also will get extra points if it is powered by a renewable source . It is alot to think about when were building the real thing . We attempted to make a prototype out of junk some worked much better than others. Some tipped over when they started and others couldn’t go straight. Were are working on it and adjusting it so that it will go straight in the water.
By Maisie and Eilidh
Extreme Weather
Recently we have been having lots and lots and lots of snow and wind making power lines to snap and fall over, some of us were without power for over 24 hours. The isle of Arran are STILL without power and might not have power until Friday, workers and electricians are working hard trying to get power back on the road for everyone. Port Ellen Primary School’s internet is routed through Arran and since Arran is down the Port Ellen Primary has no internet, which means we missed our second Glow meet with India. There was a weekend with cold dinners and no toast and tea but thankfully everything (apart from Arran) is back to normal.
By Emily & Cameron
Swimming Gala
On the 8th march Port Ellen Primary had their annual swimming gala, for the first time everybody actually took part in some form of swimming a race!
From a young age of 5 to 12, everybody was able to swim a length, width or half a length!
In primary one there was 2 races for boys and girls each, and they had to swim front crawl,(with a woggel). Primary 2’s had to swim a width but had to swim front crawl as well as backstroke!
For the girls p6/7 championship, Emily Logan won the cup, and for the boys p6/7 championship, Ewan Mackinnon won the cup.
We have a relay race with our three houses, Orsay, Nave and Texa.
Orsay won! in the relay teams were for Orsay, Maisie Logan, Emily Logan, Reece Bowman and Cameron Clarke.
Texa- Eilidh Macmillan, Eleanor Macmillan, Scott Kinloch and Oliver Murhead!
Nave-Ellen Johnston, Elizabeth Macmillan, Ewan Mackinnon and Nicholas Weatherhog!
So in conclusion, everybody had a great morning and we had a really nice lunch to go back to!!
By Maisie Logan
World Maths Day.
On Wednesday 6th of March it was World Maths Day. This is when we go onto World Education Games and play maths games against people from all over the world. You can collect medals and try to get into the hall of fame. It’s really fun looking at peoples avatars because some have blue hair or are in the sea! Everybody loves seeing who they’re going to play against and we try to play a game against eachother.
By Elinor
World Book Day At Port Ellen
This years World book day started on the morning of Thursday 7th March and Port Ellen started by dressing up as your favourite book character and bringing in your favourite book. I dressed up as Tanya from bad Girls by Jacqueline Wilson. Elinor was Miss Marple from Agatha Christie, Ellen was Tracy Beaker from the Story of Tracy Beaker by Jacqueline Wilson and Danni was Miss Bat, the chanting mistress from The Worst Witch Strikes Again by Jill Murphy. Lots more people were also dressed up as their favourite character. Port Ellen had a great day and we all stayed in character up until school ended.
By Emily
Wind Power
Wind power is a for
m of renewable energy. 24% of Scotland’s renewable energy comes from wind power. It is created when wind spins the turbine that in turn spins a shaft which leads into the generator where a magnet is turned around a coil of wire which creates energy. That is how you make energy from wind.
Scottish Country Dancing
For the the last few weeks P6/7 at Port Ellen Primary School have been doing Scottish Country Dancing. They have been learning lots of dances for a big dance up at Bowmore. At Bowmore they will be meeting lots of people from other schools and they will dance with them at the big dance off. They will be dancing the Bampkin, CircleWaltz, Flying Scotsman, Canadian Barn Dance, Strip The Willow,Virgina Reel, Gay Gordon, Saint Bernands Waltz and Miss Macloud. Dancing is fun.
By Asher and Danni
New Wave Power Machine Device designs
Our new topic in science is electricity and how it is created. During the February Holidays we had homework! It was to design on paper a new wave machine device (to create electricity). When we got back to school we put our ideas together into one big one. So far we have made a power point on our own device and lots of different devices we learnt about. We have also made a big version of our new device on paper and a prototype made out of K-Nex. The 4 designs are called: The Dunlly, The Doghnut Device, The ERCEE and The Super Sweeper! We are entering the designs into the Saltire Awards JR.
By Emily Logan
SHINTY TOURNAMENT!!!
There was a shinty tournament on Islay at Bowmore high school on the 24th of Febuary. Schools from around Islay came to the shinty tournament. It was a great turnout. There were heats and then there was a final. Our Port Ellen team won it for the 10th time in a row, and the Port Ellen younger team won their group as well. So it was a good tournament over all for Port Ellen as we took both of the trophies home and were very proud of it. It was very fun and was a good challenge for us. We want to thank all the people that prepared it and we thank all the people that came to the event.
By Ewan and Robbie
Rugby Training
On Tuesday 19th February 2013 p5,6 and 7 had a rugby trainer called Alan teaching us how to play tag rugby. We learned how to do a tag and to pass the ball backwards. We had mini teams of 5 and played some games. There were the greens the oranges the blues and the non bibs. We also had some races so we had to run to the bottom of the pitch and do a touch down and run back up to the top, turn to the side and then throw the ball to the other person. It was great fun!
by Reece and Connor
Feis 2013
Every year in the February break there is a 3 day workshop, which has many different instruments to learn or expand on what you already know. In the February break I went to Feis, I went to Tin whistle( that was taken by Fraser Shaw)Accordion(that was taken by Murdo) and there was Drama, that was taken by Mr Murray. We all came together at the end of the day and learn’ t a couple of songs, La Math( that was a song about LAMAS), and we were taught by Norrie from Manran. I had great fun we danced with Ray and sang with Norrie.
On Friday our last workshop, at night we put on a concert for all the parents to show what we had learn’ t in the 3 days of workshops, the tin whistle players played a Gaelic tune called Struagh nach do fhairich mi tioram air tir and The humors of Tulla. The Accordion players played Fairy Lullaby and Lovely Stornoway and Norrie’s choir sung a tune from RunRig, there was the younger kids from Feis Bheag performing with the choreography by Paula Davidson. There was many more performances. At the end of the concert we all went up onto the stage and sang our songs with Feis Bheag followed by a raffle.I really enjoyed it and will go back next year.
By Ruby
Robert Burns
On the 25th January it was Robert Burns day, so Port Ellen Primary had a traditional ceilidh! Robert Burns is a famous Scottish poet and he has written loads of poems in the past. Everyone in the school had learned a Burns poem and 6 got through to the final, we had 2 people come in and judge us.
For p1-Ciaran Middelton p2-Rebecca Morris p3-Natalie Logan p4-Ross Thompson p5-Abbie Morris p6 Maisie Logan and for p7-Liam Campbell.
Mike Russel, the scottish minister of education came to our burns lunch and ceilidh. Everyone had fun dancing traditional dances and we all sung Old Lang Syne. There was musical instrument solos, and we even had highland dancers.
For a traditional lunch we have, haggis. Haggis is a meat, made with sheep insides in it! Everybody likes it and they serve it with neeps and tatties (turnip and potatoes). We all say the address to the haggis, while they cut into it.
Everyone had a great afternoon and everyone enjoyed listening to the poems!
Burns Ceilidh
On the 25th January it was Robert Burns day so Port Ellen Primary School had their annual Burns Ceilidh. Robert Burns was a famous Scottish poet. Every child learnt a poem six children got through to the final were two judges would judge them . This is all the people who got !st .
Liam Campbell-p7 Maisie Logan-p6 Abbie Morris- p5 Ross Thompson-p4 Natalie Logan-p3 Rebbecca Morris-p2 Ciaran Middleton-p1.
Every one who won had to say their poem at the ceilidh. At the ceilidh everyone done some Scottish Country Dancing while Neil played the accordion. Some children in the school played Scottish musical instruments. Eilidh was on the accordion;Abbie on the fiddle;Maisie and Ruby on the tin whistle. We didn’t only have people doing musical solos we also had highland dancers. You can listen to p7s poem (A mans a man for a that) at the bottom.
The Feis
On Wednesday 23rd January Claire and Ciara came to our school. They taught us a gaelic song and put it together with some instruments. Emily,Elinor and Eilidh played their accordians, some people played the tin whistle and the rest of us played percussion instruments. When we had finished we put it together and it sounded really good!
By Emily
