More sporting success for the incredibly supple and talented pupils of Carmondean P.S., who almost swept the board at the West Lothian Gymnastics Competition this morning. Two Carmondean teams took the Level 2 Team Gold and Team Silver, while another team took the Level 1 Bronze. There was individual success also with one Carmondean pupil taking the Level 1 individual gold and another taking the Level 2 Individual silver. You could say we were turning somersaults when we heard of our teams’ successes. Well done everyone, and an especially big well done to Mrs Ferguson our P.E. specialist, who coached both teams – what an asset to our school.
P2/1 Ready, Read, Repeat!
P2/1 have had a fab day today during our Ready, Read, Repeat day. We loved being dressed up as our favourite book characters and the teachers loved taking part too. We spent the day sharing our favourite books, looking at one of my favourite books Stick Man and doing activities related to it. We made our own Stick Men, wrote a Stick Man adventure then made a label to go in our chosen library book. Then we got a chance to have a look at some of the furniture we are going to order for our updated reading corner and choose a book that we would like to donate to it. It has been a great day and we can’t wait for all the new things to arrive.
Ready, Read, Repeat!
Our Ready, Read, Repeat! focus on reading day has got off to a great start. The children and staff came into school this morning dressed as book characters and everyone is now involved in the main thrust of the project. Each stage in the school (P1-P7) has £1,000 to spend to create a Reading Corner. The children will be designing their own vision of a comfortable area to read for enjoyment and will then select furniture and fittings to make their vision a reality. In addition, every child will be able to select a book for their new reading corner which will be purchased and dedicated to them. This is a huge amount of money and it will take an even larger amount of effort to pull it all off. However, we’re confident that, at the end of the day it will be Mission Accomplished and we will be able to begin ordering the new furniture, fittings and books and get started on building our reading culture. Maybe we will have a parent drop-in to show off our work when everything is complete – we’ll ask the children if they think that would be a good idea. Meantime, here is a photo gallery of the various outfits and activities going on at the moment:
Primary 2 update – reading day
Don’t forget about our Reading Day tomorrow. Children can come dressed as a character from a book and bring in their favourite book to read in class. We’ll be doing lots of other exciting activities including designing our new reading corner.
It’s a busy week, with our Christmas Fair on Friday from 6pm – 8pm. Please come along and support it if you can.
Thank you,
Mrs Muir
Primary 1 w.b. 27/11/17
Primary 1 are beginning to get into the Christmas spirit! We are practising our nativity regularly as the performances are only 3 weeks away! The children now know all the songs and are enjoying singing them with the actions. Some children have learnt short dances to some of the songs and the children with speaking parts are learning when to say their lines. Please continue to practise your child’s parts at home.
Today is our St Andrews Day assembly. The children have been busy learning a Scottish song ‘I sent aff for cheese’ and will perform it infront of the school this morning.
In maths we are moving on to reading, writing and counting numbers to 20. We will be thinking about how we can structure a number in different ways using lots of resources in class.
Reminders:
Gym times are changing as of next week. We will be seeing our PE specialist on a Thursday which will replace our Monday PE session. So please can you send your child to school with a PE kit on Thursdays.
With many children suffering from coughs and colds it is helpful if you can send your child to school with a named water bottle. Please only send water to school and not juice.
Reading books should come to school every day so that we can read throughout the week. Library books only need to come into school on a Friday.
Thank you for all your support
Miss Christy, Mrs Harris and Mrs Oliver
Our Thrust on Reading
Building a Reading Culture is high on the agenda on the Carmondean P.S. improvement plan this session and we have several initiatives on the go at present. First, we have had our Read, Write, Count Gifting evenings, which were very well attended. During these, all P1s. P2s and P3s received a gift bag from the Scottish Book Trust containing reading and counting materials to encourage home learning in literacy and numeracy. These resources are very high quality and can lead to raised attainment of your children if used regularly in the ways described in the parent booklet and on the website:
During our last Parents’ Evening, we conducted a Reading for Pleasure Survey. As a result of your feedback, we have taken the decision to open the school library after school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3.20-4.00 p.m. where parents and their children can come and select books for shared reading or receive advice on suitable books for their child’s reading ability. This starts on Monday, 27 November.
Our third initiative is Ready, Read Repeat. This is a special one-off event taking place in school on Wednesday, 29 November. As part of our Building a Reading Culture plans, each stage in school is setting up their own reading corner with the furniture and books selected by the children themselves. The entire day will be given over to books and reading with the challenge of having their reading corners designed and books selected by the end of the day. Exciting stuff. Children (and staff) should come dressed as their favourite book character on that day.
Meanwhile, here are some pictures of our Read Write Count Gifting events to whet your appetites:
Primary 6 24.11.17
The entire school has been preparing for our St. Andrews Day assembly next week. Primary Six are performing the Burns song, “Your Welcome Wullie Stewart”. The song is about welcoming a dear friend. We have added guitars, drums and other percussion instruments to our ensemble and it is sounding superb.
We had an interactive science session this week, where we made part of the human digestive system! The pupils questioning skills have certainly added to our learning and we have now created a new science section within the classrooms where pupils can write down their ‘Big Science Questions’. Selected pupils then research the answers to the questions and present back to the class. It’s proving to be extremely interesting!
Many pupils have been choosing to do extra work on their European country books during their own time and it is wonderful to see such enthusiasm from them. The children are working hard in class and we have been impressed with the standard of work being produced. Well done Primary Six.
It’s hard to believe that we will be entering the month of December next week, may we remind you that the Primary Six Christmas party is on the afternoon of Monday 4th of December. The children can bring their party clothes to school and change at lunch time.
The school is having a reading day next Wednesday and we would like the children to come dressed as their favourite book character. There will be lots of exciting activities happening in the classroom and the children are getting to design their own library area.
Our Christmas Fair is next Friday and tickets are selling fast. The choir will be singing, Santa will be in attendance and there will be a variety of stalls selling exciting goods. Please come along if you can.
REMINDERS
PE – outdoor Kit on Mondays / Indoor kit on Wednesdays
Homework
Spelling due on Friday. Please note that spelling homework jotters should NOT be handed in before Friday as the children should be using them to practise their spelling words daily.
Maths – we would like to remind all pupils that they have maths homework EVERY WEEK. If we do not give out maths homework in the form of worksheet we still expect the pupils to be practising Times Tables, Fact Families, and Number Bonds. We have shown the pupils’ games and activities they can do to practise.
Thank for your continued support.
Mrs Wylie, Mr. Woodward and Mr Shanks
Primary 7 23.11.17
Hello
We have been very busy in Primary 7 this week.
Primary 7 have been making their Enterprise games and products. We look forward to sharing these with you next week at the Christmas Fair. We have been working very hard and making sure they are presentable!
For our St Andrews Day assembly next week we have been learning the song ‘Caledonia’. It is sounding brilliant and most people have learned the words off by heart!
The choir have been getting ready for their competition at Dalmahoy. We wish them the best of luck!
In art P7M have been completing their Japanese masks and P7C have been finishing off their tea cups.
We hope you have a lovely weekend.
Reminders:
Spelling homework for Friday
Maths homework for Friday
P7C swimming kit for Monday
P7M indoor PE kit for Monday
Thank you for your continued support,
Mrs Macaulay & Miss Clark
Primary 2/3
Primary 2/3 and Primary 2 have a Scottish song to learn for our St Andrew’s Day Assembly next week. The children have a copy of the words to take home and we will practise the song and actions in class. We would appreciate your support in helping the children practise the words.
We have been also working on our Nativity. Children have been practising the songs, dance moves and lines. This will continue up until our show in December.
Primary 2/3 have been investigating which buildings we have in our community and what role they play in keeping our community functioning. Children have drawn these buildings and constructed some of them using our construction materials. They look brilliant!
Primary 2/3 have also been looking into our personal hygiene. We are now regularly brushing our teeth and we understand the importance of washing our hands to prevent the spread of germs.
P.E is on a Monday (Outdoor, weather permitting) and Tuesday
Homework:
P2- Reading, Time your climb, Common words,
P3- Reading, Spelling/sentences, Common words
Common words (could you please sign off common words once the children have practised them)
Red Nose Re-engineered
Our Primary 6 children have been involved in an exciting activity – to design the next Red Nose for Comic Relief 2019. We had loads of great ideas, but our school captains selected these six as the ones going forward into the main competition. Well done to everyone who took part, but especially our winners.
Primary 3 20.11.17
We have certainly been hustling and bustling with our nativity practice lately! Costumes have been fitted, lines being learned, dances being choreographed and positions being given and we can’t wait to show you what we have been working on! Thank you for going over children’s lines, the effort is really paying off.
Our Inclusion topic is well under way and we have been learning about the provisions in place to ensure people who have difficulties are included and provided for in and around our school and local area. We were interested to learn that some people’s difficulties cannot be seen, and rather, it is harder for them because of this.
St Andrew’s Day is not far away either and we have a new and interesting Scots song to learn. Here are the words, can you understand the story? Children have all been given a copy to learn over the next two weeks.
We look forward to seeing many of you at our Look, Write, Count event on Wednesday 22nd November from 6.30. Here, you will receive a wonderful free story bag with games and two picture books included, and have the opportunity to play some of the games with your child and perhaps hear a story!
Homework:
Nativity words and songs
St Andrew’s Day song
Reading
Maths
Spelling
Book Day on Wednesday 29th November. Start planning fancy dress where children dress up as their favourite book character.
Primary 6 17.11.17
The children have all finished designing their Red Nose on the theme of magical lands for the Red Nose Competition. They worked very hard on them and we have some fantastic designs. The House Captains will judge them next week and we are all very excited to see who will represent Carmondean in the competition.
In writing, the children created posters to advertise our Christmas Fair. Look out for these around the school as they are colourful, eye-catching and full of information. If you have any donations for the Fair they will be gratefully received.
In reading the children are continuing with their non-fiction book on a European country. Lots of interesting facts are being found and thank you to the parents who have shared information with the children. We hope to share these books with the nursery children once they are finished.
We have started to learn our song for the St Andrew’s day assembly. This year the children will be singing ‘Yer welcome Wullie Stewart.’ We are also having musical accompaniment with children playing the guitar, drums and clapping in time with the music. It will sound fabulous!
Thank you to everyone who has donated to Children in Need. The children have been buying wrist bands, badges and colouring sheets all week. They look very restful today in their pyjamas! We are excitedly waiting for the final total raised.
REMINDERS –
PE – outdoor Kit on Mondays / Indoor kit on Wednesdays
Homework
Spelling due on Friday. Please note that spelling homework jotters should NOT be handed in before Friday as the children should be using them to practise their spelling words daily.
Maths Homework – we would like to remind all pupils that they have maths homework EVERYWEEK. If we do not give out maths homework in the form of worksheet we still expect the pupils to be practising Times Tables, Fact Families, and Number Bonds. We have shown the pupils’ games and activities they can do to practise.
Reading – due on a Wednesday but can be handed in before. Children can borrow a dictionary to use at home if they do not have one.
Thank for your continued support.
Mrs Gilmour, Mrs Wylie, Mrs Tully and Mr Shanks
Primary 7 16.11.17
Hello!
This week in Primary 7, P7C went swimming at Deans Community High School. We began by playing a game in the shallow end then we went into the deep end and did 2 laps.
Also Michelle from the West Lothian Drug and Alcohol service came in to talk to us on Wednesday about the dangers of second hand smoke. We then started to make leaflets about smoke free homes and zones. These leaflets are being entered into a competition. The best leaflet will be printed professionally and handed out to the whole school community to make everyone aware about the dangers of second hand smoke.
In PE we are doing gymnastics with Mrs Ferguson. We are trying to get perfect landings and shapes in the air. Some of us are going to a competition next week. Wish us luck!
We have also been looking at energy in science. We started making energy posters in small groups about different types of energy.
In art we have been making Japanese cups with clay and we are painting them. We are now adding the finishing touches.
Have a nice weekend!
By Mason, Megan, Ryan, Natalia.
Cool Kids and Super Circle News
P2/1 15th November 2017
This week we have been continuing work on addition with both the P1s and the P2s. The P1s have been learning about how to make numbers by adding 2 numbers together and we are moving on to using 10 frames to help us add. The P2s have been discovering strategies to find a missing number in an addition sum. We have been learning lots of new Maths games- some of these you could have a go at at home so ask your child about what they have been doing!
In Language we have been doing writing related to our topic, ‘The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark’ and focusing on interesting vocabulary. The children are being encouraged to included a WOW word in their story and we have come up with some fab words.
This week we will be fundraising for Children In Need. The P5s have been coming to sell wristbands and colouring in sheets to the boys and girls which they have loved. The children can also wear pyjamas to school on Friday and they are asked to bring a donation of 50p for this.
Please remember that you and your child are invited to join us in school on 22nd November (P2) or 23rd November (P1)for our Read Write Count evening. You will find out some information about this initiative, get a chance to chat to me about ideas for story time at home and get your child’s Read Write Count bag to take home. They have some lovely gifts inside and it would be lovely to see as many people as possible at this event.
Thank you for your support,
Mrs Steel
Primary 2 update 15.11.17
Our Nativity rehearsals are well under way now. If your child has taken home lines to learn please could you help them to learn them. Words should be brought into school every day. The songs have been posted on the P3 blog so please check there to practise the Nativity songs.
PE is still on a Monday (outdoor) and Tuesday (indoor). Please could you ensure your child has PE kit for those days. Please could you also make sure that they have gym shoes for wearing indoors every day.
Homework:
Time your climb: The children should write out their spelling words using ‘Look Cover Write and Check’. The words contain the sounds we have been learning about in class. Please can you time your child reading all their spelling words at 3 different times in the week and write down how long it takes them each time.
Thanks for all your support.
Mrs Muir
After School Art
Here are the results of a ‘Nature Art’ activity carried out at our Art after school club:
Primary 2/3
We have been very busy learning about our community. We have been learning about who lives and works in our community. We identified everyone who works in our community and made a big display in our class. We have also discussed places we visit in our community and the activities we can do there. Livingston has so much to offer!
We have started our Nativity rehearsals- if your child has a speaking part, please practise their lines with them. Everyone can practise our song which were posted on the P3 blog last week.
Well done to all the boys and girls who have been bringing in their P.E kits- reminder that PE is on a Monday and Tuesday.
P5 are running our Children in Need day on Friday and we have been asked to take part by coming to school in our PJs for a small donation. That day will be very comfortable for us, we can’t wait.
Homework-
P2 have common words, time your climb and reading
P3 have common words, spelling, sentences and reading
Maths homework will be handed out on Wednesday (3D Shape)
Primary 1 w.b.13.11.17
Primary 1 are now well into their toys topic. We have a toy shop up and running in the classroom and this week we will be learning about the different forces which make toys work. This term’s big homework task was given out last week. Your child is to create a model toy for our toy shop from recycled materials. This toy is due on Monday the 27th November.
We are also busy practising our nativity. We have now learnt all the songs and are busy practising the actions to accompany them. We have also started rehearsing lines and dancing with some of the children. If your child has words to learn please practise them at home. We are encouraging the children to speak loudly and slowly when they deliver their line.
There are some exciting dates for your diary coming up in the next few weeks…
This Friday is Children in Need. Your child can come to school dressed in their pyjamas. Badges, wrist bands and colouring sheets are on sale throughout this week. Please see the email sent out on Friday for details of prices or speak to us.
On Thursday 23rd November there is a ‘read, write, count’ evening from 6.30-7.30. Invitations were sent to all parents/ carers yesterday.
On Wednesday 29th November we will be having a day focused on reading books. Children are encouraged to come to school dressed as a character from a book.
Thank you for your support
Miss Christy, Mrs Harris and Mrs Oliver
Primary 6 10.11.17
There has been much excitement in primary 6 this week as the children have started their visits to the nursery. On a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday two children from each class visit the nursery at lunch time. Primary 6 have enjoyed playing with the children and interacting with them. On a Thursday P6 will read to the nursery children and talk about the book. We have been practicing asking questions in the classroom!
In Science we have started our new topic-The Body. We are learning all about the major organs in the body, how they work and where they are. We are hoping to carry out some investigations to demonstrate what happens inside our body.
The children have been given reading homework this week –The Rainforest. The children will read the text then find out the meanings of words, decide if information is true/false/don’t know and make up questions. We would prefer the children to use a dictionary to find the meaning of words but if you do not have one your child could borrow one from school or you could use an online dictionary. Please let us know if this is a problem.
The children have been given the opportunity to design a red nose which will be sold as part of Red Nose Day 2019. They are very excited and have been busy designing noses with the theme ‘magical lands’ Next week the children will decide on their final design and draw it. Unfortunately only 3 designs can be entered from each class so the House Captains will decide the winning entries.
REMINDERS –
PE – outdoor Kit on Mondays / Indoor kit on Wednesdays
Homework
Spelling due on Friday. Please note that spelling homework jotters should NOT be handed in before Friday as the children should be using them to practise their spelling words daily.
Maths Homework – we would like to remind all pupils that they have maths homework EVERYWEEK. If we do not give out maths homework in the form of worksheet we still expect the pupils to be practising Times Tables, Fact Families, and Number Bonds. We have shown the pupils’ games and activities they can do to practise.
Reading – due on a Wednesday but can be handed in before.
Thank for your continued support.
Mrs Gilmour, Mrs Wylie, Mrs Tully and Mr Shanks
