Follow our learning about Spring by looking at the Sway below.
Category Archives: Sciences
Term 3 Celebration Assembly
This morning we welcomed parents and friends along to our Celebration Celebration so that pupils could receive their STEM Super Star and Remarkable Reader Awards. We also announced the Top Scorers for each house and a big well done to Almondell who won the House Cup for last term.
Miss Sherlow presented those pupils who came in the top 50 of the West Lothain SumDog Competition with a certificate.
Lewis and Ross, both past pupils from our school who now attend West Calder High shared their achievements with us. They reminded us it was important to achievement academically and in other areas of life, and also to have fund along the way. A big thank you to Lewis and Ross for joining us.
Space Exploration with P4B
This week P4B have been working in their space teams to investigate space travel from specific key dates. We have used our research to start creating a timeline of space travel in the form of a whole class sway and a class timeline book. During this activity we have developed our research, team work and digital technology skills.
We can’t wait to complete our timeline Sway and book after the Easter Holidays.
STEM P7/6
This week we had our STEM open afternoon and P7/6 enjoyed showing friends and family a few of the experiments that we have been doing in class. All of our experiments have their own unique qualities but they were all chemical reactions. This week we made more slime, more elephant toothpaste (our water was the correct temperature), blobs in a bottle and a fizz inflator. When we made our we mixed together glue and washing detergent, we had to be careful though because if we mixed too much detergent with the glue, the mixture became too gloopy and lumpy and wasn’t the correct consistency for slime, we seem to have now perfected our slime and it really is now taking over P7/6!!!! Blobs in a bottle and the fizz inflator were new experiments, so were excited to find out what the results would be. Blobs in the bottle was a bit like a lamp lamp and The Fizz Inflator was a bit like a balloon pump. With our Blobs in a Bottle experiment we mixed together sunflower oil, and water but they did not mix together and the oil sat on top of the water, we then added some food colouring and this mixed with the water, once we had all the materials in the bottle we added an alka seltzer. The results were amazing…..the alka seltzer fizzed and pushed the water up into the sunflower oil and made blobs, it was really amazing. The Fizz Inflator consisted of bicarbonate of soda, vinegar, a balloon and a bottle. We had to put the vinegar in the bottle and then carefully put some bicarbonate of soda into the balloon. Once we had all the materials in place we had to very carefully try and put the balloon on top of the bottle, this allowed the bicarbonate of soda to fall into the vinegar, the two chemicals worked together to create an acid base reaction and the two chemicals work together to create carbon dioxide and this blew up the balloon, it really was exciting to watch. I think all of the family and friends were impressed by our experiments. Hopefully they might be able to try this at home!!!
I hope you all have a good weekend.
Miss Anderson and P7/6
P4A’s STEM afternoon
This week, we had the opportunity to set up a number of experiments and activities, that are part of our STEM topic ‘Project Planetarium’. This included designing and building a rocket launcher, which we then tested according to how high the rocket would go from the launcher.We had some help from the parents that came along top our open afternoon.
We created an experiment using a rocket, balloon and string to test the most effective way of forcing the rocket to move. Lastly, we were able to reinforce our knowledge of constellations using marshmallows and toothpicks by carefully following the design of different constellations. Well done Primary 4A and thank you to the parents that came along to see our hard work.
P4b’s Super STEM Challenges!
This week, P4b have taken part in a range of exciting STEM activities that has developed our understanding and knowledge of our solar system. We worked together in our space teams to experiment with a range of materials and used a range maths skills.
We created galaxy jars, marshmallow constellations, balloon rockets and moon craters. On Thursday we were able to share what we had learned with our relatives and parents and the STEM Open Afternoon.
‘It was fun and exciting to teach our parents how to do different experiments’ Daisy
‘I really enjoyed seeing our parents around the classroom’ Megan
STEM Sharing the Learning Afternoon
This afternoon we opened our doors to parents, carers and friends to come and explore our STEM interdisciplinary learning. In the different areas we had:
- Nursery: STEM activities
- P1 and P2/1: Building our Nursery
- P3/2: Bike Challenge
- P3: Baby Gym
- P4: Project Planetarium
- P5: Kidnapped: CSI
- P6-7: Cool Chemistry
Visitors had an opportunity to take part in a range of science, technologies, engineering and mathematical activities with their children including chemistry experiments, designing the front of our new nursery, making parts of a bike, trying out toys for our baby gyms, making star constellations, fingerprint analysis and showcasing how we use digital learning.
The Nursery used this opportunity to try out their Go Pro, and Scarlet and Archie recorded the STEM afternoon through their eyes.
Our Technical Troopers also tried out using Microsoft Forms to collect information about out visitors’ experiences. This was a fantastic and instant way to gain feedback. You can complete the form by clicking here if you did not have time to do so during your visit.
Some of our feedback so far has included:
The most popular Science, Technologies or Mathematical skills evident during your visit:
- Creativity
- Observation
- Problem Solving
- Scientific inquiry and investigation
- Discussion
We use a range of ways to involve parents/carers in their children’s learning. The methods you prefer are:
- Newsletter
- Parents Night
- Sending jotters home
- Sharing the Learning Afternoon
At Mid Calder we use digital technologies in a range of ways to enhance learning and teaching experiences. How do you feel the use of digital technologies enhances your child/ children’s learning?
- To enhance learning for the future and modern living. Knowing what is safe and secure online. Learning new things that I may not be able to help with or understand.
- Excellent , as technology is the future and will be used more and more as my child gets older and becomes an adult. I would encourage more use of technology in school and support the use of all types of digital technologies.
- The use of digital learning will enhance their learning experiences and translate to real life.
- I think they find it more engaging and interesting. Technology is everywhere, in leisure and the world of work and it helps to learn about it now. In the case of Sumdog, learning can be continued at home.
- I feel that the digital technology used in the nursery is a great way to help the children’s understanding of how the things in the real world work. Everything is digital now and learning to use these technologies at a young age is beneficial as these can be used in a range of ways. We have a range of different devices in the household and although used more as a treat, I feel that my child knows how things work and can’t believe how quickly things can be picked up.
Thank you to everyone who came along to support the event.
Crystal Grotto at Jupiter and the P2/3 response to it!
Crystal Grotto at Jupiter Artland P2/3
P2/3 visited the artwork entitled The Light Pours Out of Me at Jupiter Artland. They were using their senses to describe the artwork and they talked about the artist and the other senses she uses in her art such as the taste of her chocolate room!
Back in class they solved a design challenge to create an amethyst grotto as a class display. They made artworks with salt crystals and shades of purple acrylic paint. They also used triangles to make a geometric design. They used paint but also an Art app called Art Set. This can be downloaded free.
We learnt new words for purple such as mauve, periwinkle and magenta.
We also saw a smooth shiny material called obsidian. Can you find out more about this glass-like rock? can you find out more about the artist who made the huge grotto. What is her name? What other sculptures has she made?
P4b’s Space-tacular Assembly!
Well done to Primary 4B for a FANTASTIC assembly today all about their Project Planetarium STEM IDL Context. We have learned so much about the planets and the moon in our space missions so far and cant wait to find out what is next!
Thank you to all parents and carers who managed to attend. The children enjoyed preparing, practicing and presenting their assembly! Here are some pictures from the assembly and a link to the prezi presentation for any parents and carers who couldn’t attend and for the pupils to watch again!
Prezi Presentation: http://prezi.com/r6m6ljei5pt6/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
