For the last 4 weeks, the orienteering after school club have been having great fun learning all about the different knowledge and skills needed for orienteering. This week, we brought all of these skills together to take part in a space themed orienteering challenge using QR codes to help us. We split into teams and, by using our growing map reading skills, we navigated our way around the school to locate 10 different markers. At each marker, we had to answer a space quiz question by scanning a QR code and using the URL link to find the correct answer. When reflecting on the challenge, we thought we had used our listening, memory, sharing and teamwork skills. We also had to use our sense of direction, as well as our ICT skills.
All posts by Miss Sherlow
Creating Craters
This week, Primary 5 have been learning about how craters are formed. We learned all about the key features of asteroids, comets and meteoroids, and the differences between each. We know that a meteoroid that survives falling through the Earth’s atmosphere and hits the Earth’s surface is known as a meteorite, and, if these are big enough, they can cause craters. The Moon is scarred with millions of impact craters as it doesn’t have an atmosphere to protect it. We experimented witch creating our own craters using a tray filled with flour to represent the inner crust of the Moon and cocoa powder to represent the outer crust. We dropped ‘meteorites’ onto our surface from different heights, then measured the depth and diameter of our craters, recording our results. Next week, we will transfer the data we have collected into a graph using Purple Mash to help us to analyse and compare our findings.
Cosmos Planetarium
Today Primary 1, P4, P5/4 and P5 had a very exciting visit from Cosmos Planetarium, a state of the art, 360° theatre experience. We were transported on a journey through the solar system and beyond – from flying through Saturn’s rings to diving into Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, to search it’s vast ocean for signs of life. We learned about the first moon landing, as well as what life might be like on the moon in future. We took a virtual tour of the International Space Station and were able to share our knowledge of Tim Peake from the biographies we wrote about his life and experiences last week.
In the Middle Area, we have been working in teams to create a planet fact file, and we were excited to use our new knowledge from our Cosmo Planetarium experience to help us. We also used our own devices, as well as the school’s netbooks and iPads, to research the key features of each planet. We will use ICT to bring our research together to create a group fact file about our Solar System.
Coordinated Maths
Learning Intention: We are learning to explore the use of coordinates to plot points and describe positions and movements on a grid (MTH 2-18a)
Success Criteria:
I can use coordinates to locate a point on a grid
I can use coordinates to describe and locate a unique point on a grid
I can plot coordinates on a grid
Primary 5 have been learning all about coordinates in maths. We know that you use coordinates to locate a specific point, usually on a map. We have been learning how to read coordinates accurately by finding the number that appears on the horizontal, or x axis first, then reading the number on the vertical, or y axis. Last week we looked at how to find and read coordinates in a grid with 1 quartile, but this week we challenged ourselves by locating and reading coordinates on a grid with 4 quartiles! That meant we had to use our knowledge of negative numbers to help us.
We rotated round three stations to demonstrate our knowledge and understanding:
- Teaching group- we plotted coordinates on a grid to create a pictures of an alien creature
- Game group- some of played a game of Spinning Coordinates, and others played Coordinates Bingo
- ICT group- Sumdog Challenge
We also used the AAL network to use our own and the school’s devices to try and and find the coordinates of our houses, learning about the meaning of latitude and longitude.
Using ICT to enhance learning in Mid Calder
We are living in a constantly evolving digital world and technology has an impact on nearly every aspect of our lives. And, we are very lucky to be able to use this technology in school to develop skills that will help us in the world of work and in our journey as lifelong learners in our ever advancing world.
Here are some of the ways that we use ICT to enhance our teaching and learning in Mid Calder Primary School:
Bring Your Own Device Parent Information
Thank you to all the parents and carers who attended our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) parent information session. For those who were unable to attend, here is the PowerPoint that some of our Technical Troopers, Pupil Council and House Captains brilliantly presented. Thank you to those pupils for giving up their time to share our BYOD journey so far.
Canoeing
Ladies who lunch
It’s a beautiful day for skiing!
It’s a bit chilly this morning…
