Ms. Price

June

With the end of the school year fast approaching, the students have had a chance to relax a bit more and get out and about. There have been plenty of outdoor events to participate in and luckily we had beautiful sunny weather for them all. Our class went to Ardmore for an afternoon to visit the Round Tower, we had our lunch on the beachfront and there was ice-cream for dessert. It was such an enjoyable day and we are so thankful to have the school bus which makes these days out a reality. On another occasion we visited Carriglea and were taken on a guided nature walk of the grounds by two volunteers, Margaret and Maurice. They were so knowledgeable and the grounds are absolutely stunning. We already can't wait to visit next year!

June in St. John's means BBQ time is approaching. The food was delicious and was a real team effort. Sinéad in the kitchen was fantastic, as were the staff in charge of the barbecuing. Ms. Lynch and students from our class washed vegetables and prepared salads. It was great for the students to get to see the effort involved in making these. They also harvested and washed the lettuce that they had planted with Sue a couple of months ago and been responsible for watering since then. This class have been so involved with the polytunnel this year and haven't been afraid to get their hands dirty. We have spent lots of enjoyable time out there and I think all the students have become more knowledgeable about and interested in growing vegetables. Thanks so much to Sue for sharing her knowledge with us all.

The school Sports Day took place last Friday and again we enjoyed beautiful sunshine on the day. It was my first time attending a Sports Day in the school and to say it was an enjoyable day would be an understatement. There were activities for every child regardless of ability and there were smiles on all faces from start to finish. Throwing wet sponges at the teachers was the highlight for many, their laughter just about made up for the soaking we received!! The staff in the school that were responsible for making the day the success that it was should be so proud of their achievement.

The end of year mass was another highlight of our month. It was a lovely mass and all those who read did so beautifully.

I have had a wonderful time teaching the lovely group pictured below and hope they all enjoy a well earned summer break.

Ms. Cheasty :)

Our art display for the end of year mass.

Some fancy dress races - just some of the fun had at Sports Day.

Enjoying some of the various activities set up by the staff.

More fun and games - and plenty of laughter too!

A game of D-O-N-K-E-Y and a chat = a perfect afternoon for some of our girls

A good sense of humour always helps when having a bad hair day.

The class have been working really hard in Woodwork with Mr. Morgan and these hurley/baseball bat stands are so impressive. Well done all.

Getting to harvest some of the lettuce that they planted earlier on in the year. They have been watering and weeding the beds regularly so it was rewarding for them to be able to harvest some lettuce to supply the kitchen for the school BBQ.

When a science lesson unexpectedly integrates with a cookery one. This little caterpillar is safely back in the garden now!

The boys did a super job preparing the ingredients for the coleslaw and then finally mixing it all with the mayonnaise. Others were busy on lettuce drying duty or helping out with the clean-up.

Enjoying the fruits of their labour at the BBQ. It was such a lovely treat and was great for us to be able to dine al fresco as a class.

Maths games using playing cards as a resources for making large numbers and then subtracting to see who has the greatest number.

Some photos from our lovely day at Carriglea. We especially loved the 'Sleeping giant' statue.

Getting friendly with the donkeys. Some of the students from our class were fantastic with the younger ones which was lovely to see.

The Spirit of Sports awards were given out at the end of year mass. Congratulations to Nadine from our class who received one of the awards. It was well deserved and all of us from her class were so delighted for her.

May

The weather in May has been so lovely, we have made the most of it whenever possible! Room 4 had a great day in Cork at the sports day at C.I.T. We had a few medal winners which was wonderful, but were so proud of everyone for taking part, especially those students that were new in our class this year. Events included shot put and long jump, as well as running races and a relay race. It was lovely to see the pupils challenging themselves and trying new events.
Our class also went on a trip to Mahon Falls in the Comeragh Mountains. Again the weather was beautiful so we were blessed. It was a great chance for the students to chat and enjoy each other’s company in a more informal setting. There was lots of laughter to be heard and they all reported that they had a great day. We’re hoping to have one more class day out before the holidays, hopefully a beach day if the sun continues to shine!
Below is just a snippet of what we as a class have been up to over the past month.

Enjoying the sunshine and the scenery.

Trying their hands at a bit of acting. We used the text : Nancy Drew and the Zoo Crew in keeping with our theme. The students enjoyed taking on the various roles, and it was a bit of fun for all!

As part of the Zoo theme, our class completed research projects on the following animals: Lemurs, Asian Elephants, African Tigers, Capuchin Monkeys and White Rhinoceros.

Here they are using the iPads to conduct their research. We used the headings: Habitats, Babies, Appearance, Food and Interesting Facts to help narrow down the task.

The pupils worked really well in pairs which was wonderful to see.

Once the initial research had been carried out, the first draft was edited by the teacher. The second draft was then written onto templates and images were searched for online that could be used with each of the headings.

When that stage had been completed, the students assembled their projects onto A2 card, ready to be presented.

The students then presented their projects as a pair, each focusing on a different aspect of the animal's life. Their classmates then filled in a peer assessment evaluation form for each pair. This included questions such as: could you hear/see the presenters clearly? Did you learn any new information? Was there an introduction/conclusion? and so on. This enabled the classmates to give feedback that was focused and that could help the presenter going forward. They were all super, and I for one learned lots of new information about zoo animals!

We have tried to get better for remembering to take time out for relaxation during busy days, and with the end of the year approaching and lots of activities taking place it can be good for the students to switch off for a while.
I have been making great use out of the Calm app which is free for schools and makes finding a short meditation for the students so easy. The pupils in this class have certainly been enjoying the ones we have done so far, including one about just being yourself, and one about worry and how to deal with it.

We have been learning about fractions in Maths this month and have played lots of games to help make the learning active and fun. We have lots of great fun with these!

Some cherry blossom art for the time of year that it is! We also loved the quote and try to do it whenever we can!

This activity was really good for helping students to work as part of a group, as communication was key to succeeding in it. The students were shown an image for one minute and then had to attempt to recreate the drawing as part of a group. Group members were allowed up to look at the image three times and for just 25 seconds each time. They then had to bring the information they collected back to the group and help them to create a copy of the bicycle.

It was great for focusing attention and for concentration. The girls were the better communicators on the day but the boys group won this task. Both groups did a fantastic job though.

Busy locating items in Dealz and then paying for any items required. Great for the students communication skills and an important life skill.

April

Our school days were very few in number in April due to the Easter break, below is a little snapshot of what we, in Room 4, managed to cram in before the holidays!

Our class were learning about what is means to be a global citizen, and the changes that we can all make in our lives to make the world a better place for us all to live in. We sang this song about the environment, focusing on the urgency of the challenges facing our planet. It was a very catchy song and a couple of the students were still singing it hours later!

We also ensured we were doing our part by completing our weekly litter pick of the school grounds.

The students also played some maths games to help revise telling the time, and they are getting much better at it.

We know the importance of taking a break from our studies, and so we were lucky enough to get to go for a coffee morning down town. This gave us all a chance to chat as a class in an informal setting. This was great for some of the students because it gave them a chance to order and pay for their own treat. We also had a look around the supermarket to check out the signage and displays that we had been learning about in class.

In Art, we were learning about line and all the different ways that lines can be used. We practised lots of different line types such as scalloped, zig-zag, wavy, before the students all decorated an Easter bunny using a variety of lines of their choice.

We love how they turned out and even the Easter bunny paid a visit to have a look at them!

We did an Easter themed Maths activity. The students counted money that they found in a variety of mini-eggs and had to calculate the change they would receive from given amounts. They all did really well with this task and put in a great effort!

The class have been learning about the counties of Ireland. Firstly we learned some of the counties in Ireland and where they are located on the map. We then played a game on the whiteboard whereby the teacher had to identify all the counites on the map and then a student would try to beat the teachers score in order to win a homework pass. This was a really fun way for the students to learn the counties and it was no harm for the teacher to revise them too!
We then looked at the four provinces within Ireland and read a poem to help to famillarise us with which counties are part of which province. We then learned the verse about the counties in Munster:

"We are Munster's counties fair.
Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare,
Waterford, Tipperary here we are,
Welcoming you from near and far."

The class then discussed car registration plate and the information contained in them. We then worked in groups to match the county to the registration initials. This was a good way to revise the counties and also to promote team-work.

We're looking forward to the Easter break but we will be back and hopefully well rested to begin the next term!

March

It's the end of March already and we can't quite believe it in Room 4. We have had another great month. Some of the students attended a swimming gala in Cork and although we only brought back one medal all of the swimmers tried their best and we couldn't have been prouder. Congratulations again to our medal winner, Lauragh.

Half of our class also attended a basketball blitz in Cork this month and had a fantastic day. Well done to all, it's great to see so much enthusiasm for sport within the class.

Below is a small insight into some of what we have been up to this month..enjoy!

An old Irish blessing for our display board. The students created the shamrock art using tissue paper and water to create the watercolour effect. They then cut out the three-hearts shapes and one triangular shaped piece and assembled them into the shamrock on card. The bunting was also cut and coloured by the students.

For our unit of work on the human body, the students learned the names and the role of some of the organs in the human body. When we had finished studying the unit, the students worked as a group and were tasked with putting the organs on the poster in the correct position. Working as a class group for this task worked really well and was great for their communication skills as there was a lot of listening and turn taking needed to ensure that the task was successful. The students really enjoyed learning about the organs of the human body - although one of two were a bit squeamish when it came to looking at the real-life pictures!

As part of the St.Patrick's day celebrations, the students participated in a game of Would You Rather? Some of the options included 'Would you rather have green teeth or green hair? Would you rather dress like a leprechaun for a month or have to wear only green clothes for a year?' This game always creates lots of discussion in the classroom and there's always a lot of laughter involved too.
We had a volunteer to dress as a leprechaun that day but not sure how he would feel about doing it for an entire month!

For Art, the students followed written and pictorial step-by-step instructions to draw a leprechaun. We also used this task as an opportunity to learn the colours of the rainbow, using the acronym Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain to help us to remember (thanks to our SNA Natasha for that one!) I love how differently all the leprechauns look in spite of all the students following the same instructions. They really brightened up the classroom - however we're still waiting for the pot of gold!

We took advantage of the beautiful weather and got out for a walk to stretch our legs. Dungarvan is such a beautiful place and even more so when the sun shines. On the walk we discussed what it means to be a coastal county or one that is inland. The students then tried naming a few of each and that tied in very well with the counties of Ireland which we are learning at the moment.

We have been playing an online game in class in which the students must try to point out all the counties of Ireland and beat the time set by the teacher. Anyone who can beat the time set by the teacher wins a homework pass. We have had one winner so far and it has proven to be a fantastic incentive to help their learning.

A great morning of Irish dancing in the hall. A huge thanks to Ms. Moore's mother for coming in to teach the class the various dances. As you van see from the students faces it was enjoyed by all.

As part of the theme of Ireland, the class did some research online in pairs and gathered information on our country. After completing a first draft they transcribed the information onto the template and selected images to complete the projects. The students learned the name of the current president, Taoiseach, the population of the country, our national flower, national bird, animal, and so on.
This project worked really well as practise for searching for information online, and doubled up as learning more about their country in the process!

February

February has really flown by, and as always we've been very busy! Our class diary had a couple of events pencilled in for this month.

At the beginning of the month, we attended the musical production of Hairspray put on by transition year students in the Friary. It was a wonderful morning of entertainment and we were all in agreement that we would rate it 10/10! Well done to all involved in the show and we'd like to say a special thanks to Ms. Southern for organising it for us.

Some of the boys from Room 4 also played in an U-18 soccer tournament in the University of Limerick last week. They played really well and were a credit to themselves and to the school.

We have been working hard on keeping the school yard litter free as part of the Green School's Initiative. We watched a very interesting documentary on what happens to the rubbish we create and we discussed how we can try to be more conscious of the waste we create and to ensure that we are always disposing of rubbish in the correct manner, be it at home or at school. The students have really embraced the litter picking that we do every Thursday and we never cease to be amazed by the amount and variety of rubbish that the wind seems to deliver into the bushes!

The students have been working hard in woodwork with Mr. Morgan and they were all very proud of their finished pieces!

In Maths, the students in Room 4 have been learning about weight and capacity. This involved using a variety of scales to weigh a variety of foods, the students also weighed their schoolbags to see whose was the heaviest. In capacity the students worked in groups and had to measure given amounts of liquids. The active learning kept the students interested and they even found it "fun"!

A close eye being kept on the measuring jug!

Working well in pairs and groups.

The beautiful Spring weather also meant that we could get back out working in the school garden and continue preparing the polytunnel for planting, which we will be doing over the course of the next few weeks. We are very lucky to have Sue come in to share her knowledge and skills with us, and we are learning from her each week. We are so lucky to have this garden area in St. John's and to be able to take the learning out of the classroom for the students. It gives students who may not always be the strongest academically a chance to highlight their skills and it is wonderful to see their confidence flourish in this way.

We had a bit of fun with Valentine's day this year and played an oral language game of 'Would you rather?' The choice between kissing a slobbery dog or a camel resulted in a lot of debate and laughter. We then discussed different ways to show love or to make people feel loved.

In Art, we looked at the life and work of the Brazilian artist Romero Britto. We viewed examples of his work and how it has been used by designers and companies around the world. The students then created their own take on a Romero Britto heart-shaped design resulting in a colourful display for the corridor.

We also studied Pontillism. Each student used the template of the letters Love and created their unique version. They turned out so well and really brighten up our classroom.

More artwork completed on the theme of Love and Friendship.

January

Some of the Winter themed artwork done by the students in Room 4

Our first theme of 2019 was Winter. In Room 4 we began learning multiplication skills in Maths and used counters to practice grouping and our Polar Products game using repeated addition was a real hit and got quite competitive at times!

In History, we were learning about the Inuit people (Eskimos) and their lives. This topic was a popular one and the students had lots of prior knowledge to contribute. In English, the class read an extract from The Last Polar Bears by Harry Horse and we used this as our inspiration for our Art lesson. The students experimented with pastels before designing a background for their polar bear scene. We think the final product looks great!

We also went shopping down town and bought blank postcards and then wrote a postcard back to the Grandfather from the story.

The second theme for January was Toys. We had a great discussion about what our favourite toys were when we were young. In History, we looked at the toys of the past and discovered that they are all still available today. We played some games that would have been popular in years gone by including Queenie Queenie. We experimented with magnetism using toy cars as part of our Science lesson.

November

The first theme this month was Occupations. This was a great theme as it led to lots of class discussions about preferred jobs, and the pros and cons of each. We also played lots of guessing games, including headbandz which the pupils were great at! The class watched some video clips of people in the community at work, and got to hear what their job involved, skills needed and what they liked and didn't like about their job. The students then researched an occupation that they are interested in and used the information to create wonderful projects!
Our class also spent an afternoon being scientists, investigating germs, and also experimenting with red cabbage water. The students all enjoyed the experiments despite the unpleasant smell from the cabbage water!!

Our class also tried our hands at being bakers with Mrs. Lynch and I think judging by the results we may have a few budding bakers in Room 4! The chocolate logs tasted as good as they looked.

In maths, this month we were learning about length. The students worked really well in pairs deciding whether to measure using centimetres or metres, and made great use of the rulers, metres sticks and measuring tapes.

Music was the second theme for November. We focused on Mary Poppins as only one of our students had seen the film before! We learned the song 'Let's go fly a kite' and made our own kites. Natasha brought in a kite for us to fly but the weather was too wet, hopefully we will get a chance to bring it out before Christmas. We began watching the film and you could hear a pin drop in the classroom..I guess it really is a classic!
We also looked at musical instrument families and made percussion and stringed instruments from recycled materials. The class are writing their own song for the Christmas show so work has begun on the lyrics and the tune, there are some talented lyricists in Room 4. Much more work to be done before the big reveal!

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER

We have had a very busy first half term. As well as plenty of hard work in class. We have found time for some fun activities and Halloween spookiness!

We started the year by revising our work on time. We also had time to go and collect blackberries to put into a tart in cookery.

We welcomed some new pupils to our class, and went for a coffee morning as part of our getting to know you time! A lovely treat for everyone!

After the heat of the Summer the polytunnel required a lot of clearing work to be ready to plant some new crops! It was hard work but thank to a great team effort we are ready to go !!

Halloween gave us an opportunity to do plenty of art and crafts!