The children looked fantastic in their Christmas outfits.
Drawing Santa
The children loved having a go at drawing Santa. They are displayed in the school corridor for all to see.
Symmetry
The children have just begun a topic on symmetry and have really enjoyed the first few activities. They had fun looking at reflections and using mirrors to make pictures complete.
They worked with a partner to create a giant symmetrical design using classroom objects.
They made symmetrical body shapes with their partner.
They had great fun investigating symmetry with the little mirrors.
The children had a go at painting symmetry butterflies. They make a very colourful corner in the classroom.
They then had a go at creating their own symmetry paintings for their gallery.
Around The World
This terms whole school topic has been ‘Around The World’ which included a little bit about the World Cup. The primary 1/2 class showcased some of their learning in assembly last Friday.
They loved learning about different countries in the World and keeping tabs on who is playing and still in the World Cup.
Archie loved matching countries and flags and finding places on the maps
As part of the project the children worked in pairs/small groups to create their own imaginary country. Whether it was hot or cold? Where the cities, forests, mountains etc would be, what animals lived there, what was the country called and design a flag for it.
Tiling in p2
The primary 2’s went outdoors to search for tiling patterns around the school. The found lots of great examples.
Back in the classroom they spent time investigating with flat shapes to see which ones tiled and which ones didn’t.
They had a go at creating their own tiling designs usisng the 2D shapes they have been learning about,
Numbers in P1/2
The primary ones have used a variety of materials to learn more about the numbers to 10.
They have been learning about adding and subtracting and loved making these addition towers.
The Primary 2’s having been learning about number bonds and how numbers can be constructed in different ways.
We still try to head outdoors to do maths when the weather allows us. Here the children were practising ‘Counting On’ skills and had to find the washing which was pegged out amongst the trees to be their starting numbers.
They have also been learning about the connection between the addition and subtraction processes and creating lots of ‘fact families’. They again use lots of different materials and different activities to practise this.
Making Words In Primary 1
It is so exciting to see how the Primary 1’s are using their phonic sounds to build words. Everyday we practise their sounds and do lots of games and activities to practise blending letters to read and make words.
They loved playing hopscotch in the classroom using wordcards.
Children In Need Day
We had a really fun day on Friday and the children( and staff) loved coming to school in their pyjamas.
This wasn’t a fundraiser this year but the children watched short video clips and we spoke about Children In Need in class.
I only managed to get one photo during the day and it was of little Pudsey coming into his newly built house by Carina and Carrie.
Remembrance Day Poppies
The children worked together to make two Remembrance Day poppy wreaths.
The Primary 2’s wrote instructions for how to make them.
The children made these lovely poppy pictures with their fingerprints. Adding stems and leaves with black pen.
Show and Tell
The children are loving the opportunity to bring in things from home for their weekly Show and Tell. Their confidence is growing as they learn the basics of how to do a presentation.
I’ve only managed to get a few photos but will add to this page as I get more.
Haunted Houses
The children made a fantastic job of creating these haunted house pieces.
- They began by painting the moon and then gradually mixing in blue paint to make their circular background.
- The haunted house designs were completely done by themselves after looking at various shapes that would make the best spooky designs.
- They loved drawing skeletons, ghosts etc. in the windows and adding a few bats, trees and gravestones to make it even more scary.
More about Autumn
This little area of the classroom is all about Autumn. The children have been thinking about all the changes that happen with this season and about animals who hibernate – focusing on hedgehogs in particular. 
They have been making little hedgehog homes\nests using the loose parts.
We have been outside again spotting signs of Autumn and having discussions about the changes we see and things we find.
Halloween Fun
The bairns have had so much fun being back at school with a Halloween theme in the classroom. They have been enjoying dressing up, reading stories, making potions and spells, hocking out pumpkins and finding spooky creatures in some very disgusting blue goo amongst other things.
After reading the story Funnybones the children had a go at drawing skeletons. They loved learning about the different bones and feeling for them inside their own bodies. The drawing were excellent.
The children helped Grizelda the Witch with her spell. They put in lots of gruesome, unusual and scary things.
There was great excitement as the mixture began to bubble up and the children said their magic words.
The mixture bubbled over and the children thought of wonderful things their spell could do……..
The children completed some writing using their favourite ingredients for the cauldron. These are from Primary 1’s.
They loved the opportunity to scrape the seeds out of the pumpkins and get them ready for carving. This created lots of discussion, fun and mess.
Trip to the Windfarm
We went to the Viking Energy windfarm for a visit. So many roads, so much information and so many trucks and vehicles. They loved wearing the PPE, being on a bus and having packed lunches as part of their day out.
In the afternoon the children were in the hills and got to see the huge scale of the base of one of the wind turbines. They also had a quiz and used the information boards to find the answers.
The children brought a time capsule with them. They had all written some information about themselves and predicted what might be happening in 25 years time when it gets dug up again. The children got to choose which one of the 103 windmills it would be buried under using the map as a guide.
They chose one near to Weisdale and there will be a competition to now give their windmill a name.
The primary 2’s wrote reports on their trips, These are by Chloe and Sophie. They did an amazing job remembering all the things they saw and being able to write so many sentences about their day out.
Coffee Morning
The children loved baking in preparation for the school coffee morning. The Primary 1’s made chocolate crispies and the Primary 2’s made Malteser Squares.
It was great to have parents into the school again. The children were so excited to see their families and enjoy the tea, coffee, juice and homebakes together.
It was a very busy classroom with excited children showing their parents and families all the things they like to do and have been learning about this term.
Signs of Autumn
We are very lucky at Whiteness School to have such an amazing outdoor space. The children went exploring in the wildlife garden for signs of Autumn. The noticed the fallen leaves and how the trees were changing. They looked at the different colours and found berries, seeds and seed pods.
We are looking forward to going out again and noticing more things as the seasons change.
Numbers to 100
The primary 2’s have been working with numbers to 100. They are learning about place value and how these numbers are constructed using Tens and Units(ones)
They have been playing games and sorting numbers to understand their values and order.
Our class ‘Speedy skills’ have been a great way to practise different skills learned using cards and instructions.
They use the class whiteboard, games, resources and this interactive wall display as a reminder of these numbers and how they work.
Parents Jobs
It has been wonderful to have so many visitors in the school recently and the children have loved hearning about the different jobs people do.
Carina’s mam came in and told the children about being a dental nurse.
Alfie’s mum came in and told them about being a nurse and showed them lots of different things she uses in her job.
Mandy from the kitchen came and spoke to the children about what she has to do in her job as a cook. They had to guess what some of the items were that she brought with her. They especially loved the salad spinner and the protective specs!
Willum’s mam and dad came in to tell the children about their jobs. Louise is a pharmacist and the children found out about how important it is to only take medicine given by an adult and never eat a sweetie if you don’t know what it is or who it is from. They really enjoyed the peerie quiz ‘Is it a sweet or a medicine?’
Davie is an officer on a boat and they loved seeing the photos and finding out about the different jobs people do on the boats. He has travelled all around the world and spoke to the children about the different journeys and places he has been too.
p1/2 Assembly
The P1/2 class presented their IDL learning in a whole school assembly on Friday. They shared drawings of themselves with things they like and are good at. They had lovely drawings of their families, including some writing done on the computers.
They dressed up as what they would like to be when they grow up and showed their paintings to the rest of the school staff and children.
The paintings are on display in the classroom now.
Dying with Beetroot
The children pulled up the beetroot from the Polycrub. They washed it and chopped it and put it on to boil.
They cut a square of material and put it in a pan to boil with vinegar.
Once everything had boiled the beetroot was drained and the material put into the purply red juices.
This is Sophie’s instructions describing what we did.
