OURSELVES

P3 and P4 have been looking at 'Ourselves' in their World Around Us topic this half term. They have been learning all about their senses, their muscle strength, their height and they have also been writing about what makes them special.  They have also been looking at the bones in the body, the parts of the eye and have been practising bandaging parts of their body. 

FOREST SCHOOLS APRIL

This week, P1 and P2 children along with children from St Patrick's Primary had another Forest School session under the Shared Education Programme. During the lesson, the children had to make a human body using wool and pegs. They had to use different shapes - squares, triangles, etc for the body parts.  They then had to fill in the shapes with leaves and grass.  The children had to listen carefully as Brian gave instructions eg - put six green leaves in the square, find three pine cones and put them in the triangle etc. The children all enjoyed the session and benefitted greatly from the skills that were being taught in an outdoor setting.

SENTINUS STEM CELEBRATION

On Thursday 26th April, children in P5, P6 and P7 were invited to attend an event at the Braid Centre, Ballymena.  This was part of a celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths for young people in the UK.  The aim of the event was to show students just how exciting science and engineering can be.

The event included a 'High Flyers' workshop which was taken by an engineer called Peter.  The children made their own aeroplane and Peter explained to the children about air pressure and how this helps to create ' lift off'.  There was also a 'Power Up' show which focused on the Science of computer games, ultra violet light, infra red light, electricity and gravity.  The children had a great morning and they also got to meet the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Paul Reid.

WINNERS!

As reported in our blog of 16th March, P6 and P7 were one of seven winners in a photograph competition called 'Snap the Cig' sponsored by Cancer Focus N I.  Yesterday in assembly, Naomi from Cancer Focus came to present the prize which was an IPad for the school.  The children have also won a day trip to the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra.  Again thanks to Mrs Wright for working with the P6 and 7 children on this project, and also thanks to Cancer Focus for their very generous prizes.

LUNCHTIME AWARDS

At out Assembly this morning, four pupils had their names picked out of the box for a special prize.  Throughout the term the supervisors place the names of children who have impressed them for various reasons at lunchtime, in a box.  Today Stephen and Lucy received their award for being 'Really Patient Servers',  Katie for 'Having lovely table Manners', and Jodie for 'Playing well with others'.

MARCH ASSEMBLY AWARDS

Well done to the children who received certificates for March 2018.  The certificates were awarded for  - Excellent Internet Skills  -    Good Engagement in Poetry   -  Being Kind to People from Other Classes

FIRE SAFETY

Today, 13th April,  our P5 children had a visit from Seamus, a fire fighter from Kilrea.  Each year the fire service speak to all P5 pupils about fire safety.  The topics they were learning about were, safe use of electrical devices and safe use of candles, matches and open fires.  They were also told how to check their home smoke alarms once a week and change the battery once a year. Finally they were told how to have a family fire safety plan so that everyone in the family would know how to get out, stay out and call the fire brigade out if a fire started in their home.

STEM CHALLENGE

On Thursday 12th April, three of our P6/7 children, Grace, David and Leonard attended the Sentinus Primary STEM Challenge, held at Coleraine College.  There were eight teams in the competition.  Their challenge was to design and build a bridge across a river gorge. They were given card, paper, glue, paperclips, art straws and masking tape.  The bridge had to be a distance of at least 30 centimetres and support a weight of 250g for at least 30 seconds.  The team worked really well together to make a very impressive bridge. 

AMBASSADORS FOOTBALL

On Tuesday 10th April, three coaches from Ambassadors Football commenced a five week football coaching programme for children in P5 to P7.  Those children attending had a very enjoyable first session.  Thanks to Des, Derek and Luke for taking these sessions.

ACCELERATED READING CERTIFICATES

Congratulations to our P4 to P7 pupils who achieved their Accelerated Reading Targets for this Easter half term.  We are delighted with the effort that everyone has put in to achieve this.  Missing from the pictures are Tyler P6 and Harley in P7.

EASTER EGG HUNT

Today was the last day of our Easter term and we had a fun day doing Easter Crafts and our Easter Egg Hunt. The winning team was Robyn's team  who found their seven eggs first. Second was Arjay's team and then Grace's team.  We hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday.

EASTER SERVICE

On Tuesday 20th March we had our Easter Service.  We were delighted to welcome Rev Jeffrey Blue, Minister of Rasharkin Presbyterian Church as our guest speaker.  The P6 and P7 children had prepared an Easter poem and then the P1 - P3 children sang 'Alive, Alive'.  P4-P7 sang 'O  Praise the Name of the Lord our God,' before Rev Blue talked to us about the Easter story, using an Easter Egg to illustrate his talk. Our P5 children had drawn Easter pictures which were displayed on the Easter Service Programmes. Thanks to parents and friends who took time to join us for our service.  Thanks also to the members of the Parents' Association for serving tea and coffee.

 Click here to view some of the Easter Service

ACCELERATED READING CUP

Congratulations to Tom P4 who was the winner of the Accelerated Reading Cup for this half term.

FOUR LEGGED VISITOR

Thanks to Mason's mum for bringing a little lamb to school.  The P1 and P2 children all enjoyed hearing all about it and feeling its lovely curly wool. 

'SNAP THE CIG' COMPETITION

P6 and P7 pupils entered a photograph competition - 'Snap the Cig', sponsored by Cancer Focus NI.  The children had to take an original photograph to promote a smoke free environment.  Their photograph was entitled 'Life V Death - Be on the Winning Team', and was one of seven winning entries from Northern Ireland Schools. The prize is an iPad for the school and this will be presented after Easter.  Thanks to Mrs Wright for helping her class with this competition.

POETRY IN MOTION P6/7

This year P/7 have had the wonderful opportunity of working with a poet, to create some of their own poems, as part of the ‘Poetry in Motion’ project.  All our children produced some amazing poems.  Ten of our children’s poems have been chosen for publication in the 2017/2018 Poetry in Motion Anthology - ‘In Other Words’.  Congratulations to Emily, Harley, Arjay David and Leonard from P7 and Alexander, Matthew, Tyler and Sam from P6 who had their poems published. We were also delighted that Emily and Leonard were asked by the judges to read their poems at the celebration event.  P6/7 travelled to the Ulster Hall on Tuesday 14th March, to enjoy poems from the winning entries.  With special thanks to Mrs Wright, who initially applied for the grant and also facilitated the sessions. Click here to see Emily and Leonard performing their poems at Ulster Hall. (apologies for sound quality)

POETRY DAY

As already mentioned in the P1 and P2 World Book Day Blog, we had a poetry day in school on  Thursday 8th March.  Stephanie from the Library Board read poems and stories to each of the classes, and there was great class participation in these sessions.  A very exciting part of the day was when the children got to say the poems they had been learning at home, in front of their own classes.  The children who had impressed their class the most, recited their poems in front of the whole school in the afternoon. 

We are also delighted that the P6 and P7 children will be going to the Ulster Hall in Belfast on Tuesday.  As part of Poetry in Motion Schools Programme, the children had written poems in school.  Emily and Leonard have been chosen to recite their poems to a large audience of school children at this special event on Tuesday. 

The photos below show some of the class sessions on our Poetry Day.  The children who performed in front of the whole school have also been included.  There is also a short video of some P5 poems.  Click here for video

WORLD BOOK DAY P1 AND P2

To celebrate World Book Day, we had a special poetry day in school on Thursday 8th March.  Stephanie from the Library Service came into school, and spent some time with each class.  She read some rhyming stories and poems to the children in P1 and P2, which they all enjoyed very much.  During Task Board Time, Mrs Calderwood helped the children to focus on three poems and stories

• Incy Wincy Spider - the children made water spouts for the spider and they made spiders with eight legs out of play dough and pipe cleaners
• Humpty Dumpty - the children had to build a wall that an egg wouldn't fall off
• The Paper Dolls, by Julia Donaldson - the children made paper doll chains

Some children had been learning poems at home and they recited these to the rest of the class. In the afternoon the P1's and P2's said the poem, The Snowman to the rest of the school.

I'm a freezy weezy snowman

Will you warm me with a cuddle?

Oh no! I think I'm melting,

And now I'm just a puddle!

            .......................

It was a busy, fun day for all the P1's and P2's.

OUR WEE WORLD

The new P1 and P2 topic for World Around us is 'Our Wee World'.  In it, the children will be looking at the village of Rasharkin and the surrounding area.  Today they had a walk around Rasharkin and they looked at the houses and shops and had a visit to the park!  In Fullans Supermarket, they looked at all the different parts of the shop - bakery, butchers etc and they got a chance to go to the Post Office to see where the parcels and letters go to, after they have been posted.  They also went to Fiona's Hair Salon and pretended they were having a hair cut.  They also had a fun time at the park.  Back at school, the playroom has been set up as a town.  As a follow up to their walk around Rasharkin, the children were making a model village, preparing afternoon tea in the tea room, and building their own play park.

ANTI-SMOKING POSTERS

Congratulations to Robyn P7 and Grace P6 who were the winners of the Anti-Smoking Poster Competition organised by Kennedy's Pharmacy.  Thanks to Patrick Kennedy and his staff for taking the time to come into school to talk about the dangers of smoking, and also for providing the prizes for the poster competition.