Category Archives: Interdisciplinary Learning

Interdisciplinary Learning, Maths & Numeracy, Primary 5

Primary 5 measure up, but does our classroom?

January 22, 2016 Miss Sherlow 2 Comments

Learning Intentions:
We are learning what a budget is and why it is important
We are learning to prioritise within a budget

We are learning to measure in cm and metres

Success Criteria:
I understand what a budget is and what it does
I can prioritise my choices and justify my selection
I can select the most efficient operation and calculate accurately

I can measure using rulers, measuring tapes and meter sticks
I can measure to the nearest cm

This week, the classes in the middle area received a special challenge from Miss Thompson- to redesign our classrooms for the 21st century! Miss Thompson is going to set us a budget, and we will use this to help us to create a design for a new room. We need to make sure that it is a classroom that is ready for us to learn and for our teachers to teach, but with some exciting new features!

To help us develop the skills we will need to complete this challenge, we started with a task in small groups where we had to plan a party with a budget of £200. We used our knowledge of the four operations to work out what we had spent and how much we had left. We presented our ideas to our peers and had to justify and explain our choices. This helped us to understand what a budget is, why it is important, as well as how to find clever ways to help us to stick to it.

Next, to get ready for the design aspect of our challenge, we had use the skills we have been learning in our class maths to measure different parts of our classroom so we know how much space we have to work with. We used a variety of measuring apparatus to measure objects in meters and centimeters, and even had to use a decimal point. We developed our teamwork and communication skills by working closely with our group to make decisions and to share out the task equally.

We can’t wait to get planning our designs! Watch this space…

Anytime Anywhere Learning, News, Pupil Council, Technical Troopers, Technologies

Anytime Anywhere Learning is coming to Mid Calder!

January 14, 2016 Miss Burton 1 Comment

This week the Pupil Council and Technical Troopers took part in some very exciting discussions about Anytime Anywhere Learning (AAL). AAL is when we have a wifi network where we can connect handheld devices to the internet. The first stage of AAL is when we connect our in school devices such as iPads to the network, the second stage is bring your own device (BYOD) that is when we have the opportunity to bring our own devices into school.

We are currently at stage one.

The Pupil Council and Technical Troopers have a lot of research to do before we are allowed to bring our own device to school, this will begin will a consultation with pupils and parents … so watch this space!

This week during our Junior Leadership Team meeting we discussed the benefits and issues of bring your own device. Next time we will look at the issues and see if we can think of solutions. If you have any thoughts on bring your own device please leave a comment below.

English & Literacy, Interdisciplinary Learning, Maths & Numeracy, Primary 1

P1a New Term

January 12, 2016 Mrs Smith 7 Comments

We have had a very busy start to the new term in P1a.

Literacy

We have been working hard on reading and writing the Common Words.We use paper cups and bricks to build towers and word walls with the words we can read. Sometimes they get really high! We also play a game with words written on lollipop sticks. We take turns to pull out a stick, read the word and put it safely in our pile. However, if we pull out the stick with the red dot, we have to put all the sticks we have back in the pot. When the sand in the timer runs out, the person with most sticks is the winner. We are beginning to look at the next set of words now and these will be sent home soon, along with a new game to play!

Numeracy

This week we focused on the numbers to 20. We practised reading and writing the numbers, counting forwards and backwards, saying the number after, before and between and counting groups of items. We made number sequences and put numbers in order from the smallest to the largest.

IDL

We were very excited last term when Tim Peake blasted off to the International Space Station. Our interest and enthusiasm has continued, so we have decided to investigate Space ! First of all we looked at some space related objects and pictures, and shared our ideas with each other. Then we thought about what we would really like to learn more about, and we created some questions about Space. Together, we made a 3D Mind Map to help us plan our Learning over the next few weeks. We are going to record our Learning in a big book which we have all signed, because we will all be the authors and illustrators of it!

Interdisciplinary Learning, Primary 2

Primary Two have been designing a character from medieval times.

January 8, 2016 User deactivated 1 Comment

This week we have been making designs for our medieval characters. We started by working in small groups doing some research into different people who lived in medieval times. There were five groups, each group looked at a different character. We researched information on monks, knights, kings, queens and peasants. We then shared the information we had found out with the whole class. After we had completed our research we had to pick one medieval character we would like to design. Next week we are going to make our medieval characters using wooden spoon and a selection of different materials. We will keep you posted!

Interdisciplinary Learning, Primary 1

P1b Push and Pull Forces

December 14, 2015 User deactivated 1 Comment

LI: We are learning about push and pull forces.

SC: I can predict what will happen to an object when a push or pull force is applied.

SC: I can apply a push or pull force to an object.

SC: I can analyse whether an object has changed shape or speed when a push or pull force is applied.

SC: I can record my analysis.

This afternoon Primary 1b continued our Toys topic by carrying out an experiment to explore the effect of forces on some of our classroom toys. We began our experiment by predicting the effect of a push force and a pull force on three different types of toy, explaining and recording our predictions. Then we worked with a partner to apply a push and a pull force to the toys, then analyse and record the results.

“It’s starting to move. That means its changing speed.” Isla MacKinnon

“The ball rolls when you push it, so its changing speed.” Isla Meldrum

“If you push this ball at both sides it gets squished too. That’s because it’s soft. It’s fabric.” Daniel

“Most of the toys changed speed.” Lucas

“If you push the ball from the side, it goes the other way.” Amorie

“If you make the play dough into a ball, then you can make it roll.” Rory

Interdisciplinary Learning, Outside of School, Uncategorized

P4 visit the Chocolate Factory! Our visit to Getting Gooey.

December 8, 2015 User deactivated 4 Comments

As part of our topic based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, P4 enjoyed a very tasty visit to Getting Gooey in Livingston.

During our project, the children have worked in groups to design a chocolate product based on market research which they conducted around school. Today the product design turned into reality as the children tried their hand at chocolate design and demolished the remaining chocolate! Great fun was had by all.

Community, Events, Interdisciplinary Learning, Primary 5, Uncategorized

Primary 5’s Roald Dahl Assembly

December 7, 2015 Miss Sherlow 19 Comments

On Friday, Primary 5 demonstrated all of the new knowledge and skills they have been developing through their IDL topic of Charlie and the Chocolate factory. They invited parents, carers and the school to attend their class assembly to celebrate the life and works of the author, Roald Dahl. Primary 5 thoroughly enjoyed sharing their learning and can’t wait to find out what their next wonkalicious golden challenge will be. Stay tuned…

Homework, Interdisciplinary Learning, Primary 5

Wonkatastic Roald Dahl Projects

December 7, 2015 Miss Sherlow 6 Comments

Learning Intention: We are learning to use our research skills to answer the key questions about Roald Dahl that we have created
We are learning to present our findings in an interesting way

A successful personal project will include:

introduction
conclusion
bibliography
relevant facts/information

As a homework challenge, Primary 5, P5/4 and P4 were asked to think about 5 key questions they would like to find the answers to about the life and works of the famous author, Roald Dahl. We were given a month to complete this and, last week, we shared our findings with the class. In P5, we also used the new knowledge we learned to help us to write our script for our class assembly. We think it is fair to say, Roald Dahl lead a very interesting life!

For example, did you know that he could speak 3 languages- English, Norwegian and Swahili.

Did you know that during the Second World War at 23 years old, Roald joined the Royal Air Force and became a fighter pilot.

Did you know that Roald Dahl published 17 children’s books, 2 rhyme books, plus 2 autobiographies, 2 adult books, 51 adult short stories and more.

Did you know that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was recently voted number one in the top 100 fiction books all children should read before leaving primary school.

Did you know that the inspiration for Willy Wonka’s infamous Inventing Room came from being a taster for the famous chocolate making company, Cadbury’s.

Interdisciplinary Learning, Maths & Numeracy, Uncategorized

Primary 4 week ending 4th December 2015

December 5, 2015 User deactivated 1 Comment

The last two weeks in Primary Four have been very busy indeed!

In maths the children have been very busy weighing in grams using kitchen scales marked in increments. They have also been solving lots of mild, spicy and hot number challenges and talking about all the different strategies they can use to solve a number problem. Multiplying and dividing using arrays and times tables have also been keeping our brains busy!

Our IDL topic is continuing. This week the children have been recording advertising jingles to go with the chocolate bars they have invented. They have been considering what their market is interested in, such as relaxation, fun or health. We are currently very busy making eye catching posters that could be displayed on bus stops and poster boards around the country!

Last week’s Dahlicious dress up day was lots of fun. Here are some pictures of our fabulous costumes and of us playing chocolate races.

Events, Fundraising, Interdisciplinary Learning, Primary 5, Uncategorized

Dahlicious Dress Up Day

November 27, 2015 Miss Sherlow 2 Comments

If you wandered into Mid Calder Primary School this morning, you might have seen some slightly unusual sights. Mr Willy Wonka, for example, taking the register to the office. Or Violet Beauregarde, Fantastic Mr Fox and Matilda playing spelling games. Or even an Oompa Loompa lighting a candle to celebrate advent! But, it was all for a very good cause. As Primary 5, Primary 5/4 and Primary 4 have been learning all about the life and work of Roald Dahl through their IDL context of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, we decided to hold a ‘Dahlicious Dress Up Day’ to commemorate 25 years since his death. We dressed up as our favourite characters from his many fantastic novels and made a donation which will go to Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity. We raised £53.10 and we had a fantastic day full of fun and laughter.

A big well done to all those who made such a Wonkatastic effort for a very worthy and relevant cause!