Category Archives: Curriculum News

Primary 7 Transition Event at Breasclete School

In order to aid transition from Primary to Secondary school Primary 7 pupils from Bernera, Breasclete and Uig schools are coming together with teaching, Support for Learning and Active Schools staff at planned special events over the next three months. It is hoped that pupils from the three schools will benefit from the opportunity to meet with the other Primary 7 pupils before transition to secondary.

On Monday 23rd February the P7s from the three schools met up at Breasclete School with Jenna Stewart from Active Schools for some Tchoukball practice and play ahead of the Tchoukball Festival at the Sports Centre the following day.  It was a very enjoyable session for all and our P7s expressed the wish that they had more time and that they could do it again.

P7s with Jenna
P7s with Jenna

Primary 6 – 7 Tchoukball Festival

Bernuig Tchoukball Team
Bernuig Tchoukball Team!

Bernera Primary 6 and 7 pupils joined forces with Uig P6s and 7s to make up team Bernuig, playing together in a Tchoukball Festival at the Sports Centre on Tuesady 24th February.

Tchoukball?  For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, Tchoukball is a fast, indoor, non-contact team game using a soft ball and a mixture of handball and volleyball skills.  Our P6s and 7s have really enjoyed the Tchoukball ‘taster’ sessions they’ve had with Active Schools Co-ordinator Jenna Stewart and Uig and Breasclete pupils in recent months and this was their first opportunity to take part in an organised event with teams from other schools.

Around 24 teams from various Lewis schools took part, and so great was the interest that the organisers  had to schedule a second morning of play on Tuesday 3rd March.  Our pupils all agreed that it was really good fun and they would love to do it again with MORE games!  As ever, their behaviour both on and off the floor, was impeccable and they were complimented by the organisers as displaying the best teamwork skills out of all the teams taking part.  Well done Bernuig!

 

Polytunnel Visits

At the polytunnels
At the polytunnels

The children have been visiting to local polytunnels this session, learning about growing vetetables and planting various things of their own.  There was a slight hiatus in proceedings, however, when the first polytunnel was destroyed in the January gale.  Undeterred, they have been back for a visit to the greenhouse and will be planting up some seeds in the school.

As a project it is valuable on many levels. Scientifically, the biological aspects of growth, chemical compositions and so forth; and of course from the health and wellbeing aspect it ties in to see food being produced.  As a part of learning in the community, working with members of the community and getting out and about fits in perfectly with the concepts of oudoor learning that is seen to be so valuable.  All in all, this is a very good example of true cross curricular learning.

Farm to Fork

On the 22nd January Bernera School went to Tesco’s!  A important part of Curriculum for Excellence is Health & Wellbeing, and the “Farm to Fork” project investigates where our food comes from, how it is proccessed, displayed and sold in the  supermarket and from there to our forks!  The children and staff travelled to Stornoway in Dodo’s minibus and arrived at Tesco to meet another “Big” Sarah, who showed us to the changing area and staffroom in order to hand out clipboards, talk about what we would see and most importantly, hand out very official looking tabards and paper hats to show we meant business!

First on the agenda was a look at the fruit and vegetable department, identifying various items, checking them on our boards; then on to the fish counter, identifying different fish and handling a herring (with gloves, thankfully).  Next, the bakery department, where after a thorough  handwashing and hat checking, we got to sugar doughnuts and ice some Danish pastries! We got some to take home too. After a visit to the warehouse, the freezers and the delivery van, we returned to the canteen for a super snack of all sorts of different fruits, including mango and pomegranate, french bread, Scotch eggs and juice.  Time to head home.  Thanks Tesco for an interesting, informative not to mention tasty, morning out!

Dancing in January 2015

Barry talk and Dance Project Feb 15 110After a busy winter term with a multitude of activities, staffing changes ands some very adverse weather; we are here in January 2015!  We have had a couple of closed days due to the weather, but all in all, we are now back “into the swing” of the new term and the new year.  The children have started the Dance Project mentioned in the School newsletter ” FIOS NA SGOILE” and seem to be enjoying it!  Julia Mcghee from An Lanntair, who is running the dance project, is taking the children in the Community Centre and working with them on movement on the theme of the sea.  They will be taking part in this for 5 weeks.