First STEM visit of 2018

This morning Emma Chittick came to teach us more about technology and how it is changing the way we live and work. The whole class very much enjoyed programming robots to pick up a package and take it to a box in the middle of the classroom and then come back. It was like the robot was a Amazon worker. We had to program it to pick a package off the shelf and take it to a delivery van and go back to the shelf to get another. But there were a few extra challenges we had to include in our programs. We had to add fun sounds in different places  so you could tell what the robot was doing e.g. reversing. One of the robots dropped off their package and made a beeping sound as if to tell other workers they had dropped off a package. And another robot made a cheerful sound when it got back to the shelf. Another robot made a sound to signify that they had started their program.

Towards the end of the session,  we demonstrated our programs to the whole class, two pairs at a time. We also started off all of the robots at the same time to see whose robot would get the package to the middle of the classroom and make it out alive! One robot made in and out all three times without crashing or missing the van! It was really fun and we can’t wait until the next session!

By Lauryn and Molly

 

 

WW II Veteran Visits Primary 6/7

 

Geordie and his grandson Michael with their appreciative audience.

Primary 6/7  spent a fascinating afternoon in the company of WW II veteran Geordie Mainland as he recounted many of his wartime experiences, including the vital role he played in helping to survey the Normandy beaches in the lead up to the D-Day Landings on 6th June 1944.

Geordie was accompanied by his grandson Michael who gave a presentation of photographs taken during their recent visit to Normandy. It was the first time Geordie had returned to Normandy since the conflict and it had been a moving experience for them both as they visited the beaches, monuments, museums and war cemeteries- all reminders of the true cost of War.

As we have been studying WWII the children were thrilled to have the opportunity to hear a first-hand account of preparations in the lead-up to  D-Day and what it was really like to be part of it.

Eve, Ally, Bertie and Cerys all said how enjoyable and interesting the visit had been.

Carys thought it was really fascinating and moving that he had actually been involved in the Normandy Landings.

We would like to say a huge thank you to both Geordie and Michael for taking the time to share their fascinating memories, knowledge and experiences with us.

Jacob and Fearghas drew an excellent detailed drawing of the D-Day Landings to present to Geordie in thanks for his visit.

1 Star (2 votes, average: 1.00 out of 1)
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Primary 6 Play Leader Assessment

Today Primary 6 pupils have been at play leader training where they put their new skills to the test. They have been working with Primary 2/3 to help them play a lot of new games .

Emmy, Christie, Ruby, Ryan, Lilly-Jane, Ronan, Holly, Jake, Jessica, Shane, Tia and Archie have really enjoyed working with the class to develop their skills in playleader training.

Tia- I really enjoyed playing with the little ones and had fun learning the games we played.

Ruby- Itwas fun but some of them didn’t listen well and I enjoyed learning the games.

Archie- It was fun but they were very energetic.

Emmy- I enjoyed it but sometimes it could get a bit over the top.

Lilly Jane-It was good working with the little ones.

Jake- it was so much fun and I enjoyed it a lot.

Posted by Ayla and Molly

1 Star (2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 1)
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Below the Hill during WWII

On Thursday 27th September, Neil Cruickshank came to talk to P6/7 about the development of Sumburgh Airport and the surrounding area during WWII. It was an excellent presentation by Neil, full of interesting and surprising information, supported by a fascinating collection of wartime photographs. The children were surprised to learn that Sumburgh Airport began life as Sumburgh Links and that the first planes landed straight onto the grass.

We learnt that Shetland was of great strategic importance during WWII and that in November 1939 3 Gloster Gladiator fighters (Faith, Hope and Charity) were sent to Sumburgh to defend Shetland and the Fair Isle Channel. Sumburgh became a R.A.F. station and work began on building tarmac runways. There were many interesting visitors to the aerodrome including Beaufort fighters, Spitfires and  a De Havilland Mosquito which landed here on its way back from a raid on the Gestapo Headquarters in Oslo.

Neil told us many sad accounts of wartime crashes in and around Shetland including three Canadians who lost their lives when their damaged Bristol Blenheim reconnaissance plane crashed-landed at Grunay in the Out Skerries (20th March 1944).

After morning break we all set off by bus, accompanied by Mrs Leslie, to see some of the wartime remains still visible today on and around Scholland.

We saw remains of the huge line of ‘tank traps’ which were part of the first line of defence.

Above right is all that remains of an anti-aircraft gun post.

The Virkie school (above left) was used a a hospital during the war and local children had to use the previous school which was built in 1800s.

The Virkie  school in WWII is now used as a store. We tried to imagine what it was like back in the 1940s and the children who went there.

We walked up the old army road alongside what was Goat Camp  which housed soldiers and airmen during the war- there was even a barber, chemist and post office there.

We had a super time seeing lots of interesting things left behind from WWII, including the floor tiles in Dr Aitchison’s house-all that is left of his house which was demolished because it was in the flight path of the newly built runway.

A highlight for many was seeing one of the last machine-gun turrets remaining in Britain, which used to rotate 360 degrees, and now lies rusting in a field.

All of us in P6/7 would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Cruickskank and Mrs Leslie for an excellent morning. We all learnt a great deal about World War II in the Sumburgh area.

 

 

P6/7 Visit to Shetland Museum and Bible Exhibition

We spent an excellent morning at the Shetland Museum learning more about the strategic importance of Shetland during WWII and how it was affected by the war.

We spent time looking at the WWII display case and learnt a lot of interesting information about the items within.

We were also shown some WWII artefacts and the Shetland Roll of Honour where we found the names of those who died during the war.

Having discussed shortages, the need for rationing and how people had to ‘make do and mend’, we were each given a wooden peg and scraps of material to make a toy figure to play with- just like children in WWII would have to do to make their own toys.

Here are some of the toys we made.

We had a super time and would like to thank Yvonne and Kirsty for sharing their knowledge of WWII with us.

After lunch we went to a Bible exhibition at Sound Gospel Hall. There were four different workshops to go round and we had to complete a quiz at the end of each one. There was a lot of information to take in and we had to listen really carefully to answer the questions.

We were made very welcome and they kindly gave us a drink, biscuit and crisps to take back with us.

Screenplay ‘Secrets of War’

Today all of Primary 6 and 7 went by bus up to Mareel to see a Screenplay film called ‘Secrets of War’. It was set in Holland during WWII when Holland was under occupation by the Nazis. It was about three children and how the war affected their friendship.

After watching the film we took part in a workshop to do with emotions and how the characters would have felt at different times throughout the film.

We will be writing our own film reviews for Secrets of War at school.

Niamh said, “I thought it was a good film because the actors showed the emotions very well.”

“I thought it was a very educational film,” remarked Ayla.

Eve really enjoyed the film and although it was sad, the elderly lady  in it made her laugh sometimes.

The New Primary 7 experience their first John Muir Challenge

The sun was shining, the sea was calm, which all  helped to make Primary 7’s first John Muir Day a huge success.  Everyone returned to school full of exciting  recounts about their canoeing adventure. There was a great sense of achievement within the class at over-coming fears and pushing their own boundaries.  A huge thank you to  all who enabled this trip to take place; John and Jill who lead the day, Mrs Leslie, John and Vaila who accompanied the pupils (even the grown-ups had a super time).

As Molly said on her return, “Can we just go back to the start of the day and do it all again?”

Everyone getting their buoyancy aids on .

Bertie ready to go.

People were taking photographs of us as we paddled

alongside the cruise ship Hebridean Sky.

A highlight was exploring inside a cave.

A well deserved rest.

We really enjoyed being able to jump into the sea.

We had to stand up and balance on the canoe.

Everyone agreed that it was the best day ever.

Lauryn said, “It was a new experience and I’d definitely do it again. It made me realise I can do things even when I think I can’t.”

Carys thought it was great fun and particularly enjoyed going in the cave.

“It was really great fun. It made me think positively,” said Zara.

Niamh was fascinated to see jellyfish in the cave.

Bertie commented, “Even though I was a bit stressed to begin with, overall it was a fun experience.”

Ciaran thought the whole day was great fun.

Michael said, “It was an amazing day and I hope to do it again.”

 

 

 

 

 

On the way back- everyone tired but extremely happy!

Tesco Fairtrade Visit

We had a visit from Community Champion Maureen Stevenson today. All the class had written lettters as part of the Fairtrade topic and Ayla had written to ask them about their Fairtrade products. Maureen brought in a whole range of food and products to taste 😋. We all enjoyed it very much 😆

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