Supporting a wide range of curriculum and subject areas since August…

This term has been quite varied.

The first challenge was to explore water safety without easy access to a large body of water, as over the summer there had been a few incidents in the river and local lochs. P2/3 Played a lifeguard game where the children used ‘ beachside’ warning flags to signal the behaviour to undertake in our ‘tarmac loch’ . They also created their own ‘no’ flags -… We had great fun simulating swimming about on the playground. and practicing floating in a star shape if we fall into water. Next, we tested Neoprene to see how much it really helps us stay warm in cold water - holding our hand in water for 30 seconds or more, Finally we tried to rescue our friends with a throwline- quite hard, so best not to get out of your depth or in trouble in the first place.

The following week I had the P1s and P2s. We combined exploring our senses, building on our communication skills and storytelling (Language). We tested our sense of smell, visual interpretation, listening, touch and dexterity, We created stories progressing on for the P2’s who had some experience of creating stories. This time ensuring there were characters (who?), locations (where?), timescales (When?) and items/objects (what?). We then made further stories using land art materials or wooden cylinders.

P3/4 were studying Crieff. We therefore got to know the school grounds a little better using an arial map and some orienteering ‘treasure hunting’. We then had a quiz to find out how much we knew about Crieff (multiple choice). Following on, we focused on the Drovers- exploring where they slept (in their wool clothes), what they eat (Porridge with water) and the challenge of herding cows!

P4/5 Were exploring renewable energy. As it was a breezy day we looked at the Beaufort Scale, used an anemometer and wind sock to check speed and direction. We discussed how we often get mini tornados in the playground but other countries have much stronger winds - we recreated a tornado in a jar. Next, we tested our own ‘wind power’ seeing how long we could suspend a ping pong ball above our lips. We made own own weather vane, bottle turbine and a paperclip flyer.

P5 were also exploring solar and wind power (without wind so we used a leaf blower). We were out all day so also did some site maintenance and had a cook out in the afternoon. We made more complex 4 cup weather vanes/turbines and our own parabolic bowls to capture solar energy. Turning solar energy into heat to light a fire. In the afternoon we tried to use our bowls to light fire, but with the Scottish sun that day, ended up using fire steels. We cooked up a storm in the afternoon, with the produce we had harvest earlier in the day from the Polytunnel. and field. We made Baba Ghanosh with the Aubergines and Butternut squash soup with stewed apples from our new orchard in the sports field!

P7 Have been exploring Eco textiles this term. We therefore repurposed some materials to make new items and explored the properties of wool, which when agitated, hooks together to form felt. We looked a wool and felt a bit closer to see what an amazing textile it is. Alongside this we sewed our own rope mat and weaved willow or used a peg loom to make a mat.

I was back with Primary 1/2 near the end of term and we were improving our number recognition skills. In the afternoon, we looked at chemical change on a simple level using heat to melt solid chocolate into runny dipping chocolate on the fire - we loved that ! and lighting fires for the first time for some.

Finally, I squeezed in a session with P2/3 where we improved our number skills counting in 2s and 4s using our classroom topic of Charlie and the Chocolate factory. We used sweets to count and divide, sort, make repeated patterns. We also got into chemical change melting sugar sweets with hot water to blend the colours - identifying primary colours, and secondary colours and how they blend. After October break its back to P4/5, 6 and 7.