Primary 5/4 have had a fantastic Health Week with lots of activities!

Monday – We welcomed Malky from Motherwell Football Club who took us through our paces with a fun warm up, dribbling and passing.  We learned that you should always pass the ball with the inside of your foot rather than your toes, because this gives you more control (JF) and power (ER).

Tuesday – Pat Kelly our athletics coach came in and took us outside for some relay racing (CG) and whole class races (GJ).  It was fun (KK).  My favourite bit was walking like penguins during our warm up! (AH)  Lyndsey from St. Andrew’s Hospice came in to talk to us about the work of the hospice and how to keep our bodies healthy.  She told us about how the hospice make people’s last weeks and months comfortable and they also make dreams come true.  Some  people have been married or baptised in the hospice (MS) and they have even brought Christmas forward for people who want to spend one more Christmas with their family (JF).  In the afternoon we did Taekwon Do with Mr Sherlock.  We learned how to kick with the ‘foot sword’ which is the outside edge of our foot from the pinky toe to the heel (MK).  We even broke a board with our foot (MG) by doing a jumping kick (MM).What a busy day! We were all exhausted by the end of it but it was great fun!

Wednesday – This was the day we had all been waiting for! The Mobile Adventure Course had been built in our gym hall and we were so excited to get started (LK).  I was a bit nervous because I thought we would have to climb over a big high wall, but it wasn’t as high as I thought it was, so I was able to achieve this (ER).  It had a big wall that you had to run and jump over, then a big cargo net where you had to climb up one side then turn round at the top and climb down the other side backwards (SM).  Then we had to cross a rope bridge and balance beam which was a real test of our balance (LB).  Next was the rope swing and we had to climb through a tyre (ZS) and finally we had to jump through lots of tyres on the floor (BH).  It was really fun but very tiring (DL).  I struggled to get over the wall but Paul helped me (SC).  My foot got stuck in the cargo net and Lee had to untangle me! (BD)  The first time I couldn’t get through the tyre, but I kept trying and eventually I did it! (KK) I thought I would need help to get over the wall, but I tried my hardest and I managed it by myself (AD).  As part our out Heartstart work, we learned what to do if  someone is choking.  We hope this never happens but if it does we will ask if they can cough and if they can’t we will give 5 back blows with the heel of our hand (LR) checking each time if the piece of food (or whatever is stuck) has come out (BI).  Then, if that doesn’t work, you start doing abdominal thrusts.  This is where you stand behind the casualty, make a fist with one hand and cover it with the other then place your hands just under their ribcage (MK).   You then pull sharply in and up (GJ) to push the air out if the lungs and hopefully fire the piece of food out through their mouth (JF).  You do this 5 times and between each one you check if the food has come out (CG).  If this hasn’t worked you go back to 5 back blows and you keep going until the food comes out (AB).  If the casualty loses consciousness, you would phone an ambulance (LR)

Thursday – P5s went swimming at the Sir Matt Busby leisure centre in Bellshill.  We practised diving and front crawl in the deep end (SM).  When it was my turn to dive in the big pool, I nearly fell in! (BI) We learned backstroke with a float (MS).  To finish we played water polo (MK).  We did team games in the gym with Mrs MacDonald and we got to choose our own games (BD).  In the afternoon we did street dance with Toni and we added and freestyle section to our routine.  P4s made a cartoon strip with a fruit character superhero (KK) and we did streetdance with Toni too.  We went to the dining hall and the lady from Bikeability told us that it is important to wear your helmet on your bike or scooter (AH).  We also got to design our own helmet.  Mine was half orange and half rainbow coloured (BH).

Friday – We learned T’ai Chi in the gym hall with Morag (CB).  We learned how to  breathe and relax and make our muscles stronger (ER).  I found it really relaxing (GJ). It was very quiet and calming (MS).  It was very soothing because the movements were smooth and slow (ZS).  Miss McLellan announced the winner of our whole school homework task and it was a fantastic lion made out of all sort of fruit and vegetables! Congratulations!