Castle Douglas Primary and Early Learning and Childcare Centre

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Our Weekly News – April 26th

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Our Weekly School News – Sharing our learning with the School Community.

We try our very best to upload a weekly post for each class but this is sometimes not always possible. Please have a read and a chat about what some of our classes have been up to this week.

Primary 1a 

We are so excited to be back! This week we have been reading ‘Lost and Found’ by Oliver Jeffers. Lots of our jobs and play has been about this book. 

Darla: “It was funny when the penguin went to the boy’s door because he’s not supposed to live there.” 

Riley: “I liked it when the wee boy came back with the penguin.” 

Lola: “My favourite part was when they went to the lost and found office.” 

Poppy: “I loved when the boy and the penguin went to the South Pole and then they went back home.” 

We began to look at floating and sinking, and took part in experiments to see what objects in our classroom would float or sink. 

Lexi: “We were putting things in water to see if they’d float or sink.” 

Kendyl: “If it was floating it was staying up and not going down.” 

Murry: “If it sank it went right down to the bottom.” 

We decided to try and make our own boats – just like the boy and the penguin do in ‘Lost and Found’. We used lots of different materials, testing out our designs throughout building and adapting our boats.  

Skye: “If it has too heavy things it could sink.” 

Miley: “I made mine out of a box and I put a cork on for the horn.” 

Kaci: “I made my boat out of a balloon and I made a bit out of straws.” 

On Friday, we hope to test our boats to see if they float! 

Primary 1b 

It is great to be back! It was lovely to hear about all the children’s adventures over the Easter break.  
What a fun start we have had to term 4! 

We have been reading ‘Lost and Found ’by Oliver Jeffers.  

Joshua: “He is the author and he draws the pictures.” 

Lost and Found is a beautiful story about a little boy and a penguin who became best friends. They go on an adventure in a boat so this week we have been making our own boats (photographs on the webpage). We thought back to our previous learning about floating and sinking during our Ready, Teddy, Go workshop.  

Brodie: “Float means it doesn’t sink – it bobs on the top.” 

Ziya: “It will be at the bottom if it sinks.” 

We had a selection of different items (including; an apple, lollipop stick and 50p coin) and predicted whether they would float or sink. We then tested the items to see if our predictions were correct. Brodie, Eddie, Conall and Kai discussed whether the weight of an object affected if it would float or sink.  

After our Science investigation, we spent Thursday afternoon making our own boats – thinking about our knowledge of different materials. It was a fun afternoon, full of creativity and problem solving. We talked as a class about dedication and persistence.  

We will be testing our boats throughout the day – we will post the results on next weeks weekly news! 

Ben the bear is going home with Ziya this weekend. Have fun Ben and Ziya! 

Wider Achievement 
Tiffany told the class she can ride her bike without stabilizers and her Papa doesn’t need to hold on to her anymore – go Tiffany!  

 Primary 2 

We have had a busy first week back. 

We have been putting numbers in the right order. We had to start with the largest or the smallest. Cara thought it was a bit hard but it will be easier next week. Frankie thought it was quite easy. 
We have been looking at what we want to learn in our seashore topic. Fern wants to learn how the sea moves.Oona wants to know why the seagulls like the beach. Clay wants to learn how sea animals breathe. 
Today we have been learning about how to stay safe in the sun. Morgan says we have to put sun cream on. Caitlyn says we have to wear a t shirt. Taylan says to wear sun glasses. 

 

Primary 2/3 

We have had a busy first week back. 

Our new topic is Sea and Seashore. 

Kyle – We asked questions and told things we know about the sea and seashore. 

Zoe knows that starfish live in the sea and Abbie wants to know what they eat. 

George knows the sea is full of lots of different creatures. 

Rory and Kyle want to know why whales come out of the water to breathe. 

Alba knows when the waves come in they are cold. 

Maisy wants to know why the sea goes in an out. 

Lots of interesting questions that we will try to find out about over the next term! 

 

The children thought of questions we could ask to help us decide if something was a living or not. 

Alex – Do you think it has an egg? 

Jack J- Have you seen it do things? 

Gregor- Does it breathe? 

Eamon – We have been sorting things that are living, never lived and once lived. 

Lewis – We started to do tennis. 

We have started a block of work on tennis skills. 

Wider Achievement 
Rory – I have moved up a level in gymnastics. 
Alba won a prize in the Easter colouring competition at the Co-op. 
Zoe has moved to work at Grade 1 at ballet class. 
Alexander has moved into swim skills 3. 
Darcie won the children’s entertainment competition on holiday with a good joke. 

 

 Primary 3 

This week, we have been transforming our role-play area into a French Café. We shared our ideas in a class discussion about the different things we would like to see and experience in our café and we even came up with a name for it – ‘La Tasse’ which means ‘the cup’. 

In ICT, we have been learning to use key words to search for a clip art image and insert it into a document. We used phrases such as ‘French food’ and ‘French flag’ to find images to decorate our café with. 

We have also been learning some new French words for different food and drink. We can’t wait to use our new knowledge in ‘La Tasse’! 

 

Primary 3/4 

Rhys – “This week we have been making a collage. We had to tear out pictures from a magazine. I made a picture of a cupcake.”  

Cameron – “I really like our French Café. Today I was a customer and I asked for ice-cream.”  

Rhuben – “I have enjoyed playing in the French Café”. 

Coby – “I really liked making me collage picture. It was fun ripping the pictures of the magazine. The pieces kept getting stuck to me!”  

Connor – “I enjoyed learning about all the ways to make £1. We had to try and use a range of different coins. I thought of lots of different ways”  

Ruby – “I enjoyed giving change from £1. It was a bit hard to start with but I kept going and I got the hand of it”.  

Tyler – “I have really liked starting our new topic. I liked talking about what I want to learn about in this topic”  

Jazmine – “I liked choosing a new name for our reading groups. I picked the bunnies.”  

Kaidi – “I liked making a PowerPoint in ICT. I am looking forward to showing it to the rest of the class on Monday”.  

 

Primary 4 

We started our new topic ‘The Body’. We explored lots of non-fiction topic books in our classroom library and shared what we already know. We then decided what we wanted to learn about this term. Here are some of the things that got us thinking! 

How does your heart work? – Alex 

What makes nails grow? – Emily-R 

How does the brain work? – Ben R 

How many bones are in the body? – Callum 

What’s a brain made of? – Kacie 

How do your lungs work? – Sam 

Why do you have red line in your eyes? – Kelvin 

How does your heart keep you alive? – Holly 

Why do eyes not dry up? – Freya 

I want to know more about my veins – Becky  

I want to know more about the bladder – Leo 

What’s the most important part of the human body? – Isla McF 

In maths we have started learning about time and in writing we shared all our exciting Easter holidays news. 

We are developing our volleyball skills in P.E. We were working on short and long throws with a partner. We were practicing moving to the ball at speed. It is important in volleyball to move your feet to get the ball so that other parts of the body can connect with it. When we were confident with this, we started throwing the ball instead of rolling it. 

Wider Achievement 
Kianna has moved up a level at swimming this week. 
Holly and Isla McF are taking part in a gymnastics competition in Musselburgh on Saturday. 
Saffron has been learning new songs at her piano lesson this week. 
Sam is taking part in a Judo competition at the weekend in Paisley. 
Leo is taking part in the Stewartry rugby festival on Sunday. 

Reminders 
You can track Miss Sarahs on the ‘London Marathon 2019’ app or the website by typing in her surname or race number, 23190. You also watch the race live on the BBC! 

 

Primary 4/5 

We have had a busy first week back after the Easter break.  

Lily – Our class received two TOP SECRET letters, with missions that we have been asked to complete. 

Coll – Our new topic is going to be based on the Titanic.  

Jesse-Leigh – We have discussed what we know already about the Titanic and what we would like to learn.  

Maxi – In PE we have started a block on athletics.  

Freya – We have practised our sprinting technique.  

Shea – This week in maths we have been learning about multiplication and division.  

Wider Achievement 
Freya – I learned how to do joined notes on the piano. 
Callum – At Cubs I learned how to pitch a tent.  
Maxi – At Cubs I learned how to use a hammer safely.  
Coll – I also learned how to use a hammer.  
Chloe – I learned how to do a front flip on a trampoline.  

Reminders 
Our times table challenges have started again this term. Please remember to practise.  

We are looking for any spare recycling/junk, scrap cardboard, yoghurt pots, old costume jewellery, fabric scraps, wood cut offs etc for a class project. Any donations would be very much appreciated.  

 

Primary 5 

We have had an enjoyable first week back after the holidays.

Emma “We made rose windows from Notre Dame Cathedral.” 
Anna “We found out how the Notre Dame cathedral came down.” 

Freya “We completed a survey in ICT.”

Georgia “We finished our Mary Queen of Scots topic” 

 

Lacey “We had a visit from Jamie from Nil By Mouth.” 
Skye “Jamie told us about sectarianism.” 

Isla “We did time in numeracy with Mrs. Starkey.” 

Wider Achievement 

Erin “I started rehearsals for the Railway Children at the theatre.” 
Niamh “I moved up a group in tennis.” 
Alper “I can punch 7 bags in 30 seconds in boxing.” 
Anna “Last Saturday me and Yvie did a swimming competition in Glasgow. I’m now in my second year of grade 2 ballet” 
Finlay “I reached tier 100 in fortnite. I got ruin” 
Douglas “I reached tier 97 in fortnite.” 
Yvie “With my riding I managed to start cantering again after a couple of weeks because Gypsy bucked me off and it knocked my confidence.” 
Josh “I completed a skin in fortnite.” 
Jack “I reached tier 89 on fortnite.” 
Lucy “I built a dirt house in minecraft.” 
Shannon “II built a house on minecraft and it took two weeks.” 
Emma “I did a front hand spring on my trampoline.”  
Eilidh “I’m working towards my grading in karate.” 

 

Primary 5/6

Please see our Twitter feed for our class news

 

Primary 6 

 

We welcomed our new teacher, Miss Rodger, to class this week. On Monday Miss Rodger will be Mrs Potts as she is getting married!

We have been setting up our own rewards points system for both the whole class and ourselves. On Friday we get to choose our rewards.

We have begun our new class topic which is about Europe.
Rosie would like to find out about the population of Europe.
The history of Europe interests Carlie.

We are working in pairs to research interesting information about European countries such as Finland, Poland, Latvia and Ireland.

 

Primary 6/7 

We have continued our WW2 topic this week and have focused on our 3rd Big Question about the roles adults played during the war.  

We are very excited to start reading the shiny new books on the reading scheme and have all chosen new Accelerated Reader books for the term. 

In maths this week the squares and rectangles have been multiplying 2 digit numbers using SAMSON methods. 

We played Tag Rugby with John on Tuesday afternoon. We will learn the skills of rugby over the next two weeks building into a rugby game in week 3. Pictures attached.  

Mya “ We have been learning to research the different roles people held during WW2” 

Aillie “ We have been using protractors to measure angles accurately” 

Melissa “ I chose The Toilet of Doom as my new Accelerated Reader book.” 

Wider Achievement 
Leland can now play Walk Me Home on his guitar and Brooke can play My Land on her chanter.  
Miriam has progressed to Grade 2 in her drum lessons.  
Kalim has joined the Scouts. 
Libby played her first cricket match with a hard ball…without injury! 

Reminders 
For the next fortnight we will have Rugby with John on Tuesday afternoons. A suitable P.E. kit should be brought on Monday, Tuesdays and Fridays please.  

 

Primary 7

We have had a busy first week back after the holidays.

We have continued with our India topic. Pupils have begun working in groups to research and prepare group presentations about an area of Indian life that they are interested in. Some of the areas the pupils have chosen include; Bollywood, Indian fashion, Indian food, Important people, Popular sports and Indian animals. We also looked at Rangoli patterns during art this week. Pupils made their own Rangoli patterns in chalk, paint and out of natural resources. They enjoyed working in pairs and groups.

In maths pupils have been focusing on decimals and have completed assessments testing their knowledge of our learning. We will now be moving on to percentages.

John Muir, the Stewartry Rugby Development Officer, came in on Tuesday to deliver the first of three rugby sessions. The children had lots of fun.

Mr Coulthard gave us a demonstration of how to row correctly to help us prepare for our Cycle and Row Fundraising event on Saturday. The children enjoyed working on their technique.

Pupils have been issued a homework task to prepare for a solo talk which they will deliver to their peers. More information is on the sheet.

Pupils and parents taking part in the Fundraising event should have a copy of the rota. Please send sponsorship forms and money in next week, after the event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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