We have had a very busy couple of weeks, lots of different things have been happening, and although we have had lots of time when we have been out of our own classroom, we are still working hard with our Numeracy and Literacy and the other areas of the curriculum as well.

Last week was the first of our transition days. We went to Greenrigg and worked with Mrs Monahan and the P7’s there. Our topic is Sustainability. We are looking at the World’s Oceans and the damage that is being done to them, and what we could be doing to improve the situation. It was good meeting up with our friends at Greenrigg, having worked with them before during previous transition days, and we are all looking forward to our next visits.

It was our last time working with the Forest Schools’ Rangers, our shelters are finally finished and this time we were learning how to make fires and how to keep them (and us)  safe. We tried using the sticks method to try and start a fire the way they would have done years ago, but unfortunately although many of us managed to get our sticks really warm, none of us managed to get a spark! The Ranger did though, she showed us how to gather kindling, what would make the best kind of kindling , then how to build up the fire and how to light it. We  finally had a lovely fire that we could sit around and toast marshmallows and bread on! After we had eaten our fill, we were shown how to put the fire out safely, and cover it up so it looked like there had never been a fire there at all. The Forest Schools has been an amazing experience and we all loved every bit of it!

We were lucky enough to have a trip to Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh. We didn’t know what to expect, but we had a great day! We met veterans who shared a lesson on wars with us. Sargent Major Joe, told us all about both WW1 and WW2. He had lots to show us, and explained lots of different things. Madyson and Shayne were chosen to be dressed up in uniforms, Madyson as a regular soldier and Shayne as a commando, ans each bit of the kit  they put on was explained to us. The Sargent Major kept shouting at Madyson, like he would do with regular soldiers, to keep still (using his Sargent Major voice,) even though she wasn’t even moving! Miss Smith got dressed up as a spy and all her uniform and gadgets were explained too, the women who were spies were very brave but sadly most of  them were captured, tortured and killed.

After our lesson we were shown around the factory, and saw lots of veterans making poppies and wreaths. Lady Haig’s Factory gives work to veterans of the armed forces, any branch, who have been injured in any conflict fighting for their country. We also saw different types of poppies, because each country has their own design. The Scottish poppy has four petals but no leaf. The English, Welsh and Northern Irish Poppy has 3 petals and a leaf.  We all had our own favourites, but the Scottish Poppy was the most popular! To finish our visit we all got making our own poppy to take home with us. We also made lots of others, which will be used to make poppy wreaths. It was a great day, and one of the best trips we have ever been on.

The end of our busy two weeks, was Children in Need Friday. We have been selling pin badges, key rings and wrist bands all week to raise money. We sold out of everything except for some wrist bands. On the Friday itself we all got dressed to “Be what you want to be” and paid a pound fine for the charity. It was funny seeing so many Pudseys coming to school, even funnier seeing some of them trying to do Scottish Dancing with Mr Tennant! We don’t know the total amount we have raised yet, but we hope it is a lot. When the total is finalized, everyone will be told.

“It’s a shame it is the last Forest School! I had great fun and the marshmallows we toasted on the fire were very tasty!” – Erin

“I enjoy doing traditional Scottish Dances to modern sons with Mr Tennant” – Matthew

“I really liked making poppies and learning more about World War 1 and 2” – Kieran Mc

“I liked the challenge of using appropriate and specialist vocabulary, to  write a letter of thanks to the Veterans and the Poppy Factory for our visit” – Natasha

“Singing in the choir with children from Our Ladies is amazing. We missed it last week because of our Poppy Factory visit, but this week we got to audition to sing solos or duets. I am singing a duet with Robbie Mc.” – Sarah

“I liked meeting Sargent Major Joe, and getting dressed up as a commando! I was given a machine gun to hold and I had to charge at Mrs Loosemore yelling to try and frighten her, like a command would do to an enemy!” – Shayne

“I was dressed as a soldier, first of all the Sargent Major told me I needed a hair cut because soldiers didn’t have long hair, then he kept shouting at me to keep still! All I was doing was breathing!” Madyson

” It was funny seeing Miss Smith dressed as a spy. Sargent Major called her James Bond’s Granny and 0071/2″ – Katie

“The Sargent Major used me as a puppet and made me move my arms to point to all the girls and say they were useless during the war. Then he explained they weren’t, and all the jobs they actually did!” – Robbie Mc

“I liked learning about the oceans, but I really liked when Mrs Monahan explained the difference between using the words Pacific and specific!” Jay

“It was fun meeting and working with our friends at Greenrigg again” – Leah

I liked trying to make a spark using two sticks, the sticks got hot, but we didn’t get a spark” – Alexandra