PLHS - Support for Learning

This week we will be taking the opportunity to learn a bit more about - and take part in - the RSPB annual birdwatch. We have been studying how birds live in winter as part of our science course. We have made bird feeders, bird cake and bird water containers for the school garden. We have also been thinking about birds as part of our CDT course and are currently making a bird box to be put out in the garden too.

Science and CDT

Mr Cruickshank decided that this term we would attempt to make these fabulous bird boxes. However, before the children started on the project he asked them to do a bit of research. Part of this research involved them being asked to identify their own personality with one of the many British ‘Garden Birds’

Linda Bain in the Library was most helpful and provided us with lots of good information.

Each child chose a bird so that they could concentrate (and do research) on that species.

Amy chose Robin Redbreast

Steven chose Billy Bullfinch

Billy Bullfinch

Dale chose Maggie Magpie

Jade chose Charlie Chiffchaff

The Chiff chaff

Sean Michael chose Willie Wren

The first few weeks of the term focussed on drawing/tracing each of their birds and then researching and noting down the birds habitat, nesting and feeding habits.

Now that materials are now in place, the practical work has begun - and as the term progresses we hope that the pupils will begin to take ownership of their own individual bird boxes.

In science we will be looking to count the number of birds in our garden and record the different species - just as the RSPB are doing nationally!

More information can be found at

 http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asphttp://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asp

The Big Garden Bird Watch

Maths

In maths this week we are continuing our look at calendars, timetables and ways of expressing the time in different ways. This week sees the start of February - what is special this year about the month of February? How often does this special event occur?What other aspects of daily life occur at certain intervals?

We will be exploring the idea that things can happen on a daily, weekly, monthly, annual, or biannual basis. We will also use every day events like the Olympics, World Cup and Christmas to show that there is a pattern (or a cycle) of time elapsing between occasions.

English

The children will continue to work on their own individual scheme of work concentrating on phonics, spelling, grammar and reading. We will be practising writing our addresses again - can we remember it all now from the start, without help?

Cross curricular and ICT

In our cross curricular and ICT classes this week we will be looking at old Prestonpans and comparing it with today. We will use the internet and books to search for information and old photographs so that we can make a start to our project board that will be displayed during the school Open Day for On Our Doorstep in May this year.