The class had two entries into this year’s Music Festival. The whole class formed a choir to sing “Long White Sails” and “Cantata”. They sounded amazing on the stage, pitch perfect and beautifully in time. Then six of the class formed a fiddle group to perform three pieces. Once again their delivery was excellent, all working well together. The adjudicator was so impressed that both groups were invited back to perform at the Gala Concert on the Thursday night. At the end of this concert their efforts were rewarded when they were presented with the “Outstanding Contributor to the Music Festival” Award.
P5-7 and a couple of pupils from Sandness Primary took part in this year’s Drama Festival at Mareel. The play was about some Vikings trying to get into Valhalla after a battle. The children did well to learn all their lines and delivered them with impeccable comic timing, keeping the audience on the night well amused. Their performance was such a success that they won the Junior section Trophy. Well Done.
A huge thanks goes to Hilary Smith for giving up her time to come and work with the pupils on this.
This term P5-7 are looking at Changing Materials as a Topic. We have started by investigating the characteristics of Solids, Liquids and Gases. As part of this work we made Oobleck, which is simply a mixture of corn flour and water. What makes Oobleck interesting is that it is a non Newtonian fluid, which means it can behave like a solid or a liquid, depending on what level of force you exert on it. Great fun was had squeezing and rolling it into solid balls and then watching them change back to liquid as soon as the force was removed. It did get a little messy though!
We also found out that it got its name from a Dr. Seuss book called Bartholomew and the Oobleck.
At the end of last term P5-7 had a Victorian Afternoon. Pupils dressed up as Victorian children and Izzy came in to act the role of the Victorian schoolteacher and give them a taster of a school day Victorian style. The children really enjoyed the experience and it was a fine way to finish off our topic on the Victorians.
Here we are at the start of the 3rd week of the new school year. I’m not sure where the first two weeks have gone. I am happy to be back in the Upper Primary class and have enjoyed getting to know all the children again.
This term our topic is based around Japan. We will be looking at the geography of the country, it’s culture and traditions, famous landmarks, home life and school life, food and sports. We’ll also be trying our hand at some origami and calligraphy, as well as finding out about Buddhism and Shinto. Due to Japan’s location it is also subject to earthquakes and tsunamis, so we’ll look at how these occur and the effects they can have.
Spelling and Maths homework start this week and I have put a copy of the Homework Information sheet the pupils received today under the Homework Tab.
This week’s achievement award goes to both Olivia and Katie for their outstanding effort in maths, where they worked together to practise their mental maths skills.
Numeracy isn’t all worksheets and textbooks.Working with concrete materials can help to deepen understanding and consolidate learning. Calculations don’t always need to be done on paper either!
In January P4-7 made lava lamps with Miss Clubb the student teacher. Using oil, water, food colouring and bicarbonate of Soda (an alka seltzer tablet) they recreated the “popular” 70s accessory. As well as having lots of fun the children also learnt about how carbon dioxide, released from the bicarbonate, behaved in the oil/water mix.
