P6 pupils have been busy carrying out experiments to discover how gravity and air resistance operate.

 

Parachute experiment

In groups, the children made different sized parachutes using tissue paper, thread and string.  A fair test ensured that each parachute was dropped from the same height, the same number of paper clips and the same amount of string was used.  The children recorded their findings and discovered that the larger the surface area of the parachute, the longer amount of time it took to fall to the ground.  More air was trapped under the larger pieces of tissue paper, creating greater air resistance working against gravity.

 

Toy car experiment

Pupils also set up a fair test to record how the distance a toy car travelled down a ramp, was affected by the height of the ramp.  The higher the ramp, the greater the pull of gravity on the car and the further the car travelled.  The incidental finding was that the toy car needed a short “pit stop” to realign the wheels as the car tended to veer off course occasionally!

 

Everyone really enjoyed these practical experiments and excitement is growing as the next activity involves designing, producing and racing balloon powered cars! 

Currently in P1 Bell/Bunn we are enjoying learning about the vets.  We have been bandaging up the cuddly toys, weighing, grooming and x-raying them.  Our junk animals are coming on well and we have really enjoyed making homes for the pets out of lego and other construction toys. We have made patterns with everything even with our cheerios, to make bird feeders!    

Our P7 classes have been investigating 'Flight in Nature' as part of our 'Up, Up & Away!' topic.  To find out about the challenges migrating birds face, P7M took part in the Migration Challenge.  The pupils took on the role of a migrating bird and began their migration journey in the Senior Playground.  From cuckoos to swallows, Arctic terns & Brent geese everyone was optimistic they would survive the challenges ahead.  The 'birds' had to visit a number of stations to decide their fate - everything could change with a roll of the dice!  Lots of our 'birds' successfully completed their journeys but others came to a sad end.  The pupils thoroughly enjoyed this activity and their dramatic representations of the challenges encountered led to some very entertaining moments!

Mr Billy Harvey will be retiring on Wednesday 20^th January 2016.  He has been an amazing Building Supervisor at Cairnshill since 1992.  He is known to all and he considers Cairnshill staff, pupils and parents as part of his family.

 

Everyone, past and present, remembers and has a great deal of respect for Billy.  He will be an extremely hard act to follow as his reputation and kindness knows no bounds and life at Cairnshill will not be the same without him.

 

We wish him a long, healthy and happy retirement and we are extremely grateful and most appreciative of his dedicated service to Cairnshill.

The School Council was delighted to have the opportunity to visit Parliament Buildings at Stormont on Wednesday 13^th January.  Nine pupils from P5, P6 and P7 were accompanied by Mrs Graham and Miss Bingham.

 

We were welcomed to Stormont by Emma Pengally, a South Belfast MLA and we also had the opportunity to meet and chat with Fearghal McKinney, another South Belfast MLA.

 

Anne- Marie Fleming, Education Officer gave the children a short tour and provided lots of facts about the history of Stormont and explained how the Government of Northern Ireland operates.  The children then answered quiz questions using electronic devices and discovered how much knowledge they had retained.  

 

The children and teachers were then allowed to sit in on a discussion addressing Bullying in schools.  Everyone had to sit in silence and observe the gallery rules!  This was really interesting and allowed the children to observe how discussions they have at School Council meetings are similar to those taking place at Stormont.

 

<font face="tahoma" size="2">Check out the School Council page for further details and additional photos.</font>

 

Finally the children made their way to the main hall where they were allowed to put forward their ideas for a new law in a mock debate! 

 

Everyone had a really enjoyable morning and gained a greater understanding of life at Stormont!

 

Land & Property Services (LPS) have developed a free downloadable Minecraft® map for Northern Ireland using Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) digital map products. Minecraft fans can now freely explore, build and create their own world across the whole of Northern Ireland.

 

The Minecraft NI map consists of over five billion blocks and equates to an area of almost 14,000km² covering all of Northern Ireland.

 

The map can be downloaded from this link on the nigov.uk website:-

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/index/information-and-services/property-and-housing/your-neighbourhood-roads-and-streets/ordnance-survey-of-northern-ireland/product-range/digital-products/osni-minecraft-ni-map.htm

 

Let your teacher know if you create something awesome!

It is now possible to link the school events to your personal calendar by subscribing to the school calendar. This means that all the events from the calendar will automatically pull through to your personal calendar, alongside any other existing calendars you may already have. You only have to subscribe once; any changes made by the school will be reflected in your personal calendar. Please note, events on subscribed calendars are not editable.

 

Please note: although the school calendar updates instantly, it may take up to 24 hours for new events to show in your personal calendar depending on which type of calendar you are using.

 

For full details, please go to the Calendar page of this website where you'll find instructions for a range of devices.