It was our turn for the library again on Monday.     When we were choosing our books Mrs Stewart asked some children to look for chapter books rather than picture books.  I chose Dust ‘n’ Bones   which is a collection of ten ghost stories by Chris Mould.  So far this week we have been very busy but I have managed to read the first story called The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  It was a big bit scarey!  Ben

Storywriting

For our storywriting this week we had to do a book review on our serial story, Nicocbobinus, which we finished last week.  We had to say who the author, illustrator and publisher were as well as the title of the story. 

My favourite character was Nicocbobinus because his feet, hand and neck were gold and after all their adventures getting to the Land of the Dragons, the cure was a weed growing on his own doorstep.  I thought the best bit was when the Golden Man gave Nicocbobinus the gold and they both fell out of the window.  Last of all we had to draw a picture.   I really enjoyed this story.  Alex

Project

     Some people were catching up on the Roman clothes worksheets but we were really finding out about what Roman people ate this week.  Rich people and poor people did not eat the same food.  Poor people ate a kind of porridge stew called pottage to which they added meat, offal or a wine sauce.  They had lots of bread, fruit and vegetables.    Rich people had huge feasts.  Guests lay on couches and used their fingers for their food.   We found out was that sometimes they ate so much they made themselves sick.  There was a special room for being sick in and then they went back to the feast and started eating again!  Special treats were stuffed dormice and peacock brains.   Elle

Our Nativity

We have started learning the songs for our Christmas Nativity performance called The Nativity.  Mrs Birrell has been teaching us them when she comes on a Thursday.  I really like the song about the Three Kings.  People have also been chosen for the characters like Mary, Joseph, King Herod, soldiers, shepherds and kings.  Some people are going to be playing instruments too.  We are going to start practising every day next week.  Shannon 

Christmas cards

We have been drawing pictures for our class Christmas cards when we have had any spare minutes.  Once all the designs were finished Mrs Stewart sorted them out into Santas, reindeer, snowmen, Christmas trees and scenes and angels.  Everyone got a bit of sticky and we put our sticky on the card we thought was the best design.  Most people chose the same cards and nearly all of them were drawn by the same person.  We talked about this and decided if we wanted to sell the cards we had to choose the best designs whether they were by the same person or not.  Next week we will be getting the written bits done and putting the whole cards together for photo-copying.  Eirinn

Christmas trees and robins

The theme for our Christmas corridors this year is trees and robins.  To make our tree we had to cut out a triangle shaped tree then cut little triangles into it, first on one side and then on the other.  When we opened it out we a had symmetrical tree.  we still have to decorate it.  For our robins we are using strips of thin card which is a bit trickier.  Cerys

 Enterprise Challenge

Miss Stirling set everyone in our school an Enterprise Challenge.   We had to design and create a hanging Christmas decoration.  Lots of people in our class had had a go.

I made a glittery angel.  I used a bit of paper towel tube, scrunched up paper for the head, tinsel for the wings and lots of glitter.  My mum helped me a little.  It was good fun.  We all got to go down to the hall to see everyone’s models.  There were 128 entries and they were all very very good.  Two winners have been chosen from each class.   Our class winners were Alex’s Christmas pudding and Elle’s Santa.   Stephanie 

Show and Tell

No show and tellers this week as one was absent and the other forgot!

Meet the Class Podcasts

Our podcasters this week are Cerys and Craig.  meet-the-class-2111

Children in Need Update

Our school raised £278 for Children in Need last Friday by having a dressing down day and selling cakes.  Natalie

CLASS NEWS

It was my baby sister, Kyla’s birthday on Thursday.  She was one year old.  We had a birthday cake and birthday tea after school.  Cerys

I went for a sleepover at my gran’s on Thursday night because it was my cousin Caitlin’s birthday.  She was eight years old and we are getting a big cake.  Stephanie

Me and my little sister are sharing a room and we are going to see how it works and if we can get along together until Christmas.  If it works we are going to get the room decorated and get new bunk beds.  Abby

I am cycling round to my gran’s on Saturday because she lives just along the road.  I don’t know if my little sister is going too.  I might be getting to play with my uncle Scott’s PSP.  Luc

My cat Mitzi had kittens on Monday morning.  There were four of them and they are really tiny.  When they are older they are going to be sold but I want to keep them all.  Garry

I am going to a wedding on Friday.  My auntie Stacey is getting married to Thomas.  I have a very special black dress to wear with a gold cardigan and gold shoes.  Elle

It was my mum’s birthday on Thursday.  We are having a birthday tea for her.  Brodie 

On Monday we had an enterprise afternoon.  There were four stations set up with different activities and we got a turn to do them all.

My favourite was making the little jewel boxes.  We had to choose a box and then stick on glittery bits and sequins to make it look nice.   I chose a gold box and decorated it with a little reindeer and santas for a christmas gift.  We had to use just a little glue with a glue spreader.  It was good fun.  Alex

I liked the sewing activity.  We got a special plastic needle and two pieces of felt shaped like a snowman.  You had to thread the needle with some wool and then pull it through the holes in the felt to sew the two bits together.  I thought it was easy but most people found it quite hard to do.  Ben

The activity I liked was making a felt door-hanging.  You had to put the main green bit of felt on one side and all the other bits on the other side.  We started by sticking the stop santa sign on to the green felt and then we had to make up the face with a beard, two eyes, a fluffy nose and a moustache.  The hat was put together with red and white felt and finally there was a bell for the hat and some stars.  It was quite hard not to put too much glue on.  Rebecca

My favourite thing was painting the keyrings.  They were a bit like sun-catchers but were for Christmas.  My shape was a snowman and I painted it orange.  We had special pens for painting the plastic.  The keyrings looked really good when they were finished.  Stephanie

Storywriting

For our storywriting this week we did a sequencing activity.  We had to write out the instructions for how to make a mosaic.  My group had to do it all by ourselves   with a word bank to help us.  I thought it was quite easy because we had made a mosaic picture last week.  An other group had a different sheet and they had to copy instructions in the right order.   The last group had sets of pictures and they had to put them in the correct order.  Niamh

I was in the picture sequence group.  Mrs Stewart gave us all four pictures. We had to look at them really carefully and then put them on the desk in the right order.  I  thought it was quite easy and I was the best in my group and the fastest because I have a sequence game at home.  Garry

 Project

We decided to do a different cover for our Roman topic books because most of our sheets were portrait and our first cover was landscape. I added a Roman soldier, a laurel wreath for an emperor, a chariot racer, a bow and arrow and a mosaic to my cover to make it look really special.  Eirinn

We found out a little about Roman society and my group had to use a reference book to complete a table.     There were four groups of people - Patricians, most of whom went to school and were very rich.  They had jobs like senators, lawyers and landowners and lived in big house.  Equites were the next group.  Most of them went to school and they were businessmen and teachers and were quite rich and lived in large houses. Only some Plebians went to school, were usually traders or soldiers and were not very rich.  Their house - if they had one - was small.  Last of all came the slaves.  No slaves were allowed to go to school, they had to do all the cooking, cleaning and farming work, were very poor and usually lived with their masters.  It was very interesting finding out about the differences.  Cerys

We also found out about the clothes Romans wore.  Roman ladies wore a long tunic called a chiton and married ladies wore a stola on top.  If they were rich they sometimes wore a long cloak called a palla.  Roman men wore a toga depending on who they were. Politicians wore bleached white togas while magistrates and upper class boys wore off white with a purple border.  Only the emperor or a victorious general was allowed to wear a purple toga with gold embroidery.  Slaves had to wear short woollen tunics.  Alistair

Project Gallery

We had so many pictures last week we kept some for a slideshow this week.

Show and Tell

For my show and tell I brought my soft toy dog.   His name is Jack and I got him from my mum.  I’ve had him for about a year and my mum got him in Edinburgh.  He is special to me because he is really soft and cuddly.  I take him to bed with me every night.  Ben

  I brought my big teddy for show and tell.  Her name is Snowdrops and I got it from mu uncle and my mum.  I keep her on my bed and my mum lets me take her to bed with me.  Sometimes I get to take her outside to play.  Rebbeca

Country Dancing

This week we managed to take some video of our latest dance - the progressive barn dance.  You dance it with a partner but your partner keeps moving on to someone else.  I like this dance because you get to dance with almost everyone else.  We are going to try a new dance next week.  Luc

Children in Need

Our school had a dress down day today for children in need.  I wore my jeans and my favourite t-shirt.   There were cakes to buy for 20p each.  I got one and they were delicious.     I am going to watch the children in need programme on television tonight.  We don’t know how much money our school has raised yet but will let you know in next week’s blog.  Natalie

Meet the Class Podcasts

Our podcasters this week are Ryan and Rebecca.  meet-the-class-1411

Christmas Fayre

Our school Christmas Fayre is coming soon on Saturday 6th December.

CLASS NEWS

I am going to my grans in Tranent today.  I have a sleepover and I get to play with my friends there.  Shannon

It will be my big sister Karmen’s birthday in ten days.  She will be thirteen.  She is going to go on holiday with my gran.  Niamh

I am going to see High School Musical  3 tonight with my mum, dad, brother and big cousin Emma.  Rebecca

I am going to see Mary Poppins today with my granny, my cousin and my sister Amy.  Stephanie

I am having a sleepover at my granny Helen’s tonight and I am going to be allowed to take the dog out for a walk in the garden.  The dog’s name is Jojo.  Cerys

It was my birthday on Wednesday.  I was seven years old.  My cake had an elephant on it and seven candles.  I got a mp3 player for my present.   Thomas

This week was Fire Safety Week in our school.  For our first lesson Firefighter Susan showed us a picture of Ray’s kitchen.       It was very messy and dangerous.  We all got a picture of our own and we had to put a circle round everything we thought was dangerous.       There were an awful lot of dangerous things.  We also found out the three most common causes of fire - smoking, cooking and electricity.       Firefighter Susan asked us to check our own kitchens when we got home to make sure they were safe.  Stephanie

At our next session Firefighter Susan asked us what we would do if there was a fire in our school.  We all knew exactly what to do as we have lots of practices.       Then she asked us if we had a fireplan for our houses.  Hardly anyone in our class had a fireplan for home.  She told us if there is a fire you have to GET OUT, CALL THE FIRE SERVICE OUT and STAY OUT!  We watched a video of a family getting out of their house when there was a fire.  It was very interesting because everyone knew what to do as they had a fireplan and had practised it.  Abby

Symmetry Activities

We have been finding out about symmetry this week.  We had lots of activities and sheets to do.   We had to paint a symmetrical Roman shield, painting on one side of a fold and then folding over to make a symmetrical pattern.     We also had pictures of half a shield       and we had to finish them.  We watched a symmetry demonstration on the interactive whiteboard and there were lots of different sheets to do.                              We are going to do a little more work next week.  Alistair

The Fire Engine Visit

 On Wednesday we had a chance to see a real working fire engine      when the firefighters brought it into the playground.  We were put into groups and each group had a firefighter to tell them about the fire engine and answer any questions.

I liked when we got to sit inside the fire engine cab.        It was quite high to climb up to get in.   Ellis

 I got to put on a helmet.      and we were sitting in the back of the cab.  The seats were soft and a little bit bouncy.  Shannon

I liked putting on the special seat belts when I was in the cab.  I got to sit in the driver’s seat.  It had a very big steering wheel.  Cerys

     My group got to try on a real firefighter’s jacket.  It was really heavy because it is made of special material that does not burn easily.   The firefighters keep their boots inside their special trousers so that if the fire engine is called out they just have to step into their clothes.  Niamh

I liked using the megaphone.  You had to speak into it and press the button at the same time.  It made your voice very loud.  Thomas 

Our firefighter got a set of ladders down from the fire engine and we got to climb up them.       One ladder is fifty feet long.  Once we had all climbed up to look over the wall the ladders had to be put away again on top of the fire engine.  Alex

     I got to try on the firefighter’s boots which are kept at the side of the fire-engine inside their special trousers.  They were really heavy but comfy!  The jacket was heavy too.  Ryan

I was put into a special harness      which the fire fighters use if they have to go up on a roof in case they fall.  Three other people in my group got to pull me back again.  I enjoyed everything we did with the firefighters.  Garry

My group got to have a go at throwing a rescue line.       It was for people to grab onto if they are stuck in a river or lake.  It was quite hard to throw and it had a long rope attached to it which someone had to hold the end of.  Alistair managed to throw it the furthest in our group.  Brodie

The fire engine had an accident first aid bag.       There were special things for broken legs and arms, breathing masks with oxygen and special bandages for burns.  I got to try a special splint on my leg.  It kept my leg very still and it felt cold.  Sometimes the fire engine has to go to road accidents and we saw the big metal cutters      that are used to get people out of smashed up cars and doors that won’t open.  Alistair

One of the firefighters put on the flashing blue lights to let us see them but the sirens would have been too noisy.  Luc

A huge thank you to all the firefighters who visited our school from all the staff and the children. is

Storywriting

For our storywriting this week we wrote letters to White Watch fire crew from Musselburgh Fire Station to thank them for coming to our school and bringing their fire engine. 

 We drew some pictures on the letters and some people made a border.  When we had all finished Mrs Stewart posted them to the firefighters.  Niamh

Show and Tell

          For my show and tell I brought in my teddy.  Her name is Fluffy and I got her for my 6th birthday from my dad.  I have lots of clothes to dress her in and keep them in a little teddy bear wardrobe.  Fluffy lies beside me on my bed at night and she is my favourite teddy.  Elle

Meet the Class Podcasts

Our podcasters this week are Brodie and Alex.    meet-the-class-611 

CLASS NEWS

On Sunday morning at 11 o’clock I am going to be in a parade down the street with my Brownie pack because it will be Thinking Day.  Cerys

I am going to a firework display tonight in Tranent with my cousin Caitlyn and my Granny.  Stephanie

I went to the fireworks display in Musselburgh on Wednesday night.  It was at the race course and I went with my dad, my sister Minnie, my grandad and my cousin Rachel.   Brodie

My little sister, Casey, is going to be two years old tomorrow.  She is having a birthday party with some of her friends from creche and she is going to have either a Winnie the Pooh cake or a Disney Princess cake.  Abby

When I was at Sena’s house for Bonfire Night I got as huge bit of cake.  It was yummy cake.  Niamh

Tomorrow I am playing seven-a-sides football with my team Preston Athletic.  The matches are at Middleshot Square and it is going to be in the morning.  Alex

I started swimming lessons on Thursday after school.  I go to the pool in Prestonpans and my swimming teacher is called Jamie.  We started at the deep end and that was a bit scary but then I liked it.  Ryan

I am going to be playing seven-a-sides too.  It is going to be every Saturday morning.  My dad takes us as he helps with our training.  Ellis

When we were reviewing our blog on Monday we had a look at the cluster map.     We have had more than eleven hundred hits since September 23rd and we are starting to have red dots all over the world again.  If you are reading our blog and live somewhere different can you please leave us a comment.  You do not need to leave an e-mail address or a website.  Thank you.  Brodie

Visit to the Library

On Monday it was our turn to go to the library.  The library is almost next to our school so it is not very far to walk.  When we got there we had some time to look at the books and to choose one to take back to the classroom. 

After that Erica told us a story about a hairdresser and a ghoul.  It was quite scarey.  Then we walked back to school.  The books will be in our library corner for the next four weeks.  Alex

Storywriting

For my weekend story I wrote about practising my karate moves in my house.  I drew a picture of me in my karate suit with my new green belt and my little sister Millie watching me.  You have to be five to go to karate so she is still too small.       Mrs Stewart picked the best stories and they were put up on the writing wall.  Next time we are going to choose who the star-writers are.  Niamh

Project Work

We have been trying to get our project booklet covers finished this week.                 We had to write the title - The Romans - and then illustrate the cover with pictures.  We could look for pictures in our information books.   Most people have got their cover finished now.  Ben

Dog Mosaic

We  thought we would like to have a go at making mosaics.  We looked on the internet and found a picture of a dog mosaic which we had printed out.  Then two people had to copy the pictures onto two big sheets of card.       Once that was done we had to stick little bits of paper on to make the shape of the dog.  We only had to use three colours, cream, brown and light brown with two bits of red, one for the eye and one for the tongue.  Everyone got to help sticking on the little bits.       You had to make sure they were stuck closely together.  I really enjoyed doing it.       After that we were allowed to do a picture of our own and I did a Roman Shield.  Eirinn

Show and Tell

I brought in a my little pony toy for my show and tell.           It belongs to Minnie my sister but we swapped so I could bring it in.  It’s fun to play with and you can turn it on to make it speak.  Brodie

     For my show and tell I brought three ornaments into school.       One is a little cat with a bow, one is a baby bear with bottle and one is a baby.  My nana gave me the baby one when I was four or three years old so I have had it a long time.  I keep them on my window sill.  Abby

Country Dancing

Sorry no country dancing video this week because our CD player wasn’t working very well and the music was stopping and jumping.   That makes it very hard to fit the dance to the music.   I hope we will get it working for next week.  Luc

Meet the Class Podcasts

Our first two podcasters are Niamh and Alistair.   meet-the-class-3110

CLASS NEWS

Next Thursday I am going up to my Granny Helen’s and there is a big football pitch over the back and there is going to be a big bonfire for Guy Fawkes.  Cerys

I am going to a Halloween disco today in the Community Centre.  I am going to be a pirate with green gel on my hair.  Luc

I am going to my Auntie Norma’s today.  She lives in Musselburgh and my two big sisters are coming too.  We are going to watch movies and then go trick or treating.  Niamh

I am going trick or treating with my friend, Lucy.  My costume is a lady devil.  Natalie

I am going to the after school club Halloween party today.  We are going to be dooking for apples and nuts.  I am going to be dressed up as a witch.  Brodie

I am going to Ellis’s house with Craig and Alistair to do dooking.  I think we are doing nuts and apples and then we are going out to frighten people.  Alex

After school I am going to my cousin, Maria’s house to do dooking.  Then I am going to get dressed up as a witch and go trick or treating with my auntie.  I even have a broomstick.  Elle

Me, my dad and my sister Lucy are going to the Rangers Football Club because we are going to play with Rangers.  I have a scarf to wave if they win.  Thomas

I am going to Ellis’s house today for a Halloween party.  We have made up a plan to scare his little sister Cerys’s friends.  We are going to get out of our own costumes and go into someone else’s costumes.  I was going to go as spider man but now I am going as Harry Potter.  Alistair

On the last day of term,  my mum came in to show us her bagpipes and play for us.  She was wearing her kilt and her band uniform and the bagpipes were in their special fur-lined holdall.     The first thing she showed us was the chanter      and she told us she had to practise it for more than a year before playing the bagpipes.  Then we saw the reeds      that make the sound and some bagpipe music.      Last of all she played us some tunes.        I am used to how loud the sound is but some children had to put their fingers in their ears it was so loud in the classroom.  I’m not sure if I want to play the bagpipes when I grow up.  Ellis  ps a big thank you to Ellis’s mum - we all enjoyed her visit.  is

Railway Safety

On Tuesday we had a visitor in school.  His name was PC Fraser Robertson and he is a British Transport Policeman.       He had come to make sure everyone knew that railways are very dangerous places.       PC Robertson told us that if there was a hole in a fence not to go through it on to the railway as a train is as heavy as 400 elephants with wheels going so fast they are like sharp knives.  A fast train putting on its brakes takes nearly a mile to stop which is about the same length as 20 football pitches.   Then we watched a video that told us don’t play on the railway!   PC Robertson was very funny but playing on the railway is very very dangerous.  Alex

Storywriting 

We thought it would be a good idea if we made a poster about don’t play on the railway.       First we looked at some railway safety sites on the interactive whiteboard and printed out some of their posters.  Then we thought about all the things that make a good poster like being colourful, eye-catching and having big bold lettering.  After that we talked about ideas for our posters with a partner and then we got to started.

As well as the writing some people had pictures on their posters and if the picture was of something that was a bad thing to do it was in a red circle with a line through or had a cross through it.  I enjoyed making my poster.  Shannon

New Project

We started our new project this week - the Romans.  First we used the interactive whiteboard to make a topic web of what we knew already about the new topic.     Then Mrs Stewart read us a short information book about Romans and after that we made another topic web of all the things we thought we would like to find out more about.       We decided we would like to do our topic on pages which can be made into a book rather than in a jotter and next week we are going to do our cover, look at a timeline and try a simple mosaic.     We have started to get our project corner ready and I am really looking forward to this project.  Niamh

Interactive whiteboard

This week we tried a new activity on the interactive whiteboard.  You had to look at an empty number line and guess which number the arrow was pointing to.       First we tried numbers to ten, then we had a go at numbers to 100.       To help us we had a grid to start with and then once we got the hang of it the grid was taken away.  My estimates were quite good and if I didn’t guess the right number I was only one away.  Ryan

Show and Tell

     For my show and tell I brought in a special picture.  One of my dad’s friends gave it to us from when he was on holiday at the pyramids.  It’s kind of special to my whole family and my sister knows what all the Egyptian picture words mean.  We keep it safe up on the fridge because my little sister Chloe has started to crawl and if she finds anything on the floor she eats it.  Natalie

I brought in my very first soft toy dog called Bobo       for my show and tell.   My granny and poppa gave it to me for my very first Christmas when I was only six months old.  I keep her on my bed and cuddle her at night.    Cerys

Country Dancing

Mrs Stewart has said I can be the country dancing correspondent.  This week we have learned how to do a progressive barn dance.  The progressive bit means that you get a new partner every time.  The girls have to move to a new partner but we get to just wait for them coming.  Next week we will try and take some video so you can see how we are getting on.  Luc

Podcasts

      From next week we are going to try and do a meet the class podcast in our blog.  We have a special sheet we can fill in and then each week one boy and one girl will make a podcast.  Watch this space!!!  Alistair

CLASS NEWS

In the holidays I moved to a log cabin.  It was fun.  Brodie

I am going to my Auntie Amanda’s after school today and we are going to go conker hunting.  Luc

On Tuesday night my little sister, Casey, swallowed a 10p and it got stuck in her throat.  My dad had to make her sick three times to get it out and then she had to go and get a bath.  We all got a big fright.  Abby

After the Christmas holidays I am going to start horse-riding lessons.  I am really looking forward to it.  Elle

My little sister, Kayla, has two teeth now.  She went through the gate at the livingroom to keep her out of the kitchen when my brother forgot to shut it and managed to eat a cat biscuit before I could stop her.  I had to pick her up and take her back through to my dad.  Cerys

It is my sister Lucy’s birthday today and she is eleven years old.  She is going to open her presents after school.  Thomas

I am going Thai boxing today at 4 o’clock.  This will be my second time.  I really like it and my sister Rebbeca is going too.  Amy

   Show and Tell (from last week)

For my show and tell I brought in Snowy my soft toy  cheetah.       I got it when I was on holiday in Marjorca.  I keep it up on my shelf and it is special to me because it has such soft fur and I take it to bed with me at night.  Eirinn

Our First Book

This week we made our first book on the computer.       It was about our trip to the Prestongrange Mining Museum - in the rain!  First of all we put all the pictures on the computer then we had to chose how many pictures on each page.  We had to drag the pictures we wanted into the spaces.  Then we had to do a little bit of writing about each page.       If we didn’t like the way the page looked we could change it and put the pictures back and get other ones.  Once that was done the book pages were printed out, and then laminated.  Last of all Mrs Stewart put holes in for the spiral bind.  Our book is being kept in the library corner with books made by other classes.  Next time we are going to make it by ourselves.  Alex

Transient Art

We all made a transient art picture this week.  First you had to get a tree trunk slice to put your picture on.  You could choose stones, sticks, leaves, shells, cones and all sorts of other stuff.  You had to arrange the things you chose as a picture.  If you didn’t like it you could move them about or change them.  When you were happy with your picture the photograph was taken.

Then you had to put all your stuff away again ready for the next people.  I really liked doing transient art because it didn’t matter if it wasn’t right the first time, you could just change it.  Rebecca

Project Assessment

We have now finished our project on Prestonpans.  I enjoyed all the activities we did.       Our last thing was to do a project assessment and draw a picture      of our favourite thing.  Mine was the sketching.  Eirinn did a really nice picture of us at the Beam Engine.  Our new project is going to be Romans!  Ben

Parents’ Evenings

Last night my mum and dad came to see Mrs Stewart.  I came too with my brother and sister.  My mum and dad were very pleased with my report because they are always happy when I do good work.  My little sister kept on running away and my brother and dad had to keep chasing her.  Abby

 National Poetry Day

On Thursday it was National Poetry Day.  We had a specal day and listened to lots of poems from different books and by different poets.  We had two worksheets to do, one was to chose your favourite poem and the other was to make up an Autumn poem.

My favourite poem was Lament for a lost Dinner Ticket by Margaret Hamilton.  I really liked the bit when the big wall fell down and only the little girl’s head and wee wellies were sticking out.  We were all laughing and Mrs Stewart had to read it again.  Niamh

Country Dancing

We put our new dance, The Flying Scotsman, to music at PE this week.  It made it a bit harder as the music was quite fast.  I liked when we made the train noises best.  We had to try and not tug each other and keep our trains nice and straight. 

I am really enjoying the country dancing - the first dance was good and the second dance we have learned is very good.  Luc

Nicobobinus

Our serial story got really exciting this week when Nicobobinus and Rosie had to cross the Ocean of Mountains.  At first they climbed up the mountain all day but then when they woke up in the morning they were at the bottom again.   The Snorer, who lived in a mountain boat,      told them that they should have waited at the bottom and then the next day they would have been at the top and only had to walk downhill.  We have stopped for the holidays at the bit where they have floated over the giant wall and are in the City of Cries.  I am really enjoying this story.  Brodie

Term 1 Reflections

We made a podcast of what we have enjoyed in our first term as Primary 3.  Country dancing seemed to be the biggest success.  http://edubuzz.org/blogs/prestonpans/files/2008/10/term-1-reflections2.mp3

CLASS NEWS

I have got a new computer so I can now go on the blog anytime I want.  Luc

I am going to Newcastle today with my granny and grandad and we are all staying with my auntie Fay.  Cerys

I am going to Dunbar to stay for a whole week.  I will be going to Dunbar Spash Pool.  Shannon

I am going a big long walk tomorrow with my dad and Minnie.  We are getting the train to Edinburgh and then going on the big long walk.  Brodie

I am going to Blackpool tomorrow and I am going to go on the roller coasters.  Thomas

I am going to Ellis’s house today with his mum.  Ellis’s mum is coming in to school this morning to play the bagpipes for us.  Alex

It was a different teacher at karate this week but I did get my green belt.  I am going to bring it in to show everyone after the holidays.  Niamh

 ps no blog next week as we are on holiday but will be back in two weeks time.  is

On Tuesday we visited Prestongrange Mining Museum.  Before we left to walk along we all had to put on our hi-vis waistcoats.  It was pouring with rain.  It was quite a long walk.  Mrs Stewart’s daughter-in-law Julie came with us.  When we got there we all went into the visitor centre.  Each class had a different activity to start with but we all did everything.  Craig

The first thing our class did was have a look at the things in the visitor centre.  We saw some pottery, some tools, miners hats and a picture of a broken boot.  Just outside was a fossilised tree trunk.  It felt kind of bumpy but smooth.  Sarah, from the museum, then held up some things that had been found on the site like bricks and bits of pottery and glass.  Luc

Our next activity was to go into the archaelogical hut and there were lots of bits of broken pots.  Some bits were being held together with sticky tape.  We got to dig in the sand box with a little shovel to see if we could find anything.  Me and Ellis found a bit of pottery.  Once we had brushed the sand off it we had to put it in our tray and then draw it.  Then we got to look at the pictures on the displays and at some of the big tools.  One man had dug up a broken boot and the bottom of the sole was filled with earth.  I enjoyed the digging.  Alex

David took us over to see the Beam Engine.  The building was built in 1874 and the Beam Engine itself came all the way from Cornwall in a boat to Morrison’s Haven harbour.  When we went in we got to climb to each level and there were 37 steps altogether.  They were quite steep and Mrs Stewart and Julie had to watch that they didn’t bump their heads.  The bolts on the engine were huge and there was a giant spanner to tighten them.  The engine was used to pump water out of the mine shafts.  The beam engine was my favourite bit of the visit.  Ellis

Last of all we went back to the visitor centre and Claire had paper and pencils, pens and crayons for us so that we could draw something we had seen on our trip.  Then it was time to walk back to school.  It was still raining!  Rebecca

New Serial Story

We have started a new serial story called Nicobobinus,       written by Terry Jones and Illustrated by Michael Foreman.  Mrs Stewart has had this book for a long time.  It is about a little boy called Nicobobinus and his friend Rosie and their adventures trying to get to the Land of the Dragons.    Nicobobinus has two golden feet, a golden hand and a golden neck and the only thing that will cure him is Dragons’ Blood.  We have got to the bit where the Black Ship is taking them to the Land of the Dragons.  On the Black Ship food appears, candles light and blow out by themselves, and the ship seems to be looking after the children.  I like this story a lot and Mrs Stewart always stops reading at a really exciting bit.  Garry 

Prestonpans Pottery

I went home and told my gran I had been where the potteries were long ago.  She had a piece of pottery that came from Pypers Wynd Potteries and she said I could bring it into school to show everyone.       Mrs Stewart found a plant pot that had also come from the same place.  The pottery is not there anymore.  Cerys

Mining Museum Visit Reflections

I thought the visit was good and I enjoyed everything we did except for walking in the rain.  Alex

We liked….

going inside the beam engine building but I didn’t like the rain.  Cerys

when we did the dig for things in the sand box but it was very wet and soggy outside.  Niamh

 inside the beam engine building and looking at the pottery.  Natalie

 looking at the pottery.  Rebecca

 going inside the Beam Engine but I didn’t like the weather.  Jay

 digging in the sand box.  We found a bone and a piece of tile.  I didn’t like the rain.  Ryan

 seeing all the parts of the beam engine especially the big spanner, but the weather was bad.  Alistair

 the Beam Engine best and the pottery.  Garry

 seeing the Beam Engine and digging in the sand box.  Jennifer

 the people that showed us round the museum and when we were digging in the sand box.  Rebbeca

 when we were drawing things that we had seen on our trip but I didn’t like the digging up bit.  Amy

 the pottery and going in the Beam Engine building.  I didn’t like the rain.  Brodie

 inside the Beam Engine but it was raining the whole time we were out.  Thomas

 going inside the Beam Engine and then drawing the pictures.  The rain got heavier and heavier.  Abby

I didn’t like the rain which got heavier and heavier but we did get to go inside the Beam Engine building and go up all the stairs.  I counted them and there were 37 stairs.  Eirinn

Country Dancing

We started to learn a new dance today.  It is called The Flying Scotsman      which was a very famous train.  It is a dance with eight people in a set, four boys and four girls.   We practised each part but didn’t have time to do it with the music yet.  We will try and put a video bit in next week when we do it on Tuesday.  I liked when we got to make the train noises.  Niamh

Show and Tell

Sadly our two show and tellers forgot today but have promised to remember for Monday.

CLASS NEWS

Today will be my first time at After-School Club.  I am very excited.  Brodie

Next week I am getting my grading as my Mum asked the Karate teacher and he said yes.  I am going to get my green belt.  Niamh

I am going to Newcastle next Friday for the holidays.  I am going with my granny and my grandad and I will be back on the Sunday.  Cerys

I was back at the hospital on Tuesday and I still have the same cast on my arm but the doctor said I do not need an operation.  I have to go back next week and maybe get a different kind of plaster.  Shannon

On Thursday I am going to the opticians and I am going to get new glasses.  Elle

My mum is going to come into class and play the bagpipes for us.  Mrs Stewart is going to arrange a time when she sees her at Parents Evenings.  Ellis

We seem to have managed quite a bit of our project work this week.

Prestonpans

This week we found out how Prestonpans got its name.      The story is that a pirate called Aldhammer was shipwrecked with his crew and because they couldn’t fix their ship decided to stay.  So the first name of Prestonpans was Aldhammer.       Then the monks from Newbattle and Holyrood came to make salt at the coast and renamed Aldhammer as Prieststown.  After that it was called Salt Priestown, then Salt Preston and finally Prestonpans.  It was really interesting finding out.  Cerys

Where do you Live?

Mrs Stewart got a big street map of Prestonpans.    We had to look for the street where our house is and stick on a little smiley face sticker.  We could see that some people lived near to the school and some lived quite far away.  Thomas

The Battle of Prestonpans

There was a re-enactment of the Battle of Prestonpans on Sunday.      I went with my brother, Marc.  I told him that the Highland army of Bonnie Prince Charlie were fighting against Johnny Cope and the English.        The Highlanders were wearing tartan and the English red coats.     There were soldiers on real horses and it was very exciting.  One of the Highlanders let me hold his musket.  It was very heavy.  The Highlanders won the battle and Johnny Cope and the rest of the army ran away.   Eirinn 

Tartans

When  we had finished our work on Tuesday some of us had a go had designing a tartan.  We had to chose a colour to make our piece of paper and then we chose different colours to make the tartan patterns.  

I chose green for my background and used black for my checks.  All our pattern lines had to be straight and our checks squares or rectangles.  It was good fun but took quite a long time to finish.  Niamh

Indoor Sketching

One day when it was miserable, we did some indoor sketching.   We went along to the other end of the corridor where we could have a good view of Prestongrange Church.  Mrs Horne came along with us.  We were allowed to kneel on benches so that we could see what we were going to draw. 

We had to try and draw what we could see not what we thought was there, so we had to count the windows and put them in the right places.  On top of the church spire was a golden hen and we had to make sure we had room to get that in.  I really enjoyed our indoor sketching.  Brodie

Country Dancing

This week at our country dancing we learned a new dance.  First we did the Grand March to get us into eights and then Mrs stewart put us into sets of four - two people facing two people.  The dance was called the Prince of Orange and once you had done it with the other two in your set you moved on to dance with a different two people.   It seemed quite hard when we started but we soon got better at it.  You had to count in your head and keep time with the music.  I really like country dancing.   Shannon

Cluster Map

When we looked at the cluster map     on Monday, we noticed that we had another tiny red dot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  We know the first one is Hawaii but are not sure about the second one as there are lots and lots of islands there.  We looked in an atlas and wondered if it might be Tahiti.              If you are the person logging on please can you tell us where you are.  Thank you.  Natalie and Eirinn

Interactive Whiteboard

Our interactive whiteboard got fixed this week.  On Thursday afternoon when we had finished our work we could play the pairs game on it and use the special pens.        I made a list of everyone who had a shot to see who had the best score and found all the pairs the quickest.  So far Ellis has the record 1 minute 18 seconds which is very fast.  Alex

Completed Sticker Charts

I was the first person in my class to finish my sticker sheet.  It was laminated and I got to take it home but Mrs Stewart forgot to take my picture.  I was meant to bring it back in but then I kept forgetting it.                   Natalie and Alex also finished their charts this week.  Ben

Harvest Thanksgiving

This morning we had our Harvest Thanksgiving Assembly.  Mrs McBirnie had made a really nice harvest display and there were two tables for us to put our food on.  Once everyone was in there were lots and lots of things on the tables.    

Mrs MacLeod and Mr Simpson were there.   First we sang a harvest song and then Mr Simpson told us a story - Fiona the Frostie - about a piece of corn that always wanted to be first.  Then we sang our Big Red Combine Harvester song.  It was fun and the primary threes were allowed to sit on benches.  Elle

Later, when we were doing our country dancing, Mrs McBirnie and some other people were sorting out the food and putting it into bags.  Then after play time, we were chosen to take the bags of food to the day centre.  We got to go on the mini-bus to get there and that was fun.  In the centre we got to meet some of the old people and sang them four of our harvest songs. One of the old people was blind - he was Alex’s friend’s grandad - and when we started to sing he started to smile.  There were two guide dogs there too, a black one and a gold one.  In each bag of food we took, there was a card saying it was a harvest gift from the children of Prestonpans Infant and Nursery School.  The old people enjoyed our songs and gave us a big clap at the end.  We enjoyed visiting them and making them happy.  Cerys, Stephanie, Ben and Alex

CLASS NEWS

It will be my birthday on October 28th.  It will be my sister’s birithday too because we are twins.  Natalie

I am getting a puppy soon - I think for my Christmas.  Thomas

I am going on holiday tomorrow with my mum and my dad.  We are going to Turkey.  Rebbeca

I am going to get a brand new big beach bike for my birthday but I can’t remember when.  Garry

It was my mum and dad’s wedding anniversary on Monday.  Abby

I went to karate on Monday and I nearly got my green belt but have to practise just a little bit longer.  Niamh

I am going to the jelly club on Sunday for a special treat.  Cerys

ps  On having another check of the cluster map, found it had been “re-started” and our Pacific dots are no longer there.   We had printed out a copy of previous map so have not been imagining it.  The children would love to hear from you, wherever you are, and an e-mail address and website are NOT required.  Thanks. is

Thank you

     We would like to thank Mrs Barker for sending some Prestonpans information leaflets into school for us.  She sent them in a beautiful carrier bag      that had great pictures of all the things Prestonpans is famous for.  We put it up on the wall in our project corner.  Brodie

     Project

Our project area is starting to look more interesting and this week we have been looking at pictures on the interactive whiteboard and photographs of some of the famous places in Prestonpans like the Beam Engine,   Preston Tower, Morrisons Haven,  Hamilton and Northfield Houses,  the Mercat Cross and the Doocot.   Then we had a worksheet       and had to match the correct names to their pictures.  I got it all right first time and my handwriting was very good with nice capital letters.  Natalie

Country Dancing

This week for one of our gym times we started country dancing.  First we had to clap to the music and then skip to the music.  The next thing we tried was something called the Grand March.   It starts with one person behind another and finishes with eight people all lined up together - ready for a dance.  We ran out of time before we could start a dance but will do it next week.  I loved it because it was good fun.  Luc

Butterfly Challenge

   When Mrs Stewart was taking photographs at the mining museum she took one of a beautiful butterfly.  The challenge was to find out what kind of butterfly it was.  I went along to the school library to see if I could find a book to help me.  There was a book for Butterfly and Insect World and when I looked inside  - there was the same butterfly.       It was a Peacock butterfly with amazing eye spots on it’s wings.  I got a sticker on my chart for being enterprising!  Shannon

Sketching

On Thursday we went sketching because we are learning about Prestonpans and it was a sunny day.  We went to two special places - Preston Tower    and the Mercat Cross.  We walked up the road and we were all very good.  We had to take a clipboard, to lean on, and paper and a soft drawing pencil.  Mrs Stewart had some rubbers just in case we needed them. 

My favourite thing to draw was the Tower.  My dad told me people used to live in the tower and Mrs Stewart told us the top storey was an extension.  I think it must have been very hard to build it because it was so high and the builders might have been afraid of heights.  We are hoping to go to Northfield House to sketch if the weather is nice and we are going to Prestongrange Musum and the Beam Engine at the end of the month.  Eirinn

Show and Tell

For my show and tell I brought in my brother’s football cards.         They show all kinds of players who play in the Scottish Premier League.  You can trade them with your friends for other players if you have doubles.  You buy them in shops and get five cards in a packet.  When the SPL is finished there are no more cards until the season starts again.  Alex

Storytelling at the Community Centre

 This morning all the Primary 3’s walked up to the Community Centre.  As we went in we saw a man called Adam who was dressed up as a Jacobite soldier.     He was wearing a kilt and he had a big long gun called a musket.  He told us he was fighting for the true king - King James.  Then we went in to the story-telling and Ewan      told us about the English and the Scottish fighting at the Battle of Prestonpans and about Bonnie Prince Charlie and Johnny Cope.   We learned a song and made up two verses for it.  I enjoyed it.  Then we walked back down to school and had a late playtime.  Ryan

CLASS NEWS

It will be my little sister’s birthday on November 8th.  Abby

It is going to be my birthday tomorrow and I will be seven years old.  I am having a party with a limo, a magician and a disco.  Elle

My granny and Poppa just came back from their holidays.  They were in Spain and I am maybe going to stay over with them tonight.  Cerys

My little sister will soon be two and we are maybe going shopping for new clothes and pyjamas for her as she is going to be going to nursery.  Luc

I am going to Musselburgh Sports Centre on Wednesday with my dad and my sister Minnie.  Brodie

I am going to Alistair’s birthday party tomorrow in his house.  Shannon

This week I am going back to karate and I think I am going to get graded this time.  I will be on my green belt.  My two sisters and my mum are going to go too.  Niamh

ps The childrens’ drawings of Preston Tower were done with soft leaded pencils and would not have shown up very well on the slide show.   To improve the visuals I have displayed them as charcoal drawings.  is

We started a new serial story this week.      It is called Wishing Powder and is about a boy called James.  James wishes that the school will blow up and it does!  He finds that he has bought Miracle wishing powder not washing powder for his mum.  When he can’t do his homework - drawing a pterodactyl - he wishes for a friendly pterodactyl but then has no more wishing powder to send it home.  I am really enjoying this story.  Brodie

Mental Maths

We have been doing some mental maths challenges this week.  Some were hard, some were tricky and some were very easy.  I think mental maths is good because it helps you with your maths in your workbook.  Cerys

Storywriting

For our storywriting this week we had to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood.  First Mrs Stewart read us the story and then we talked about the characters.  After that we had to write the story by ourselves and then draw a picture to go with it. 

Some people did really long stories and some did nice pictures.  The story started with once upon a time and had to have a beginning, a middle and an end.  It was a little bit hard getting started and then it got easier.  Shannon

Prestonpans Project

This week we made two special charts about our Prestonpans Project.  These special charts are called topic webs and we made then up on the interactive whiteboard.  The first one said all the things we knew about Prestonpans and the in the second what we would like to find out more about. 

We also looked at maps and saw that Prestonpans is in East Lothian, East Lothian is in Scotland and then saw where Scotland is on a world map.  I especially want to find out more about the Battle of Prestonpans - who was fighting, why they were fighting and what they were fighting with.  Luc

Handwriting

We have been practising our handwriting every day this week.            We are doing small letters with their capital letter.  If we do our handwriting really neatly and carefully we get a sticker for our sheet.  Ellis

Stickers

In our class we have a special book where everyone has their own sticker page.  You get stickers for neat, careful work or correct maths.     I have thirteen stickers and only Alex and Ben have more than me.  When our sheets are full of stickers they are going to be laminated and we will be able to take them home.  I like getting stickers for my work.  Garry

Show and Tell

For my show and tell I brought in my football medal.     I play for Preston Athletic and we train on Wednesdays and play on Saturdays.  Alex, Luc, Craig and Ryan are all in the team too.  We got our medals because it was our first game against another team.  I like playing football and am usually a defender though sometimes I get to go in goals.  Ellis

   I brought my favourite teddy in to school for my show and tell.     I got it for a present when I was three.  I keep in on my wardrobe or my bed and take it to bed with me every night.  My brother sometimes tries to take it off me but I always get it back from him because I know where he hides it.  Rebecca

CLASS NEWS

My mum had her baby on Wednesday and got home yesterday.  I have a new baby brother and his name is to be Angus.  He looks just like me when I was a baby and he weighed 8lbs 9oz.  Alistair

I am going to two parties next week and they are both on the same day.  They are both birthday parties - one is Stephanie’s and the other is for Elle.  I am really excited to be going.  Cerys

I have enoyed school this week and got all my work done.  Luc

Today I am going to my Auntie Jacqueline’s for a sleepover with my sister Minnie because we are going swimming early in the morning.  Brodie

My little brother Euan will be five in November.  Alex

Tomorrow I am going to my Granny’s and we are going to the big park in Dunbar.  My two big sisters, Carmen and Faith are coming too.  Niamh

I am excited because my brother is coming home from school camp today.  His name is Marc and he is going to be getting a new Rangers strip.  Eirinn 

It is going to be my little cousin Chantelle’s birthday tomorrow.  She will be five and we are having a party at home for her.  Amy