Christmas lunch

Wednesday was Christmas lunch day at school and we helped at the first sitting. The tables were decorated with crackers and set out like a party. We served the little ones their dinner, helped them cut their meat and tidy away the rubbish afterwards. Then it was our turn to eat!

Speedfacting

Yesterday we tried a new way to learn facts. In pairs we read some information about global warming and climate change and chose the main idea from our reading. Next we used the main idea to write our own sentences which we memorised.
We set the tables out so that we were facing each other. we told the person sitting opposite our information and listened to theirs. The inside group moved round in a circle until we had told everyone our facts and listened to everyone else's. A bit like speed dating!
It got a bit noisy! It was however a fun way to learn and we would like to try it again with another topic.

Scrimshaw

After our visit to Stromness museum last term and looking at how walrus tusks and whale teeth are used to make decorative scrimshaw, we had a go ourselves using blocks of wax and toothpicks or needles to etch our design. Next we used black paint and washed off the excess to leave our pictures highlighted.
Here are some of our designs.

Ice magic

Last week we were experimenting with ice and salt to see if there is any difference between fresh and salty water. 

In our first experiment we discovered that salty water took longer to freeze than freshwater and even after 48 hours in the freezer it still felt a bit slushy compared to the solid block of fresh water.

For the second experiment we needed water and ice cubes with various amounts of salt. We tested the buoyancy of the different 'ice bergs' in different salt solutions and discovered that the saltier the water the higher the cube floated. Some of our science boffins explained that it is because salt water is denser than fresh water. (Thank you James and Ronan)

 After research we discovered that icebergs are made of fresh water as they come from broken glaciers on land. (Thank you Kaitlyn.)

In our third experiment we looked at the effect salt has on ice. We added salt to blocks of ice made from fresh water and saw how it started to pit and melt the ice. After adding drops of food colouring we watched the patterns made in the ice as the salt made cracks and fissures and the colour trickled through. Some of the patterns reminded us of glass paperweights and it was fascinating to watch the changes.

You can see some of the patterns in the slideshow below.

During the winter, the top layer of the ocean near the North Pole freezes solid. Every summer some of this ice melts. But not all of it melts. Some of the ice is so thick it stays frozen all the time, even throughout the summer. However, since 1979, when Earth-observing satellites began watching, the ice remaining at the end of summer has been getting smaller and smaller. At the end of summer 2009, the ice was only two-thirds as large as at the end of the summer of 1979. In August 2012, is was the smallest on record.

To find out more try some of the Arctic links on our science tab on the right.

Book Week

On Friday 30th November we invited p1 into our classroom to share our favourite books. Everyone had a buddy and we read our books together. We gave our buddies the bookmarks we had made for them. Everyone enjoyed the session and we all agreed that we would like to do it again sometime. Here is a slideshow of our session.

French

Our next block of French will be about Christmas. Here is a French version of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. Watch out for our version of the nativity coming soon to a computer screen near you!

Book week Scotland

 This week the school is celebrating Book week Scotland with activities in all classes. Today we took part in a live author event with Jeff Kinney who wrote Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Most of us have read his books and it was very interesting to hear where he gets his inspiration and how he started his career. He showed us how he draws his cartoons too. His main message was about persevering if you really want to do something. It took him years to have his books published but he believed he could succeed and didn't give up.

Watching Jeff Kinney

Jeff Kinney

Cartoons

His books have been translated into many languages.
On Friday we are going to buddy up with p1 and will read them some of our favourite stories. some of us have already brought in books we enjoyed when we were younger and we have been busy making bookmarks for our buddies.

Click the link below to find out more about Book week Scotland.

 


http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/book-week-scotland-2012 

Orkney library and archive are giving away free bags and books as part of book week. Why not have a look and pick up your freebies while stocks last!

http://www.orkneylibrary.org.uk/index.htm

Artwork

Last term we used different techniques and materials to draw chickens in our art class. Take a look at the slideshow of some of our work.

Badminton

Here are some recent winners of badminton trophies and medals. Well done guys! It's great to see you representing the school so well.

Children in Need

We had a very successful fundraising day for Children in Need. The school total was over £600 which was brilliant! I hope you listened to Molly and some of the other pupil council members on Radio Orkney! Here we are in our pjs!

Wiki

We uploaded some more of our written work to our wikis today. Check the link on the right to read our reports on John Rae and some canoeing poems.
Here's a word cloud made using one of the reports!

Shelter building and canoeing

We had some preparation to do before we were ready to embark on our outdoor adventure. First we needed to be sure that we could build ourselves a shelter should we need it! We practised in school using modelling materials. We were allowed 15 spills, 1 metre of string, some matchsticks and a bin bag sized piece of plastic. Working as a team, sharing ideas and cooperating was very necessary for success in this task.

We tried different shapes of shelters and used the techniques we learned from Kim Foden's visit earlier in the term.
The next challenge was using real sized sticks and building shelters we could fit into.

See more shelter building photos in the slideshow below.


Now we were ready to try the real thing in the wilds of Harray! The weather was reasonably kind to us although the wind rose a peedie bit and meant we had to keep our canoeing close to the shore.
We managed to build two shelters of different types.

After the shelter building, it was time to get the canoes in the water. When we arrived at Harray loch we had to unload the canoes and learn how to carry them properly down to the water's edge. The Voyageurs in Northern Canada had to carry their canoes and supplies over many miles of rough country and snow. This is known as portage. Luckily we didn't have to carry our equipment very far. We were well dressed for the task with our waterproofs and buoyancy aids.

At last we were ready to launch!

We practised trading goods with our teams at the trading posts.

And all this before lunch!

There are some more images from our day out in the slideshow below:

We had a great day even though we didn't quite manage the campfire building due to time and weather. Many thanks to Ron and Ms Mackay for the experience and also to the parent helpers.

Corrigall Farm

On Wednesday 3rd October we visited Kirbuster and Corrigall farm museums. We wore period costumes so that we looked the part! 
After being shown round Kirbuster we went on to Corrigall where we were met by Mr Giles, drama teacher and 'minister' for the day!
Brian Flett took us around the farm and told us many interesting facts and stories and then we had a go at some chores. We cleaned up the barn so that we could eat our lunch indoors and prepared for the Orkney wedding that we were recreating in the afternoon. 
Watch the slide show and videos below to see how we got on.

 

We started the wedding celebrations with a procession down the lane to the barn. All the families followed the bride and groom and the last person dragged a besom for luck. 
Magnus and Jessie Ann said their vows led by the 'minister' and then we had the Bride's Cog and wedding feast. (No alcohol in this cog of course!)

We had a tune on the fiddles and a song by everyone and then we were ready for dancing.
We had the Grand March followed by Strip the Willow and Ninepins. There wasn't much room for dancing in the barn but we managed!
Check out the wedding and dances in the videos. Apologies for the quality and darkness of the videos but there was no light in the barn other than doorways.

                                       

                                      

Everyone had a most enjoyable day! Special thanks to Chris Giles for all his input, to the custodians and the parent helpers too.
For more information on the museums click the links below.

http://www.spirit-of-orkney.com/contents1a/2010/04/kirbuster-farm-museum/

http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/S/corrigall-farm-museum.htm

Stromness museum

On Wednesday 26th September we went to Stromness to search for evidence about the Hudson Bay Company and John Rae. We started our search by looking for plaques on buildings on the street. We found buildings that had been recruitment offices for the Hudson Bay Company and one that was a hospital for sailors coming home with scurvy.

We had a look in Logins well where the ships used to stock up with water before going on their expeditions.

Outside the museum

searching for evidence

John Rae's fiddle

Some moccasins with intricate Indian beadwork 

The scrimshaw on these tusks and teeth is amazing!

Inuit dog sleigh and reindeer - made from bone or ivory

We were particularly interested in the hunting weapons.

Eating our lunch

Kim Foden

On Wednesday 19th we had a very busy day again. At first break we held a bake sale outside our classroom. It was a very successful event and raised over £104 which will go towards the cost of some of our class trips. A huge thank you to everyone for all their hard work and  donations of baking.

In the afternoon we invited Kim Foden in to talk to us about the Hudson Bay company and her family links with the Cree Indians - a First Nations tribe in Canada.
She brought in some Hudson Bay and First Nations goods to show us and had a slide show with pictures of Canada and her relatives. 

Some of the items Kim showed us.

A beaver fur and the Hudson Bay flag.

She also showed us how to set up a tipi and has let us borrow her model tipi so that we can practise setting it up ourselves.