Mr. Gubbins is currently studying at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and the children had an opportunity to ask him questions about life in America. Topics included food, hobbies, travel, sight seeing and sport.
Our pupils received their gold medals for art from Community Games representative Michael Sheehan last week.
Congratulations to our Star Award winners for November! One pupil from each classroom was selected by their class teacher and the award winners were presented with certificates at today’s assembly. They were also given a night off homework for their efforts!
Here are two accounts of the trip:
“Last Friday the fourth class and Mr. Fitzgerald went to Clarina to see Ed Shanahan. First we got the bus at 11:45am to Limerick. The workshop was in Shanahan Hurleys in Clarina (Limerick).
When we arrived Ed was working on some hurleys. We went in and he greeted us. We needed information on hurleys because we are doing a project on hurleys for the RDS Science Fair. We watched him demonstrate how to make a hurley and we asked a lot of questions. Then he sanded the hurleys until they were spick and span.
Mr Fitzgerald had ordered two hurleys before that and I got to hold one. We took a photo and said goodbye and thanks to Ed. Then we got the bus back to school.”
“Last Friday, November 24th, we went to see the Shanahan Hurleys’ workshop. We left school at 11;45 on the spot. We went on a bus. It was in Clarina in Limerick.
The hurley maker’s name was Ed Shanahan. It was in a garage. He showed us how to make hurleys. First he put them into the drier. Then he got a see-through hurley to use to draw the outline of the hurley. Next he cut it. Then he sanded the hurley. He said if he wasn’t happy with a hurley he would not give it to someone. We got our photo taken and finally we got the bus back to school.”
It was a very educational trip and it gave the children lots to ponder in their investigation. The Fourth Class will be exhibiting their project at the RDS Science Fair satellite event in Mary Immaculate College on January 18th.
This week we did some experiments. We did an experiment with Coke and Mentos. We found out that by putting Mentos into Coke, you can make an explosion!
It exploded because when you put in more sugar, it makes more bubbles and the more bubbles you get, the bigger the explosion you get. The bubbles push the liquid out of the bottle.
We also did another experiment. We showed that air pushes an object in the opposite direction. Check out our photos of the air balloon race.
We thought that it was very exciting. Maybe you could try this at home. If you are trying it at home, you will need; two chairs, a balloon, string, a straw and tape. Race your friends to see whose balloon is fastest!
By Niamh and Molly (2nd Class)
Third/Fourth class experimented with water and how changes to temperature and density can affect it.
Buoyancy in fresh water/ salt water.
Analysing the difference between the amount of sugar which can be dissolved in cold water vs warm water.
After a bit of cutting and folding, the children were left with a fun resource to help test their friends on their tables with. Other hands-on maths activities during maths this week included using lollipop sticks to make groups and knock-out oral maths games.
Congratulations to our Star Award winners for October! One pupil from each classroom was selected by their class teacher and the award winners were presented with certificates at today’s assembly. They were also given a night off homework for their efforts!