Prestonpans Infant and Nursery School

Transition - art session 1

Last Monday we had our first art transition session with Miss Greig.  We had to go down to room 6 where we were going to do our art work.  Miss Greig asked us to work in pairs and to chat about what our dream school would look like.  Then we started work.  Each pair had to draw the shape of their building first and then make it look as bright as possible.  I worked with Niamh and our building was in four parts.  We chose a different pattern or colour for each part of the building - we even had a tartan part - and it looked terrific!  Everyone had fantastic brightly coloured schools. 

Then Miss Greig showed us a black and white drawing of part of Prestonpans Primary School.  The drawing was sectioned into twenty-five bits and everyone had to take a part.  Some people had parts of the building while others had sky or playground.  We were going to finish it the next day.  Eirinn

New dot on our Cluster Map

Eirinn, Alex and I tried to find out where the mystery dot on our cluster map was.    At first we thought it might be a big ship because it seemed to be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but when we looked on a map of North America we could see it was the island of Bermuda.  It is an island where very rich people go on holiday.  We were very excited when we found it.  Ellis

Transition - art session 2

The next day we went to work with Miss Greig again.  She asked us to write three words or phrases on the picture that told how we felt about going to our new school.  I wrote sad because I was leaving the Infant School but happy and excited because I knew where I was going and liked my new school.  Then we had to colour in our part of the picture with nice bright happy colours and patterns.

Stephanie was the first person finished and she came out and stuck her part of the picture where it went.  As people got finished the picture began to get filled in and it looked great.  If you got finished you could draw a picture of yourself and that would be added to the school picture.  On the back you could draw what you would miss and I drew my brother who is in primary one.  After all the pictures had been put together on the big picture Miss Greig was going to take it away and get it framed.  It will be hanging on the wall up at the Primary for us after the summer holidays.  Alex 

Homecoming/Leaving Concert

We are practising very hard for our P3 homecoming/leaving concert.  Our concert is going to have singing, poetry, famous Scots and dancing.  It is going to be on Thursday afternoon - the second last day of term and our mums and dads are going to be there.  I think we know all the words for the songs but the dancing is going to be quite tricky as we will not have a lot of room.  It is all very exciting.  Luc

Goodbye from  P 3/11 and Mrs Stewart

We had hoped to make a farewell podcast but all our computers and laptops are being replaced and refreshed.  If we can get one back before Friday Mrs Stewart says she will add it on.  Thank you for supporting our blog - we have almost reached the 20,000 hits - and we hope you have enjoyed reading, seeing, listening and watching all about our year in primary three.

ps  This is my very last class blog in its present form.   Next session a school blog will be up and running with contributions from all the classes through which I hope you will continue to share our days at Prestonpans Infant and Nursery School.  Thanks for all your support and comments over the last two and a half years.  Happy holidays.  is

Paper Fish Display

On Saturday night I went to see all the folded paper fish in Morrison’s Haven with my mum and dad and my sisters.  We had to wait until it was dark so it was quite late.  The folded fish had been laid out in the shape of a big fish and there were dark blue and light blue lights shining on them.  They looked really really good and I was able to show my mum and dad my one.  There were quite a lot of people there and we were able to climb down into the harbour and have a good look at all the fish.  Mrs Stewart took the pictures on her way to school on Tuesday.  Natalie

Author Visit at Library

On Tuesday we went to the library to meet Sally J Collins who illustrates the Hamish McHaggis picture books.  When we got there Hamish McHaggis’s Whirry Bang was parked outside!   Sally told us all about how she draws the pictures for the books.  First of all she looks at the story with the author and they make up a big storyboard with rough ideas for pictures and words. 

Then the individual drawings get sketched out on scrap paper.  Once she is happy with these they are drawn on good paper and coloured in.  They are then sent to the printer/publisher who sizes them and finally makes up the book.  When the pictures are completed Sally has to make sure that nothing important in the picture ends up in the gutter.  The gutter is the middle fold of the book.  Shannon

After we had heard about how the illustrations end up in the book, Sally showed us how to draw Hamish McHaggis.  First she drew his hat and we all had to copy her. 

 

Then she added the head and the eyes.  The eyes looked real because she left a little gap in the black bit and did not colour it in.  Next we had to colour in the face using yellow and orange pencils.    You could put in the shoulders if you wanted.  Hamish’s nose was to be red and finally his tartan hat.  Bendy, curved lines of green and purple made up the hat.  I really liked drawing Hamish and Mrs Stewart made a slideshow of our   drawings and  they were displayed in the corridor.  Craig 

   New Serial Story

Last week we started a new serial story.  It is another story with the Iron Man in it called the Iron Woman by Ted Hughes.   The Iron Woman comes out of the marsh where Lucy lives and says she has come to destroy the poisoners and the rubbishers because the waste factory is polluting the water and everything that lives in it or goes in it is suffering.  Lucy writes to Hogarth to see if he can help her stop the Iron Woman destroying the factory because Lucy’s dad works there.  When the Iron Woman touches Lucy, Lucy can hear all the creatures screaming in her head and then she sees them all wriggling about in pain.  The same thing happens when Lucy takes Hogarth’s hand when he falls.   I think this story is really good and we have got to the bit where Hogarth has asked the Iron Man to come to see if he can help.  Alex

Transition Concert

On Tuesday afternoon our Primary 3 classes walked up to the Primary to see the Primary 4 transition performance.  My mum was there with my little sister.  All the primary fours were involved and started by showing us different emotions.   Then they gave us lots of information about our new school, like what to wear for school uniform, what the school rules are, outdoor activites, music opportunities and sports.  Finally Mrs McKinnon, the head teacher said how much she was looking forward to seeing us in school after the summer holidays and we were all given a certificate designed by Primary 4 children.

I thought the performance was fantastic and it was nice to see lots of people that I knew who were in our school last year.  I am not scared about going up to the primary any more - I am excited!  Luc 

Library Summer Reading Scheme

Erica, the librarian, sent over the details of the summer reading scheme at the library for us.  It is called Quest Seekers   and there are three stages - Firebird Rising, Mountain Mission and Dragon’s Lair.  I am going to Florida for my holidays in the summer but would like to do it when I come back.  Stephanie

Family Lunch

We had invited someone in our family to come and have lunch with us on Wednesday.  I invited my mum.  We both had baked potato for our lunch.  It was really good but my mum was last finished because she  kept talking to Shannon’s granny. 

There were lots of mums and grans there but no dads.  For dessert I had custard and my mum had custard and apple pie.  It tasted really nice.  I think it is a good idea having a family lunch and my mum said she liked our school dinners.  Niamh

Transition - session 5

We met with Ash for our last session on Thursday.  First we reminded ourselves about the contract which everyone had signed.  To warm up we played a game like corners and then we played a statues game.  We had to make a statue about something we had done in our four sessions with Ash.  Most people made a statue of the thought tunnel.  Next we had to choose two other things to make a statue about.  After that we had to act out something we had seen in the primary 4 performance.  I acted out the newsflash about what to do if the fire bell rang. 

Then we went into pairs or groups of three to draw a picture of all the things we could remember doing in our sessions.  Each pair or group showed their picture to the class and told them what it was all about.  Last of all we wrote down in our log what we had done and then Mrs Stewart reminded us to thank Ash for all her hard work.  I have really enjoyed the transition project and am looking forward to going up to Prestonpans Primary.  Taylor

Sports Day Update

I was a three times winner at Sports Day.  I was in the winning P3 team with Shannon and Amy and  I won the girls’ race for our class and  Alex won the boys’ race for P3/11.  Then Alex and I had to race again with the other primary 3 winners and we won the trophies for the fastest girl and fastest boy in primary 3.  We got presented with our certificates, medals and trophies at assembly on Friday morning by Mrs McBirnie, our Depute Head.  Eirinn

CLASS NEWS

Tomorrow is the Gala and I am going to be in it with the Brownies.  I am going to be Nanny McPhee.  Cerys

On Thursday my little brother Ronan and my little sister Millie were up at the Community Centre to see The Singing Kettle.  Brodie was there with her little sisters Lily and Minnie.  Amy and Becky were there too.  Niamh

I am going to the beach after school today and then I am going to the park.  Thomas

On Sunday my football team is playing in a tournament at Musselburgh Rugby Club.  We are going to be playing against Dynamo Hibs and some other teams.  Alex

I am having a sleepover at my friend’s house tonight.  He goes to St Gabriels.  I am taking my X-box 360 over so we can try out some of his games.  Luc

It is going to be my ballet show on Monday.  We are doing a dance about the fairground and I am wearing a purple tutu.  Rebecca

At the weekend I am going down to the beach to the rock pools with my dad.  We are going to look for crabs, fish and shrimps.  Daisy

After school today I am going out with my Nana.  I don’t know where we are going so it is a surprise but we are going to have our tea out.  Elle

In the summer holidays I am going to Spain to visit my granny because she lives there.  I really like going because she has a massive pool in her garden.  Sometimes I need arm bands so I don’t sink.  Garry

I am going to Prestonpans Gala tomorrow and my cousin Charlie is coming as well.  We are especially looking forward to the shows.  My granny and my papa are going to take us.  Shannon

My big brother fell off  his bike last weekend and hurt his arm.  He has a bandage on his wrist.   Amy

ps  next week we are spending Thursday and Friday up at Prestonpans Primary so our last blog in P3 will probably not be published until Monday or Tuesday of the last week of school.  is

 

Paper Fish

Last Friday we had some visitors in our classroom.  Three girls from the Primary School came down to show us how to fold the paper fish for the Three Harbours Festival.  It was actually quite complicated and we needed lots of help - Mrs Stewart was so busy helping she forgot to take photographs of the folding. 

Once the fish were folded we could cut out a tail if we wanted and then we could colour in our fish or put a pattern on them.  We were allowed to use special gold, silver and bronze crayons which made the fish look really shiny.  All the finished fish were sent down to Mrs MacLeod and wil be seen at the Festival.  Niamh

Storywriting

For our storywriting  this week we had to think about all the things we have to do before we come to school in the morning.  My alarm clock wakes me up and then I get up and wash my face.  Next I go down stairs and get my breakfast and then upstairs again to get my clothes on.  Then back downstairs to check my schoolbag and get my coat on.  After that I am ready for school.  Ben

Library

My name is Daisy and I have just come into P3/11.   So far it has been quite good and I have made some friends already.  Rebecca has been especially nice to me.  When I was at the Burgh school we did not go to the library every month, only as a special treat.  In this school we have a special gate to get to the library so we don’t have to go outside the playground.  We got to choose a book to bring back to the classroom and  the librarian told us about the summer reading scheme.  Erica also showed us how we could scan our own books and stamp the date on them.  It was fun.  Daisy 

Friends

We have been thinking about friends and have a what makes a good friend booklet to do.  On the first page we had to draw a picture of our best friend and two others.  Then we thought about who we played with at break time and why they were good friends.  Next we had to sort our friends into sets of who was fun to be with and who was sometimes nasty.  Each page had a pattern round the outside for us to colour in.  On Thursday we had to think about what we would do if………….  It was a bit like what we have been doing with Ash in our transition sessions.  Doing this booklet is really making me think about what makes a good friend.  Eirinn

Transition - session 4

We had our last session with Ash on Monday.  We played the funky chicken game again to get everyone warmed up.  Eirinn reminded us about our contract and our new girl, Daisy added her name to ours.  Ash taught as a song about moving up to the primary that we are going to sing with the primary four children next Tuesday.  Then we thought about the angel and devil questions again and this time we had to act them out. 

I think the transition sessions have been a really, really, really good idea because I like drama and I am not worried about going up to the primary school any more.  I am looking forward to the P4 performance on Tuesday.  Shannon

RE

For our RE this week Miss Carr told us all about Muslim prayers.  Muslims have to pray five times a day, they must face Mecca and wash before they say prayers.  Prayers can be said anywhere but you have to take your shoes off first.    We had a picture of a prayer mat to colour in and also another islamic pattern.  There was also the arabic writing for Allah on our sheet and then some questions with three answers.  You had to draw a circle round the correct answer.  Abby

Lunch Invitations

We had to make an invitation this week for someone in our family to come and join us for lunch.  The invitation had to have the day, the date and the time, who it was for and who it was from and last of all what the invitation was for. 

 I made my invitation for my mum and took it home for her.  Stephanie 

Sports Day

It was our Sports afternoon on Wednesday.  We had to have it in the P1 playground this year because the field has been dug up in places by the builders.  There were three different sports times, P1’s before playtime, P2’s after playtime and the P3’s in the afternoon.   First everyone got a name badge with a number on it.  There were eight teams to match the eight different stations out in the playground.  I was in team six.  Then we went outside to get started.  There were some mums and dads there to watch.

 

My team started at the football dribble.  Next was the basketball throwing and I scored 2 baskets so that was 2 points for my team.  Then we had to visit all the other staions which were obstacle course, javelin, hurdles, aiming balls, relay race and the egg and spoon race.  I liked the obstacle course because you had to go through a tunnel with a hard hat on your head.  My team scored 230 points altogether.  It was a fun day and it didn’t rain!!!  Ryan

Show and Tell

For my show and tell I brought in my judo suit and medal.   I started judo after we had a judo taster session at school.  I go every Wednesday to the Prestonpans Town Hall.  Our coach is called Joe and judo company, Destination Judo, has a website too.  I really like it and I am working to get my red tag.  Shannon

  I brought in my football trophy for show and tell.  I got it last Saturday at a presentation at Prestonpans Community Centre.  I was the first person in the team to collect my trophy.  I keep it on my shelf in my bedroom.  This is the first trophy I have ever had!  Ryan

CLASS NEWS

It will be my birthday on Monday and we are having a holiday from school!  I am having three birthday meals - one with my mum and dad, one with my granny and grandad and one with my other granny and papa.  Cerys

I am going to my nana’s on Sunday.   Thomas

It will be Wallyford Gala tomorrow and I am going with my granny and grandad and I might be getting a bit of colour in my hair.  Shannon

I am also going to Wallyford Gala tomorrow.  My friend Lucy is going to be in the Gala.  My mum says I might get little bits of coloured streaks in my hair if I am good.  Niamh

I am going to Cerys’s birthday party in her house.  Stephanie

On Monday I ama going to my gran’s house.  She stays across the road from the high school and I am getting to take some toys with me.  We might be going for a walk.  Jennifer

I will be eight in a few long days because it is going to be my birthday and I am hoping to get Star Wars lego men for my birthday.  I already have Pirates of the Carribean lego men.  Garry

On Sunday I am going back to Musselburgh to visit my gran.  We are going to have a wee celebration because it is nearly my gran’s birthday.  Daisy

Storywriting

For our storywriting on Monday, we had write a thank you letter to the musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra who came to do we’re going on a bear hunt with us.  I said my favourite bits were when Janet played her clarinet and when I was in the group that made the bear sounds. 

When all the letters were finished they were put in a big brown envelope and posted.  Ryan

New Serial Story

We read The Iron Man by Ted Hughes this week. It’s about an iron man who keeps on eating everything he can find made of medal.  Hogarth, the boy in the story, thought that if they put the Iron Man in a scrap yard, he could eat all the metal junk and everyone would be happy.  Then a terrible space bat angel dragon comes down to Earth and it’s the Iron Man that challenges and defeats it.  The last chapter was really really exciting and I felt a wee bit sorry for the space bat angel dragon in the end.   I think this is the best story we have had so far.  Shannon  

Transition - session three

For our transition session this week we made a thought tunnel.  A thought tunnel is when everyone makes a kind of tunnel and says what they are thinking.  We were thinking about going up to the primary, good things and bad. 

Then we had to take a piece of paper with a question on it out of a bag.  In groups of three, one person had to ask the question, someone had to give the angel answer and the last person had to give the devil answer.  My group’s question was “what would you do if you saw someone getting picked on?”  I was the devil and my answer was “get involved and make it worse” but the angel answer was “go and tell the playground superviser.  Our question asker chose the angel answer.  I liked the thought tunnel because most people had good thoughts about going up to the primary.  Niamh

Listening Activity

We did our weekly listening activity on Wednesday.  We had to listen to a taped story called Ming Lo Moves the Mountain.  We had to listen really carefully.  Before we have been allowed to listen to the story twice but this time we only got to hear it once.Then everyone got a worksheet and Mrs Stewart read out sentences from the story with three different answers.  We had to choose the correct one and draw a circle round it.  Then we listened to the story again to see if we had the right answers.  There were eighteen sentences and I got seventeen correct.   I really like this listening activity.  Abby

New Cluster Map Dot

When we reviewed our blog on Monday morning we noticed a new dot on our cluster map.  Shannon and I accepted the challenge to find out where the new dot was.  We looked in a school atlas and found out the dot is in Iceland - not the shop but the country!  We have been checking how many hits our blog has had since the cluster map started in September 2007 and our current total is 19,026,  We are hoping to get 20,000 before the summer holidays.  Ben 

Number Patterns

We had some more pattern work to do this week but this time it was number patterns.  I thought the first sheet was quite hard.  We had to write down the pattern and the next two or three numbers in that pattern.  Next day was not quite so bad - it was ok and when we did our last sheet on Thursday I thought it was easy and I only had two little mistakes in my counting.  I think I have the hang of it now.  Stephanie

Show and Tell

For my show and tell I brought in my name picture.  I got it from my granny and grandad when I was only two years old.  I keep it on my shelf so my sister Kyla doesn’t get it.  It tells you all about my name, how a person called Cerys will act, what kind of career they will have, their lucky numbers and lots of other things.  Cerys

CLASS NEWS

I am going shopping today to look for a nice new relaxing sofa.  Thomas

My cousin is coming to play with me today and we might be going to Meadowmill with my dad.  Luc

On Wednesday after school I went to Vogrie Country Park with my friend Caitlyn and her Uncle Billy.  We might be going to the beach another day.  Niamh

On Saturday I am going up to my granny Helen’s and my wee cousins Maeve and Maisie are going to be there with my Auntie Margaret and my Uncle Dave.  There is a bouncy castle and big face-painting thing on behind my granny Helen’s house.  Cerys

Today my cousin Caitlyn is coming to my granny’s house and I am going to play with her.  Stephanie

I am going to my cousin’s house on Saturday and they are going to get their swimming pool out.  Shannon

Last Saturday I was on my trampoline and I slipped and bumped my back.  It was really sore but it’s a lot better now.  Ben

I am going to be getting a fourteen foot trampoline at the weekend for my garden.  Ryan

This afternoon I am going to the pictures to see Night in the Museum 2 with my dad.  Garry 

  New Project

For our new project, we are finding out about Scotland.  First we thought about all the things we knew about Scotland and made a topic web,    then we decided what we would like to find out about.  We are also going to do a mini-project about a famous Scot.  Mrs Stewart says she doesn’t know how we are going to fit everything in as it is only five weeks until the summer holidays.  Thomas

Famous Scots

For my mini-project I chose Sam Torrance for my famous Scot.     He is a famous Scottish golfer and I picked him because I like to go golfing with my brother Mark.  I have illustrated my cover and finished my first page which is about who I have chosen, when and where they were born and why I chose them.    Then I was allowed to do a picture of Sam with his caddy playing in a competition.  Eirinn

Homework

We have been working on our project at home.      On Tuesday we worked at my house after school on my gran’s laptop.  We went onto internet explorer so we could get to Google.  Then we typed in Robert Burns’ birthplace and it took us to a website all about Robert Burns.  After that we put in Robert Burns’ birthday and that gave us more information.  We copied our information down on two sheets of paper and found a folder we could use.  On Wednesday Mrs Stewart let us show and tell what we had done.  Shannon and Niamh

Problem Solving

We have been doing some work on patterns this week.    We had to finish a pattern, to make a pattern with four and five items and to work out how many items were in a pattern.  I thought the worksheet was quite easy but next week we are going to be doing some work on number patterns.   Ben 

Summer Fayre

We had to make an invitation for our families to come to the school Summer Fayre. It will be on Saturday 20th June.  Last year there was a bouncy castle, face painting, a raffle, special bicycle rides, a cake stall, bric a brac and clothes stalls.  Last year I came with my dad but this year my mum is going to bring me.  I hope it will be a sunny day.  Brodie

Serial Story

On Wednesday we finished our story of Erik the Viking.    It had taken us quite a long time to finish but a lot of us thought it was the best story we have had so far.  In the end Erik challenged Death to a game of chess and because Erik was not afraid, Death was beaten.   Erik brought back four gifts to his village - the giant’s jug that filled itself up with water, the earth in which things grew instantly, his sword Blueblade, which was now the Starsword, for his son, and himself and his men safe.  My favourite bit was when Erik played Death at chess.   We made a podcast of other people’s favourite bits.  Alex              erik-favourite-bits podcast

We’re going on a Bear Hunt!

We had a really exciting morning on Thursday.  Three musicians from the Scottish Chamber Orchestra had come to our school to work with us and help us put on a performance of “We’re going on a bear hunt”.  Alison told us all about her bassoon.   It was made of wood and silver and the air tube was 8 feet long.   You need a double reed to play the bassoon which made very low sounds.  Elle

Liz played the flute and her flute was made of silver.  The flute is another woodwind instrument and you also need a reed to play it.  It can play quite high sounds and Liz made it sound a bit like birds singing.  Ellis

Janet had a clarinet.  It was made of Indian black wood and silver metal.  Janet needed a reed to play as well and the bit the reed went into was made of crystal.  It could make a little noise or a very big noise.  She played us a tune and it was really really good. Natalie

Once the musicians had told us about their instruments and let us hear what they sounded like, Alison, Liz and Janet read us the story “We’re going on a bear hunt” which was going to be our performance.   First of all we had to learn the song - we’re going on a bear hunt.  Alex and Rebecca were chosen to play the drums for when we were marching and Eirinn to shout out “Shut the door” after which we all had to clap and jump at the same time to make a big noise like a door closing.  Ben

After playtime we started practising the different bits of the story.  For the snow we had funny long tubes that four people had to spin around to make a sound.  The forest sounds were insect sounds and then claves to make the “stumble trip” sound.  The musicians played the river sounds and then we all got a chime bar to play and and we had to tiptoe round the hall after Janet .  Abby

Ellis, Alistair and I were chosen to play the bear growl sounds.  Our instrument looked like a giant toilet roll tube with a wire coming out one end.  You were not allowed to touch the wire or the instrument would break.  It sounded like rumbles or bear growls and the harder you shook it the louder the sound was.  We also had to lie down and pretend to be snoring.  Ryan

Soon it was time for our performance and the whole school came to watch.  I was kind of nervous but very happy to be there.  Everyone was looking at us and I could see my brother laughing when we were performing.  The performance went really well and I liked it a lot.  I wanted to do it again.   Mrs MacLeod said she thought it had been great and we all had to take a bow when everyone clapped.  It was very exciting.  Taylor

Would just like to say a great big thanks to the members of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra for their fantastic input and patience with our primary three children.  It was a great experience for them and everyone enjoyed the performance.  Thank you.  is  

Tile Patterns 

Just a few more of our Islamic tile patterns.

Show and Tell

For my show and tell I brought in my bumble bee.     I’ve had it for more than seven years as I got it from my granny when I was born.  I play with it to cheer me up.  It has funny looks and is really cute.  It is very special because my gran gave it to me and she died a few years ago so it reminds me of her.  I keep it safe on top of my wardrobe.  Jennifer

 

CLASS NEWS

My dad is taking me and my little sister to a special play-group on Sunday and we are going to be doing painting and lots of different stuff like dressing up.  Elle

At the weekend my two cousins, Charlie and Morgan, are coming to stay with me overnight.  Morgan has just got better from having tonsilitis so I am going to make a card for her.  Shannon

I got my hamster last weekend.  We decided to call him Stuart Little and my big sister Faith is jealous because my hamster is smarter than hers.  Naimh

Cerys might be coming to my house at the weekend to play.  Stephanie

I am going to football on Saturday and after that I am going up the town with my Gran.  I think I am going to get a new Barcelona strip.  Luc

I am going to Jay’s house to play today.  We are going to play football with Ellis.  Ryan

I am going to Hobbycraft after school today to get an Arts and Crafts book.  Thomas