Our Weekly School News – Sharing our learning with the school Community
Please have a look at what some of our Classes have been up to this week.
Primary 1a
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
This week we have read ‘The Everywhere Bear’ by Julia Donaldson. Alongside this, we have been designing our own teddy bears using different materials and writing to our class bear, Ted. We are looking forward to taking Ted home for the weekend and sharing our adventures together with the class.
Riley: I liked having milk and muffins for ‘m’.
Lola: I really want to take Ted home. I want to play with him.
Kendyl: I like playing with teddies.
In maths we have been learning about 2d shapes. We made some wonderful Shape Monsters and loved going to the hall and working in groups to create shapes with our bodies.
We really liked wearing our Pyjamas on Friday. We took part in various Children in Need activities, shared our families favourite toys from their childhood and talked about our dreams. Lots of fun learning this week!
Owen: I liked the assembly. I liked the song.
Kaci: I liked the Pudsey song as well.
Reminders
We have a Book Fair slot on Monday afternoon.
Thank you to everyone who sent back ‘Stay for a Sound’ slips. Please find times and dates in the reading folders. We look forward to seeing you next week.
Primary 1b
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
We have enjoyed reading our Julia Donaldson book of the week ‘The Everywhere Bear.’ Alongside this we made our own material bears; exploring different materials. We also wrote to our class bear, Ben telling him all about ourselves.
In Maths we have been exploring 2d shapes; naming them and identifying properties. We used our bodies to make 2d shapes in groups and made some really funny shape monsters!
Conall: “We’re wearing our jammies.”
Zane: “It’s children in need and it’s jammies day.”
Tiffany: “We bought teddies to school.”
Charlotte: “We’ve been reading ‘The Everywhere Bear.”
Brodie: “Julia Donaldson wrote it.”
Beth: “Ben the Bear is going home today.”
All the boys and girls will have the opportunity to take Ben the bear home for the weekend. Beth is taking Ben home this weekend. Have fun Beth and Ben!
Reminders
*Thank you to everyone who sent back ‘Stay for a Sound’ slips. Please find times and dates in the reading folders. We look forward to seeing you next week.
*Thank you to those who sent in photographs and information for the toy homework. We enjoyed sharing these as a class.
*We had a book fair slot on Monday afternoon.
Primary 2
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
We have been learning about the Four Seasons. Clay likes to get in his dinosaur paddling pool in the Summer. Frankie likes to jump and play about in the leaves in Autumn. Floyd likes it when it snows in winter because he likes to make a snowman.
We have been learning about tiling this week in Maths. Robyn and Dorota used hexagons to make an excellent tiling using three colours.
We have been looking at new words likely, unlikely and impossible and where we can use them. It is impossible for Elsa from Frozen to come to my class, Ferne said it was likely the ice cream van will come to my street and Oona said it is unlikely to snow tonight.
Primary 2/3
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
This week we have been learning about the water cycle as part of our topic.
Zoe ‘Water turns into a cloud when it goes into the sky then comes back down as rain.’
Kyle ‘Water keeps going round in a cycle.’
We learned anew song about snowflakes this week.
Alba ‘I love this song I knew it when I was little.’
Darcie ‘We have been using 2go and it is fun making pictures with the colours.’
We have also been using the Beebot for some of our topic work this week.
We have been trying some different activities first thing in the morning and the children move to a new one each day.
Jack J ‘I like the magnetic one.’
Reminders
Please could PE kits come in on a Monday morning.
Our visit to the Book Fair is on Monday morning.
Primary 3
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
This week we took part in World Kindness Day on 13th November. On this day, participants attempt to make the world a better place by celebrating and promoting good deeds and pledging acts of kindness. We have our own kindness challenge to complete over the next week; hopefully the kindness elf will visit your home!
We have been learning all about an artist called Paul Klee, we have looked at his paintings and we are learning to give our own opinion on a piece of art. This week we created Paul Klee Castle and Sun pictures.
Rose “Paul Klee’s family liked music more than painting and he did his pictures by using shapes and different colours to make it look interesting. I like my painting because I like the colours”
Eli Russell “I liked his art because it was arty and I liked the shapes”
Kahlen “Paul Klee was born in Switzerland. I liked his good colours and how he didn’t make his pictures the right colours all the time”
What have we really enjoyed this week……
Caleb “ I really like our new Jolly jobs, my favourite is the space number job.”
Lewis “I really liked our takeaway mental maths because it’s easy.”
Ceyda “I like the castle and I liked painting.”
Reminders
Monday and Thursday are our PE days.
Wednesday is our chance to visit and buy from The Book Fair.
Primary 3/4
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
This week we have been learning about a famous artist called Paul Klee.
“He painted 10,000 pictures” – Lucca
“We made our own Castle and Sun pictures” – Fern
“Paul Klee was in World War One” – Caitlin
“Paul Klee used different colours and shapes in his work. They looked a bit weird. Some were scary” – Alex
“He made abstract paintings” – Nikola
“When we made our own pictures it was very messy” – Emma
“I liked my picture because it was bright and colourful” – Ruby
We have been working on shapes in maths.
“We went on a shape hunt to see what shapes we could find in the classroom.” – Kaidi
“We had to try to make different shapes from playdough and sticks. It was quite difficult.” – Coby
“We were building towers with the different shapes.” – Caitlin
“We drew and cut out different 2d shapes to make a picture. I made a dinosaur.” – Kaidi
Primary 4
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
In maths we have been learning about fractions and how to order them on a number line. We also took part in the Sumdog ‘Dumfries and Galloway Maths Contest’ finishing in 16th place (54 classes took part).
In P.E we practised the dances we will be doing at the Children in Need assembly. Our focus was our body awareness and coordination.
When watching Newsround we found out that Stan Lee, the creator of some of the world’s most popular superheroes, had died. He also wrote and developed all of Marvel’s comic covers until he retired. Taking inspiration from this, we decided to create our own imaginative comic strips inspired by Stan Lee’s iconic characters. We then wrote our own superhero stories to accompany our illustrations.
Wider Achievement
Holly took part in a vault and floor competition at gymnastics on Saturday. She scored highly for both her floor and vault routine. Well done!
Primary 4/5
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
In maths we have been learning how to subtract.
Murray – It is a bit difficult but with practise we will be able to work it out.
Alannah – I find subtraction fun.
Shea – I thought the sums were difficult to begin with but now I understand how to find the answer. Ollie – I am starting to ‘get’ it.
This week we have handed out the order forms for The Christmas Chorus.
Freya – We have had lots of orders so far. It is fun collecting in all of the order folders from each class to see how many we have sold.
McKenzie – We have been counting up the money.
Brooke – We’ve also made invitations for our CD launch day. Look out for these next week.
Wider Achievement
Lily took part in her ballet show at the weekend.
Reminders
Please remember to bring in Christmas hats or tinsel by Thursday 22nd November.
Primary 5
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
We have learned about money this week looking at using decimal fractions in everyday situations and started work on simple fractions. We have also been learning about chance and uncertainty and started work on angles with Mrs. Starkey.
In literacy we have continued our work on poetry techniques and finished writing our acrostic poems based on World War One. Some students started looking at blackout poetry.
We were privileged to be visited by Barney’s Grandpa, Mr. Douglas Whitelaw, who used to be provost of our local area. He spoke to us about his time as provost and showed us some photos and then we had a Q&A session afterwards.
In PE we have started learning about Scottish Country Dancing to prepare for our Christmas party. In art we have been learning about Georgia O’Keeffe and blending. For topic as an introduction to voting we did a secret vote on the best questionnaire made in the class for using to ask local people what they like and what they think needs improved in Castle Douglas. We voted based on question relevance, meaningfulness, questions to make people think and numbered questions. Alper won our quote of the week last week which was, “Always be a first-rate version of yourself instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.” – Judy Garland.
Wider Achievement
Eilidh and Niamh performed with NYCOS choir at Dalbeattie school on the 8th November as part of a World War One remembrance event. The pictures are from the NYCOS Dumfries Facebook page. Well done!
Reminders
Any parents who would like to share wider achievement photos please send them to Miss Mackintosh on Class Dojo via ‘messages’
Primary 6
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
“We have started using the Green Screen and made a short video about the different climate zones that we’d been learning about.” (Mylie)
“P6 have been learning about rainfall. There are three types of rainfall: Convectional, Relief and Frontal.” (Jake, Fraser, Logan & Michalina)
“We were working on positive and negative coordinates. We learned about the X and Y axis and we had a think about when we would use coordinates.” (Seren & Rosie)
“I learned that climate is the average weather over a long period of time and weather is short period or daily.” (Eilidh)
“In PE, we have been continuing with our running and working on keeping a pace.” (Rhianna)
“Mr Tyson set us a challenge question and got us thinking about why the hottest areas were not on the equator even though the sun shines closest here.” Lewis
“The Polar climate zone is the coldest and temperatures can reach –60 degrees Celsius.” (Carlie)
Wider Achievement
Lois, Ellie and Megan took part in a ballet show last weekend – Well done!
Eilidh moved up a swimming group to the “Club Ready” group – Well done!
Fraser played rugby in Moffat at the weekend- Well done!
Reminders
Boys are at Carlingwark Monday and Tuesday.
Girls are at Carlingwark Thursday and Friday.
Primary 6/7
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
This week Primary 6/7 have been learning more about children in need. We have been selling Pudsey merchandise during the week and have really enjoyed this. This morning we led the Chidren In Need assembly and had lots of fun organising and taking part in the whole school Zumba sessions.
Reminders- Our slot for the book fair is on Tuesday.
Primary 7
Class Activities and Pupil Comments
At the World War One workshop this week I enjoyed looking a the the weapons. They were very heavy and long. – Rory L
I liked the First Aid station at the workshop because we bandaged up Mia. – Rory T
Yesterday we found out about a soldier who sketched a tree stump. A replica tree stump was then made, and a soldier hid in it to find out information from the Germans. – Charley
I really enjoyed building the jigsaw, it was so tricky! – Jayden.
I had fun playing the WW1 game L’attaque. – Sam
We each built a huge base and used small soldiers. We attacked each other’s base. – Daniel G
I enjoyed looking at the coins. I learned that a crown could buy a weeks’ worth of food. – Ryan K
I found out that WW1 bombs were made heavy so that when the exploded shrapnel would fly everywhere. – Elise.
I enjoyed playing the Flying Circus with Tony. It was interesting to see how the planes attacked each other. – Isla A
It was fun and tricky using the quill and ink. Sometimes it smudged and too much came out. – Hannah.
I think I made a good start to my big writing assessment and I’ve set myself up for an exciting story. – Ollie.
Wider Achievement
I did a dancing show with Mia for three nights. Mia won Dancer of the Year! – Tiana.
