Following a SSERC CPD on Teddy in the Park P1/2 and the ELCC have used this as a focus for Joint Sessions. Children have had a great experience investigating waterproofing, building tents and rucksacks for teddy all linked to a story about a teddy.
Learning about Birds in Joint Session
We have been learning all about birds in Joint Sessions between ELCC children and P1/2. Spoon shaped beaks definitely scoop up more food that long pointy beaks aka chopsticks!
Memorial to the Sinking of the Tuscania
Today is the hundred year anniversary of a tragic event that happened on Islay right at the end of the First World War. The SS Tuscania, carrying 2000 American troops, was torpedoed by a U-boat 7 miles off the coast of Islay. Many of the survivors, but even more of the bodies ended up on our shores. The survivors were rescued and looked after by the locals who took them into their homes, and the dead were buried in graves around Islay. Today a service is being held at the American monument on the Oa and at the war graves in Kilnaughton cemetary to remember the tragic events of 100 years ago. The school Gaelic choir will be singing An Eala Bhàn, The White Swan, a song written by a soldier from Uist who fought at the Somme.
The Sinking of the Tuscania
Below is a news article, written by the children, that tells the story of the Tuscania as though they were on Islay a hundred years ago:
ILEACH’S SAVE LIVES OF TORPEDOED AMERICAN SOLDIERS
On the 5th February a tragedy happened, the SS Tuscania, a US troopship that was carrying more than 2,000 American soldiers, was torpedoed 7 miles off the South East coast of the Isle of Islay. The SS Tuscania was going to Liverpool from New York City and was part of a convoy of 14 vessels. It was a tragic night with conditions like no other, the rough seas and darkness in the sky made it impossible to see. Sadly the SS Tuscania was torpedoed twice by a U- boat at 6:40pm; the first torpedo missed the SS Tuscania but sadly the second one hit it. It left a huge v shaped hole in the troop ship and destroyed many of the lifeboats. The torpedo hit the middle of the boat on the starboard side. The SS Tuscania sank at around 10pm. After having fired the torpedoes the submarine immediately dived to escape as escort vessels came to attack. Some of the men managed to get onto the lifeboats, left and got to safety, but others fell overboard due to rapid waves and rough seas. Luckily Three British destroyers; Grasshopper, Mosquito, and Pigeon came to help others, putting their own lives at risk to come alongside the Tuscania and as safely as they could transfer the men for one ship to another by rope whilst still being fired upon by the U-boat. The destroyers saved 1,500 men
As the lifeboats were approaching the coast of Islay in the dark, the men aboard the lifeboats would have heard the sounds of the crashing waves. An Islay man, Duncan MacDonald, is reported to have been on one of the lifeboats and he persuaded the other men on the lifeboats to wait until morning before they carried on. When it was light they then made their way safely into Port Ellen. Another 50 men sadly died when they were attempting to make their way in the dark and their lifeboats crashed on the rocks. One boat landed near Upper Killeyan and the survivors started to make their way to the Morrison’s family home. Robert set off to see what he could do to help, while his sisters Betsy and Annie had begun baking scones for them. One of the survivors was Arthur Siplon, who said ‘Men were in good spirits despite tragedy occurring all around them.’
Other people helped save them on the island, but many just collected the bodies of the dead. Luckily 132 men made it safely to Islay but sadly a lot of them were badly injured.
One of the survivors Everett Harpham wrote a letter to a friend in America saying that they nearly drowned and when it was light enough to see there was some bodies lying near them dead and they had to listen to the groans of the dying comrades until a Highlander rescued them. Arthur Siplon had been knocked off a lifeboat by a wave and managed to get back on and he was trying to help his friend Wilbur Clark up, when a big wave hit the boat again and they were both thrown against a rock and Wilbur Clark hit his head and sadly died.
Loads of people were found dead around the island in places like Lochindaal, Kilnaughton and Bowmore. There were 53 bodies buried in Port Charlotte, 83 were buried in Port Ellen and 46 bodies at Port- nan- Gallan. It is estimated that 182 lives were lost. There was a funeral at Port-nan-Gallan where 28 bodies were buried by Captain Ramsey and then on the 11th 18 more bodies were buried. Port Charlotte also had a funeral and over 400 people attended even in the rain.
We are all sorry for everyone’s loss and if anyone finds a body please contact the police.
By Sarah, Rebecca and Lauren P7
RSPB Visitor
During a recent joint session with P1/2 and Pre-5 children we were delighted to welcome David Wood in to talk to the children. This coincided with Springwatch and we all watched part of the programme showing the golden eagles on Islay. The children were shown the model of the eagle to demonstrate the wingspan and then some of the Primary 1 children made their own scaled eagle.
David then helped the children to build a hide in preparation for taking part in the Big School Birdwatch.
January Diary
Renewables Engineering Islay – January
The new term started on the 8th January and the new year has started with wild and windy weather here in Islay. A perfect opportunity to see wind power in action….
Renewables Visits
Last week Primary 6/7 with Jo Clark went on a renewables trip around the Island with George Dean from the Islay Energy Trust to find out more about how our island is helping fight global warming. They visited the community wind turbine, the biomass generator at Dunlossit house, the Solar panels at the Gaelic College and a micro hydro electric scheme at Ballygrant quarry. Here they got to see renewable feats of engineering in their local environment. A few days later Kate Brown and Primary 4/5 had the opportunity to do the same trip.
Robyn and Phoenix wrote We went inside the wind turbine. it was very noisy. Mr. Dean showed us how fast the blades were going. It was going very fast for a small wind turbine. Mr. Dean talked about wind turbines and how much it cost (the wind turbine cost £1.2 million) and how it works. We learned the satellite on the wind turbine sends the information about how much electricity is produced to the company in Germany. Millie and Charlet Rose told us that The wind turbine stopped spinning at one point when we were there and the kilowatts went to zero. The wind turbine can adjust it’s blade depending on the direction of the wind and can shut down if it gets too windy.
Both classes got such a lot of learning from their visits and it helped them to understand that a sustainable energy solution can be a mix of different types of renewable energies. George Dean spoke to P4/5 about the history of the Islay Community turbine and all the considerations that were taken into account when siting the turbine. The class enjoyed a debate about whether a wind turbine should be built at the Ard, in Port Ellen however children didn’t want one in their own back yard.
BP Ultimate STEM Challenge Competition
Inspired by their visit to the micro hydroelectric scheme, one group of Primary 7s decided to build and test their own hydro electric generator from KNEX for the BP Ultimate STEM challenge competition. They produced a video which can be viewed on the school website at https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/ab/peps/2018/01/14/bp-stem-challenge-handy-hydro-port-ellen-entry/ Lauren said It was a good experience to learn about all the different energy sources. It was really challenging to build our turbine and we had detailed plans. We did lots of testing to see which combination produced the most energy.
Energy Use in School
Continuing our learning about energy in Term1, Kate Brown’s class (P4/5) are continuing to try and persuade us all to use less energy. The Lights-Off Christmas Disco with glow sticks was a roaring success and children thought that it was the best disco ever! Next on the agenda is the use of plastic! Primary 6/7 have finally managed to complete the school’s carbon footprint. We found out that the school produces 61 tonnes of CO2 a year, and 55 tonnes of that is through energy use. The children suggested turning down the heating, turning off lights and computers on charge might help with this. Jo Clark has been in further discussions with George Read about energy meters that are suitable for monitoring energy use on this scale. Much of our heating system is automated but we have decided that to reduce our energy consumption in the long term we need to look at the temperature in the school.
Who will Save Us?
Meanwhile, in P1/2/3 with Maggie Harrison, the children have learned in a simple way about global warming and some of the reasons for the build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They were fascinated to learn that lots of gas comes from cows’ bottoms! They thought about some of the possible solutions and Katie suggested that we eat vegetables instead of lots of meat. So P1/2/3 are looking like they are right on trend. The children worked in groups or with a partner to come up with ways to share their learning and explain to other children about global warming and what they could do to help. They came up with puppet shows, film (animation) and story books which they have read and performed to the children in nursery.
Engineering in Pre-School
Children in nursery are still being encouraged to think like Rosie Revere Engineer and solve problems for themselves. Alison Logan says that the latest mission was to clear the outside boat of ice and water. Problem solving tasks are continuing to be incorporated into the joint sessions with P1/2/3.
We are hoping to have some local engineers in to talk to the children and Maureen MacDonald is going to get in touch with local contacts. She is also in the process of formulating a new vision for Port Ellen – making sure that our Eco-Schools work and STEM activities have a high profile in taking the school forward.
Budget
| Date | Purchases | Cost |
| 20th December | Mechanical Workshop Class Pack | £100.00 |
| Energy Storage Circuit (Pk30) | £19.95 | |
| Solar Bag | £19.99 | |
| Solar Module | £26.85 | |
| Simple Machines | £24.95 | |
| Assorted fans, propeller blades | £13.55 | |
| Solar Panels | £16.25 | |
| P & P | £4.95 | |
| 16th January | Hire of 16 seater minibus, 2 trips | £240.00 |
| Total Expenses | £466.49 | |
| Remaining Money | £4411.75 |
KNEX Challenges
On a Tuesday at lunch time at Port Ellen Primary School Charlie, Ciaran and Aidan run a Knex Club for P4-7. We put everyone into groups of 5. Every week there is different things that get made and done like frisbees and tracks we also made a lot of houses out of knex. A lot of people came to Knex club so we had a lot of things that were made. After the Febuary break we are starting Knex club again. We hae also been doing Knex building challenges in class. We built a hydro electric machine, a wind powered machine and a solar car in class from Knex and even maneged to make electricity. It was very exciting!
WW100 Visitors
On Thursday 25th January Jenni and Stuart from the Islay Museum came to Port Ellen Primary school to talk about WW100 on Islay. This is so we can get information about WW1 on Islay and what happened here during the war. They told us about the Tuscania, which was torpedoed by a submarine in 1918 and it sank off the coast of Islay, but some the survivors came ashore in lifeboats or were wrecked in the rocks and people on Islay helped to save them and also to bury the dead. Two brothers came down from their farm house and saved some people and gave them their home, and some poeple baked scones. It is amazing to think this all happened 100 years ago on February 5th. I am looking forward to finding out more about Islay at this time.
Dolphin’s Swimming Championships
On Saturday 27th January Dolphins were having a championship event. They did lots of different types of strokes. They did butterfly, breaststroke, front crawl and backstroke. Some of the swimmers also did tumble turns and dives for starting. All of the children that attended had an amazing time. From the people that attended seven of them were from Port Ellen primary and two more from Port Ellen Primary helped at the pool side. Everyone got a medal at the award ceremony, we also got loads and loads of food after swimming as well. All of the people that went and also the people watching were very proud that there are such good swimmers on this tiny island.
by Ellen and Sophie
10th Anniversary Burn’s Ceilidh
On Friday 26th of January Port Ellen primary school had our 10th anniversary Burns Celidh. We had loads of people from the community coming to join us and we all had great fun. We had all learned different Scots poems for the poetry competition and the judges came in to hear us read them before we all went to lunch. At lunch the Primary 7s said their poem, Address to the Haggis over the haggis and Lauren got to cut the haggis open. After lunch we went to the hall to celebrate with our family and friends. We did lots of Scottish Country dancing; my favourite was the Virginia reel. We also heard people play their musical instruments; Rowan and Rebecca did a duet on the accordian and tin whistle. All the winners of the poems read them out: P1 was Rachael, P2 was Chloe, P3 was Mya, P4 was Kayla, P5 was Dearbhla, P6 was Aidan and P7 was Rowan. We all had a great time and enjoyed tea and shortbread made by Mrs Holyoke afterwards. Thanks to everyone who came along.
Listen to two of our poems below:
PEPS school swimming
Each Thursday for 6 weeks we go to Bowmore and we go in the swimming pool. P5/6/7 go to the pool and we go up and down the lanes and do different this like backstroke or front stroke. When we go in the pool we play a warm up game at the end we do some different things like the mushroom float or the pencil float. After we have done everything we get a 5 minute time play around in the water. After the 6 weeks, we have a swimming gala. We really enjoy getting to do swimming for PE.
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Wind Turbines Trip
On Monday 15th P4/5 went on a school to see the wind turbine at Castlehill. Before we left for the bus Mr Dean showed us a PowerPoint about wind turbines and how to build them. When we were at Castlehill it started to rain, everyone had to go in to the bus for shelter except from the first group that went in the turbine. We went into groups of five into the turbine. In our group was Caitidh, Christopher, Harmoni, Dylan, and Morgan. When our group was in there was a noise and the blades stopped spinning and everything turned off. It was very interesting to hear how the wind powered the turbines and generated electricity. After all the groups had went we went back in the bus and went to the Gaelic collage to see their solar panels and have our lunch.
Caitidh
On our school trip our class went see a wind turbine. It was quite cool with dials plus a lot more. Also we got to go inside the turbine. When we went in the door it looked very good and it looked like a big build. Mr Dean told us the turbine produced lots of electricity in kilowatts. That electrical energy is sent to the national grid for us to use. It had lots of stuff outside too like a satellite dish that sent all the information to Germany. They were lots of stuff in it and then…it stopped immediately. It stopped because it was going too fast. All other people in my class were inside too, we also did a few other things in our trip.
Drew
On Monday 15th January P4/5 went on a trip to the wind turbine up at Castle Hill. We went in groups of five to see inside of the wind turbines and George Dean was in there to and he was telling us about the turbines and about how it produces electricity. The wind turbine stopped spinning at one point when we were there and the kilowatts went to zero. But a few minuites later the speed of the turbine 3 million and something. The power of the wind makes the blades on the turbine turn which generates electrical energy. The satellite dish on the turbine sends all of information to the control system in Germany.
By Millie and Charlet Rose
On Monday 15th of January 2018 P4/5 went to the wind turbine on the High Road at Castlehill. We went inside the wind turbine, it was very noisy. Mr Dean showed us how fast the blades were going. It was going very fast for a small wind turbine. Mr Dean talked about wind turbines and how much it cost (the wind turbine cost 1.2 million) and how it works. He also talked about what you need: a crash helmet and a harness. We learned the satellite on the wind turbine sends the info and how much electric wind turbine to the company in Germany.
By Robyn and Phoenix.
The Wind Turbine
The wind turbine that we visited was up the high road at Castlehill. Mr Dean told us that the wind turbine was 63 meters tall, including the blades. We had to go up some stairs and hold onto the railing due to heavy wind. Mr Dean (the chairman of Islay Energy Trust) showed us inside the turbine and what everything does. We learned how many kilowatts and how much energy it’s producing. It also told the wind speed and how fast the blades were going. The electricity that is produced from the turbine is sent to the national grid and is then sent back to Islay.
by Harmoni & Orla
On Monday 15th we went to the Wind turbine at Castle hill. We learned that it takes 5 years to plan the turbine and 1 month to build and that it cost £1.2 million to build. It makes electricity when the blades spin round. We got to go inside and while we were inside we learned that the wind turbine dose one full circle and then it goes the other way so the cables don’t get tangled. If you’re trying to get up the ladder you have to wear a helmet and a harness incase you get hurt. There is a satellite dish that sends all the information to Germany.
Scott and Aiden
Wind Turbines
On Monday 15th January P4/5 went on a trip to the wind turbine up at Castle Hill. We went in groups of five to see inside of the wind turbines and George Dean was in there to and he was telling us about the turbines and about how it produces electricity. The wind turbine stopped spinning at one point when we were there and the kilowatts went to zero. But a few minuites later the speed of the turbine 3 million and something. The power of the wind makes the blades on the turbine turn which generates electrical energy. The satellite dish on the turbine sends all of information to the control system in Germany.
By Millie and Charlet Rose
Our Trip to the Wind Turbine
Our trip to the wind turbine
On Monday 15th of January 2018 P4/5 went to the wind turbine on the High Road at Castlehill. We went inside the wind turbine, it was very noisy. Mr Dean showed us how fast the blades were going. It was going very fast for a small wind turbine. Mr Dean talked about wind turbines and how much it cost (the wind turbine cost 1.2 million) and how it works. He also talked about what you need: a crash helmet and a harness. We learned the satellite on the wind turbine sends the info and how much electric wind turbine to the company in Germany.
By Robyn and Phoenix.
Hydro Dam Trip
Yesterday we went to Ballygrant Quarry with p4/5. We saw a waterfall that generated power to a turbine which was stored in a shed. This was called a hydro dam. We learned that the river in Ballygrant leads into a pipe which travels to the waterfall that moves the turbine to produce energy. The energy from the turbine goes to Dunlossit Estate.
Dylan and Rhuraidh
Our Turbine Trip
The Wind Turbine
The wind turbine that we visited was up the high road at Castlehill. Mr Dean told us that the wind turbine was 63 meters tall, including the blades. We had to go up some stairs and hold onto the railing due to heavy wind. Mr Dean (the chairman of Islay Energy Trust) showed us inside the turbine and what everything does. We learned how many kilowatts and how much energy it’s producing. It also told the wind speed and how fast the blades were going. The electricity that is produced from the turbine is sent to the national grid and is then sent back to Islay. by Harmoni & Orla
Mini Hydro Plant
For the BP STEM AwardTaylor, Sophie, Lauren and I made a mini hydro electricity making device as part of our topic on renewables engineering. It had to make some electricity by the moment of the water and we had to make an experiment to show how we could improve the design and we looked at the number of paddles. We had 2 paddles then upped in twos every time and we found out that the more paddles the more electricity was generated. We built it out of K-Nex and we entered this in to a competition but sadly we didn’t make it in to the final. The reason we entered this is so we could improve our engineering skills and to try to make a renewable source of energy out of basically nothing.
By Matthew
BP STEM Challenge Handy Hydro Port Ellen Entry
This term P67 have been learning about renewables and how energy is produced from different sources. They went on a trip around the renewables projects on Islay and this inspired a group to enter the BP STEM Challenge by making and testing their own Hydro Energy device. Watch the video they made for their entry below.
Oil Sway
Solar Power
Geothermal Energy
Tidal Energy
Wind Power Sway
Gas Sway
Tidal Energy Sway
Nuclear energy
Nuclear is a non renewable energy source.
Nuclear doesn’t release any gasses or fuels but if a tsunami happens or a terrorist attacks it, it will release a lot of bad chemical that can cause global warming it can also kill people and it wont go away for thousands years.
The chemical reaction will cause radiation the parts of it will have to be hidden in a special rock because its the only rock that can hold it with out letting it go this rock has no cracks so it can hold it. This rock is on Islay!
Nuclear is from Radioactive minerals which are uranium they are found by mining. When the minerals are spilt they split in Nuclear reactors.
Nuclear only needs a tiny bit to create a lot of energy, It doesn’t release gasses or fuels.
They are expensive to run, if they leak they can have a massive effect on people.
