Author: Miss Topping

P2/1 are getting fully into the Christmas Spirit! We have updated our home corner to include a Christmas Tree, which children love to redecorate every day. Our writing table has become a Christmas Post Office, and we’ve been using our developing writing skills to write christmas cards and lists to post in our mini post box. We even have a new friend called Elfy, who has started bringing us a letter every day. We wonder what it will spell out!

Fun activities like this are a great opportunity for children to develop their creativity and social skills, and help them find real purpose and motivation for the writing and reading skills they are beginning to build.

P2/1 have been celebrating all things Scottish during Collaboration Time this week. We introduced the nursery class to ceilidh dancing by demonstrating the Gay Gordons that we have been learning in PE. Then Primary Ones and Nursery children set off to explore Scottish traditions – more dancing, Saltires created from collage and from play dough, tartan weaving with fabrics and paper, and admiring the tradition kilt worn by our friend Buddy the Bear. Meanwhile the Primary Twos researched Saint Andrew, taking notes about when and why he became Scotland’s patron Saint. They gave a very informative presentation to the younger children to wrap up the afternoon. We can’t wait for Friday’s school ceilidh to put our learning into action!

P2/1 and P3/2 are having a great time celebrating Scottish Book Week! On Wednesday we had a book bag gifting event, where every child received a bag of new books and games from the Scottish Book Trust. We had so much fun reading our new books, playing games and drawing the characters with online help from one of the illustrators.

P2/1 had their second session with Kids Gone Wild this week, and the skills development and imagination they showed was fantastic. Children found Big-Foot tracks and rainbow fox houses in the ground, developing their talking and listening as they shared exciting ideas and discoveries. They climbed trees, rocked in hammocks and flew down a zip line, building their gross motor skills. They collaborated to take turns, build dens and create treasure trails with arrows and an ‘x’ marking the spot. But most of all, they had a fantastic, memorable day in nature together.

P2/1 have been exploring another seasonal event this week. In the gym hall children worked collaboratively to create firework dances – there was lots of spinning, sparkling, energy and dramatic flair!

Back in the classroom fireworks inspired our literacy with a themed word hunt around the classroom and a listening lotto challenge. We enjoyed our first collaboration session with our nursery friends, which offered the chance to create some beautiful art, make our own sparklers and role play using them safely, and share our knowledge about staying safe at bonfire celebrations in the floorbook.