This term our topic has been India.  For the end of term we thought it would be fun to do a Shadow Theatre project.  Shadow puppetry is an ancient form of storytelling and entertainment using opaque figures in front of an illuminated backdrop to create the illusion of moving images.  It is still practised in countries like Indonesia, China, Thailand and India.

In Science – we discovered:-

• how shadows are made using sources of light and opaque materials and how to make shadows big and small using a source of light.

In Language – we wrote a short fable which is a simple story that teaches a life lesson.

In Technology – we used our problem solving skills to build a model which is our shadow theatre and create silhouettes of the characters in the fable.

And through Drama we presented the fable to an audience (P3s) while using expression, voice and movement.

It was great fun and the P3s wrote us lovely thank you cards and said how much they enjoyed our shows.

In February both P7 classes took part in a Tobacco Workshop run by the NHS.  In the morning, we learnt about what goes into a cigarette and why smoking is so bad for you.  We learnt lots of yucky facts and figures.   We then practised a play where everyone had a part.  It was great fun and then we performed it to the P5s while teaching them about the dangers of smoking.

As part of our topic on India, we invited one of our local Indian restaurants to visit us.  Praveen fromTabla Restaurant in Perth told us about all the different spices used in Indian cooking and brought in examples of spices which made up Garam Masala which means ‘mixed spice’.    The smell in the classroom was amazing because Praveen also brought in lots of warm pakoras for us to taste.  They were delicious!

On Wednesday 28 March, 20 P7s and 1 P6 from Newhill Primary School took part in the Perth and Kinross Council Primary Schools Cross Country event which took place at Perth Racecourse on a dry, fresh day.  There were hundreds of children attending and all our pupils did their very best and achieved great results.   Newhill is very proud of them all.