Happy Mothers Day!

The children had the opportunity to use the Google Draw programme to make a personalised card for Mother's Day.  Unfortunately, technical issues with our printer meant they could not be downloaded. Here are the card fronts that we couldn't get to you in time! Have a very Happy Mother's Day. Updates of last terms work will be published over the next few days but also remember to check out the school FACEBOOK page for photos.

Mackenzie's card

Rory's card

Our Scottish Topic

David Walliams book, Mr Stink, has been the focus for our Scottish topic.  There is a Scottish version called Mr Mingin and the children have loved talking about the characters and making predictions.  We have found the language quite difficult as so many of the words are unusual to some of the children, however, we have used a DVD of the story as well which has been very popular.

Our artwork of characters and some of the words to describe them

Nicole, Mackenzie, Rihanna and Ben's comments on characters in the book.

 

We have worked with P4/5 to make a Scots Words dictionary to translate our song.

 

Galaxy Toast Club

The children are now developing skills in working with money, communicating with others and in food preparation & hygiene during our twice-weekly Toast Club. The children chose the name Galaxy Toast and made posters to let people know when we are open for orders.

Mackenzie's poster design to publicise our toast club

Emily's poster that is displayed in school.

We began by practising collecting orders and working out change from 50p and £1.  The children were keen to offer different toppings  - honey is a favourite!  Every Tuesday and Wednesday children work in pairs to collect orders and payments, make toast and deliver it to our customers.  It is very popular within the Language Unit and with the Nurture Group as well as some of the adults. It is also an ideal opportunity for the children to apply their maths skills as it involves money, a little information handling and also basic budgeting.  We are now using the money we make to pay for new foodstuffs and even had enough to purchase some resources for our science work on microbes.

Emily practises taking orders

We realised that chocolate spread
 is not as popular as butter

Activities Update

Earrings and gift bag

We finished the December term with an Enterprise Topic to raise funds for the school.

Rihanna and Emily sort earrings into matching pairs

All the children in Room 3 were keen to make charms and earrings as our Enterprise Topic just before Christmas.  We sold the charms and Christmas themed earrings making over £20 in profits for the school.

   

Nicole adds coloured beads to the
wine glass charms.

Rory checks there are no 'doublers ' in our charm packs.

Jack and Mackenzie sort charms into gift bags.

Remembering the Dead of the Great War

For the last two weeks, we have been preparing for our Remembrance Assembly.  Room 3 and Room 1 children were given the honour of leading the assembly marking 100 years since the end of the First World War.

Apart from selling poppies around the school, the children were busy making artwork and researching the names of some of the soldiers who are recorded on the war monument outside the school.  


With support they used the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website to find information about their chosen soldier. For info you can follow this link here https://www.cwgc.org/

Jack chose to find out about a soldier called Jackson

The Renton memorial

Mackenzie reads the names.

One of the War Graves in Millburn Churchyard

Emily chose Hugh Baird as the soldier she would talk about.

   

We were given a copy of a photo of Alexander Ralston
and his sister, both from Renton to use in the assembly.

Ben told the school about James Gerald Brown who was
originally from Thimble Street

Emily tells the audience about Hugh Baird.

Paul, our Learning Assistant brought his grandfather's  WW1 medals
 for the children to see.

 

Rory reads his words to the audience.

We have a very busy week coming up with Children in Need events in school and Emily and Nicole will also be performing live next Friday at BBC Scotland as part of the school choir.  Exciting times!

Our first blog - What are we learning?

Welcome!

Welcome to the new Room 3 blog. Most parents will already know me as I have taught many of the children in the past.  I will try to keep you updated on at least a fortnightly basis on what the children are doing in class. The children will also be encouraged to post photos and information about their learning.

We are close to finishing our history topic.  The children visited Stirling Castle this week and were shown around by a 'real' knight - Sir Phillip Mowbray.  He was very informative, even though [as he told us] he is 700 years old! He was honest in telling us he changed sides during the Wars of Independence and you can find a little more about him

here.

Sir Philip shows Emily the ball and chain flail.

                                                                                                                                         

Rory tries out lifting a heavy shield.

We estimated the length of the
Great Hall and will compare it to information
on  Robert the Bruce's hall at Pillanflatt,
reportedly situated near Renton.

Rory and Mackenzie found a number of unicorns
which Rory found particularly interesting due
to his love of mythology.

Nicole plays the tambour.

The boys also posed for photos at the High Table in the
Great Hall.

We also visited the children's exhibition where Nicole recalled playing with instruments on her last visit in Primary 2.  We had prepared questions to ask about Mary of Guise [Mary, Queen of Scots mother].  The children had also chosen a historical figure they wanted to investigate.  The answers they found at the castle, in our classroom books and through research on the internet will be the basis of their writing this week and used to complete timelines of events in the Wars of Independence.

Stirling Castle has a good website with further information and games that you might want to use at home. You could also use the images there to aid discussion at home about the outing.  Follow the link here to access.

We will also be venturing out into the village next week to seek out the place where it is believed Robert the Bruce lived the last few years of his life.  More information on the evidence that Renton was the home of King Robert, his knights and even a lion can be found here if you are a history enthusiast!

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Communication between home and school

I hope to have a new form of diary ready for you to trial next week and will be looking for feedback on how helpful you find it as well as suggested changes that could make it more effective in communicating what is happening in class / at home.  Please be assured that I am also available after 3:00 pm most days if you want to chat about anything of concern.