PLHS - Support for Learning

On our doorstep!

This week sees us make a major start on our 2008 whole school cross curricular project about East Lothian - and Prestonpans in particular. The themed initiative will be known as “On our doorstep” and will involve pupils across the school exploring aspects of life in East Lothian. The Enhanced Learning Programme pupils will play a MAJOR role in this between now and our exhibition day in May.

Our work this week will begin to put together the ideas we have for our contribution to the project. This will certainly include a display on the weather station we are building and will use to measure Preston Lodge weather data between now and Easter. It will also include much of the great work we are doing in building links between Preston Lodge High School and Innes Middle School in Akron, Ohio, USA.

This week in class we will be…

Science

Continuing to construct our weather station from recycled materials. We will be siting this in the school’s Japanese Garden - where we already have our bird feeders and water holders. We will also be continuing to explore the weather across the globe - thank you for the wonderful homework submitted by the students about the weather in Brazil!

Maths

In maths this week we will continue to work on the calendar year - it is so important that the pupils can recall special dates (like their date of birth) or use the calendar as part of essential daily life skills. We will be concentrating on using diaries and timetables this week - what time does the Number 26 leave Ayres Wind? And how can I find out for myself? What lesson do I go to on Wednesday, Period 5? What time must I be in class for? How long does the lesson last?

All of these activities will further enhance the pupils skills, confidence and ability to operate independently - and they are fun aspects of our essential maths work!

English

More information to follow…

PE

We continue our gymnastics work with Mr Sellwood. We have fun doing gymnastics to whatever level we can manage at the moment. Whether that be a full blown somersault (in some cases) or a gentle pencil roll. PE is tiring but it is great fun!

Social Studies

In Social Studies recently we have been looking at how history might view this moment in time - and how we are different to previous generations. In the past most people walked to most places - now we have so many forms of transport! In the past people left school, got married and stayed married for life - now people choose to live their lives in so many different ways. In the past people often hunted or gathered their own foods fresh. Now we can go to the supermarket and buy everything ready made. It can be cooked in minutes using gadgets such as microwaves - and it can even be delivered to your door after you ordering it on the internet!

Health and wellbeing 

We have been finding out that our body needs sleep so that it can repair our tired bodies - and that it is when we are asleep that we grow!

ICT

This week in ICT we will be starting to type up letters for America. In our letters we will be telling our new friends in Ohio about life at Preston Lodge. We will each choose two special things to write sentences about.