Category Archives: Primary 2

Primary 2, Primary 3

P2/3 Term 1 Update

Hello and welcome to P2/3’s first blog post for the 23/24 school year.

The children have settled in to their new class (for some!) and their new routines fantastically.

Maths & Numeracy

This term we started by looking at Number Processes and Place Value. The children learned to count on and back from any number, read and write numbers in both numerals and words and also to order 1-digit and 2-digit numbers.

Displaying IMG_6528.jpeg

Displaying IMG_9590.jpeg

Displaying IMG_9637.jpeg

Over the last few weeks of term, we have also been learning about Money. The children are encouraged to use their weekly budget of 25p to pay for art and craft items during Independent Learning so it was important to make sure they all have a good understanding of coin recognition and value, how to make amounts and how to calculate change.

Displaying IMG_9789.jpeg

Displaying IMG_9776.jpeg

 

Literacy

Reading

We have been reading everyday during this term – in our reading groups, for Higher Order Reading and our class novel – The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton.

To help us better understand the text, we have been learning to predict what may happen next, to ask each other questions about the text and also to visualise ourselves as a character in the text and think about what we can see, hear, smell, taste and feel.Displaying IMG_9794.jpeg

Listening and Talking

Along with other schools in Forres, we undertook a specific listening and talking session to help us better understand how we can assess and ensure we are meeting the needs of the children in this area.

P2/3 really enjoyed the task – where they had to give and listen to instructions in order to build the same model as their partner!

Displaying IMG_9670.jpeg

Writing

This term, we have using Wraparound Phonics and Wraparound Spelling strategies to help us understand letter patterns and their sounds.

In Talk for Writing, we have been learning the story of the Baby Mouse. We have learned how to write a good opening sentence and co-constructed the toolkit we should use for writing a journey story.

Health & Wellbeing

We started the term by talking about our feelings. We used the Colour Monster to discuss the feelings in colours which links to the Zones of Regulation. The children enjoy playing with the monster toys and are confident in using them to help talk about what makes them feel happy, sad, calm and angry.

In PE we have been focusing on learning the skills to move with control. So far we have practised the skills of balancing, dodging, falling and galloping.

Our Play Journey

In P2/3, we have at least one session per day of Independent Learning – play. The children have access to all the resources in the classroom, from construction toys like Lego, K’Nex and wooden blocks to art and craft materials, maths resources and loose parts. There is no pre-determined learning intention during this time, instead, we observe the children as they play so we can focus on the skills they are developing such as teamwork, problem solving, communication, collaboration and imagination.

Displaying IMG_9517.jpeg

Displaying IMG_6516.jpeg

Displaying IMG_9641.jpeg

Displaying IMG_9773.jpeg

Thank you for reading our blog post – to see many more photos and find out more about our learning each week, please check our Google Classroom.

Mrs Franklin 😊

Primary 2, Primary 3

P2/3 Term 3 Update

P2/3 have had a great start to 2023! We have been busy learning both in class and outside in Adventure Island – although we are hoping that we’ve seen the last of the snow in Adventure Island for this year!

Maths & Numeracy

We started Term 3 by looking at and making continuing patterns. The children could recognise patterns made with objects and shapes and applied this knowledge to number patterns too.

Our pizza shop in the role play area helped us to learn more about fractions and we have explored how to find a half, a quarter and a third.

Learning about fractions really helped as we moved on to ‘time’. Understanding what a half and quarter is made reading the time on a 12-hour clock a little easier. The children have learned about the minute and hour hands and are confident in reading o’clock and half past times. We have also looked at quarter past and too, and even telling the time to 5 minutes.

Learning about clockwise and anticlockwise has led us in to our position and direction block of learning and it has been fun to follow and give directions to our friends using mathematical vocabulary. We are now having fun programming the BeeBots to follow our route!

Literacy

P2/3 continue to read everyday – in groups and as a whole class. The children really enjoy stories and this term we have chosen to read a chapter book to end each day. Mr Fox by Roald Dahl has been a big hit!

The children have continued to learn through ‘Talk for Writing’ and this term have concentrated on journey stories. By following the original story structure, the children have become confident in changing the main characters and settings through the innovation stage. They have been learning to use time connectives and sentence openers to make their writing more exciting.

Health & Wellbeing

Our main focus in PE has been to improve our fitness and exercise techiniques through circuit training. All the children increased their number of repetitions over the term, but the best progress has been made in  their technique – we have some fanatastic demonstrators of squats, sit-ups and even burpees!

Other Curricular Areas

The first half of the term we focused on all things ‘Scotland’. The children learned about the Scots language through stories, poetry and songs. They also found out about the Scottish Colourist Painter, Samual Peploe and created paintings in his style.

Over the second part of the term, we have learned about the weather and the water cycle. Miss Ritchie has joined our class again and has delivered some exciting science lessons!

Sharon from the Royal Voluntary Society has also visited for the final time this year and this time taught us all about different types of bees and how they help us. We planted sunflowers to encourage the bees to visit, along with courgettes and peas.

Primary 2, Primary 3

P2/3 Termly Update

As we head towards the end of another school term and school year, it’s great to look back at all the learning that has taken place.

In P2/3, we have enjoyed getting outside each week to the outdoor classroom – our very own Adventure Island. The children have amazing imaginations and are becoming skilled at designing, building and working as a team. It was fantastic to share our Adventure Island with parents and we really hope you had as much fun as we do!

Over the past two terms we have covered a range of topics in Maths & Numeracy including: Measurement – length, mass and capacity; Multiplication and Division – focusing on the 2, 5 and 10 times tables and Fractions. We will be learning about time between now and the end of term.

Although we have still been covering reading and spelling each week, our new literacy focus has been to use the Talk for Writing approach.  The children have learned the words and actions for two stories – Rosie’s Walk and Charlie. They have had opportunities to ‘play’ out the stories before drawing their own story maps and changing parts to make a new story of their own.

Through IDL we have learned about Scotland, Global Goals, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds and are now concentrating on planning Pilmuir’s 40th Birthday Party!

Everyday we continue to learn through play. It is great to see the children’s creative, problem solving, collaborative and thinking skills in action. If you would like to see more of our learning journey over the past two terms, please click on the links below to access our class SWAY. There are so many photo’s – we have had to make 3!

Go to this Sway
Go to this Sway
Go to this Sway

This term, instead of a whole class learning journey, we have trialled ‘Focus Children’ for a more personal report. The link to your child’s very own learning journey SWAY can be found in the Google Classroom.

Health and Wellbeing, P1/2 2021, Primary 1, Primary 2

Primary 1/2 – term 3

We used the Outdoor Classroom regularly this term and it’s very popular with the children.  They made good use of the materials that are there – wooden pallets, tyres and pipes.  We also take some of our own resources like art materials and some PE equipment.

working together to build an obstacle course
working together to build a pirate ship
making secret codes before they hide them
trying out an obstacle course
following the leader to the end of the trail

We have seen children growing in confidence as they participate in the trails, assessing risks whilst jumping or moving from one  obstacle to another.

Here is a Sway of other photos taken at the Outdoor Classroom.  You’ll need your child’s glow details to view it.

Go to this Sway

Pilmuir Primary have recently acquired 3 sizes of wooden blocks to add to our range of toys.  There are big blocks, medium sized blocks and small blocks.  The children enjoy playing with them, on their own or in small groups.

The girls made a city.
I wonder what the ramps are for.
The finished model.
The small blocks are all the same shape and are good for making pictures.
These are the tallest towers, ever! They did not collapse – well done girls.
This is Minecraft Mike.

 

Here are some more photos in our Block Play Sway.

Go to this Sway
P2/3 2021, Primary 2, Primary 3

P2/3 Termly Update – December 2021

It has been a very busy term so far and the children have been concentrating on learning the songs, lines and actions for our Nativity – ‘Hey Ewe’. We now have two versions of the Nativity for you to watch using the links that have been sent out.

I think you will agree they have done an amazing job!

In Mathematics and Numeracy, the children have been learning all about 2D shapes and 3D objects and have applied their learning when designing and building models.  Money has been introduced during independent learning with the children each being given a budget of 10p per day to spend on art and craft materials or renting ICT equipment. This has led to lots of discussions about making amounts, receiving change, saving and collaborating with others to make their money go further. The children still find very imaginative ways to include mathematics into their independent learning as you can see….

We are still reading every morning in our groups and learning new sounds and spelling patterns through Wraparound Spelling and Phonics. Mrs Kinlin’s phonics group even showed off their learning by demonstrating how they stretch the sounds during our class assembly.

Adventure Island remains the highlight of the week, even with the weather turning colder. We have recently purchased new equipment for the children to use, including tarpaulins, ropes and bungee cords. To celebrate the end of the year, we warmed up with a hot chocolate!

Looking forward to next year – we will be learning about Scotland, Robbie Burns and traditional foods and drink, before starting a new IDL concentrating on being eco friendly and the Global Goals for Sustainability. In mathematics we will learn about multiplication, division and fractions.

Writing will be the focus of our literacy learning next term as we begin to use the ‘Talk for Writing’ approach.

Please have a look through our class sway to see all the photos of our learning this term.

Go to this Sway
Go to this Sway

We wish you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

P1/2 2021, Primary 1, Primary 2, Uncategorized

P1/2 Play Blog – Term 2

Image

We have been focussing more on skills that the children are developing through play, ones which are at the heart  of The Moray Skills Pathway, for children aged 3-18: Our first sway is based on the self-management skills our children have been displaying during play activities.

Remember, you will need your child’s glow login details to view it.

Go to this Sway
T and R teamed up to design a Christmas Tree out of Sticklebricks.
J was very proud of the obstacle course that he had made and coached the boys as they tried it for the first time.
G had used this game, of decorating the tree, a couple of times. On this occasion she was particularly pleased with the effect of  grouping the same type of decorations together. I thought it was very creative. Others thought the same, and copied her idea.

 

E got the balances out and put some dinosaurs into one bucket. She added a small animal to the other side and nothing happened. When it was explained how the balances worked she quickly grasped the idea. She was determined to find objects herself, to balance out the weight of the first bucket.`

The children certainly have had plenty of experience in developing Teamwork Skills, during their free choice of play activities.  They enjoy mixing together and there have been lots of occasions when we have seen groups and, sometimes, unlikely partnerships, really flourishing.  Shared interests have encouraged friendships and tolerance.  The children like helping each other, being together and having fun.  What a lovely group they are to be with.

Here is the second sway, featuring some of the Teamwork spirit we have seen.

Go to this Sway
G and G created an obstacle course together. A lot of the other children enjoyed completing the course.
AJ, J and J built the ramp with A. They had tried different designs during other play sessions and this was their new one, where they tried to run the cars off the bottom of the slope and into a box. It proved one of their favourite ramps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A and C have caught the reading bug and talked about creating a game with the word cards. First, they read the cards together. This picture shows A telling C how that card should be sounded out.

 

 

Health and Wellbeing, Latest News, Primary 1, Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Primary 5, Primary 6, Primary 7

Get Into Summer

Get into Summer is a Scottish Government supported initiative to help children, young people and families have fun, socialise with their peers and reconnect with their communities throughout the holiday period

There are lots of activities on offer from council services, local clubs and communiy groups. Click here to be taken to the activities list.

The Active Schools, Sports and Physical Activity Opportunities programme for Moray can be accessed by clicking here.  This programme is in addition to the activities shown below.

Keep checking back for further details as we’re working with our partners to bring you even more fun activities.

Active Schools, Health and Wellbeing, Primary 1, Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Primary 5, Primary 6, Primary 7, Uncategorized

Active Schools Cross Country Series

Active Schools Virtual Family Cross Country Series March & April 2021

 It is usually around this time of year that children from across Moray are taking part in our Cross Country Competition. With the current lockdown we can’t bring this event to you, but we are keen to continue to encourage and support children, young people and their families to be more active, more often.  With this in mind we are launching our Family Cross Country Series taking place in March & April 2021.  This is FREE and is a series of 4 virtual fun runs that can be done in and around your local area, in your own time and the best thing is – you choose your own route and select the distance from those provided that you wish to complete. Suggested 800m P1-3, 1600m (1 mile) P4-7, 1600m (1 mile) or 3200m (2 mile) S1-6.

This series will commence on the 8th of March with runners completing two qualifying runs before 1st April and 2 qualifying runs before 1st May (a total of 4 runs).  As per the attached poster there are recommended minimum distances for the P1-3 and P4-7 age group (but participants can select either of the distances if they are perhaps new to running, returning to running or indeed want more of a challenge!)  Every pupil that completes a run will receive an email participation certificate with those who manage all 4 runs receiving a series completion certificate. We will also showcase the participation figures per Primary School, Secondary School and School Cluster and then award schools with the highest percentage of pupils taking part as our ‘Active Moray Virtual Cross Country Series Champions’.

Those families or individuals wishing to take part can complete registration via this link on our website:- http://sportinmoray.co.uk/mcsh/online-activity/

Runs will be verified by sending your Active Schools team a photograph you taking part or your route. Once you have registered you will receive a confirmation email with more details of this.

There is no deadline for signing up, and entry forms will be accepted at any point throughout the Series.

Throughout the series some top ‘running tips’ will be sent out in conjunction with our own local runner and athlete Kenny Wilson to help you along the way and encourage regular physical activity in the outdoors throughout the series. We really hope you enjoy the series and please do send us photos and stories of you and your families taking part and we will share this on our Facebook page.

We are hoping to run another series for May and June taking us to the end of the school academic year.

Thanks

Rosalyn & Craig