Room 12 Newsletter October 2012

1. Room 12 Newsletter October 2012 Topics Since starting back in August the class have been learning about the European Union. They have been learning about the work of the European Union and the impact it has on the lives of people in Scotland. The pupils developed their knowledge further by investigating the individual roles that individuals within the EU perform. This led onto pupils considering what skills and qualities would be required for these roles, they then examined their own skills and qualities and completed a job application form for a job within the EU! This was a fantastic learning experience for all pupils. The topic will be developed further after the October week. Pupils are going to investigate the role of the EU in protecting the rights of children, this will lead onto pupils learning about the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child. Lots of exciting activities have been planned to encourage pupils to consider how these rights are upheld in Scotland and in other countries across the world…….some thought provoking times are ahead!! Writing Project After the October week holiday the class will be embarking on a four week writing project. To fit in with the seasonal celebration of Halloween the theme for the writing project will be……………… The Spooky House!! You will receive more detailed information about the writing project after the holiday however if your child has any spooky stories please encourage them to bring them in to share with the class. Throughout the project your child will have homework tasks, their work in class will follow on from the homework tasks, failure to complete the tasks will hinder their progress in class. At the end of the four week project pupils will be fully fledged authors……..they will have written and illustrated their own books. We hope to share these books with you at the parents consultations in November. Outdoor Learning As you will be aware we are lucky enough to have Miss Somerville working with us on a Friday. Miss Somerville is an expert in outdoor education and we have really enjoyed working with her since August. Working with Miss Somerville has given us the chance to take our learning outdoors in a meaningful manner, for example when developing map reading skills through orienteering pupils were consolidating their knowledge of the times tables at the same time! As well as working on orienteering skills pupils have also been engaging in team building activities, these activities have developed communication and cooperation skills. Learning outdoors on a Friday is fantastic fun however we need to be aware that we are now heading into colder (and probably wetter!) weather. Pupils should make sure they come to school with appropriate clothing, the weather will not deter us from venturing outdoors to learn!

2. International Day of the Girl Thursday 11th October was the International Day of the Girl. Pupils from Room 9 joined us in Room 12 to find out about the campaign. Pupils learned about how many girls across the world are having their human rights denied by being treated as ‘lesser citizens.’ They learned that many girls are being denied education in other countries across the world. They also found out the impact this can have on these girls, such as poor health and lack of opportunity. Pupils also looked at case studies of young girls who had experienced forced marriage at the age of 14. They heard about how these young girls were treated by their new families and the long term effects it has had on their lives. The pupils responded to this sensitive subject with maturity and empathy. As teachers we feel that some pupils were shocked and surprised to learn about how girls are treated in other countries, the discussion which followed the activities highlighted how compassionate the pupils of Room 9 & Room 12 are. Crucial Crew In September Primary Seven pupils visited the Heritage Park in East Kilbride to participate in the South Lanarkshire event ‘Crucial Crew.’ While there they learned about safe and unsafe situations and how to behave and react in a safe and responsible manner. Pupils engaged in a range of activities…..including phoning the police to report an attempted car break in! Again, the behaviour of al pupils was commended by the Crucial Crew organisers…Well done primary Seven! Pond Life McGurk On Thursday 4th October the Primary Seven Pupils enjoyed visiting the Townhouse to watch the performance ‘Pondlife McGurk.’ This fantastic performance highlighted some of the more subtly effects that bullying can have on the victim and the bully themselves. The pupils behaved exceptionally and really enjoyed the experience. CfE Awards Each month we will be awarding pupils within the categories of the four capacities. The awards for September are as follows: Successful Learner: Stephen MacKenzie Confident Individual: Aleena Rehman Responsible Citizen: Chantelle Cochrane Effective Contributor: Chelsea Wyper Congratulations to all!! The pupils who receive the awards each month will have their photographs displayed on the ‘Room 12 Pupil Achievement Board’ outside the classroom, for all to see! Jeans For Genes Day The pupils of Room 12 enjoyed making posters to advertise the fund raising event Jeans for Genes Day. Pupils wore their jeans to school on the day and donated to this very worthwhile charity.