Category Archives: Class Learning

Class Learning, Local Community, Partnership Working, successful learners

Sparling Fish in School!

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The School Eco Group and Primary 5 have enjoyed some really interesting learning experiences when they had a visit from Courtney Rowland of the Galloway Fisheries Trust. The children were learning about Sparling Fish, a very rare species which only exists in three Scottish rivers nowadays despite being in fifteen in years gone by. The children learned about the number of eggs spawned, the migration of the fish upstream from estuaries and the fact that they smell like cucumber! We also learned about the problems they face: pollution, over fishing and migration barriers. We are very grateful to Courtney who not only prepared a really interested presentation but who also came equipped with a wonderful array of resources from worksheets to activities to board games, all connected to Sparling Fish. There are no excuses now for not remembering all the key facts. Thank you Miss Rowland!

Class Learning

Burns Competition

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Primary 7 pupils show cased their performance skills today at the finals of our Burns Poetry competition. 12 finalists were identified by Miss Clendinning and Mrs Graham. Judges Mrs and Mrs Cathro joined us for the difficult task of selecting the winners. Winners in the art competition were also picked today. Well done to all P7s for learning extracts from Tam O’Shanter and as always a fantastic effort with the entries in the art competition.

Poetry Results 

1st Katie

2nd Joy

3rd Ruari

Art Results

1st Willow

2nd Kerri

3rd Miaya

 

 

 

 

 

Class Learning, Partnership Working

Sharing Learning

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This week Primary 7 pupils visited Primary 1 and Primary 1/2  to share their learning. As part of their language and literacy work, P7 have been working on writing in Scots. They rewrote the Gruffalo in Scots and illustrated their own books. The classes then shared their work with P1 and P1/2 . Everyone had a wonderful afternoon sharing and learning together.

Class Learning, effective contributors, Local Community, successful learners

P1/2 Burns Supper

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P1/2 have been very busy this term – they have been learning all about Scottish food and traditions.  They would like to say thank you to Miss Kirkpatrick and P3/4 for coming to show us some Highland Dancing. They all loved it and were learning lots of new moves which were Pas de Bas and the Highland Fling.   They have also been baking this term as they baked their own shortbread which was great fun!  On Tuesday they held  a Burns Supper in the classroom which they planned in groups.  They are very grateful to our Piper Shannon who gave us some of her lunchtime for piping in our Haggis and for Mrs Houston for letting us use the Home Economics kitchen to cook our haggis, neeps and tatties.

On the day itself, several of the pupils took part in saying the Selkirk Grace and the first verse of Address to the Haggis. Another child read out some facts about Burns to fufill the part of the Immortal Memory. The Toast to The Lassies and the Reply parts comprised of some jokes which the children had selected to perform in front of the class. To conclude the afternoon the children sang a verse of Auld Lang Syne and dance the Highland Fling.  The children loved being able to try the haggis, neeps and tatties as this was a first for many.  We would like to say a huge THANK YOU to Tesco in Castle Douglas for donating  the haggis, neeps and tatties, it is much appreciated.  The children’s favourite part of the afternoon was eating their homemade shortbread – it was very yummy!

 

 

Class Learning, confident individuals, performing, Whole School

Scots Poetry and Head Teacher Award Winners

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Today in assembly, not only did we have more deserving  Head Teacher’s Award Winners but we also celebrated the success of our Scots poetry finalists. In Primary 1-2, the runners up were Sophie Pennell, Evie McGougan, Cameron Hitchell, Aiden Edgar, Lucas Tattersfield, Katie Dickie, Jessica Boynton and Lucy Johnstone. The winners were Reuben Benson, Lucy Smith and Rory McCormick.In Primary 3-7, the runners up were Anaya Nerestan, Ailsa Ferguson, Fern Lundy, Elsie Gibbs-Brown, Daisy-May Gilmour, Ava Drummond,  Jasmine Wixon,  Liam Bourhill, Laith Atkinson Deacon, Fabio Murray-Sanchez, Thomas Jardine and Fraser Campbell. The winners were Lucy Bell, Sam Donnelly, Chloe Campbell, Jack Johnstone, Grace Hurley and Olive Lyons. The recent success at curling for Logan Carson was also highlighted. The Rev Fiona Wilson was also present.

Class Learning

P5 Lego Robotics

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Primary 5 had a fantastic morning during our ‘Lego Robotics’ Computer Xplorers workshop with Mr McGill. Pupils worked collaboratively to build lego models and then applied their programming/coding skills to animate these.  Mrs Dyson was very proud of the teamwork skills demonstrated and the amazing robots created. Pupils have been using Scratch and Code.org in class to develop their skills and this has been an excellent opportunity for them to apply their learning in a new context. We would like to thank Mr McGill once again for returning to Dalbeattie and enthusing pupils in STEM activities. A most memorable day!

Please read our pupil comments below the photographs.

“Today I learned how to make Lego robots and how to use motors, sensors and how to use a Lego program to control our robots.” Olive

“I would recommend this workshop because it’s fun and you do a lot of cool stuff. You make your own robots and use a computer to tell your robot what to do.”  Abi

“It was hilarious when Alpha One dabbed. I think he is a better dancer than me plus he can do push-ups with one hand, he’s so strong.”  Farrel

“My favourite model to make was the kicking legs because I put the forever control on it and it went so fast that it was jumping and wriggling everywhere on the table.”  Kourtney

“Mr McGill was funny and was precise too.”   Cairn

“My favourite Lego model was the Dancing Birds because they spun around and we made them speak.”   Jack

“Aoife and I built a lion – it could sit down, stand up, sense its bone and then sit back down.”  Milly

“I learned that things are easy with instructions but when I built freestyle with my partner, it was much harder.”  Hollie

“I enjoyed making the spinner because Jamie-Leigh and I had a challenge of who could spin for the longest time.”  Cadence

“I learned what STEM stands for – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.” Aoife

“It was amazing when the Lego robots started to spin and make noises. My favourite model was the aeroplane because when you pointed it down, the propeller started but when the aeroplane pointed up, the propeller stopped.”  Noah

“It was really funny when Rio and I were building the Roaring Lion because when it was built, we pressed the play button and it raised its arms . . . boof, it hit its own head off!”  Harry

“My favourite Lego model was the Hungry Crocodile because it was so cool.” Jamie

“It was funny when the boot flew off our kicking legs and when the boat fell off the stand and flew across the table.”  Finn

“Before the Lego Robotics workshop I felt excited yet worried that I was going to mess up the program.”  Rio

“I learned how the motor worked and how to use code in the program.”  Rhys

“It was very funny when Alpha One did the dab in front of everyone.”  Stuart

“I enjoyed making the Hungry Crocodile.”  Callum

“I enjoyed making the Lego boat with Stuart. It was awesome.”  Logan

“I would recommend this workshop because it’s funny, smart and literally the BEST!”   Owen

“Before the Lego Robotics workshop I felt calm but when the day started, I was getting excited.”  Zach

“My favourite model was the Hungry Crocodile. The cool part was when you put your hand near the sensor and the mouth closed. Snap!”  Kalib

“I enjoyed working with Sam to make the lion and the kicking legs.”  Josh

“It was funny when I lifted the lions legs and its head came off.”  Irvin

“I learned to code with Lego robots. The workshop is just amazing.” Fabio

“I really enjoyed making the Roaring Lion and recording my voice.” Amie

Class Learning

P5/6 Sword photos

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Primary 5/6 are currently learning about the Scottish Wars of Independence. Nathan brought in a sword which is a replica of the type William Wallace would have used. The children were very excited to hold the sword and enjoyed measuring it against themselves to see if they were shorter or taller than it!

Thanks to Nathan and his dad for bringing the sword in!

Class Learning, Partnership Working, responsible citizens, successful learners

Head Teacher’s Award Winners

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Today, we had another deserving group of award winners who received their certificates and prizes. Also in the picture are some pupils who have gained their ‘Striders’ badges for showing dedication to walking within the school grounds. Not in the picture, however (photo to follow) are the Primary 4 class who were presented with the December award for WOW Tracker.