All posts by Mrs Leask

Filtering Water

IDL

P5A have been learning about the water filtration process which ensures our water is safe for drinking. We also spoke about Water Aid and their valuable work helping people who do not have access to safe, clean water or sanitation. We even designed our own water filtration systems. We discussed the role of World Water Day, Global Goals and the UNCRC rights –  Article 24, ‘you have the right to clean water.’

Pupils had great fun using sand, gravel and sand gravel filters to filter their own dirty water.

Buoyancy

Outdoor Learning

P5A have been learning about buoyancy and density in their topic work this week. First we tested different classroom objects to see if they would float or sink, then we completed a STEM challenge, creating boats out of craft materials. We tested them to see how buoyant they were. If they didn’t stay afloat we tried to amend our designs to improve their buoyancy. Pupils had great fun doing this and used numerous meta-skills in the process such as adapting, showing initiative, collaborating with others and using their creativity and critical thinking skills. Well done P5A!

RNLI Visit

Uncategorized

At our recent Stories of the sea Museum we decided to do a fundraiser for the RNLI.  Together both P5 classes  managed to raise £192.71.  Rhoda Watt came in to collect the cheque.  She is part of the fundraiser committee for the Lerwick Lifeboat.

Mrs Watt shared some information about the Lerwick lifeboat.  It is an all weather lifeboat with two turbo charged engines.  It had 18 call outs in 2023 and it has had 11 so far this year.  A three hour call out costs the lifeboat £1500 in fuel.  The lifeboat relies on donations and legacies to keep going. This past March the RNLI celebrated it’s 200 year anniversary.  King Charles in now the patron.  A recent purchase for the lifeboat was a heat seeking camera.

Some of the meta-skills that the Museum fundraiser included were:

  • communicating
  • feeling
  • collaborating
  • leading
  • creativity
  • curiosity

Thank you for all donations and thanks to Mrs Watt for coming in to speak to us today.

Skittles Experiment

IDL

P5A had great fun during out skittles experiment where we added warm water to a plate of skittles and watched as the colour coating melted to make a rainbow affect. Pupils explained this happened because the sugar coating was soluble and melted in the warm water to create our rainbows.

Dissolving Experiment

IDL

P5A have been learning terms such as soluble, insoluble as well as solvents, solutes and solutions. We carried out an experiment this week to determine whether certain materials were soluble or insoluble in cold or warm water. We used coffee, salt, sugar and flour for this. Pupils enjoyed working in groups and analysing whether their hypothesis was correct or incorrect.

Rain in a Jar

IDL

P5A have been learning about the water cycle and rain. We had great fun working in groups to create our very own rain clouds in jars using water, shaving foam and blue food colouring. The more food colouring we used the heavier our rain was.

Measuring Outdoors

Outdoor Learning

P5A have been learning about measure this term. We were fortunate enough to get some hot, sunny weather this week so we took our lesson outdoors and measured lines drawn in chalk around our playground. Pupils were able to convert these measurements from m to cm. During this task we applied collaboration and communication meta skills.

Ice Experiment

IDL, Uncategorized

P5A have been learning about the changing state of water (from solid, to liquid, to gas). Last week they carried out an experiment to predict and then time how long it would take for ice to change back to water using their hands (body temperature), room temperature and by adding heat (using a hair dryer).

We had great fun, although the ice was very cold to hold!