Term 3 in Primary 4-5-6-7

BIRDS AND BOGS

As part of their project on ‘Energy’, Primary 4-7 have been investigating food chains. To coincide with the RSPB’s “Big Schools Birdwatch”, the children were learning about the types of foods that local birds fed on. This meant an investigation to describe the small creatures which can be found in the local peat bog habitats on Islay.

The children used magnifying glasses, microscopes and a computerised microscope to study their findings. We discovered a huge variety of living things in our local peat bogs.

We’d like to say a big thank you to Mr How for showing us how to use the computerised microscope, and Keills Primary School for allowing us to borrow it!

Primary 4-7 took part in the RSPB’s ‘Big School Bird Watch’ in January 2008. The children made bird feeders and hung them in our wildlife garden.

Armed with binoculars, then they took up their secret observation spot in the Pre-5 Unit. Aided by our friends from the RSPB Gruinart Reserve, a wide variety of species were spotted in only one hour. Sadly, no Golden Eagles, but there’s always next year!

We got some extra advice from RSPB staff on how to encourage a wide variety of bird species to visit our garden.

Pupils in Primary 4-5-6-7 have been learning French this term. One focus of the project has been learning to speak about their families. The children speak about the ‘Simpson’ family in the podcast below. Right click on the icon and choose ‘Save target as…’

Why not download it onto your MP3 player and practise your French while on the move?