Click here to see the Art Gallery ...
Pupils' Work and News
Latest:
Big Good Wolf Hosanna Rock Maths Week
and see also: Recycling (Green Schools)
Earlier:
Athletics Sports Day Fete Fun Day Senior Tour Junior Tour
Silky Hen and Chicks Big Circles ISPCA Inspector's Visit Sam Maguire Cup
Some Other Visitors New Playground Markings
Buddy Reading Look and Respond Rugby
The Big Good Wolf
A children’s author, Liam Farrell, also known as ‘The Big Good Wolf’ visited St. Mary’s in November.
He spent time in all the classrooms. Pupils enjoyed meeting the Wolf and listening to him telling about his problems with Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks.
Pupils in 5th and 6th Classes had the opportunity to talk to Liam about his work as an author and about the process of becoming published.
Hosanna Rock
Our Christmas Nativity Play took place on December 21st.
During the week leading up to the performance the pupils were in the church each day to practice their parts and the classrooms were full of all kinds of props and costumes.
Pupils from all classes took part. Pupils from 3rd, 4th 5th and 6th classes retold the story of the first Christmas by dressing up to play the parts and by singing the songs. The pupils from Infants, 1st and 2nd Classes joined with us to help everyone in the church to understand the message that everyone can come to Jesus and that Jesus is for everyone.
It was lovely to see all the pupils together enjoying their performance.
Maths Week
Fun with Maths!
We took part in Maths Week in October. We had some fun doing Maths activities and games during this week.
Some of the activities took place in the yard – maths games and trails.
Pupils in 5th and 6th Class taught the game Mancala to the pupils in 3rd and 4th Classes. Pupils also designed some maths illusions and some of our art lessons were inspired by maths shapes and space.
Athletics
On Thursday 30th September pupils from St. Mary’s N.S. went to a running competition in Carlow. About twenty-one pupils from 4th, 5th and 6th Classes went there to represent the school. We got a bus to bring us to the track and we stayed there for almost the whole day.
We were all really excited about it and, just before we got there, some people got a bit nervous.
Everyone really enjoyed it and two of the runners from our school, Luke (6th Class) and Róisín (4th Class) won medals for finishing in the top ten in their races. All the other runners came in in the first half of their races. The 4th Class race was 800m, the 5th Class pupils ran 1000m and the 6th Class race was 1200m.
We brought our lunches and had lunch there. No matter where we came, we got a chocolate bar for taking part. It was really fun and I think we’d all like to do it again next year, even though this 6th Class won’t be there!
By Ellen and Shannon (6th Class)
Sports Day
School Fete
Fun Day
Senior Tour
By Ellen J and Emma
On 1st June at about 9:45 3rd – 6th Classes left for Castlecomer Discovery Park. We arrived there around 10:30. We had a snack, then we were split up into two groups, 3rd and 4th Classes in one group and 5th and 6th Classes in the other.
3rd and 4th classes went up to the river activity first where they collected creatures. 5th and 6th classes went on the nature activities where we collected insects and looked at plants. Then we had lunch.
After lunch we went to a park. Afterwards we swapped over and 3rd and 4th did the nature activities and 5th and 6th did the river activity. We got really wet.
We got on the bus and went to Dunmore Caves. We arrived there around 3:00. We had to go down loads of steps before we reached the cave. It was dark and the stalactites kept dripping on us. We learned about the caves and then we had to walk up all the steps again.
We got back on the bus and arrived at the school about 5:00pm. We all agreed the best part was the hunt for creatures in the river.
Junior Tour
Quotes about the Junior Tour to Rancho Reilly’s Pet Farm 9th June 2011, by Junior and Senior Infants:
"The train was very muddy. You go through some very muddy pools. It was really good."
"The zip wire was really fun. It went very fast."
"The mud train was my favourite thing as well as the animals."
"I went on a pony and I got to hold a duckling. The hamsters were really cute."
"I got to hold a rabbit and a snake. The snake was unusual and I enjoyed the school tour."
"I liked holding the rabbits. Rabbits are cute."
"The bouncy castle was my favourite. It was very bouncy."
"I liked the whole trip. I liked going on the swing."
"I loved the mud train. I liked the horses, rabbits and baby hamsters."
"It was so fun. Going on the mud train was my favourite part."
"The turkeys were scary- they made strange sounds at Oliver and me"
"I liked going around the track on the bicycles. I liked the mud train too."
"I loved going on the train. I really liked going down the slide."
"I liked the bouncy castle because we were having fun."
"I loved going on the mud train and the bouncy castle."
"I liked to go on the mud train. I went on the go-karts and I went very fast."
"I liked having a ride on the donkey. The train was fun."
"I got to hold the bunny rabbits. I got to feed the reindeers."
"I liked to hear the turkey go ‘gobble, gobble’ The mud train was really muddy."
"The zip wire was really fun. I got to feed the reindeers."
"I loved all of the animals. I also loved riding on the donkey."
"I loved it when I came down the slide. I touched a snake."
"My favourite part of the tour was the mud train."
"I had great fun on the bouncy castle."
Silky Hen and Chicks Visit: Junior and Senior Infants
Molly’s Mum came into to the classroom today with some special visitors. She had a Silky Hen and her chicks. Silky Hens come from Japan.
We saw some food that the chicks eat and some hen food. The hen eggs were different sizes and colours. We all got to hold the chicks. Some were black and some black, brown and yellow. They were very cute.
Big Circles
We learned about circles in maths.
One of the problems asked about making a circular lawn. We decided to try drawing some large circles. Our task was to make circles with different lengths of radius.
We used chalk and string. The smallest circle had a radius of less than a metre. The largest one we tried to make had a radius of 5 metres.
If you need help making a circular lawn, flowerbed or pond, ask anyone from 5th or 6th Class.
Visit from the ISPCA Inspector, 14th April 2011
Today an Inspector from the ISPCA came in to talk to us about cruelty and how to look after your animals.
• He told us not to leave a dog in a car on a hot day.
• Be nice to your animals.
• Don’t let your animals get too cold. They should be as snug as a bug in a rug.
• Care about your animals and give them food and water.
• Keep your pet safe and don’t let them be in danger.
• Look after your pets.
• If your dog is sick bring it to the vet.
• Give your animals lots of exercise.
Sam Maguire Cup
by Liam and Damien
Garda Ciaran from Bagenalstown Garda Station came into school one day with the Sam Maguire Cup. The Sam Maguire Cup is the prize for the All Ireland Championship in Gaelic Football. He told us his brother played on the winning Cork team last September.
The cup is very heavy. It is made from solid silver and it is modelled on the Ardagh Chalice. Lots of people in the school went up to raise the cup.
When Ms Eades lifted the cup she gave a loud shout of triumph.
Some Other Visitors
New Playground Markings
Buddy Reading
Quotes about Buddy Reading from Junior and Senior Infants:
‘My buddy reader is kind.’ ‘I like it when the person reads books to me.’ ‘My buddy read sometimes reads very fast.’
‘I like everything about buddy reading.’ ‘My partner asks me questions all the time.’ ‘I love doing buddy reading with my partner.’
‘It is noisy at buddy reading time because lots of people are reading.’ ‘Sometimes my partner asks me questions about the book.’ ‘I like my buddy reader.’
‘I enjoyed buddy reading. I liked my partner’ ‘I like it when the person reads to me and I also like it when I read to them.’
‘I like books and I like to read the books myself for my partner.’ ‘Reading is fun and you sometimes go to different classrooms and that is fun too.’
‘My buddy reader gets me to try read the book sometimes.’ ‘I like everything about it.’ ‘I like my partner and the books she reads’.
Look and Respond
We were delighted to welcome Cornelia into school last Friday. She brought in many examples of artwork created by artists who used animals/creatures as inspiration for their work. Each pupil made a response card based on his/her own thoughts about a favourite creature/animal. These cards were added to the response wall at the Crafted Creatures exhibition which opened in The Ark in Temple Bar, Dublin on Tuesday 15th February.
Rugby Training and Blitz
I thought the rugby was really fun. The funniest thing was when I dropped the ball just before the line when Liam gave it to me. Luke.
I enjoyed doing the sessions of rugby and I would like to do it again. The best bit was when we were slipping in the mud the whole time. Scott.
I thought the rugby was really fun. The funniest thing that happened in the rugby was when I went for a try and I thought the line was closer. I put the ball down but the line was really further away. Liam.
All of it, even the training sessions was good. The best bit was the blitz. The worst was … the worst was nothing. Neville.
I thought the rugby blitz was fantastic and we should do it much more often. The training was great as well. I think the best bit was, well there were lots, but I think the best was when there was a team that was playing really dirty, but we beat them! Another great bit was when the boys were playing their last match and all the girls were cheering them on and shouting. Ellen J.
I thought the rugby was so much fun. It was very mucky, but that was the best thing, slipping all over the place. I also enjoyed the training. Rosina.
I think that our coach was a very good coach and the sessions were very good. I had lots of fun. The best bit was the tournament. I loved playing the other schools’ teams and it was fun being a sub as well. Madeline.
I loved the day and it was really good fun and I would love to do it again. And the best thing was that it was a really good day out. The funniest thing was that mud was everywhere and we were slipping all over the place. Brilliant day!!!! Louis.
I think it was fantastic because it was fun and everybody was enjoying it. The games were good and fair and the coaching was great. I would love to do it again. Even though I have not been here for the full six weeks of coaching, I still had the best time ever with my friends. Adele.
I enjoyed playing rugby in the blitz yesterday because it was great fun playing against all the other teams. The best bit was all the mud. I really enjoyed when all the girls were cheering for the boys. Ellen A.
The lessons were really fun and the blitz was the best thing that happened all year. David.
We had about seven sessions of rugby training. Some of the time the weather was bad so we had to delay some of the sessions and some of them were cancelled. I don’t really like rugby, but it would be better if it had lasted longer so I could learn to enjoy it. Emma.
