The children are learning how to grow plants from seed. When the plant starts to grow, this is called germination. Alivia knows her seed needs soil, water and light to grow. We are watching how our plants develop.
Category Archives: English & Literacy
Reading and Writing Non-Fiction Books with P3/2
What an exciting few weeks the children have had in P3/2 – We have been researching and writing our own non-fiction books LI. We are learning to write a non-fiction book.
In Reading – We were learning over a six week period;
- About the features of a non-fiction book.
- To consider how non-fiction books differ from fiction books.
- To discuss the difference between fact and fiction
How – lots of different opportunities were experienced to ‘hook’ us in e.g.
- I can share two new facts/information I have learned from my non-fiction book
- I can make questions to find the answers
- I can find the answers to others questions
Activity;
In reading groups appoint facilitator and resource manager
Give out white boards and pens
In groups the facilitator chose people in turn to share two facts they had learned and then invited questions from the group.
What are good question starters? What, where when how who is etc…
Next they had to generate three questions that you might find the answer to in their text. Mrs Allsopp modelled outloud her thinking giving an example from each text.
They then gave their questions to another group to find the answers!
In writing we were able to then generate our own success criteria having thoroughly researched the ‘common’ features of non-fiction texts.
- I can identify the success criteria for my book
- I can write three chapters – each chapter must share three new facts.
- I can include a picture, and/or diagram
- I can include an index , contents, glossary
- I can include a Front and back cover with a title and blurb
Now that we had completed the research we were ready to make our own books.
The success criteria were referred to throughout the process.
When the books were complete the children had to write a book review on each other’s…a lot of feedback and discussion was had.
Finally our books have been displayed for anyone to have a read and learn!
WL Library Services: e-books
eBooks
Download eBooks to a wide variety of devices for free
How do I register?
Simply register on the site with your library barcode and PIN (usually the last four digits of the phone number we have on record for you), then login and start searching.
What can I borrow?
You can borrow or reserve up to six ebooks for free from the West Lothian eBooks(Opens in a new window) site, and download them to a wide variety of devices.
There are hundreds of books to choose from on this site, and thousands more copyright free titles on sites like Project Gutenberg(Opens in a new window) and Obooko(Opens in a new window)
New eBook Collections
We have created several new collections of ebooks: Tartan Crime, Modern Women, Nordic Noir,Family Sagas, Most Popular and Just Returned, so click on the Collections Tab(Opens in a new window) to see what’s available.
How long can I borrow them for?
You can borrow ebooks from between 1 and 21 days. You select the loan period once you have chosen the titles you want to download, and the ebooks expire from your device at the end of the selected loan period.
eBooks can be download to an ebook reader, tablet, smart phone, computer and laptop,. They cannot be downloaded to the Kindle reader due to Amazon’s policy, but can be downloaded to a Kindle Fire.
Find out more at: http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/ebooks
Story Telling and Number Talks in the Nursery (AM Class)
Rosie said, “I writed my name then told the story of Jack and Beanstalk.”
ROSIE’S STORY
Jack went to the market to sell the cow. He got some beans. His mum threw them out. The beanstalk grew up and up—-very big. Jack climbed to the castle. He met the giant–fee,fo,fi,fum.
Nairne said, ” I was writing my name in my little notebook. I drew some pictures.”
NAIRNE’S STORY
Jack went to the market. He saw a man with magic beans. His mum threw the beans out of the window. The beanstalk grew. Jack climbed up the beanstalk to the castle. A giant was there. Jack ran away with the pennies and the hen.”
Carlie has been making numbers.“It is a countdown, 10, 9, 8 ,7 ,6 ,5 ,4 ,3,2,1,0, Blast Off ” she said.
Jack said, ” I am writing my numbers –hundred eight. I took it home to show mum. I like writing big numbers.”
Spring Has Arrived in the Nursery (AM Class)
The children have been noticing lots of bulbs growing in the garden. Mrs Barber has taught them a new song. “Snowdrop,snowdrop, little drop of snow.”
Coryn said “I was painting some snowdrops. They are growing outside. I used a feather to print the stems then added white for the petals.”
“I am making daffodils. I printed the stems of the daffodils. I made 8 daffodils.I mixed red and yellow to make some orange for the centre.” said Imogen.
Afternoon Nursery Tea Party
The afternoon children were very excited about the tea party. Ollie said, “We were making triangles for our bunting in the Willow Tea Room.” “I made flowers, I folded the triangles.” said Eloise.
Jake said,”At pop in and play, I was eating the cakes with mum. I was showing mum round the nursery.”
Jessica was playing with mum at the big bricks. She was being the big bad wolf. I had fun being one of the little pigs.
“My mummy was having tea in the kitchen- I was eating shortbread.” said Logan.
Granny Joyce was so surprised when Connor handed her his card and daffodil.
Cayla said, ” I gave mummy a card and a daffodil when she came to the tea party. Mum showed me how to draw a ladybird.”
OTHER ACTIVITIES THIS WEEK
Max made a painting of Jack and the Beanstalk. He said, “ I mixed white paint and black paint to make the castle grey.”
Lacy said, “I made Jack and the Beanstalk- the magic beans grew into a huge beanstalk. Jack climbed all the way up to the castle.”
Jake said, “ I am making a gadget- it is a periscope to see things far away. It is on wheels so I can move it about easily.”
Mid Calder Bake Off
West Lothian Council have shared our recent Bake Off on their Facebook page. This can be accessed at:
https://www.facebook.com/westlothiancouncil/posts/10153543917305838:0
P6 attend EUROQUIZ
On Friday 4th March, four Primary Six children visited Howden Park Centre, along with 18 other schools from across West Lothian, to participate in the annual Euroquiz.
There were lots of very tricky questions focused on the EU, history, sport and culture of countries within the EU and a variety of flag and country questions.
We participated really well and thoroughly enjoyed our morning. A big thanks to Cole, Ayla, Jamie and Sean for doing so much preparation and studying for this event. You did a great job!
http://youtu.be/NJTV7myS3_c
West Lothian Schools Burns Festival 2016
Following our school Burns Competition, Lexie (P4), Cailin (P5), Luca (P6) and Abby (P7) were selected by our panel of judges to represent our school at the West Lothian Schools Festival 2016.
Tonight the four pupils attended the competitions at St. Kentigern’s Academy and recited their poems to the judges from Fauldhouse and Crofthead Burns Club and to an audience of guests from all across West Lothian.
Abby received the award for best verse speaking in the Primary 6/7 category. She received a Burns Trophy and an individual trophy. She will now be invited along to the National Burns Competition.
A huge well done to the pupils who confidently represented our school at this competition, and to their parents and teachers for supporting them.
http://youtu.be/6lvJFAccqs0
Mid Calder Primary School Bake-Off! Read all about it!
Mid Calder Bake-Off!
Why not read a recipe?
The Bake-Off is back! Bigger and better than ever! Mid Calder Primary School’s BookLions is proud to present The Mid Calder Bake-Off! Get out your whisks and put on your aprons because it’s coming to Mid Calder Primary School hall, on Thursday 3rd March 2016.
It will be at 1:30pm-2:30pm, so bring your cakes and bakes to the hall in the morning, where we will be waiting to collect your sweet treats. We promise we won’t eat them!
If you have any gluten-free or nut free cakes and bakes please inform us, and we will add this to your description card. If you have used any Fairtrade products in your bakes, we will have a table for that too.
The Categories are:
Nursery
P1-P3
P4-P5
P6-P7
Parent/family etc
Staff
The cake designs can be to do with your favourite book/character or they could just be a normal design. Remember to bring a copy of the recipe you used when baking or bring in the book for everyone to see. Reasons being to make sure everyone knows what they’re eating and that they’re allowed it, also reading is what we encourage and we thought it would be fun to let you read the recipes yourself!
We will have special guest judges and your parents, carers, grandparents will also be invited in during this time. We invite you to take another cake home to try (and the recipe) for a small donation, if you want to take your own cake home afterwards please let us know when delivering it to the hall. The donations you make are to raise money for our school library, to get it into better condition. Oh, and did we forget to tell you about the prize? Your cakes and bakes will be judged before parents and carers arrive. The prize will be a… surprise because that’s the best kind!
Finally, if you have any old books or books you don’t read anymore, we will be having a book swap table, to get you reading.
We hope you will put in the effort to get baking and bring in some delicious cakes and treats, for everyone to enjoy!
Hope you get busy and get baking!
From, Erin Leitch, Eloise Cowie and Neve Cormack, members of the BookLions
