Karen Sheil from RSPB spoke to us on Thursday. She talked to us about recognising birds and explained how we can help birds to survive and make life easier. We went outside to see if we could spot any birds. We were amazed at how many different types we saw - rooks, black-headed gulls, wood pigeons, starlings, magpies and the chaffinch. She was very impressed with the work the Eco committee has done around the school to encourage birds and wildlife. Karen answered so many questions and it was such an interesting talk!
On Tuesday 17th December, P7MM thoroughly enjoyed a whole day of technology. The children worked in pairs, or groups of three, and could decide whether they wanted to complete a project relating to Rainforests or the Titanic; both topics that we have studied during Term 1.
Rainforest Technology
The aim of this project was to build a rainforest inside a shoebox. We learned over the course of the topic about the different layers in the rainforest as well as the plants and animals that live there. We used this information to help us choose the colours and animals for inside our shoe box. We had to carefully use tabs to place our trees in position and stabilise them using hot glue guns. We were so pleased with the results - have a look at the photos below to see for yourself!
Titanic Technology
The children who chose to complete a technology project on the Titanic were tasked with creating a model of the Harland and Wolff cranes that famously helped to build the Titanic. The first step was to paint everything yellow, including the tables, floor and even some of our uniforms!! The children then used some problem solving skills to create the different component, ensuring they fitted together. The final aspect of the project was to fit the pulley and hook. Again, we were delighted with the results - take a look below!
19 pupils from both P7 classes visited Lismore Comprehensive at the start of December. The children had a great morning’s fun, and got a real taste for what life will be like next year at post primary school, wherever they decide to go. The children took part in a coding activity in the ICT room, a drama activity, and finished off with a quiz in the hall.
Cormac from HIC delivered an anti-bullying workshop to our P7 pupils to build upon the learning already consolidated during this important week. Pupils recapped the different forms of bullying and discussed the layered impacts that bullying can have on the individual. Our pupils recognise physical, verbal, non-verbal, emotional and cyber bullying - and are aware of how this can impact the mental health of the victim. There is no place for bullying in this school and we believe that it can be eradicated when ‘Change starts with you’. Many thanks to Cormac for an engaging and challenging workshop. Great job P7!
Our class had a really fun workshop on Tuesday, facilitated by Roisin from Mensanna, where they learned all about how to keep themselves healthy emotionally and mentally. Roisin talked to us about different strategies we could use when we find ourselves in situations that worry or upset us and the importance of talking about our feelings.
P7MM had lots of fun outside on Monday sweeping leaves and tidying around the Muga.
Primary 7 were joined by the IFA’s Chris Wright for a very relevant and important workshop called ‘Give Racism the Red Card’. Children learned about the causes and consequences of Racism and to be empowered about Racism. Today gives us the opportunity to help the children know that Racism is wrong, is hurtful and is completely unneeded. At the Hart Memorial, we aim to prepare pupils to be part of a multi-cultural world and today’s workshop is another helpful way towards that. Many thanks to Chris for an excellent workshop.
P7MM have been lucky enough to have been picked to take part in the Poetry In Motion project this year. This involves a published poet, Martell McPartland, coming into our classroom and helping us to get our creative juices flowing!! The start of this process was a trip to Long Meadow Farm on the Loughgall Road this morning. Here, we were given a tour of the orchard, the warehouse and the cold store. Catherine and Pat, the owners of the farm, really made us feel welcome and explained everything in great detail to us. We saw where the apples are pressed, where they are stored, or ‘put to sleep’, for winter, where the apple cider vinegar is made, and we even got to pick and eat our own apples - the nicest we had ever tasted! The orchard provided us with fantastic ideas and will hopefully provide enough inspiration for us to write excellent poems over the next couple of weeks. We can’t wait to get started!
Our class have had a great start to Shared Education this year, with already four trips to St John the Baptist's College to meet our friends from Presentation Primary School under our belt. We have looked at the themes of culture, identity, perceptions and prejudices, and we have learned that, while we are all different, we really are very similar in many many ways. The finale of our CRED lessons saw all four P7 classes from the two schools join together at the YMCA centre in Portadown to create their own masks which celebrate their own identity and culture. There was a real community feel on the day and we hope the children enjoyed it.
The boys and girls in P7MM had a great day on Wednesday 2nd October when they spent the day rehearsing their Rainfroest play before performing it for P4-7 that afternoon. They worked so hard all morning; contributing to the script, rehearsing, editing amd rehearsing again and again. Well done to all of them!
