Category Archives: English & Literacy

Mid Calder celebrates Robert Burns in style!

On Friday 20th January, pupils from across each class demonstrated their Scots skills by participating in our annual Robert Burns assembly.

Two pupils from each class recited their poem in front of the audience, led by our House Captains.  We learned a little information about Rabbie Burns himself and we were treated to a real celebration of Scots culture, when girls from P6 and P7 performed some Highland dancing.

Niamh Sher, Cailin McKenna and Zach Paris will now go forward to represent Mid Calder Primary at the West Lothian Burns Recital competition later on this term.

ALL boys and girls who took part were a real credit to themselves – their use of Scots language was outstanding and dedication to learning their poems off by heart was fantastic.

Thankyou to our judging panel, Mr MacFarlane, Mrs Bokhari and Mrs Mackenzie had a tough job choosing a representative from Primary Five to Seven.

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Primary Seven get buddying!

Primary Seven pupils enjoyed their first buddying session with P1 pupils on Wednesday afternoon.

The focus for the afternoon session was developing Literacy skills – pupils from P2/1 were up leveling their sentence work in their fabulous stories about an ice castle.  P1 spent some time completing paired reading with their buddies to practice reading skills.

This was a fun session and Primary Seven are looking forward to their next visit in two weeks.

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Building Snow Castles in P2/1

Einartas had a great idea to go outside and build snow castles as part of our Castles interdisciplinary learning. Some of decided to work on our own, in pairs, in small groups and in larger groups. We had to use items that we found to create a castle. Some us added a flag created a moat and made turrets as we had been learning about the features of a castle in class. As a group we explained to the rest of the class the features of our castle and how we made it.

 We are learning to write a description of our ice castle.

  • I can describe what the castle looked like using wow words.
  • I can use sentences to describe the castle.
  • I can use capital letters and full stops.

When we went back in our class we talked to our learning partner about what our castle looked like. Then we wrote a description of our castle. We realised that we were so excited we forgot to add in wow words so during our buddy time, our buddy’s helped us to uplevel our writing  by using wow words.

 

P6’s Scottish Writing

P6 have had a great time learning all about Scots language. We have been reading a variety of poems and have studied Scots vocabulary. Using this knowledge, we have created our own ‘Oor Wullie’ comic strips. This has been a fun and engaging task and has been a great way of applying our knowledge of Scots language.

Learning intention – We are learning to write a comic strip using Scots vocabulary.

Success criteria – I can write speech appropriate to the images.

I can use 10/12/14 different Scots words.

I can write in an informal style.

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P7/6 All things Scottish!

This week we have been busy in primary 7/6 learning all about Scots language. In our reading groups we have been learning to identify Scots, to do this we have been looking at some Scottish poems. We identified Scottish words from a poem and,using the Scottish dictionary, we found out what they meant in English. We had a lot of fun thinking about what Scottish words we already knew and were surprised by the amount we came up it. We transferred these skills when  writing our ‘Oor Wullie’ comic strips. We have also been doing some pencil drawings where we had to complete the face of Robert Burns. We were given a copy of half of his face and had to draw and shade the remainder, it was quite hard but they all look fantastic.

Rosie Finningham P7.

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Burns Competition P2/3

Rory and Cara won the class competition to recite Scots poems – The Bubblyjock and The Heron. They were full of enthusiasm and expression. The actions helped to turn the poems into great wee performances. Well done. Yours aye, Miss Brolls. We will be learning more Scots words in the week ahead in The Broons and Oor Wullie so if you have any old annuals to share please bring them in.

Horrible Hurricane Histories in P5B

We are learning to research a significant natural disaster from throughout history.

Success Criteria:
I can identify reliable websites and understand when a website is trying to influence me
I can organise my notes under appropriate headings
I can summarise my findings using my own words
I can use my notes to contribute to a class OneNote

As part of our IDL context, Natural Disasters, this week Primary 5B have been learning all about hurricanes, tornadoes and cyclones. First of all, we learned that the main difference between these weather phenomenons is the location where the storm is formed. Next, we used our own and the school devices to research a well known hurricane in pairs, taking notes on our findings.

We also used our findings to contribute to a class OneNote, where we had to input the cost of damage caused by our hurricane, and the number of lives lost in the disaster. We then used the data handling skills we have been learning in our maths lessons to transfer this information into a pie chart and a bar chart using Purple Mash. We posted our charts onto our Natural Disasters Yammer page.

We then brought all of this information together to write a newspaper article about our hurricane. We imagined that the disaster had just happened and we had been given the job to tell the world about it.


What a whirlwind of a week for P5B!

Winter Ready P4

In preparation for our Burns assembly, Primary 4 have been learning some Scottish poems. We have been practising reciting our poems in Scots language with a clear, confident voice and lots of expression. As a extra challenge, please perform your poem in front of a relative or friend to help you perfect your poetry performance.

The First Hoolit’s Prayer

“A’ll tak the nicht-shift,” says the hoolit.
“The nicht-shift suits me fine –
An i the deeps o winter
A’ll aye dae the overtime.

“Dinna send me wi thae ithir birds
cheepin in a choir
i the gloamin or at brek o day
lined up oan a wire.

“But gie tae me a solo pairt,
markin oot the nicht
wi low notes that gie goose-pricks
an hie anes that gie frichts.

“An Lord, dinna pey me
wi nuts or crumbs or seeds:
A want tae be carnivorous,
an chow aff rottans’ heids!”

 

The Hens Lament

“A’ll tak the nicht-shift,” says the hoolit.
“The nicht-shift suits me fine –
An i the deeps o winter
A’ll aye dae the overtime.

Nae sunner div I settle doon
My clutch o bairns tae hatch
The fairm-wife come – a scraunin pest –
She cowps me aff me cosy nest
A tarry- fingert vratch.

Jist lately, though, she’s changed her tune –
Ma plaitie’s piled wi corn.
“Sup up, ma bonnie quine,” says she,
“We’re haein broth the morn!”

Burns Poems/Winter Ready

In P7/6 have been learning our Burns poems during our quick start every morning, we have also been identifying Scots language and how this is different to some of the words that we use today.

As mentioned in class, can children please comment ‘Winter Ready’ and the poem that will be reciting below, to let me know that, in the event of any adverse weather, you are able to access the blog.

Many thanks – Miss Anderson

P6 – Breakin’ Rainbows

He wis jist a wee lad
dibblin in a puddle,
glaur fae heid tae fit,
enjoyin haen a guddle.
He micht hae been a poacher
pu’in salmon fae the beck.
He coulda been a paratrooper
swamp up tae his neck.
Oneywey, he wis faur awa,
deep wandered in his dreams.
It richt sobered me tae mind
dub’s no whit it seems.
An while ah watched an grieved
the loss that maks a man a mug,
alang the road fair breenged his Maw
an skelpt him roon the lug

To a Mouse

Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie,

O, what a panic’s in thy breastie!

Thou need na start awa sae hasty,

Wi’ bickering brattle!

I wad be laith to rin an’ chase thee,

Wi’ murdering pattle!

 

I’m truly sorry Man’s dominion

Has broken Nature’s social union,

An’ justifies that ill opinion

Which makes thee startle

At me, thy poor, earth-born companion

An’ fellow-mortal!

 

I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;

What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!

A daimen-icker in a thrave

‘S a sma’ requet;

I’ll get a blessin wi’ the lave,

An’ never miss’t!

 

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!

Its silly wa’s the win’s are strewin!

An’ naething, now, to big a new ane,

O’ foggage green!

An’ bleak December’s win’s ensuing,

Baith snell an’ keen!

 

Thou saw the fields laid bare an’ waste,

An’ weary Winter comin fast,

An’ cozie here, beneath the blast,

Thou thought to dwell,

Till crash! the cruel coulter past

Out thro’ thy cell.

 

That wee bit heap o’ leaves and stibble,

Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!

Now thou’s turned out, for a’ thy trouble,

But house or hald,

To thole the Winter’s sleety dribble,

An’ cranreuch cauld!

 

But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best-laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men

Gang aft agley,

An’ lea’e us nought but grief an’ pain,

For promis’d joy!

 

Still thou are blest, compared wi’ me!

The present only toucheth thee:

But Och! I backward cast my e’e,

On prospects drear!

An’ forward, tho’ I cannot see,

I guess an’ fear!

 

P7 Red Red Rose

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my Luve’s like the melodie,
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands 
o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!

To a Louse,

On Seeing one on a Lady’s Bonnet at Church

 

Ha! whare ye gaun, ye crowlan ferlie!

Your impudence protects you sairly:

I canna say but ye strunt rarely,

Owre gawze and lace;

Tho’ faith, I fear ye dine but sparely,

On sic a place.

 

Ye ugly, creepan, blastet wonner,

Detested, shunn’d, by saunt an’ sinner,

How daur ye set your fit upon her,

Sae fine a Lady!

Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner,

On some poor body.

 

Swith, in some beggar’s haffet squattle;

There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,

Wi’ ither kindred, jumping cattle,

In shoals and nations;

Whare horn nor bane ne’er daur unsettle,

Your thick plantations.

 

Now haud you there, ye’re out o’ sight,

Below the fatt’rels, snug and tight,

Na faith ye yet! ye’ll no be right,

Till ye’ve got on it,

The vera topmost, towrin height

O’ Miss’s bonnet.

 

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,

As plump an’ gray as onie grozet:

O for some rank, mercurial rozet,

Or fell, red smeddum,

I’d gie you sic a hearty dose o’t,

Wad dress your droddum!

 

I wad na been surpriz’d to spy

You on an auld wife’s flainen toy;

Or aiblins some bit duddie boy,

On ’s wylecoat;

But Miss’s fine Lunardi, fye!

How daur ye do ’t?

 

O Jenny dinna toss your head,

An’ set your beauties a’ abread!

Ye little ken what cursed speed

The blastie’s makin!

Thae winks and finger-ends, I dread,

Are notice takin!

 

O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us

To see oursels as others see us!

It wad frae monie a blunder free us

An’ foolish notion:

What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us,

                And ev’n Devotion!

Primary 7 are Winter Ready!

With our up and coming Burns celebrations, we are learning to recite some of our national bard’s best loved poems.

Please leave a comment below to show that you can log onto the school blog, in the event of any Winter weather issues – leave your name and which poem you are learning for reading homework.

Please also find the choices for P7s Burns poems at the bottom of this blog post.

Many thanks, Mrs Ross.

 

Red Red Rose by Robert Burns

O my Luve’s like a red, red rose,
That’s newly sprung in June:
O my Luve’s like the melodie,
That’s sweetly play’d in tune.

As fair art thou, my bonie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.

Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
While the sands 
o’ life shall run.

And fare-thee-weel, my only Luve!
And fare-thee-weel, a while!
And I will come again, my Luve,
Tho’ ’twere ten thousand mile!

To a Louse, on seeing one on a Lady’s bonnet at church by Robert Burns:

Ha! whare ye gaun, ye crowlan ferlie!

Your impudence protects you sairly:

I canna say but ye strunt rarely,

Owre gawze and lace;

Tho’ faith, I fear ye dine but sparely,

On sic a place.

 

Ye ugly, creepan, blastet wonner,

Detested, shunn’d, by saunt an’ sinner,

How daur ye set your fit upon her,

Sae fine a Lady!

Gae somewhere else and seek your dinner,

On some poor body.

 

Swith, in some beggar’s haffet squattle;

There ye may creep, and sprawl, and sprattle,

Wi’ ither kindred, jumping cattle,

In shoals and nations;

Whare horn nor bane ne’er daur unsettle,

Your thick plantations.

 

Now haud you there, ye’re out o’ sight,

Below the fatt’rels, snug and tight,

Na faith ye yet! ye’ll no be right,

Till ye’ve got on it,

The vera topmost, towrin height

O’ Miss’s bonnet.

 

My sooth! right bauld ye set your nose out,

As plump an’ gray as onie grozet:

O for some rank, mercurial rozet,

Or fell, red smeddum,

I’d gie you sic a hearty dose o’t,

Wad dress your droddum!

 

I wad na been surpriz’d to spy

You on an auld wife’s flainen toy;

Or aiblins some bit duddie boy,

On ’s wylecoat;

But Miss’s fine Lunardi, fye!

How daur ye do ’t?

 

O Jenny dinna toss your head,

An’ set your beauties a’ abread!

Ye little ken what cursed speed

The blastie’s makin!

Thae winks and finger-ends, I dread,

Are notice takin!

 

O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us

To see oursels as others see us!

It wad frae monie a blunder free us

An’ foolish notion:

What airs in dress an’ gait wad lea’e us,

And ev’n Devotion!