The children in Primary 3 have been studying the seashore zones and the creatures that are found there. They have also compared the seaside and what happens there and how it looks now to 100 years ago. They were excited to find lots of things that are the same but also the large number of differences.
The children participated in activities covering curricular areas of Science, Technology and Art related to our topic.
Designing and building seaside activitiesCameron is checking the swings
Boat buildersMaking jellyfishWatch out it doesn't sting you Emma!Fun in the sand Pointillism Starfish Research groupEnterprising homework3D lighthouses
Inspired by the Bell Rock lighthouse
Well done children and their helpers
The Primary 3’s went on trip to Culzean where they did rock pool and beach art activities.
Fun in the sunWhat have you found?After lunch siesta
Then a week later it was off to visit the RNLI at Troon who were super but unfortunately the weather was anything but as the rain came down and the 3s got very wet.
Ooops that's a bit big for you SarahRadio operator CaitlinAny more ???This is what we wear when we go to save someone.Hang on we will save you!
Thanks to funding secured by the school to support our Games Legacy for the future during the Olympic and Commonwealth games run up and events Primary 5 and Primary 5/6 pupils have already started their Judo P.E. sessions. These are being led by trainers from Cluarankwai Judo Club. The club are also encouraging the pupils to attend the after school class and we are thrilled to say the class is full and some of the pupils are keen to join the trainers at the clubs own training sessions in the future.
Keep moving - looking good Callum.
Jodi and Rachel seem to be getting the hang of it.That's how to do it!
Primary 1 have been learning all about the Garden Centre. To bring our learning to life we visited Nurseries Direct Garden Centre at Stair. This provided us with a valuable opportunity to see the features of the garden centre and the role of the staff members.
We learned about plug plants
Robert took us around the greenhouses and told us all about the plants and flowers. He even took us to see the ‘dinosaur plant’. It was also known as a ‘monkey puzzle tree’ but he calls it a dinosaur plant because they have been around for many years. We liked to see it but not touch it becuase it was very spiky.
We were glad it wasn't a real dinosaur lurking in the Garden Centre. It was a Monkey Puzzle tree instead. Phew!Robert taught us about the different types of compost.We were impressed by all the different types of seeds.
Margo took us around the inside of the Garden Centre. We learned that the Garden Centre does not just sell flowers and plants. She showed us garden tools, pet supplies, bird feeders, gifts, books, toys, ornaments and much much more. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we saw all the packets of seeds. There were thousands. We learned that some plants can only be planted during certain months and that some need to be planted in different areas of your garden. We bought sunflower seeds to grow back in school.
We liked the farmyard garden ornaments.We had to be careful near the garden tools as they were all very sharp. Margo told us how some of the tools are used.
After our tour of the Garden Centre we headed to the coffee shop for our snack. We enjoyed milk and shortbread. Many of the children thought this was the highlight of the trip!!
Bailey, Demilea, Callum and Carmen gave Miss Davers the thumbs up as they enjoy their milk and shortbread in the coffee shop. Delicious!Haili, Rebecca, Emily and Ami are having a great time in the coffee shop.We bought plants to take back to school. Haili and Rebecca enjoyed carrying the basket together with our lettuce plants.
We had an excellent time at the Garden Centre. Thanks to all at Nurseries Direct! Keep an eye on our blog to see how we become “green fingered!”
Primary 4 have been experimenting with electrical circuits. This week we had fun lighting up a clown’s nose and making a propeller spin using a small motor.
The Primary 2 pupils are currently studying ” The Circus.” They have been talking about all the different circus animals, people and equipment that is used. They enjoyed hearing the story about “Dumbo the Flying Elephant.” If anyone has anything that relates to the circus can they please bring it into school. Enterprising homework will follow soon!
Primary Two’s Big Top
Which people, animals and equipment is used at the circus?
Our Primary 1 classes recently went on a trip to Robert Burns Birthplace Museum. When we arrived at the museum we participated in a tim’rous beasties workshop. This was ideal for building movement and language skills through imagination and performance and helped us work towards the following Curriculum for Excellence outcome:
LIT 0-07a
To help me understand stories and other texts, I ask questions and link what I am learning with what I already know.
Children explored the museum dressed up as Burns’ wee tim’rous beasties. They particularly enjoyed a game where they were to hide in a field and protect their homes from a hoolet (owl) that would chase them.
We enjoyed various role play activities with Hannah. Look at our cute wee fluffy ears and tails!
After our lunch break we were joined by Alison, a volunteer for the National Trust for Scotland. She took us on a guided tour of other Robert Burns Museum destinations. We visited Burns Monument, Brig O’Doon, Alloway Auld Kirk and finally Burns Cottage. We enjoyed finding out about Robert Burns’ past and looking at artefacts.
SOC 0-01a
I am aware that different types of evidence can help me to find out about the past.
We had to look for objects in the monument with links to the number 3
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On our walk we found a large statue of 'To a Mouse'We compared Burns Cottage with our own homes. Everyone liked the thatched roof.
The Junior Road Safety Officers work hard to promote Health Well Being in the school and community with a variety of schemes to tackle road and traffic safety issues.
New Recruits!!Doesn't ***look good!Looking good!
Our Wall Display
Our Junior Road Safety Officers continued on with their duties to improve school safety and travel. They also updated their display wall and submitted it into a competition being run by Travel and Roads safety Management. The updated wall encourages alternative travel methods to school and we hope to develop the next level of skills training in the Nursery with Scooter Skills. This wall earned them a runners up prize across East Ayrshire.
Sustran – Scotland’s Big Newsletter Story Competition
The J.R.S.O.s visited one of our Nursery feeder schools along with ‘Kirky’ our transition monkey to find out from the pupils of Riccarton if scooter to school would be of any interest to them. They surveyed 27 pupils and 19 scootered to nursery and would scooter to school, if allowed. However worryingly – more than half of them thought that pedestrians should move out the way to allow them to scoot on the pavements. I think the J.R.S.O.s have their work cut out for them.
Kilmarnock Academy pupils helped design and make a scooter rack which will be located beside the bike shed to allow storage and also we hope to encourage this as a playtime activity.
One of East Ayrshire’s Road Safety Team entered Kirkstyle into a competition to promote an ‘Active School Travel’ story for a Newsletter competition. The reason from submitting the article was because the school had an ongoing parking congestion and wished to promote sustainable active travel to try and offer alternative ways to get to school. The school developed a scooter skills programme using the expertise and skills of the J.R.S.O.s and used scooters purchased from Parent Council fundraising. The officers delivered the programme using Sustran’s scooter skills lessons; the pre training before cycling proficencey and also one part of the Ready, Steady Bike initiatives.
SCOOTER SKILLS WORKSHOPS
Kirkstyle Primary School in Kilmarnock organised and delivered basic scooter skills activity workshops at Primary 1 /Nursery induction days in June. The Parent Council raised funds to purchase scooters to promote scooting to school as one solution to help reduce the ongoing parking congestion at the school.
A member of staff and the two J.R.S.O.s in the school led the workshops. Small groups of nursery children, some of whom had never been on a scooter before, eagerly took on the challenge. None of the 25 children refused to take part and all the children received a certificate.
Great Driving.
The workshops consisted of short discussions and hands on activities so that the children developed an understanding of the need to ride safely and not cause a nuisance to others while scooting. We hope it might be a winner and get some goodies as prizes range from puncture repair kits and Frisbees to bike lights and slap bands.
The Big Pedal – March 2012
The pupils have registered for the BIG PEDAL from the 5th – 23rd March 2012 the school will participate in this event. In March 2011, over 800 schools helped to pedal 600, 00 school journeys by bike in just 15 days. In 2012 we want Kirkstyle to be one of those schools. But will you be one of the riders? Can you help us top one million bike trips? Once again, every trip to school by bike will count towards a “virtual “stage race round the U.K. We’ll keep you posted on how you can take part nearer the time.
All of the pupils in Primaries 1 to 3 actively participated in this year’s performance of Little Angel gets her wings! The story came to life with the help of our budding actors and actresses and some superb solo singers accompanied by the choirs.
The Little Angel
The angel begins her journey without her wings and can’t get to Bethlehem in enough time for the birth of the baby Jesus. However along the way the angel stops to help others, her acts of kindness towards the donkey, the lamb and the dove earn her the most amazing set of wings you’ve ever seen.
Mary and JosephThe Wise MenThe CamelThe Shepherds and the SheepThe DonkeyThe NarratorsMary, Joseph, The Camel, The Donkey and The Dove
The Angels
Our thanks went to the parents for their support with the performances because; the costumes were purchased with the proceeds from the Rag Bag recycling clothes collections and the microphones from last year’s ticket sales. A special thanks went to all the staff who worked hard practising songs, adding movements and actions to the story and creating the scenery. But the biggest thanks had to go to the pupils who gave three outstanding performances for large audiences.
Primary 5 and 5/6 were researching the Vikings last term. They painted a Viking scene for the classroom walls, built a Viking Longship, visited Vikingar at Largs, presented in words and music Viking Life and that’s only a small part of their experiences.
The Walls
6 meters of Viking scene had to be painted on the floor - Wow!
Viking Longships
As enterprising homework the children were given 5 weeks to design and build – with adult help- a Viking Longship. The results were staggeringly good, as I’m sure those of you who were in school for parent’s evening will agree.
These pictures are just a small sample:
Vikingar the experience
If you are interested in Vikings then a trip to Vikingar in Largs is a must. The children split into 2 groups and while one was visiting the Longhouse and Halls of Valhalla the rest were meeting a Viking and dressing up as the poor and rich of the time.
Thora who took us through the LonghouseTake care that sword might be sharp!!
New Viking Warriors
They wore animal furs to keep warm.
Walls were decorated with carvings of the GodsAll dressed up!Gorgeous!Is that shield not a bit too big!!!!Our Viking teller of SagasViking artifactsP5 &P5/6 in front of the Needle
On the way home while dodging the torrential downpours we stopped off to look at the Needle. This monument marks the site of the Viking Battle of Larg which took place in 1263.
The Eco Warriors & Eco Committee met with Miss. Davers during Assembly time and have undertaken some auditing tasks to get us switching off and not wasting energy on standby. They have visited classes and corridors; adding stickers and signs to remind everyone to switch off – perhaps you could try this at home!
Rag Bag
We are pleased to announce that the monies raised by this committee through the Rag Bag recycling has been sufficient to pay for the Nativity costumes last year and in addition purchase the Pantomime costumes for this year’s upper school performance. Both sets of these costumes will be used year in year out, depending on performances so well done to the pupils involved and thanks for your old clothes donations, keep them coming.
