Fluoride Varnish (Monday)

Childsmile applied fluoride varnish to the bairns’ teeth which helps to provide protection against decay and reduces sensitivity.  There was lots of discussion about tastebuds.  The bairns noticed that their mouths were producing more saliva and wondered why.  We spoke about the flavour of the fluoride varnish and how the brain thinks that it’s food so it produces more saliva to help break down the food for digestion.  “It’s yellow.”

Buddies for Breaktime (Wednesday)

The bairns met up with their P6 buddies in nursery and headed out to the playpark.  There was plenty of chasing, exploring and group play.  “It was so much fun!”

Erupting Volcano (Thursday)

The bairns continued their STEM experiment and erupted their volcano using a chemical reaction between vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.  There was rich discussion about the types of molten rock – magma inside the volcano and lava after an eruption.  The bairns spoke about the eruption of Mount Etna in Italy last year and how volcanoes can be active, dormant or extinct.  They also learned that many people who live near Mount Etna had to be moved to a safe place.  Our volcano was on a slant and the bairns correctly identified that the lava would flow down the mountain which wasn’t safe.

The Batman (Thursday)

We were delighted to welcome Peter Gulliver, a bat expert, to share more information about bats in Shetland.  This followed on from Mrs Smith’s collaborative project through UHI Shetland.  The bairns listened to a presentation about bats and found out many facts.  Bats mostly eat insects and have sharp teeth.  There was also an opportunity for them to ask questions.  “Do they like to be hot or cold?”  “Do bats eat spiders?”

There are bats in Mid Yell, Nesting, Kergord and Quarff.  Mr Gulliver explained how he cares for poorly bats and how they are tracked with a numbered ring on their arm.  The bairns had a look at some of the equipment used to care for the bats.  Mr Gulliver measured their fingers with calipers and described how these are used to measure the length of a bat’s arm.  Mrs Smith showed them a large mealworm – a bat’s favourite snack!

Outdoor Play (Monday-Friday)

The bairns have been engaged for extended periods of outdoor play this week.  They have been creative with chalk and paint, travelled very fast down the slide, chased each other during role play, had a tea party, practiced using hula hoops and dug in the topped-up sand pit.  They share ideas and the play evolves over time.  There has been a lot of fishing boat construction using the large hollow blocks in the outdoor room.  This week, the bairns used the outdoor climbing wall as the side of a boat, saving people who had fallen into the ocean.

Breakfast Club (Friday)

The bairns were invited to breakfast club in the school hall.  They enjoyed a breakfast of toast, weetabix, banana and a pot of mixed fruit.  The bairns gathered at the end of the hall to sing happy birthday to our birthday boy turning five!  The food was provided by the Spar (Sandwick Bake Shop) and their mission was shared through three posters.