Falkirk Wheel March 11, 2010
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A group of ten primary seven pupils went off to see the Falkirk Wheel today. The children had been using design technology to research boat lifting. They invented their own companies and made presentations of their boat lifting designs. Next, they created working models. Today as the culmination of all the work they had completed they visited the Falkirk Wheel. A workshop all about water pollution was first on the agenda. Pupils worked in pairs to experiment ways of removing oil from water. Next, they saw a working lock and heard from a skipper how it worked. The day ended with a ride on the Falkirk Wheel!
Welcome to Mr. Brice January 20, 2010
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Mid Calder Primary welcomes Mr Brice as a new teacher to the school.
P6B Assembly November 13, 2009
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To watch P6B’s fantastic assembly look for links on the right hand side and click assemblies.
Congratulations to P7A September 2, 2009
Posted by wgordon in : Awards, Curriculum for Excellence, Global citizenship, International Education, P7 , 1 comment so farGordon Ford and Moira Niven visited Mid Calder Primary today to congratulate the pupils of P7A. Our special guests were treated to a short presentation of the Novel Idea project which was awarded a European Award for Languages, the only primary school in Britain to gain the award this year.
Gamelan & Indonesian Houses - P7B August 29, 2009
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P7b have been looking at traditional Indonesian houses. As part of their challenge they had to work co-operatively to build a replica. They were in the style of Dayak, Batak and Minangkabau housing.
The pupils worked effectively developing skills such as compromising, thought showering and shared responsibility.
The pupils all worked well together to successfully complete the challenge. Here are their finished models.
After listening to a traditional Indonesian folk tale the pupils in P7b worked cooperatively to turn the tale into a story board. They then used these in drama to form tableaus to represent the tale.
In music P7b continue their Indonesian theme by learning about traditional Gamelan orchestras. They are hoping to visit Edinburgh University in the future for a workshop using traditional Gamelan instruments.
International School Award August 21, 2009
Posted by wgordon in : Awards, Curriculum for Excellence, Global citizenship, International Education, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6, P7 , 4comments
This week we heard that Mid Calder Primary has been awarded the International School Award 2009 – 2011.
The International School Award
(Full ISA)
This category is designed for schools ready to demonstrate an international ethos throughout the school, which is included in the school development plan. This will involve substantial curriculum-based international activity and schools must demonstrate collaborative work. It is likely that the school has a history of international activity over the past two years.
Many thanks to visitors, parents, teachers and most of all the children involved in helping the school to obtain this award.
P6B - Drama - Working Together August 19, 2009
Posted by wgordon in : Curriculum for Excellence, Health and Wellbeing, P6 , 4commentsBeing able to work collaboratively is an essential life skill. P6B practised this skill during an imaginative and enjoyable drama session.
P7B reach for the sky! August 18, 2009
Posted by wgordon in : Curriculum for Excellence, P7 , 1 comment so farFirst day back and primary 7B are working in groups to design a structure along the lines of the Scott Monument. Pretty impressive!
French adventures win language award for West Lothian Primary July 6, 2009
Posted by wgordon in : Awards, Curriculum for Excellence, International Education, P6 , 4commentsPress release
2 July 2009
French adventures win language award for West Lothian Primary
A primary school near Livingston, West Lothian, has won a prestigious European award for its innovative language project. As part of the winning initiative at Mid Calder Primary, children wrote, illustrated and published James Walker and the Buried Treasure - an adventure story in both French and English.
Working with a primary school in France, ‘A novel idea’ saw pupils from both countries writing alternate chapters of the book in French and English and sending them back and forth across the channel. Pupils at Mid Calder also produced illustrations and animations of some of the chapters – and set up a blog so that parents could vote for their favourite part of the story!
Representatives from the school received a European Award for Languages along with eleven other winning projects at an award ceremony in Bristol on Tuesday 30 June, presented by languages advocate Baroness Coussins and broadcaster Henry Bonsu. The Award recognises innovative approaches to language learning, and is coordinated in the UK by CILT, the National Centre for Languages. The ‘Novel Idea’ project also won the EuroTalk Primary Language Prize, awarded for the best project from the primary sector.
The European Award for Languages judges said of the project, ‘A Novel Idea is a sure sign of a commitment to the international dimension of education in this small Scottish primary school. The project has increased motivation and confidence in great measure.’
Wilma Gordon at Mid Calder Primary said, ‘As a school we are delighted to have received this award. It is wonderful to get recognition for something which has been such a pleasure to teach, especially as the children took ownership of the project and once the structure was established they moved from strength to strength.’
For more information on the European Award for Languages, visit www.cilt.org.uk/eal
P6A Celebrate Success June 18, 2009
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P6A was celebrating success with a shopping game. The children were each given €1 and were able to visit Chez Coco and purchase some food. On sale was du fromage, et les pommes rouges et vertes, pains au chocolat, jus de pomme, jus d’orange et les bon bons. The class were able to buy the items using the Euros.
Liz Scott, from Scottish CILT, visited the class to tell the children they had been awarded the European Award for Languages 2009 for their Novel Idea project.
