Carmondean Primary School Blog

Lunchtime Running Club

Pupils in Primary 6 and Primary 7 have been coming along to a Wednesday lunchtime running club in their droves and I have been really impressed with the standard of running and commitment to the club. It is an opportunity for pupils to improve their stamina and develop the ability to pace a distance race properly for the forthcoming Cross Country event and sportshall athletics event in the New Year. We have 1 more week of running club so please remember outdoor PE kit for this on Wednesday.

Mrs Ferguson

Parents’ Evening Online Booking

By tomorrow, you will have received a letter or email giving information on how to make an appointment for Parent/Teacher Interviews on Wednesday, 11 October (5.00-7.30 p.m.) and Thursday 12 October (4.00-6.30 p.m.). You can access the system for booking appointments by clicking on this link:

Parents’ Evening Online Booking

Please refer to the letter or email received to see the correct class names for your child’s class.

If you do not have access to the Internet, or would prefer to book through the school office, please contact us on 01506 432492 or drop in and our office staff will be happy to add appointments on your behalf.

Primary 7 – 21.09.17

Hello,

This week was a short week for the school, Everyone got 2 extra days off which was very enjoyable for most of the school. On Wednesday the primary 7’s got introduced to the natural disasters topic homework and we learned about all the layers of the earth e.g. The Crust, The Upper Mantle, The Mantle, The Outer Core and the Inner Core.

On Wednesday The primary 7’s really enjoyed their P.E lesson with Mrs Ferguson in their Basketball lesson where we learned how to defend our ball and manage to shoot some hoops!

Primary 7 also continued our art project creating Noh theatre masks and we started writing a letter to our poor David’s Mother in our book study (Friend or Foe by Michael Morpurgo).

The primary 7’s are continuing on their R.M.E challenge. We are studying all sorts of religions, Such as. Islam, Christianity, Judaism etc. We are making posters, booklets and leaflets to share our research on religious pilgrimages.

Reminders:

Trade topic homework due Monday 25th September,

Maths group Homework due Friday 29th September

Natural disasters big homework due Friday 6th October

P.E on Mondays (outdoor) Wednesdays (indoor) bring P.E kits!

by: Callum, Stella, Leoni, Melody and Abbie

Parent Staff Association/ Parent Council Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting of the Parent Staff Association/Parent Council will take place in Carmondean Primary School on Monday, 25 September @ 6.00 p.m. All parents/carers (particularly those who are new to the school) are welcome to attend this event. We are keen to encourage greater parental engagement within the school and this is an ideal opportunity to get involved in your child/ren’s education. You can see the agenda by clicking the link below:

2017_09_18PSA – PC AGM

We hope to see you then.

Primary 2 update

What a fantastic week of inspirational maths we have had in primary 2. The children have been working in pairs or groups to solve mathematical challenges including making shapes with ropes, sorting items and seeing how many different towers we can make with 3 or 4 coloured cubes. Here are some of our photos. We all had great fun discovering and learning!

I hope you have a lovely long weekend and will look forward to seeing everyone back in class on Wednesday.

Mrs Muir.

Primary 6 11.9.17

As Scottish maths week draws to a close it has inspired Primary Six even further in their quest to develop and use their math skills! We have completed some challenging problem solving exercises this week and the pupils have enjoyed sharing their strategies with each other.
Mathematics is a prerequisite for many careers in today’s global economy but it is also an essential life skill. We encourage you to bring maths in to as many home life tasks as you can. The following list provides links to websites and activities which can help with mathematical learning;

www.youcubed.org
www.nrich.maths.org
www.eduaction.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-at-home/supporting-numeracy

Remember the pupils have been shown various maths games and routines that they can practise at home.

Creativity was palpable in our classrooms this week as the pupils in the midst of creating a contrasting landscape depicting the transformation from an agricultural land to one of industry. Discussions, ideas and artistic flair were in full motion! Our next steps with regards to our topic will be researching inventors and exploring their impact. The pupils have been given an inventor challenge as homework. We will be discussing how to tackle this assignment in more depth next week in class. The completed inventions are due on Friday 6th of October.

REMINDERS
Holiday- Monday and Tuesday for pupils
PE – Indoor kit on Wednesday
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.

We hope you all have a lovely September weekend.
Best Regards,
Mrs Gilmour, Mrs Tully, Mr Shanks and Mrs Wylie

Primary 4 15.9.17

Welcome back to the Primary 4 blog!

We hope everyone is looking forward to the holiday weekend. This week we have had a focused week on ‘Inspirational maths’. We have been working on challenges that help us to develop our skills in solving problems, being resilient and finding strategies to work through problems.

We have also been continuing to learn about the Vikings and have started to use an atlas to find out more about where the Vikings came from and why they came to Scotland.

In reading both classes have been focusing on a novel and have been exploring ideas of setting, genre and the authors’ use of language to convey this. The children have been taking part in various activities and group discussions.

In writing we have been developing our use of descriptive language including the use of adjectives and similes when writing imaginative descriptions.

This week the school photographer has been in and photographs have been handed out if you would like to purchase any.

Reminders:

Monday is our outdoor gym day

Thursday is indoor gym

Please make sure all children’s belongings are clearly labelled to avoid loss of property.

We would also appreciate if children could bring water with them to school.

Thank you for reading our blog. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to speak to us or write a note in the homework diaries.

The Primary 4 teachers!

Primary 5. 15/09/17

Happy Friday Primary 5,

Throughout this week we have concentrated on ‘ae’ sounds in spelling. We looked at the 5 sounds and practiced using the words in various contexts. At home children should reinforce their learning through read, say, cover, write, check and then by selecting 1 activity from the ‘Pick ‘n’ Mix Homework’ sheet. Pupils return this homework on Fridays.

It was numeracy week in Maths. We therefore explored big numbers, place value, dot patterns, mental strategies and data handling. The work is challenging learning and encourages pupils to be successful learners who are beginning to confidently explain their understanding.

Our Great Britain topic has centered on Geographical features. We have a very good understanding of Atlases and how to use them correctly. We identified major cities, landmass, airports and rivers then marked them on our own maps. Our next steps is major landmarks. We are also learning to work collaboratively with others.

Reminder: Thursday is indoor P.E day. We have been very pleased that mostly all the children are remembering to bring appropriate kit and footwear. Well done.

Finally, we hope you have an enjoyable long weekend and maybe the weather will be kind to us. Pupils resume on Wednesday 20^th September.

Thank you,

Miss. Farren and Mrs. Jamieson

Primary 3 15.9.17

This week we have been busy plotting different weather on our map of Scotland. We have been identifying weather symbols, watching forecasts and creating forecasts of our own. Hopefully today we will get a few of our forecasts filmed and be able to send these to Mrs Thunder for SummerWinter’s training. Feel free to ask us about this!

We made seasons pictures where we used a variety of media to create the colours of the seasons. We experienced the use of oil pastels, paint, tissue paper and chalks to create different effects.

In Literacy this week, we looked at ways to make the ‘f’ sound. We focused on the phoneme ‘ph’ and discussed lots of words containing this sound. We hope the practice of common words is going well at home.

Homework

Thank you to everyone who has covered their jotters so far. Should anyone need paper for this, please do not hesitate to ask.

Reading is going well so thank you for practising this each night. Reading aloud and questioning the children helps them to use their reading strategies and helps you to see what they understand.

Can we remind everyone about the layout of spelling homework. Words given each week should be written out along one line using the Look, Cover, Write and Check format. Please encourage the children to show you the way they have been forming their new sounds for handwriting, where the letters are positioned on the line and where in the letter you start to write them.

Just a reminder, the children are off school on Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th.

Thank you for your continued support.

Primary 7 14.9.17

Hello everyone. This week Primary 7 were visited by Yoko and Jess, visitors from the Japanese Consulate. They taught us about the Japanese language. They taught us how to say hello, good afternoon, good morning and numbers up to four in Japanese. They also showed us how to make origami Sumo wrestlers.

Here are some words we learned: Kon’nichiwa (hello/good afternoon), Ohayōgozaimasu (good morning), Arigatō (thank you), Sensei Clark (Sensei means teacher) and the numbers 1-4 (1) Ichi (2) Ni (3) San (4) Shi.

In Art we are making these Japanese Tea Cups with clay. We have also learned what it’s like to be in a Japanese classroom. Thank you Sensei Fox.

As part of our topic we are learning about Global Trade and what type of things you can export from your country. e.g. clothes, games, cars, food, electronics etc. We were teaching others about what trade was like in the Stone Age, the 17th century and now in the 21st century.

In Reading P7C have been reading our new book called “Oranges in no man’s land”. So far it has been a really good book. We answered questions on the 3rd chapter and discussed it with our teacher.

Primary 7 have been really caring buddies. On Tuesday we were reading books with our buddies and we had some playtime with them.

Have a great weekend!
Logan, Patrick, Imane, Nicole and Avinash 🙂

P1 Update 13.9.17

Hello All,

We are enjoying another busy week in Primary 1. In Maths this week, the children have been taking part in Scottish Maths Week Activities which aim to develop a wide range of skills through problem solving in a fun context. In topic work, the children are continuing to learn about their senses and in particular sight. We gathered information on colour of eyes in class and created a class pictogram.

In Literacy, we are continuing to work on further sight vocabulary and initial sounds . We would be very grateful if you can continue to practise recognition and formation of these at home. Also this week the children have had the opportunity to work with their buddies during a valuable paired reading activity.

Next week, as part of our focus on hearing and sound, we are hoping to make our own musical instruments and would be very grateful if you could please send any small empty plastic water bottles (disposable kind) in to school to help with this on Wednesday (20.9.17).

Please remember next week is a short week due to holiday Monday, Tuesday (18/ 19.9.17)

Thank you for your continuing support.

Primary 1 Teachers

P2/1 13th September 2017

This week we have been continuing our work on phonics in Literacy. The P2s have been revising some of the sounds that we already know like ‘th;, ‘sh’, ‘ch’ and ‘wh’. The P1s have already learned ‘a’, ‘t’, ‘s’ and ‘i’. See if you can test your child at home to see if they can tell you anything with these sounds in it from around the house.

This week is Inspirational Maths week throughout West Lothian. The P2/1 class have had great fun completing some problem solving activities and we are hoping that if the weather is kind tomorrow we will manage some outdoor problem solving in the playground.

Last week we went on a walk around the school building and took some pictures of different areas of the school. In Writing we wrote some lovely stories about Mrs Steel and the things we like to learn about in school.

Reminders-
Monday- new common words (P1 and P2) and sound cards (P1 only) come out. Gym kit for indoor gym.
Tuesday- New Reading book. Maths (usually every other week)
Can you please remember to send your child’s homework pack back every day as they love getting their medals to show how good a day they have had.
Thank you for your support
Mrs Steel

P6 PE – training going well for Cross Country event

P6 have been training hard in PE for the forthcoming Cross Country event. They have been learning how to pace a distance race and build up stamina to run the whole 1.1 km. Their effort and determination has been outstanding. If possible it would good if they can practise at home – maybe even encourage parents/guardians and siblings to go out for a run with them! Remember to bring outdoor and indoor PE kit on a Wednesday until October because we will be outside as often as possible (weather permitting).

Keep up the great work P6

Mrs Ferguson

Primary 2/3 13.09.17

Primary 2/3 have been looking at different types of puppets, such as string, finger, hand and shadow. We have been learning about how they are made and how they are controlled. Primary 2/3 worked in pairs to make stick puppets and practised performing with them. They had lots of fun!

It is numeracy week this week so we have been very active in maths, working in pairs, solving problems and sharing strategies. Primary 2/3 have enjoyed working with different partners every day and discussing how they have solved the problems.

New reading books were given out on Tuesday and they should be read regularly over the next week. Primary 2 and Primary 3 all have common words to practise at home.

In phonics, Primary 3 are focusing on the sound “ph” and Primary 2 are revising “wh” “ee” and “oo”. We have been working with partners spelling words with these sounds, completing activity sheets and trying to write sentences with words that contain the sound. Primary 2/3 have been working very hard!

P.E is on a Monday and Tuesday. Could all children bring a P.E kit and water bottle.

Miss Rafferty

Primary 7 08.09.17

Hello Everyone!

We have been very busy with so many new activities and opportunities. We have had messy hands all week with all the paint we have been using in Primary 1. On Tuesday we went to Primary 1 and made very creative “masterpieces” that we all enjoyed making.

This term we have been learning about Japan and the culture. Next week we are expecting Japanese visitors who know a lot more than we do. In art we have been making terrifying Japanese theatre masks with gum strip, molds and Vaseline that are beautiful so far.

In Indoor P.E, we have been learning how to play Basketball and also the rules that come with it. In Outdoor P.E, we have been making games to play with our little buddies and also making the rules of it in writing, ( It’s a big responsibility looking after our buddies! )

Recently,we have been challenged by our teacher of a way to display information of a religion of our choice and we have been researching with our own devices to find out more.

So it has been a long and busy week and now we have our break (woo-hoo!) so now enjoy your weekend and we will see you next week! Bye! 🙂

Remember:

School photos – Tuesday and Wednesday (look your best!)

Outdoor P.E – Monday

Indoor P.E – Wednesday

All homework due in on Friday!

Written By Lucy, Ammad and Lisa

Primary 6 8.9.17

Hello,
Yet another busy week in Primary 6, classroom routines are already well established and timetables are underway.

We sent home fact families maths sheets this week. Please keep these at home and use them as a guide to practise times tables and the relationship between multiplication and division. We have shown the pupils a variety of times tables songs available on You Tube. We encourage the pupils to use these at home but strictly with Parent permission!

Our topic this term is the Industrial Revolution and we introduced this to the boys and girls using a clip from the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony as it clearly depicts the change from an agricultural land to one of heavy industry. We are organising a trip to New Lanark and will send home details very soon.

Mr Bruce, one of our music specialists, will be giving the children the opportunity to audition for chanter lessons next week. If your child is interested please discuss this with them as it would mean time out of class if they begin lessons and a lot of practice at home.

REMINDERS –
PE – outdoor Kit on Mondays / Indoor kit on Wednesdays. PLEASE ensure children have suitable footwear especially for outdoors.
Spelling – due on a 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.
Photographer- Tuesday-Individual photos
Wednesday- Family photos

Thank you for your continued support.
Best Regards,

Mrs Gilmour , Mrs Tully , Mr Shanks and Mrs Wylie

Primary 5 Week beginning 4.9.17

This week Primary 5 have been working hard. We have started our new timetable and have learned lots already.

In Maths we have been learning about estimating and rounding. We have also been learning about angles.

In Reading we have started a whole class novel study. P5F are reading Spiderwick Chronicles and P5J are reading Invasion.

We have started our Topic which is Great Britain. This week we have started using an atlas and have been learning about the different information contained in them.

Our gym days are Tuesday and Thursday. Please bring outdoor PE kit on Tuesday and indoor on Thursday.

Homework for next week will include maths, spelling and reading. Please check your child’s diary for further details.

Next week the school photographer will be in school on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Have a lovely week

Miss Farren and Mrs Jamieson

Primary 4

The children have now all settled into their new classes after the summer holiday.

Both classes have recently made up Class Charters that we have all agreed to follow. These will be coming home soon for you to see. We would appreciate it if you could discuss them with your child before signing and returning them.

Spelling homework was given out on Monday. As you will have seen, the sheet has 4 weeks work on it and lists the activity to be completed each night. Please try to complete this, wherever possible, each night. This term Reading homework will largely consist of the children reading a library book of their choice. We would ask you to hear and discuss at least 10 pages of the book with your child every week. These books will be changed weekly.

Due to timetabling issues outdoor gym will take place on Monday and not Tuesday as was stated in the newsletter. Indoor gym will continue to be on Thursday. Please could the children bring appropriate clothing and footwear for this.

We have just begun our Viking topic by writing a description of a Viking and tomorrow we will be drawing and painting Vikings to make a large Viking freize. The children are already very enthusiastic about the topic.

It was great to meet so many of you at our recent ‘Meet the Teacher’ session. If you have any questions or queries do not hesitate to contact us.

Ms Matheson and Miss Donaldson

Primary 2/3 5.9.17

Primary 2/3 have started their topic about Puppets. We have been investigating different types of puppets and identified some well known puppets like Pinocchio, Muppets and Sooty and Sweep! In the up coming weeks we will be making some of our very own puppets.

In Maths, Primary 2 have been focusing on number lines and Primary 3 have been working on addition up to 30 using the 100 square. Maths homework will be sent home today.

Reading books will be sent home today, along with some common words that need to be practised this week. All homework instructions will be found in the children’s homework diaries. Primary 3 will also have spelling words to complete.

P.E- Monday (Outdoor) Tuesday (Indoor)

Could children please remember to bring their P.E kits on these days?

Primary 2/3 have an achievement/talent wall, so if your children achieve anything outside of school, please let me know and we can add their achievement to our display and celebrate their success!

Miss Rafferty

P2

We’ve had a great start to the new year and all the children are settling in very well. We will start homework this week and today your children will have reading and maths to complete. They will also be given some common words every week. Please could you help your child to recognise and read these words.

This week we will be starting our topic – In Granny’s Day – where we will be looking at what life was like in the 1950s and 60s.

PE will take place on a Monday (outdoors) and a Tuesday (indoors). PE kits can be left in school and taken home after Tuesday.

If you have any questions or need to see me, please just let me know.

Thanks,

Mrs Muir