Jake's frog

5 minute talks

Our 5 minute talks got off to a great start today with 3 well organised and thoughtfully planned talks.

The subjects were: Violin, How to make corner bookmarks, and baking ( by a Great Orcadian Bake Off winner!). Also we got to participate in a making activity, listen to a tune on the violin and try out some delicious brownies!

We are looking forward to the next ones!

If I could read anywhere I would....

We are wild readers. We read outside. We like to read in groups. 

We like to read on climbing frames.

We like to read in trees.

We like to read on our own.

If you look carefully in our playground you might spot...

the lesser blue legged tree recliner...

the purple checked book bird...

the wild tree daisy...

the red legged page turner...

the green topped book balancer

the purple chested tree slitherer

and some people reading on an almost warm sunny path.

Designing and making our own spacecraft

Today our own P5 space engineers modelled their own designs for spacecraft and space equipment. Last time we worked in groups and had a strict deadline. This time we had a much looser deadline (some models are still to be completed) and everyone worked individually.

To start with everyone drew a plan of their ideas. There were many very detailed and careful plans, Diagrams were thoughtful and well considered. Everyone showed clearly what a lot they had learned about what humans in space need to survive and how many different jobs a space craft has to fulfil.

Concentration and focus was obvious as everyone took the task very seriously.

Future space travel of the human race is assured.

Today we debated whether so much money should be spent on spaceflight, space science and discovery when so many people on earth need help with basic resources like food, shelter and clean water and a safe place to live.

First we decided where we would place ourselves on a line depending on which viewpoint we agreed most with. Then we went into teams and discussed all the points we could make and points the other team might make so that we could respond to them.

Then we sat in two long lines facing each other and everyone had a chance to say their idea or thought. Some peope volunteered to respond to points the other team made.

Finally we placed ourselves on the line again and changed where we stood depending on whether the other team had been able to persuade us towards their point of view.

Now we have learned how to have a debate we can concentrate more on making or points clear and persuasive next time. We learned how important it is to use the time we have as a team really well so that we can discuss and share out the arguments.

The International Space Station

Last week we found out some of the things you need to be able to do to be an astronaut and some information about what it takes to survive in space. The human body adapts to lack of gravity by bones losing strength and astronauts get taller! They need to keep exercising 2 hours each day to stay healthy.

Astronauts in training.

Measurement is really important in space.

This week we have started on our models of the Soyuz rocket, the crew module and the International Space Station. We planned the layout and split up tasks within the group then organised the junk we needed. We have begun joining and finishing the models. They will be painted white first then finally we will put detail on.

Planning the models.

Deciding on the realtive sizes of each part of the rocket.

Later in the term we will design and make our own space station models from junk in a similar way. We will need to present our designs and models and explain the layout and what each part is for - it needs to be able to sustain life! Start collecting your own personal junk!

In the comments below you can read what we think are the most interesting facts we have learned so far.

Christmas Celebrations

On Monday 14th December we had our final rehearsal for the whole school Christmas concert and Nativity in the morning, and in the afternoon we performed and sang to an audience of parents and family.

We finished the cathedral picture outside the classroom.

Our twiggy stars look great!

Glaitness Tree Lighting

This morning we lit the tree at Glaitness School. The choir, St. Lucy and the procession were at the Kirkwall Tree Lighting ceremony in the cathedral on Saturday. The choir sang Santa Lucia and the procession came in dressed up with candles. St Lucy had a crown of candles and she made a speech.

St Lucy is a Scandinavian celebration which we have adopted here to celebrate our link with Norway, who send us a Christmas tree each year. During the tree lighting week we also got a visit from some of the Norwegian musicians. They played music from different coutries around the world as well as Norwegian folk music.

Tom Muir tells some Tales of Viking Lands

Tom Muir is a storyteller. On Tuesday Tom came in to tell us some terrific Viking stories that Vikings told a thousand years ago. In all the stories there was a god and most of the gods were very powerful. Storytelling was very important to Vikings. The Vikings believed that all the gods in stories were real. The god Freya had gold hair and was the god of love. She was ever so powerful. The god Balder was called Baldur the Beautiful. He had no enemies even the animals loved him. Thor was overly big he had a very long ginger bierd not everyone like him but he was still a great god.

Sofia, Erin R and Cierra

Tom Muir told us a story about the gods and the story was about when Thor lost his hammer. One morning Thor woke up he checked for his hammer on his table but it was not there so he checked under his bed but he couldn't find it there. So he shouted Lokey! So Lokey went to Freya to ask for her falcon suit. So he gave it to him but Thor couldn't fit in it so Lokey said he could go and get it for him. So he flew across to the Giants house.

Tyler, Erland and Kaydan

Tom Muir started telling stories when he was 26 or 27. Tom doesn't forget complicated stories. He told us stories about Vikings and the Gods of Viking lands. The captain god was Odin. And the most worshiped god was Thor the god of thunder.

If you want to hear more of his stories you can get his book.

Brogan, Aiden and Darby.

A visit from Steven Cooper

On Tuesday Steven Cooper came into our class to tell us about his work. He is a jeweller he has a shop called Aurora in Orkney. One of the things he told us about was his tools. One of the tools was the triblet he uses it to make the rings round on the inside. There is also a tool called engraving tool it engraves the runic writing on the rings also Steven has a tool called the leather hammer which he uses to hit the ring so it gets its shape. Then he showed us a needle file witch filed the jewellery down. The last tool he showed us was his pliers which he used to bend the silver into shape. He also showed us his magnifying goggles which he uses for locking really close up at jewellery.

Kaylen, Daisy and Lauren.

The silver came in shapes and sizes of stripes. In a video he showed us how he makes jewellery. First he made the silver into a ring shape with pliyers so he put the ring on a machine that polished it when it was done he used a silver solder To join the ring he said he has to be very very careful because it is hot. He finished it off with ruins carved with the engrading tool it said health and happiness.

Declan, Scott, William

The most expensive ring her ever made was an engagement ring he created £15 000.

He learned how to make jewellery at The Longship then he left and started Aurora.

Erlend C, Cameron and Finlay.

Fantastic Gymnastics

Photos by William.

This term in PE we are doing gymnastics. We are focussing on rolls, jumps and balances. Last week we got split into groups and we made up sequences. We were in groups of 4. We think we're getting the equipment out so we are excited for next week's gymnastics lesson because gymnastics is fantastic.

by Erin K. Caitlin and Aneisha

We were doing rolls and balances and sometimes we needed people to help us stay straight in a hand stand. Then we practised and got better and better.

Rolls can be forwards or backwards or sideways. Sideways rolls are the most difficult. A Teddy Bear roll is when you sit down and hold on to the back of your legs and roll around.

Balances is when you either stand on one hand or two and you can also stand on one foot or two, for example: handstand 'bow and arrow'. A bow and arrow is when one foot  is on the ground and lift the other leg up and hold on to the tip of your foot.

Jennifer, Pippa and Paige.

These jumps are what we have been practising we use to do a one eighty. Now some of us can do a round off. A round off is a half flip and half cartwheel or a three sixty some of us can do a one handed cartwheel! we would like to improve on cartwheel, handstands or headstands and reach our goals.

Jake, Bruce and Angus.

How to write a quality blog comment

We decided to make our own video to explain how to do this. We have had a first go at writing comments on the post below this one - please have a read and see what we thought about coming back to school and doing the pylon activity.

Meet the Vikings

 

We have had a few visitors to our class recently, some of them quite friendly and ready to settle down here in Orkney. Many of them have been on long voyages and have raided monasteries.

They had some beautiful possessions with them - impressive weapons and beautiful jewellery.

The Vikings are here!

Armed and dangerous - Viking visitors.

 

We expect to have a few more Vikings appearing in our class this term...

More 3 minute talks, measure and music

bikes, skateboards and bearded dragons!

 

 

measuring wiggly lines

 

 

trash band practice

3 minute talks and a special visitor

If your photo isn't here - don't worry look at tomorrows blog post about the talks.

Today we started our 3 minute talks. We learned about a few of our pet cats, horse riding, swimming, ballet and hip hop, boats and rabbits! Everyone was enthusiastic and made good eye contact with the audience. Once they got going the speakers were relaxed and confident too! More tomorrow.

We had a special surprise visitor at the end of the day too!