Primary 4 and Primary 6 were very lucky to have the opportunity to visit the Gilbertson Park Games Hall last week to view the Sea Mammal Exhibition by Andy Peters. This has been organised by the Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary and  it focussed on the marine environment, it’s wildlife and the challenges it faces. Pupils participated in hands on activities which raised awareness and generated respect for our seas.

This week Primary 7 were lucky to have a visit from Professor Joe Goldblatt. He taught us about Jewish traditions, celebrations and items of significance from the Jewish faith. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed his visit.

This term primary 6 are learning about electricity.

Today we created our own batteries using coins!  We created individual cells using a copper coin, salty water paper and aluminium foil.  We then linked lots of cells together to create a circuit.

A chemical reaction occurs at the surface of the aluminium foil and the coins when they are placed in the salty water (electrolyte).  Aluminium is more reactive than copper, so the aluminium become positively charged and the copper becomes negatively charged.  This difference in voltage causes electrons to move, creating an electric current!  

P1B and P6B has a wonderful afternoon decorating biscuits.  We worked together to make beautiful biscuits, making sure we shared the ingredients fairly.  We had so much fun and they were delicious to eat too!

Primary 6 visited the Lerwick Town Hall to gather information on how it was built during Victorian Shetland and to find out how it is used now.

The Town Hall was built in 1883 and originally cost £4000 to build. 

We started in the council chambers where Shetland’s 22 councillors now gather together to discuss important issues.  This room was originally called the Burra Courtroom, where a magistrate would sentence criminals.  From the courtroom, inmates would be taken down to the cells, which is now where the oil tank is stored!

We learned about the stories of the stained glass windows throughout the Town Hall as well as the other decorations throughout the building.  The story of the bell and steering wheel was particularly interesting, having come all the way from Norway.  The Norwegian navy gifted this to Shetland from theirn Motor Torpedo Boat (MB) after helping them escape the Nazis back in World War 2.

From the Town Hall we visited the Fort and sketched the changes we can see today after looking through Victorian photographs.

Next, we visited the museum and learned about the different jobs that are available in Shetland.  We took part in a Victorian School workshop, where we wrote on slate and also with ink.  A lot of us got very messy!  Mr Christie showed us a strap and photos of Shetland schools in Victorian times.  Yvonne then took us on a tour of the museum, showing us what life was like in both the town and country.  There was quite a difference!

P6B loved dramatising a Victorian School day with Izzy.

Izzy was very strict with us.  We started by lining up outside the classroom and taking a register with Victorian names.

Our lessons started with a hand check, to make sure we were not filthy or wearing jewellery or nail varnish.  Some of us did not pass the test!  We then had to make sure we sat up straight, looked to the front and kept our hands on the table at all times.

We recited the school prayer.

We completed a handwriting and language lesson as well as reciting a poem and singing ‘All things bright and beautiful’.  We even did a gym lesson at our tables.

If we made a mistake, moved or made a noise, Miss Swanson punished us.  She even ordered some of us to face the wall!

We thoroughly enjoyed having a Victorian school day but we are even more happy that school is not like that now.

Primary 7 were lucky enough today to have a visit from the Scottish Parliament. We learned about how MSPs are elected to Holyrood and about the history of our parliament. We also learned about the different parties and independent politicians that are elected to the parliament and how they debate issues. We learned how bills become law in Scotland and about the work of the Presiding Officer. It was a fun session where we even got the opportunity to practise our own debating skills.