On Thursday, 9th of May 2013 we are celebrating Europe Day!
Celebrations start at 12noon and all family, friends and community members are all welcome to attend.
There will be a welcoming cermony, followed by tours of our projects by the senior class and a European food fair.
Children in all classes throughout the school have been learning all about the European Union and Europe as part of our Blue Star Programme.
Junior Infants
Junior Infants have learnt all about Puss in Boots. This story orginates from France and is by Charles Perrault. Children made amazing colourful boots for Puss in Boots to wear. They have also learnt the story of the Billy Goats Gruff. This is a traditional Norwegian story. Children made clay trolls and a scene from the story for display!
They have also done the story of The Ugly Duckling by Danish author, Hans Christian Anderson and created houses for The Three Little Pigs, which is a fairy tale orginiating from the U.K.
Senior Infants
Senior Infants have listened and responded to the story The Magic Porrige Pot. This story a traditional German folk tale published by Brother’s Grimm.
They have also learnt all about the story of the Three Little Pigs, a tradtional tale from the United Kingdom.
They have learnt Fréré Jacques – a tradition French rhyme and The Can Can – a much loved French dance!
Senior infants are also constructing their very own original Wind Mills. Netherlands is famous for its windmills. Th
e Dutch built windmills for many centuries (and to some extent, the windmills built the country itself, since without them much of the land drainage could not have occured). In that time the mills were developed for corn milling, land drainage, saw milling, and in fact all manner of industrial purposes. Despite this widespread use, Dutch mills are in many ways quite primitive – using canvas sails, and turned to wind by hand (as distinct from the automated mechanisms that were developed for English windmills, including the fantail, and shuttered sails).
Senior Infant pupils have also being listening and responding to “Morning” by Greig, the Norweigan composer.
As part of Europe Day Junior and Senior Infants are participating in a variety of European based station activities:
They will be making their own Van Gogh Sunflowers using collage materials.
They are constructing their own European building with Lego. Lego orginates from Denmark.
They are making a shopping list for Little Red Riding Hood to bring to her Granny in the forest. This is a French story. They will also participate in Little Red Riding Hood table top games.
Listening and responding activies to Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint – Saéns.
Senior Class:
Students in classes from 1st – 4th class have been instrumental in our Europe Day preparations and in the Blue Star Flag Programme. They have completed an astronomical amount of work, all about the European Union and Europe. It is important to recognise and acknowledge all the amazing work they have done over the last number of months! A big well done to Antonia, Kevin, Adesuwa, Iyobo, David, Chloe, Shalom, Olaf, Angel, Jack, Kaine, Scott, Alex, Bianca and Ayub!
Please find below a brief synopsis of the projects these pupils have completed:
Subject area |
Project |
Individual Geography Project: |
Each individual child from 1st to 4th class have completed a project on a European country. |
Individual History Project: |
Third and Fourth class have completed individual projeccts on famous people in European history, including Leonardo Di Vinci, Albert Einstein, Ole Kirk Christianson, Chirstopher Columbus, WIlliam Shakespeare, Ludwig Van Beethovenand Van Gogh. |
Class History Project: WW2 |
Detailed class project on World War 2. This includes a detailed timeline of World War 2 events, learning about Anne Frank and reading her Diary and studying Propaganda during World War 2 |
Class History project: Romans |
Learnt about Romulus and Remus, Roman soliders, Roman Gods and Roman Engineering. Children created and designed their own shileds made a photostory about Romulus and Remus. Click here to view story on youtube. |
Art Project: |
Learnt about Dutch artist Piet Mondrian nd created Mondrain styled shape art.They studied Austrian artists Gustav Klimt and Friedensreich Hundertwasser. They completed drawings of Euopean buildings, made a collage ispired by David Kracov’s holocost memorial. |
Music Project: |
Listenend and responded to European composers including Greig, Vivaldi and Beethoven. Children learnt a song to the tune of Ode to Joy – the European Anthem. |
Literature: |
Third and fourth class completed a class project on Hans Christian Anderson and read different versions of Charles Perrault Little Red Riding Hood. First and Second class learnt about Spike Milligan and wrote their own versions of the Ning Nang Nong. They also studied stories by the Grimm Brothers. with special emphasis on the story Hansel and Gretel, a traditional German Tale. Senior pupils also studied the traditional Irish myth – The Salmon of Knowledge and created a Photostory based on their studies. Click here for link to Salmon of Knowlege video. |
Democracy: |
The children learnt about Democracy, what it means in our school and our community. They ran a campaign and elected their own Student Council for the school, by secret ballot. Click here for student council website. |
Field trips: |
Senior Class went on a field trip to the Dublin Representation of the Eurpoean Commission to learn about democracy in the E.U. and how the E.U. works. Click here to view photos of field trip. The children have studied the European Union, its establishment in 1951 and reasons for its establishment. They have impresses us immensly with their extensive and detailed knowledge of all events and happening in the European Union from 1951 to the present day! |
Visitors: |
We invited local MEP Emer Costello to visit the class. Click here to view photos. Children prepared interview questions and recorded the answers in a formal interview with their MEP. Please click here to view questions. Answers will be uploaded shortly. We were delighted to welcome local MEP Gay Mitchell to visit the school. View photos here. Children prepared interview questions and recorded the answers in a formal interview with their MEP. Please click here to view questions. Answers will be uploaded shortly. |
Whole School Mosaic |
Senior Class designed a whole school mosaic representing the European Union slogan “United In Diversity”. They decided to use the story of Rainbow Fish for infant classes to help them understand the meaning of friendship, diversity and acceptance of others. |
Special Achievement: |
Antonia Murphy, a fourth class pupil won a competition to answer interview questions for the Frnech representation of the European Commission. Her article will be published on their website. Please click here to view our version of the article. |
Special Achievement: |
Iyobo Ugiagbe, a third class pupil designed our Europe Day invitations. |
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