Category Archives: Learning Stories

BYOD Glow Meet

To celebrate Digital Learning Week, today some of our Technical Troopers took part in a Glow Meet with Williamston Primary School to share our progress with Bring Your Own Device so far. Both schools shared how they have been using BYOD to enhance teaching and learning, and it certainly inspired our thinking and gave us some great ideas about what we could do next. Some of the pupils in Williamston have been using online tools to create their own profile pictures for their Yammer accounts, which has inspired P5 in Mid Calder to do the same.

Thank you to the pupils who gave up some of their lunch time to share some of the great examples of learning through digital technologies happening in both schools.

Anytime, Anywhere Learning: Socrative

Yesterday, Primary 5 used Socrative to demonstrate our learning about space and our Solar System. We completed a ‘Space Race’ which involved us being put into teams and racing to answer 25 questions all about what we have been learning about through our IDL context, Project Planetarium. We were able to track our progress on the SMART Board, which definitely encouraged us to be quick and accurate with our answers.

Today we expanded our use of Socrative, using it to demonstrate our knowledge of fractions during a mental maths warm up. We had to answer a range of different styles of questions including multiple choice and true or false. We’re looking forward to exploring other ways we can use Socrative in our classroom.

Orienteering Club

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.

P.5/4 Homework 16/05/16

Homework for P.5/4 this week is as follows:

Topic

Following on from learning about the phases of the moon in class, use your moon observation sheet to record how the appearance of the moon changes over the next four weeks. Do not worry if you cannot complete this challenge as I know lots of you will be asleep before you can see the moon!

Reading

The Dream Catchers The Country Pancake – Anne Fine (chapter 3)

The Gangster Grannies The Guard Dog – Dick King-Smith (chapter 3)

The Cookie Readers The Ghost Teacher – Tony Bradman (chapter 3)

The Ruthless Readers The Boss Dog of Blossom Street – Rita Ray (p.3-16)

 

Everyone should choose 5 interesting or unfamiliar words and find out what they mean using a dictionary or dictionary website such as www.dictionary.com

Write the definitions in your homework jotter.

Maths

This week, Maths homework is a Sumdog challenge. Please complete the correct one for your Maths group.

Spelling

This week, Spelling homework will be given on Tuesday and due for Friday. As usual, follow instructions from your Spelling teacher.

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.

The Great Deserted Island STEM Challenge One

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LI. We are learning to construct a model using measurement, area, force and motion, scientific process and properties of shapes.

SC. We can plan, design and build a hut that will with stand a small wind storm

SC. We can work together to share ideas.

SC. We can adapt and change our plans as required.

SC. We will test and evaluate our design as appropriate.

This week P2 have been trying to help Sir Harley Houndstooth III survive on the deserted island by constructing a hut that he could use to shelter in away from the tropical storms. We worked in teams and each team built our own hut. We learned lots about the skills we need to work effectively as part of a team such as, good cooperation, good listening skills and effective use of time. After we built our huts we then tested them to see if they would survive the storm (using a hair drier.) We discussed what a fair test is and decided how to make the test fair. We are very happy to report that none of the huts fell over but most of them moved and we recorded how far then moved in centimetres. Each team then set group targets for what good team work will look like and sound like for the next challenge.

Next week we will be helping Sir Harley Houndstooth III by building a bridge we will keep you posted on how we got on.

P.5/4 Homework

Homework for P.5/4 this week is as follows:

Topic

Following on from learning about the phases of the moon in class, use your moon observation sheet to record how the appearance of the moon changes over the next four weeks. Do not worry if you cannot complete this challenge as I know lots of you will be asleep before you can see the moon!

Reading

The Dream Catchers The Country Pancake – Anne Fine (chapter 2)

The Gangster Grannies The Guard Dog – Dick King-Smith (chapter 2)

The Cookie Readers The Ghost Teacher – Tony Bradman (chapter 2)

The Ruthless Readers The Great Spaghetti Suit – Alan MacDonald (p.17-31)

Everyone should write a character profile about the main character or a supporting character. This should include these details: name, where they are from, approximate age, appearance, family, job, likes, dislikes, any other details that you think are important.

You should also draw a picture of the character as part of your profile.

Maths

Write about or draw at least five occasions at home when you have seen or heard about fractions. For example, you might draw a meal that was split into four portions (quarters) or you may write about how you were told to get ready to leave in half an hour. Our lives are full of fractions!

Spelling

Follow instructions from your Spelling teacher.