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Our school is running a walk to school campaign for the next four weeks. The aim of the campaign is to encourage students to walk instead of travelling by car when possible. Walking helps reduce traffic around the school and lowers pollution. Students can also stay active and healthy. Parents and students are asked to take part.

Comhrá Beirte inniu

Today we’re going to begin our persuasive ads, (4 paragraph radio ad) and the focus will be on an environmental message. You will choose one of the following topics to base your ad on: plant more trees, walk, cycle, or carpool instead of driving, or turn off lights to save energy. Your job will be to create a persuasive advertisement that encourages people to take action and make a positive difference to the environment. We’ll go through what makes a strong persuasive ad before you begin.

Making a good ad. A famous example of a really effective ad is Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign. It worked because it was simple, memorable, and emotional. Instead of just selling shoes, it made people feel motivated and powerful. The ads showed real athletes (and later everyday people) overcoming challenges, which helped viewers connect to the message. The slogan was short, catchy, and easy to remember, and it encouraged people to take action right away.

In Art this week we are learning about Gustav Klimt, an Austrian painter best known for his highly detailed paintings and murals. He was a symbolist painter, which means he used images, patterns, and colours to express ideas, emotions, and deeper meanings rather than showing things exactly as they look in real life.

This month in English, we will be focusing on persuasive writing — but with a fun twist! Instead of traditional persuasive essays, the class will be creating persuasive ads. You will choose something to advertise and try to convince their audience to want it, buy it, or support it. At the end of the month, we will record the best 7–8 ads and feature them on our class podcast.

Students can advertise anything at all: an environmental message (plant more trees, walk to school), a new service (bedtime story service, pet-walking robot), a school idea (longer break times, a class pet, a school café), or a new product (board game, video game, pizza, magical smoothie, or a brand-new cereal).

Each persuasive ad will be written in four paragraphs:

1. Hook & Introduction – Grab the reader’s attention with an exciting opening and introduce the product or idea.
2. Features & Benefits – Explain what makes it special and why people should want it.
3. Problem & Comparison – Show how it solves a problem or is better than other options.
4. Call to Action – Tell the reader what to do and leave them feeling excited and convinced.

We never got to our music lesson on Martin Luther King Junior yesterday but first lets read a little more about Civil Rights. Civil rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person, such as being treated equally, having a fair education, being able to vote, and being protected by the law. The Civil Rights Movement began in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s because many Black Americans were treated unfairly due to their skin colour. They were segregated in schools, on buses, in shops, and were often denied the right to vote or get good jobs. People like Martin Luther King Jr. led peaceful protests to demand equal treatment, fair laws, and an end to discrimination. They wanted the same opportunities and freedoms as everyone else. The idea of civil rights — fairness, equality, and justice for all — also influenced other movements around the world, including the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland, where people protested peacefully for fair housing, jobs, and voting rights. These protests later became part of the events that led to the Troubles.

Today we are going to talk about one of the most important figures in American civil rights. Do you know what civil rights are?

Martin Luther King was one of the leaders of the American civil rights movement. The movement was a reaction against racial segregation and discrimination in America, fighting for equality, justice and respect. We will listen to three songs that are connected to Martin Luther King and the American civil rights movement.

In Drama today we will be looking at Mysterious cases and what could be in them?

1. What it is and what does it look like?
2. Where would you see a case like this?
3. Who might own it?
4. Where would this person be going with a case like this?

Comhrá Beirte inniu and we will be reading Leigh sa bhaile every day from now on.

In Irish today we will begin with our Comhra Beirte and then we will look at the month of January. Deanfaidh tú cluiche snakes and ladders.

Comhra Beirte inniu

Positive Emotions

• Confident
• Excited
• Proud
• Brave
• Hopeful
• Grateful
• Calm

Neutral / Mixed Emotions

• Curious
• Tired
• Stuck

Challenging Emotions

• Worried
• Frustrated
• Overwhelmed
• Lonely
• Nervous

Identifying the feeling

• “I feel ______ because…”
• “Right now I’m feeling…”
• “A word that fits how I feel is…”

Explaining what’s happening

• “This happened, and it made me feel…”
• “I’m in this Blob because…”
• “I’m here on the tree today since…”

Noticing your needs

• “I think I need…”
• “It would help me if…”
• “One thing that might make me feel better is…”

Showing self-kindness

• “It’s okay that I feel this way because…”
• “I’m learning to…”
• “I can give myself a bit of space by…”

Comhra Beirte inniu and how did your reading go last night?

We’ll also be working on our Irish comhrá again today, which will include feeling that we will be working on in class also.

Today we’re doing a fun perception challenge. There will be a bottle on the ground with a loose bottle cap sitting on top. One person will stand about 5 metres away, cover their left eye with their hand, and walk forward to try to flick the bottle cap off.
Most people miss completely — and today we’re going to find out why!

Students miss the bottle cap because when you cover one eye, you lose proper depth perception, so your brain has to guess how far away the bottle is. With only one eye, things can look slightly to the left or right of where they really are, which is why people often swipe beside the cap. Your balance and aim also get worse with one eye covered, so your steps, your reach, and your flick aren’t as accurate. Basically, we need two eyes working together to judge distance properly and to coordinate our movements, and without that, simple tasks suddenly become much harder.

Cornea – The clear, curved “window” at the front of your eye that helps focus the light coming in.
Pupil – The black circle that gets bigger or smaller to let in more or less light, like a camera opening.
Lens – The part that changes shape to focus things clearly, whether they’re near or far.
Retina – The screen at the back of the eye that catches the light and turns it into signals.
Optic Nerve – The “cable” that carries those signals from the retina to your brain so you can see.

“In Maths, we’ll be continuing with our work on 3D shapes. Today we’ll be cutting out shape nets and folding them to make the 3D shapes. We’ll also be playing a matching game where you pick up a statement card and match it to the correct shape. Over the next two days, we’ll look at Euler’s theory — if you add the faces and vertices and subtract the edges, you always get 2 — and we’ll also work on 3D shape property lists, finding and writing the properties of different shapes on statement cards.”

We will also be finishing our work on World War II today by looking at this photo. So far, we’ve learned about the Blessington aircrash, the nuclear bombings in Japan (Hiroshima), the spread of World War II across Europe, the D-Day landings, and the Blacksod Lighthouse and how it was connected to D-Day. Today we will write all of that information into a list. Later this week, I’ll give you a task of Saying More With Less with that key information and then we’re going to turn it into a sketchnote.

Comhrá Gaeilge inniu

This week, our focus is on narrative writing, and all stories need to be completed by the end of the week. We will also be finishing our charity projects and, hopefully, completing the presentations by Friday.

In Art, we’ll be exploring Festivals of Light, investigating how these celebrations take place around the world across different cultures and regions. Although each festival is unique, many of them feature lanterns, so we will be creating our own lanterns as part of our work this week.

✏️ Handwriting Speed Test — Summary for Notices

• Students read the passage for one minute to become familiar with it.
• They then copy it as fast as they can for exactly one minute.
• Count how many words they write in that minute.
• This gives their baseline handwriting speed before the 30-day dead-hanging plan.

✏️ Handwriting Neatness Test — Summary for Notices

• Students copy a set passage in their neatest handwriting, with no time limit.
• The goal is their best possible presentation, not speed.
• You assess it using a rubric: letter formation, size, spacing, alignment, and overall legibility.
• This gives a baseline for their neatness before the training begins.

Our Music Video from Friday

https://youtu.be/OERk2MHf7ug

Our science class research teams will be working from 12 o’clock today. They will be visiting the other classes and, hopefully, will have enough time to complete their research and answer the planning questions. Once we review their work, we hope to carry out the handwriting tests either next week or the week after, with the aim of completing the first round of testing before the Christmas holidays.

It was great to get the four holes almost completed yesterday, with one hole fully finished. The quick-reed is now ordered. We’ll tidy up a few of the remaining holes today, and we should be ready to pour the concrete on Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

Handwriting Investigation – Planning Questions

A. Speed Writing Test

1. What piece of writing will you use to check the speed of your writing?
2. Why is this piece of writing appropriate for the speed test?
3. How long are you going to give yourselves for the speed writing test?

B. Neatness of Handwriting Test

4. What piece of writing are you going to use for the neatness of your handwriting test?
   (Time is unlimited.)
5. Why did you choose this piece of writing for the neatness test?

Problem 1: A snowstorm blew in overnight and buried the Christmas market stalls.
Solution 1: The townspeople worked together at dawn to clear the snow and reopen the market.

Problem 2: Just as the market reopened, the lights around the big Christmas tree suddenly went out.
Solution 2: The electrician used spare battery-powered lights from his van to brighten the tree again.

Problem 3: With the lights restored, the choir discovered their song sheets had blown away in the storm.
Solution 3: Rosa, the choir leader, quickly rewrote a simple carol everyone knew, and the whole market joined in singing it.

Problem 1: The sleigh builders realised on Christmas Eve that one of the new wooden runners had cracked.
Solution 1: They quickly reinforced it with a spare strip of oak kept for emergencies.

Problem 2: As soon as the sleigh was fixed, the reindeer shed’s gate froze shut in the sudden cold.
Solution 2: The elves melted the ice by pouring warm water along the hinges.

Problem 3: When the reindeer were finally ready, Santa discovered the map of his route had blown away in the wind.
Solution 3: Rudolph used his bright nose to guide the sleigh while the elves radioed directions from the North Pole.

Problem 1: On the morning of the school Christmas play, the main costume for Santa went missing.
Solution 1: The teacher quickly stitched a replacement from leftover fabric and tinsel so the show could go on.

Problem 2: As the play started, the speakers suddenly stopped working, making it hard for the audience to hear.
Solution 2: The students moved closer to the front and projected their voices, keeping the story alive despite the silence.

Problem 3: During the final snowy scene, the snow machine jammed and refused to work.
Solution 3: Thinking quickly, the backstage crew tossed handfuls of paper snowflakes from above, turning a problem into the most magical ending the audience had ever seen.

In our next music lesson, we are going to make a music video together, based on the song “Best Day of My Life” by American Authors.

You will be the directors, dancers and stars in a video for this song. The trick is that we will be using one continuous shot. This means that there will be no editing needed! once we have the performance captured, our video is complete!

All you need is a simple camera phone and a way to playback the song for everyone to hear!

Let’s start by looking at a video from former Talking Heads singer and solo artist, David Byrne. This song was released in 2025 and the video has a great group collaboration feel to it. There are edits and cuts in this video but there are ideas that could work very well in our “one shot video”.

Pay special attention to the movement of the camera throughout. This means that you could have different scenes set up in different parts of the classroom and the camera person (maybe teacher) can move around.

We have only one or two sessions of Scratch left this year, and after that we’ll begin a new Chromebook project before moving on to Micro:bits after Christmas. Our next task is an individual charity research project, which you will complete during Chromebook time. Each student will choose a charity and gather important information about it—who it helps, how much money it needs to operate, who founded it, how long it has been running, the type of work it does, who supports it, and any other interesting details. You may include pictures, logos or anything useful you find online, and you can email me anything you need printed. Using your research, you will then create an A3 display page. After three or four Chromebook sessions, everyone will present their project to the class. We will display all projects and vote for the charity we think deserves support. The winning charity will receive a real donation from our class. You can donate using your class beans, with every 25 beans equal to €2.50. Over the next few weeks, you may choose to save your beans or donate them, and we will send the final amount to the chosen charity just before the Christmas holidays.

Miss Lojek is looking for our two top chess players to take part in an upcoming chess competition. This morning, we will hold a draw in class for anyone who wishes to enter. The matches will be played over the next three days. The two players who reach the final will be nominated to represent our school. The two losing semi finalists will be kept in reserve as substitutes.

Story Outline: “The Lost Lantern”

Problem 1:
A village’s magical lantern, which keeps away the winter darkness, suddenly goes missing.

Solution 1:
A brave girl named Mara decides to search for it and discovers footprints leading into the forest.

Problem 2:
Mara follows the trail but gets lost in the twisting forest paths as night begins to fall.

Solution 2:
She remembers an old rhyme her grandmother taught her about using the North Star to find her way, and she uses it to get back on track.

Problem 3:
Mara finally finds the lantern—but it’s guarded by a lonely troll who took it because he was afraid of the dark himself.

Solution 3:
Mara talks to the troll, teaches him how to make his own smaller lantern, and he returns the stolen one peacefully.

Our cars video from last week. Enjoy!

Today we’re continuing our narrative writing work. So far we’ve written from prompts and explored ideas through cartoon strips.. Today we’re moving on to reading one or two short stories as we begin preparing to write our own Christmas stories. As we read, we will break each story down by identifying the characters, the setting, and the problems and solutions that appear. Remember, it is very common for a story—even a short children’s story—to include several problems and several solutions, not just one of each, so try to spot all the challenges the characters face and how they overcome them. Tomorrow we will begin planning our own stories.

We can only start in one place today, what a win last night and all to play for on Sunday.

Yesterday we looked at those wonderfully over-the-top cartoons by Rube Goldberg, where he turned very simple tasks into ridiculously complicated machines using pulleys, ramps, wheels, levers and all sorts of simple machines. Even something as ordinary as washing the dishes became a wild chain reaction in his drawings. We also make our own Rube Goldberg cartoons today so we can put them on display. This will lead into our own marble-run construction project next week, so start thinking about materials you can bring in. We’ll also watch the famous Honda advert from the 90s, which used the exact same chain-reaction idea to create one of the best Rube Goldberg–style sequences ever made.

This is a reminder again to start bringing in clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty — things you can get muck or paint on. If around three or four people have their old clothes in tomorrow, you can start painting the wooden posts. The weather isn’t looking great at the moment, but hopefully next week we’ll be able to get outside and dig.

We’ll also be doing a marble run either next week or definitely the week after, so when you start bringing things in, think of materials we can use. We’ve loads here already, but think of extras — pipes, toilet roll holders, kitchen roll holders, or any cardboard tubes that a marble could run through.

We learned about John Cage yesterday, we watched one of his performances and we performed 4’33”. In it we just sat there and made no intentional noises, I know many of you were thinking how is this a performance. John Cage wanted people to think differently about what music really is. In his piece 4’33”, where the performer sits in silence for four minutes and thirty-three seconds, the idea isn’t that there’s no sound — it’s that the sounds around us become the music. The creak of a chair, the rustle of paper, rain on the windows, or someone coughing — all those everyday noises are part of the performance. Cage was showing that music doesn’t have to come from instruments or follow a rhythm; it can be found in the sounds of the world around us, if we listen carefully. His work challenges us to pay attention, to notice what we usually ignore, and to realise that silence and sound are both part of the musical experience. Next week we will be composing and performing a piece of music related to this.

We will complete our electric cars and if the hall is free we will race them today.

Photo of the Day

We looked at our 2nd WWII story yesterday, the bombing of Hiroshima. The Americans dropped another atomic bomb (Fat Man) a week later on another Japanese city called Nagasaki. The Japanese then surrendered and WWII ended.

Creating an atomic bomb was one of the most complex and challenging scientific tasks ever attempted. The scientists working on the Manhattan Project, led by Robert Oppenheimer, had to understand and control the process of nuclear fission—the splitting of atoms—to release enormous amounts of energy. This required advanced knowledge of physics, chemistry, and engineering, along with technology that didn’t yet exist. They had to find materials, such as uranium-235 and plutonium-239, that could sustain a chain reaction, and then design a way to bring these materials together at exactly the right moment. The calculations, precision, and secrecy involved made the project incredibly difficult, and it took thousands of scientists working for years to succeed.

When the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, it exploded directly over the T-shaped Aioi Bridge, which had been chosen as the target. The explosion instantly destroyed much of the city—flattening buildings, melting steel, and killing tens of thousands of people in seconds. By the end of 1945, it’s estimated that around 140,000 people had died as a result of the bombing, either from the blast, the intense heat, or radiation sickness. The bomb produced temperatures hotter than the surface of the sun, and winds stronger than any hurricane, leaving Hiroshima in ruins.

The dangers of an atomic bomb go far beyond the initial explosion. The radiation released during the blast spreads through the air, soil, and water, poisoning the environment and anyone who survives the initial impact. Many people who lived through the bombing later developed severe burns, cancer, and other long-term health problems caused by radiation exposure. It also affected future generations, as radiation damaged DNA.

Oppenheimer himself was deeply troubled by what his creation had done. After witnessing the first successful test of the atomic bomb, he famously said: “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” He realized that the weapon he and his team had built had the power to wipe out entire cities and end millions of lives. In the years after the war, Oppenheimer spoke out against the development of even more powerful nuclear weapons and became a symbol of both scientific brilliance and moral conflict.

We have many more WWII stories to look at this month but next we will begin a book called, Friend or Foe by Michael Morpurgo, which tells the story of two English boys evacuated to the countryside during World War II who unexpectedly come face-to-face with enemy soldiers.

Today we will continue our work on fractions. Yesterday, we looked at equivalent fractions, which are fractions that represent the same value even though they look different. This is one of the best ways to compare fractions—by changing them so they have the same denominator and can be easily compared.

Think back: What did you learn yesterday?
Today, we’re going to build on that knowledge.

As I mentioned, we’ll be exploring around five or six different stories from World War II, starting with our first one — Little Boy. Before we learn more about that, we’ll begin by watching a short video that gives a quick overview of World War II — how it started, who was involved, and what it was all about. This will help us build some background knowledge before we dive into the specific story.

Its a project day, books are being put aside and we will build electric cars.

Before you start building, draw a simple sketch of your car and label these key parts:

• Battery
• Motor
• Switch
• Axles and wheels
• Gears (cogs)

Answer these three questions before you begin

1. Transmission: How will the power from the motor reach the wheels?
2. Alignment: How will you make sure your wheels and axles are straight so the car drives smoothly?
3. Connections: How will you make sure your wires, switch, and battery are connected properly so power flows to the motor?

“Good engineers plan before they build — mistakes on paper are cheaper than mistakes with glue!”

Most of us have now completed our René Magritte-inspired pictures! We’ll be finishing the last few today and then putting them up on display in our classroom. The artwork looks fantastic — full of imagination and creativity, just like Magritte himself. Be sure to stop by and have a look at our surrealist masterpieces!

Yesterday’s Maths question sparked brilliant discussion in our class! You were asked whether they’d prefer one euro every day for the rest of their life or one hundred euro every month for ten years. It was fantastic to see the level of debate, the different calculations being made, and the variety of scenarios discussed depending on age and other factors.

We’ll have another thought-provoking question like that today alongside our regular Maths work. We’ll also be looking at our Maths test (which will take place later this week) and continuing with our tables and other Maths practice throughout the day.

Let’s start by checking in on last night’s homework.
How did your focus subject go?
How did your reading go — did you get a chance to include your symbols?
Let’s take a look at the questions now.

Great to have Victors back in class. Just a short explanation of the Blob tree for you.

The Blob Tree is a picture that shows lots of different little characters — or ‘blobs’ — all in different places and positions. Each blob shows a different feeling or mood. Some look happy, some look worried, some look calm, and some look upset.

We use the Blob Tree to help us think about how we’re feeling. Sometimes, it’s hard to find the right words for our emotions, but we can point to a blob that feels like us today.

It’s important to stop and check what our emotions are because our feelings can affect how we act, how we learn, and how we get along with others. When we notice how we feel, it helps us understand why we might be acting a certain way — maybe we’re tired, nervous, or excited — and then we can do something about it.

Checking in with our emotions can help bring us back to a steady pace. It helps us calm down, stay focused, and be kinder to ourselves and others. It’s a small way to pause and make sure we’re ready for the day.

What Is Surrealism Art?

Surrealism is a type of art that tries to show our dreams, imagination, and thoughts that don’t always make sense in the real world. Surrealist artists mix real things with strange or impossible ideas — like a clock melting, or a person with wings. It’s all about letting your imagination run wild and showing what’s going on in your mind, not just what you can see. Surrealism encourages artists to be creative, unusual, and even a little bit weird — because sometimes the most interesting ideas come from our dreams and daydreams!

We will continue to work on our piece of Rene Magrite art today.

On Thursday we will put books aside to build electric cars.

Some of our Halloween Layered Art completed this week. We will have all your pictures displayed on the wall today.

In music today, we will be listening and responding to some scary songs from a stop motion animated film by director Tim Burton called A Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Let’s quickly discuss last night’s homework—how your focus subject went, how your reading went, whether you included symbols, and then we’ll look at the questions together.

I have been asked to go over questions 2, 5, 17, 18, 20 in the Maths test, any more issues coming up.

To pup some decorations around the room we will fold and cut paper into spiders today also.

Gemina Montac’s interview after winning her Olympic bronze medal is full of lessons for young people about what sport is really about. She reminds us to believe in ourselves and to enjoy sport for the right reasons — not because we need to win or prove our worth, but because it’s fun and meaningful. Her 15-year journey shows that success takes time, patience, and effort, and that it’s okay to feel pressure or doubt along the way. Gemina says it’s important to want success but not to need it — to give things a go and know that even if it doesn’t work out, the sun will rise tomorrow. Her message to “play on” encourages everyone to stay involved in sport, whether in the backyard with friends or at the highest level, because sport is about belonging, friendship, and community. It helps us look after our physical and mental health while teaching life skills like dedication, leadership, and resilience. Most of all, she reminds us that everyone belongs in sport and that we should all “play on in our own way, whatever suits us.”

When Gemina Montac says, “Play on in your own way, whatever suits you,” she means that there’s no single “right” way to be involved in sport. You don’t have to be the best, win medals, or play at a high level to enjoy it or to belong. Some people love competing, while others just like playing with friends, keeping fit, or having fun. What matters is that you find a version of sport that makes you happy and feels right for you — whether that’s running in your backyard, joining a local team, or dreaming of the Olympics. She’s encouraging everyone to keep moving, keep enjoying sport, and make it their own.

The Blob Tree

We’re going to start using something new in our classroom called The Blob Tree. It’s a special tool that helps us show how we’re feeling without using words. The tree is filled with little “blob” characters, each showing a different feeling or emotion. They don’t have a specific age, gender, or culture — they’re just blobs that we can all relate to!

At different times during the day — like first thing in the morning, before we start something new, or when we’re taking a break — you’ll be able to take a marker and circle the blob that best shows how you’re feeling at that moment.

For example, you might circle a blob that looks calm if you’re feeling relaxed, one that looks tired if you didn’t sleep well, one that’s climbing if you’re ready for a challenge, or one that looks worried if something’s on your mind.

There’s no right or wrong answer — it’s just a way for us to pause, check in with ourselves, and understand our emotions a bit better.

Aoife: I circled this blob here — the one sitting on the branch looking down.

Jamie: Oh yeah? Why did you pick that one?

Aoife: I don’t know, I just feel a bit left out today. Everyone was in a group at break, and I didn’t really know where to go.

Jamie: Yeah, I get that. I picked this blob climbing up the tree. I’m trying to stay positive because I was tired earlier, but I’m starting to feel better now.

Aoife: That’s cool. I kind of want to be that blob too — maybe later I’ll move mine if I feel a bit better.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s the good thing about the Blob Tree — you can change it whenever your feelings change.

Photo of the Day

Nelson’s Pillar was a large monument that once stood in the very centre of Dublin, on O’Connell Street (then called Sackville Street). It was built in 1808 to honour Admiral Horatio Nelson, a British naval hero who had died three years earlier at the Battle of Trafalgar. Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom at that time, and many people in power were loyal to Britain, so it made sense to them to put up a monument to Nelson. The Pillar was about 121 feet (37 metres) tall, with a tall stone column and a statue of Nelson on top. Inside, there was a spiral staircase that people could climb for a small admission fee, and from the top, you could see amazing views all across Dublin city.

As Ireland moved toward independence in the early 20th century, many people began to see Nelson’s Pillar as a symbol of British rule, right in the heart of the capital. By the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, some people still saw it as a familiar landmark, while others thought it was an embarrassment — a British hero standing tall in an independent Irish city. There were many debates about whether it should be taken down, but nothing was done officially. Then, in the early hours of March 8th, 1966 — just weeks before the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Rising — a group of Irish republicans blew up the top half of the Pillar. It caused a huge shock, but no one was injured. The remains of the structure were unstable, so the Irish Army had to demolish the rest for safety reasons a few days later.

For nearly 40 years after that, there was no major monument on the site. The space where the Pillar had stood became open ground, sometimes used for advertising or as a meeting point. Then, in 2003, a new monument — The Spire of Dublin — was completed on the same spot. The Spire, a tall, stainless-steel needle reaching 120 metres into the sky, was designed to represent a modern, confident Dublin. So today, where Admiral Nelson once looked out over the city, the Spire now stands as a symbol of the new Ireland.

If it wet again today, we have a new movement game in class.

Well done on the podcast — I know it took a while to get there, but here’s the final product, complete with music. Well done to everyone who took part: to those who interviewed, who wrote out scripts, and especially to those who were brave enough to speak in front of the class. You were all fantastic to listen to. Unfortunately, I could only choose five recordings for the final version, so well done to those five. We’ll listen to the podcast together this morning at some stage.

Scríobhfaimid scéal as Gaeilge sa rang inniu.

The three pigs built their own houses — one of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks.
A wolf came and he blew the straw and stick houses down.
The pigs ran to their other brother .  He built his house out of bricks.
The wolf didn’t blow it down.
The wolf went away, and the three little pigs were happy.

In Art we will begin our Layered Halloween scene

We will go back to the 3 Utilities puzzle today , but this time on paper, can you solve it.

When we visited the Pearse Museum in Rathfarnham, we learned about Patrick Pearse, who set up his own school to teach Irish culture and language. He later became one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising, when Ireland tried to fight for independence from Britain.

At first, many Dublin people were angry — they threw rocks and fruit at the rebels because the city had been destroyed and lives were lost. People with government jobs also feared what would happen next. But after the leaders were executed, public opinion changed — the country began to see them as heroes who sacrificed everything for Irish freedom.

One of those men was Joseph Mary Plunkett, (in Irish tradition, especially among very religious Catholic families at the time, it was common for men to take “Mary” as a middle name in honour of the Virgin Mary. So it wasn’t unusual back then — even though today it sounds a bit odd!) who married Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Gaol the night before he was executed. The song “Grace” tells that heartbreaking story — a final goodbye between two people deeply in love, just hours before he was shot.

It reminds us of the personal cost of the Rising, and how those sacrifices helped set Ireland on the path to independence a few years later.

This morning, we’re doing our tests, followed by homework correction.

After lunch, we’ll have a bridge-building challenge. You’ll use lollipop sticks to build a bridge that can span 40 centimetres across two desks and hold a 1 kg weight.

Each lollipop stick is worth €10, so the goal is to make your bridge as efficient as possible — strong enough to hold the weight but using the fewest sticks.

Yesterday’s trip was a joy from start to finish, with everything running smoothly and you all showed great interest throughout Alan’s presentations in both the museum and the school. It was wonderful to see you engage and offer positive feedback, showing real respect and curiosity. The outing was fantastic and well-deserved, and getting some written homework off was well deserved . One of the most memorable moments was seeing the two cups kept by Pádraig and Willie Pearse’s mother—the same cups they used for tea on Easter Sunday night before leaving for the Rising. That simple, personal artefact really stood out as a powerful reminder of their story. Speaking of artefacts, Pio is on duty today.

This morning, we’ll start with Irish to change things up a bit before heading to golf at 9:30. After golf, we’ll go straight to Scratch, where we’ll begin building a game called Pong. We now understand how to use our XY coordinates, create variables, make loops, and use broadcasts—all of which we’ll apply to making this famous 1980s arcade game.

The photography votes have been counted. Our overall winner is A Snowy Day by Miesha. This photo will appear on the front cover of the 2026 calendar. Let’s check what other photos are in the calendar.

Let’s quickly discuss last night’s homework—how your focus subject went, how your reading went, whether you included symbols, and then we’ll look at the questions together.

Any more permission slips for St Enda’s tomorrow. Why did Padraig Pearse begin St Enda’s school. Here is a photo of Padraig Pearse reading the Proclamation on the steps of the GPO on Easter Week 1916. We will learn more on the 1916 Rising today as it is part of tomorrow’s tour also.

The 1916 Rising was one of the most important events in Irish history. At first, it looked like a complete failure, but it helped to start a “spiritual revolution” in Ireland — a change in how people thought and felt about freedom and British rule.

One of the main groups behind the Rising was the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). The IRB was a secret organisation made up of determined men who wanted to free Ireland from British rule. They believed the only way to do this was through physical force, but many people disagreed with them, which is why they had to keep their group secret. One of their members was a schoolteacher named Pádraig Pearse.

Other groups also wanted independence. The Irish Party, led by John Redmond, wanted to achieve freedom peacefully through politics. Another group, Sinn Féin, was started by Arthur Griffith, who also disagreed with violence.

In 1913, Ireland was granted Home Rule, which meant it could have its own parliament. However, it would take another year before it became law. People in the north of Ireland, known as Ulster Unionists, were against Home Rule because they wanted to stay part of Britain. They formed a group called the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). In response, people in the south created the Irish Volunteers to defend Home Rule.

When World War I began in 1914, Britain sent many of its soldiers away to fight. The IRB believed this was the perfect time to plan a rebellion. They said, “Britain’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity.” The IRB received money from Irish people in America and bought guns with it. The Germans also agreed to send weapons to Ireland.

The IRB needed the Irish Volunteers to join them, but their leader, Eoin MacNeill, did not agree with violence. The IRB tricked him with a false document ‘Caste Document’ that claimed the British planned to arrest Volunteer leaders. When he found out it was fake, he cancelled the plans for the Rising.

Even so, on Easter Monday, 1916, the Rising went ahead. Around 1,200 rebels took over important buildings in Dublin, including the GPO, where Pádraig Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic.

The British army quickly fought back, using heavy guns and thousands of soldiers. After five days, Dublin was in ruins, and Pearse surrendered. At first, the public was angry with the rebels, but when 15 of them were executed, people’s opinions changed. Many began to admire the rebels and wanted full freedom from Britain.

The 1916 Rising had failed militarily — but it lit a spark that would eventually lead to Irish independence.

We are skipping every day this week. we must pick a location to travel to. 1 skip = 1 km

Scoil Éanna (St. Enda’s School)

Padraig Pearse founded Scoil Éanna (St. Enda’s School) in 1908 in Ranelagh, Dublin, later moving it to Rathfarnham. Pearse, a teacher, writer, and nationalist, believed that the Irish education system under British rule crushed children’s creativity and pride in their culture. He wanted to create a school that celebrated Irish language, history, and imagination — a place where boys could grow into confident, free-thinking Irish citizens.

At Scoil Éanna, lessons were taught through Irish as well as English. Students learned poetry, literature, and history about Ireland’s heroes and legends, rather than only British kings and battles. The arts were as important as maths or science, and the students performed plays written by Pearse himself. He wanted learning to be joyful, natural, and patriotic — a living experience rather than rote memorisation.

The building itself, now St. Enda’s Museum, reflects these ideas. It’s filled with portraits of Irish heroes, handcrafted furniture, and symbols of Irish mythology. Pearse’s brother, Willie Pearse, who was an artist and sculptor, helped to design and decorate the school. When you visit, you’ll see Pearse’s study, the schoolrooms, and the beautiful hall used for plays and assemblies, which was called the Hermitage.

St. Enda’s was more than a school — it was part of Pearse’s dream for Ireland’s cultural and political independence. Many of its pupils later took part in the 1916 Rising. When we visit the museum, you’ll get a real sense of the place where Pearse’s ideas about education, art, and nationhood came together — the heart of his vision for Ireland’s future.

Let’s quickly discuss last night’s homework—how your focus subject went, how your reading went, whether you included symbols, and then we’ll look at the questions together.

When I am learning something new

• I am someone who keeps trying, even when it’s hard.
• I am someone who asks for help when I need it.
• I am someone who takes my time and doesn’t rush.
• I am someone who listens carefully and gives it a go.
• I am someone who doesn’t give up until I improve.
• I am someone who learns from mistakes.

2. 

When I feel sad

• I am someone who talks to someone I trust.
• I am someone who takes a deep breath and calms myself.
• I am someone who looks for something small to make me smile.
• I am someone who lets myself feel sad but doesn’t stay stuck.
• I am someone who remembers sad feelings will pass.
• I am someone who is kind to myself.

3. 

When I feel angry

• I am someone who takes space to cool down.
• I am someone who thinks before I act.
• I am someone who uses my words instead of shouting.
• I am someone who calms my body with breathing.
• I am someone who walks away instead of fighting.
• I am someone who makes good choices even when I’m angry.

When I succeed

• I am someone who feels proud of my effort.
• I am someone who celebrates without bragging.
• I am someone who thanks the people who helped me.
• I am someone who remembers hard work got me there.
• I am someone who encourages others to succeed too.
• I am someone who keeps aiming for the next challenge.

5. 

When things go wrong

• I am someone who doesn’t give up.
• I am someone who looks for another way.
• I am someone who learns from the mistake.
• I am someone who stays calm and tries again.
• I am someone who asks for help if I need it.
• I am someone who bounces back and keeps going.

For some fun this after noon we will play Deal or No Deal.

Apologies for the delay, the prizes for footgolf will be handed out today.

Let’s quickly discuss last night’s homework—how your focus subject went, how your reading went, whether you included symbols, and then we’ll look at the questions together.

Baking today with Ms Keogh, I will be making stencils for a mural with her class. As it is National Tree Day we will make leaf stencils.

Voting cards will be handed out today. Each student will receive three cards and should ask two family members—such as parents, brothers, or sisters—to look through the photos and vote for their top three. Remember, you cannot vote for your own photo, so you are exempt from voting on it.

Let’s quickly discuss last night’s homework—how your focus subject went, how your reading went, whether you included symbols, and then we’ll look at the questions together.

Thursday will be our main PD day, but today we’ll take a short 15-minute break for a fun activity—jumping to the beat of Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. Jumping is more than just a burst of energy; it helps improve coordination, builds strength, and gets the blood flowing to re-energize our minds and bodies. It’s a simple way to boost focus and bring some joy into the day.

How did reading and other homework go last night?

Some of our clay heads from yesterdays art.

Find a link between Blessington and World War II.

Find and write down three facts you discover.

In 2–3 sentences, explain why you think this connection is important.

Choose one fact to be ready to share with the class.

Find one picture, map, or document that helps explain the link.

Miss Keogh will be making chewy cookies with you on either Thursday or Friday. You will be working in groups of three, which are already on the board. Together, you need to look at the list of ingredients and decide how to divide them up, with each person bringing in a number of items. For the equipment can you recall what Ms Keogh said?

Last week we read about Augusta Savage, and we spoke about making an armature using tinfoil. An armature is like a skeleton—a base made from different materials that we can sculpt onto. This technique is especially useful for creating large clay sculptures, as it helps support the structure and reduces the time it takes for the clay to fully dry. This week, we are going to create our own sculptures. Today, you will also use your device to keep a photo of your face in front of you, which will help you remember all the details as you work. Remember, your clay sculptures will look unique to you. What’s most important is not giving up and trusting the process of making art.

The Snow Cruiser was a massive vehicle built in the late 1930s for use in Antarctica, designed to carry supplies and provide shelter for scientists exploring the icy continent. It was an ambitious project, equipped with living quarters, laboratories, and even space for a small airplane on top. However, it turned out to be a failure. Its huge wheels sank into the snow instead of gliding over it, and it struggled to move more than a few miles. Despite its impressive design, the Snow Cruiser was left abandoned in Antarctica, remembered more as an interesting experiment than a success.

How did your reading and homework go last night?

Hope you had a nice evening! I’m just checking in on how your reading went last night—we’ll answer the questions in a minute. How did your focus subject go? Are you on target to reach shading level 4 or 5 on Friday? Let’s hear about some of your focus subjects and what you did.

I hope you all had a nice evening, well done yesterday, it was a really good day in class, the focus was excellent. You really applied yourselves, got the work done, and gave your best with everything I asked.

How did your reading go last night?

I’d also like to hear how you got on with your focus subject — the one you starred and are aiming to reach an effort of four or five in by Friday.

Here’s a photo of the fantastic quiz boards you made on flags the other day—well done on completing them! I hope you also picked up a little about electricity: how a circuit has to be complete for the electrons to flow, just like with any other electrical circuit—no breaks allowed! Third Class really enjoyed your visit, and you should be proud of the great work you did. Another big project is coming up very soon.

There is a school mass in the hall tomorrow after big lunch. I need one reader and we will be singing this song.

If you’re free at 2.20pm tomorrow, try to tune in and watch Cian McPhillips in the 800m final.

Cian McPhillips set a new Irish record yesterday in the World Championship semifinal and won his race. He hasn’t had an easy path—he’s battled injuries in recent years—but he’s a Maths student and representing his hometown of Ardagh, Co. Longford on the world stage. There’s even talk that he could bring home a medal at the World Championships.

It’s also worth noting that Kate O’Connor will be finishing her last few events in the heptathlon earlier tomorrow, likely around 1.00pm.

This week and next in art, we’re going to be making clay heads. To help inspire us, we’ll be looking at an artist called Augusta Savage. She was an American sculptor and teacher, best known for her amazing plaster and clay sculptures.

Today, we’re going to start the process. We won’t be using clay just yet—instead, we’ll be making an armature. An armature is like a strong base or skeleton that we’ll build our clay heads on next week. Think of it as the foundation of our sculpture.

I hope everyone has their novel in school today, this is your school novel, keep it in school until it is completed. I hope to spend 10 minutes each day reading quietly as a group.

How did your reading (Lost) go last night. Hopefully I see more hands up today saying that you have completed it. Remember to give reading the highest priority in your homework.

This little bit of reading every night actually matters. You might think, it’s only one page, but here’s what happens when you do it every single day:

• Your brain gets sharper. Reading is like training your muscles — the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Every night you’re making your brain quicker at understanding.
• You learn new words without even trying. That means when you’re writing stories, essays, or answers, the words just come to you.
• You understand more, faster. Comprehension is like practice for sports — if you train every night, the match feels easier. Reading trains you to take in information and actually get it.
• It makes everything else in school easier. Maths problems, History, Geography, even Science — they all have reading. The better you read, the easier those subjects get.
• It builds a habit. A little bit every night adds up. By the end of the year, you’ll have read as much as a whole book just by sticking to it.

So, when you read each night, don’t just fly through the words. Stop for a second — ask yourself, What’s happening? Why did that happen? What might happen next? That’s the real training.

And look — if you read a novel once a week as well? Brilliant. That’s bonus points. But even just this one page a night will make you sharper, quicker, and better at every subject. Trust me, this little habit is going to make a big difference.”

The Celts 16/9/25

Step 2 – Identify Key Information

• They no longer needed to live like nomads as they cleared lands and ploughed land so tey could grow plenty of food
• Defeated enemies easily with their iron weapons
• They spread to new territories in Italy, France, Spain and eventually Ireland
• Warriors elected chiefs and druids
• Druids worked as judges, bards (poets) and healers
• Ornaments like brooches and torcs important to the Celts
• Celts lived hill forts, promontory forts(high piece of land by the sea), and ring forts
• A souterrain was an underground passage in a ring fort
• Forts made of stone had placenames such as Cashel or Cahir
• Forts made of soil have place names with Lios or Rath in them
• Celts wrote beautiful manuscripts such as the Book of Kells
• They had a form of writing called Ogham, it was read from the ground up.
• Celtic way of life died off when Romans conquered Europe but the Romans never reached Ireland.

We completed Step 2 of SketchNote on The Celts yesterday and we will quickly complete Step 3 and 4 today.

Why are Ireland and Scotland called “Celtic” today?
In most of Europe, Celtic tribes were later taken over by the Romans (in France, Spain, etc.). Over time, their Celtic languages and culture faded.
But Ireland, Scotland, and parts of Wales were never fully conquered by Rome. That meant Celtic language, culture, and traditions survived much longer there.

Possible mural on the Celts

We looked at Bhí, tá and Beidh yesterday. What do you recall?

Translate these with your group.

He is upstairs?

It is upstairs.

Were you in school yesterday?

Will you be in school tomorrow?

I am walking to school everyday.

We will continue our work on Flags this week and combine it with Science. In groups of 2 you will find 5 flags and make an electronic quizboard.

Reading last night , how did it go? How are we set with our novels tomorrow?

We will begin a new programme called A Lust for Life tomorrow. WE will need your scrao book in.

I hope you had a nice evening. How did your reading go last night? How many of you have a novel ready to read in class on Thursday?

We began looking at flags yesterday, what did you learn about your flag. We will be taking a test on flags on Friday, it will let you know how we will do that later.

We will carry out a task later today that will help us give and follow clear, precise instructions, actively listening and check for understanding, see from another person’s perspective and allow us to work together to solve problems and succeed as a team. In teams of 2 one will receive a diagram and the other must build.

For the first half of September, we’ve been exploring world records, focusing on figures like Roger Bannister, Mike Powell, and Dick Fosbury. For the second half of the month, we’ll be shifting our attention to the Celts.

The Celts were a group of tribes who lived across much of Europe over 2,000 years ago. They were skilled warriors, farmers, and craftspeople, and they left behind a rich legacy of art, mythology, and culture. Their influence can still be seen today in language, design, and traditions.

Today, we’ll read from our history books and create sketchnotes to capture what we learn. We’ll also look at some Celtic symbols as inspiration for stencil designs to possibly display on our school wall.

Haris brought in our artefact a little earlier than usual this week. Normally, we share artefacts on Thursdays, but since he had it ready late last week, we decided to present it now.

His artefact was a mannequin head, about nine years old, complete with hair and a beard. Harris explained that his mom had used it when she was training to be a hairdresser, and sometimes to brush up on her skills. Interestingly, Haris told us that when the hair was cut, it grew back! We’re not sure if that’s actually possible, so Haris is going to clear that up for us today.

Does anyone know if the hair on practice mannequin heads can actually grow back, or was this perhaps just a trick of how they’re made? Thanks for the artefact Haris.

Haris made a good point on Friday about our Science Blast idea, although a solid experiment he felt the class arent learning as much as with your experiment last year. While this experiment isn’t focused on technical content like last year’s solar panel project, it gives us valuable practice in designing and carrying out a fair test, collecting data, comparing results, and drawing conclusions. We are learning how to ask scientific questions, test them in a structured way, and think critically about the impact of physical activity on learning.

On Friday we started working on our murals, and now we’re going to take the next step. The best way to get them up on the wall is by creating stencils. The same rules apply—you’ll design something on paper first, then we’ll transfer it onto a large sheet to make the stencil. From there, we can spray it onto the wall. Your design could be a word or an image, but remember it needs to work as a stencil. Choose something that can inspire others in the school. Some of your mural ideas are already excellent—we may just need to adjust them slightly so they fit the stencil style.

We had a fantastic Artefact Thursday yesterday. Kailem brought in a cup from 1983, with the inscription Cork Savings Bank S League, U16 Cup on it . The cup belonged to his dad, who, even though only 13 or 14 at the time, boxed at U16 level. I believe the cup was won after defeating a Kerry selection. It was a great presentation from Kailem, and the class were really interested. Well done, Kailem!

There was a slight mix up with days so Harris is going to present his artefact today.

Some of our Giant self portraits so far. You will get a few minutes today so the remainder of the class can complete them.

I didn’t get a chance to hand out the When I Was Your Age interview sheet yesterday. Remember, the goal here is to move away from one-word answers. When you come back to school in a week and a half, you’ll need to turn this interview into a script. That means you’ve got two weekends to work on it.

Take question two as an example: What was your favourite TV show or radio show growing up? I don’t just want the name of the show. Tell me about it—who were the main characters, what made it your favourite, and what time each week you sat down to watch or listen. The question is just a starting point for a bigger discussion.

Of course, some answers might only be a word or two, and that’s fine. But whenever you can, try to expand and bring the stories to life.

Our entry for Science Blast will take place in early March, sometime between the 5th and 7th. All three sixth classes will be going together this year, and we’ll all be doing the same project.

The project idea I’d like us to work on is: Does deadhanging improve your handwriting?

Here’s the plan in brief:

• First, we’ll test everyone’s handwriting in sixth class. We’ll run two tests—one for speed and one for appearance (how neat and clear it looks).
• Then, for one month, half of each class will take part in a deadhanging activity. Our class will build a deadhanging bar, and each day those students will get a few chances to hang for a few minutes. (Nothing fancy—just simple deadhanging, no extra exercises.)
• After the month, we’ll retest everyone’s handwriting for both speed and appearance to see if there’s been any improvement.

We’ll need to figure out the exact details of how to run the tests, but that’s the main idea.

What do you think? Any suggestions or changes? I mentioned this a few weeks ago, so if you have ideas, now’s the time—remember, I don’t need to submit our entry until Monday or Tuesday.

The questions will be

1. What games did you play at break time when you were my age?
2. What was your favourite TV show or radio show back then?
3. Did you have a mobile phone, and if not, how did you make plans with friends?
4. What was school like for you at that age?
5. What music did you love?
6. What was your favourite food or treat?
7. How did you travel to school each day?
8. Did you have a favourite teacher? Why?
9. What did you wear that you thought was really cool?
10. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a 12-year-old today?

Last year, when you were in 5th Class, the three 5th Classes came together to create a podcast called Desert Island Dis. This year, we’re making another podcast with a new theme: When I Was Your Age. It will compare life then and now. Your task is to interview someone older — ideally a parent, grandparent, or neighbour — about what life was like when they were 11 or 12 years old. You’ll get your interview sheets with questions to guide you, and you’ll have two weekends to complete the interview. After that, everyone will have a chance to audition, and the top four interviews will be chosen to feature in the podcast in a couple of weeks’ time.

More Less is More

It was great to read your pieces of writing yesterday in the Mysterious Box. Overall, they were very well presented. Your punctuation was strong, and you used capital letters correctly. Today, we’re following up with a little grammar work. We’ll be looking at a piece of text where we’ll need to fix capital letters, full stops, and commas. You did really well yesterday, and today is just a chance to build on that good work.

So, we’ll continue our work on the history of world records as we turn to Roger Bannister. Last week, we looked at his famous four-minute mile and the impact it had afterwards, often called the Bannister Effect.

Yesterday, we explored Mike Powell’s incredible achievement. Back in the 1960s, Bob Beamon set a long jump world record that many believed would last for a hundred years. But at the Tokyo World Championships, within the space of just five minutes, Carl Lewis and Mike Powell both challenged it. Powell went on to break the record with an astonishing jump of 8.95m — what a moment!

Today, we’re going to look at the man in the picture on the right. Take a moment: what do you know about him? Who do you think he is? What’s happening in that scene?

Chromebooks after lunch, we will start learning Scratch

Thanks again for all the presentations on your logos yesterday. We had so many creative designs and some excellent presentations. After much thought, I’ve chosen the winning logo by Pio and Tomas.

Their logo shows an ant lifting the sign ThinkWithYourInk. They explained that ants can lift three times their own weight, which makes it a great symbol for our class. Sometimes we underestimate ourselves, but like the ant, we’re capable of much more than we think.

They also used strong symbolism in their design. Purple represents imagination, green represents growth, and the magnifying glass reminds us that you don’t have to be big to do hard work or the best to achieve great things. I really liked how much thought they put into it.

That said, there were many other fantastic logos too—I was really impressed with everyone’s effort and creativity.

This morning we will start our class currency. The class shop is now open! Our currency will be called a bean . Once you’ve earned enough beans, you’ll be able to make purchases in the shop. I’ll be adding one more item to the shop today, but I’d also love to hear your suggestions for what else we could include.

In Maths yesterday we looked at Prime and Composite Numbers, today we will look at averages. You will attempt the level on the device and then you will work with your partner to solve this problem.

Problem: Average Screen Time

Six students tracked how many minutes they spent on their tablets over three days.

Tasks for groups:

1. Find the average screen time for each student across the 3 days.
2. Work out which student had the highest average and which had the lowest average.
3. Find the average screen time per day (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3).
4. Decide which day had the highest overall screen use.
5. Bonus: Who was the most consistent student (their 3 numbers are closest together)?

On Saturday Roland Sallai, who plays for Hungary, was sent off against Ireland. He felt he was being fouled, but the referee didn’t give a free kick. Instead of keeping calm, he let his anger take over. He went in with a bad tackle, and the referee sent him off. After the match, Sallai admitted that he didn’t deal with his anger properly.

Because of that one moment, he let his emotions control him. His team had to play the rest of the match with one less player. That mistake probably cost them two points, and maybe even a place in the World Cup.

There’s a lesson in that for us. When we feel angry or frustrated, we can either let it control us—or we can stop, breathe, and respond in a way that helps instead of hurts. Even top athletes like Roland Sallai have to learn that. We can too.

There was an improvement on focus yesterday and many of us are completing tasks more efficiently . We will try something in circle time this morning and we will also complete our drama activity from yesterday.

Photo of the Day

In Drama today we will be doing a lesson called Summer Snapshots.

Today, our class will be presenting their new logo designs. Last year’s winning logo was a fantastic symbol for our students. The winners chose the tortoise to represent the idea that slow and steady wins the day—a reminder that what we do doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s about giving our best. They also selected colours carefully, researching their meanings to show energy, creativity, and resilience.

This year, we’re excited to see the fresh ideas and creativity in today’s presentations. By this evening, we’ll have a brand-new class logo.

Alongside this, we’re also introducing a new classroom currency system this week. Students will be able to earn and spend their currency on a variety of items, and our new logo will be featured on this currency as well.

The winning logo will be officially announced in tomorrow morning’s notices.

As we spoke briefly about Japan yesterday we will play a version of Sumo Wrestling. Hopping on one leg and your hands behind your back you are trying to force your opponent out of the ring or to put their other foot on the ground.

We had our first Artefact Thursday yesterday. Miesha brought in our very first artefact. She showed us two photos that hang in her house.

The first photo showed a car on what looked like a muddy street, possibly from the early 1900s. There was no asphalt on the road yet, which gave us a sense of how the town looked back then.

The second photo showed the old tram. The tram was very important for Blessington, running every day and playing a big role in the life of the town. It made travel and trade much easier. If we had the same tramway line today, it would take a lot of traffic off the roads and be a great benefit to the area.

A big well done to Miesha for being brave and going first—you did a great job presenting in front of the class! Kailem up next.

Yesterday we learned about Roger Bannister. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to see if we could complete a 4-minute mile ourselves. So here’s the plan: each of us is going to run 67 meters (about 120 feet).

Since there are 24 students in the class, if everyone runs their distance, together we’ll complete a full mile. We’ll make sure to give each runner a running start to keep it fair.

In our predictions, some people thought we might finish as fast as 3 minutes 30 seconds, while others guessed as long as 15 minutes. Most of the class, though, predicted we’d end up somewhere between 4 and 5 minutes.

Now let’s find out: how close can we get to running a 4-minute mile as a class team?

This week and next we will be running off a 6th Class footgolf competition. After we complete our round of footgolf, we will be acting as referees for the other classes.

In music today we will learn about Brass instruments

We will play a fun dice game today. It is called PIG. It is a battle of wits, math, and chance. Competitors roll the die and choose whether to ‘bank’ their score or to roll again for a chance to bank the total of all rolls. However, if a player rolls a 1, they lose their turn and their points! The game is up to 50. depending on how long players want the game to last. PIG is a great way to exercise your arithmetic skills while having a lot of fun. Launch Game ?

In Art we will be looking at logos, what makes a good logo and what are some instantly recognizable logos. You will then be asked in teams of three to come up with a new logo for our 6th class website (ThinkWithYourInk) . I’m looking forward to hearing what stories your logo is going to tell.

This is the winning logo from last year, what story is it trying to tell us do you think?

Good work with the paper towers on Monday. The tallest tower came in with a height of 1m 74cm.

How did your homework go last night and more importantly your reading?

How did homework go last night? What effort level would you highlight at the moment?

How did you get on with reading?

Why do you think New Yorkers rely so much on the subway?”

Classroom Project: Paper Towers
Today we’re building paper towers! Each group gets two sheets of paper and unlimited tape. The challenge: build the tallest free-standing tower in the room.

• The tower cannot be stuck to the table.
• You may use as much tape as you like—but only on the paper.

Let’s see who can build the tallest tower!

In class today we will read Willy and the Cloud.

This story is about Willy, a curious and adventurous character, and a mysterious cloud that appears in his life. The book explores themes like friendship, problem-solving, and imagination.

Talk Time
Each week, you’ll get one target vocabulary word. For homework, write:

• The definition
• A synonym (similar meaning)
• An antonym (opposite meaning)
• A sentence using the word
• A variation of the word (e.g. frantic → frantically)

We’ll practice one together in class, then you’ll complete one at home.

A1

meaning the highest quality

Where “A1” Comes From
The phrase “A1” means the very best quality. It started with ships a long time ago.

• Ships were checked to see how strong they were.
• The hull (the body of the ship) was given a letter grade.
• The anchors and ropes were given a number grade.

If a ship got an “A” for its hull and a “1” for its equipment, it meant the ship was in top condition—the best you could get. That’s why today, when something is called A1, it means it’s excellent!

Sweden’s Road Switch – 1967
On September 3, 1967, Sweden changed from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right-hand side. The day was called “H Day” (for Högertrafik, meaning “right traffic”).

Why? Most of Sweden’s neighbors already drove on the right, and it made cross-border travel and car imports easier.

What happened on the day? For a few minutes, all traffic stopped. At 5 a.m., drivers carefully moved over to the other side of the road. Despite everyone worrying about accidents and confusion, things actually went pretty smoothly—but photos show big traffic jams and some comical chaos as people tried to adjust.

Why Do Some Countries Drive on the Left?
A long time ago, most people actually travelled on the left side of the road. This goes back to knights and swordsmen — most were right-handed, so riding on the left made it easier to keep their sword arm facing oncoming strangers.

In the 1700s and 1800s, some countries switched to the right side, especially in Europe and America, often because of Napoleon’s influence and later the spread of cars made in countries that drove on the right.

Today, about 65% of the world drives on the right, and around 35% on the left. Countries like Ireland, the UK, Japan, Australia, South Africa kept the old left-hand tradition.

The reason we don’t have “one road for everyone” is because changing sides would be hugely expensive and confusing — all the cars, roads, signs, and habits would have to be switched!

What does giving your best mean?

Giving your best doesn’t mean being perfect. It doesn’t mean being better than everyone else.

Sometimes your best work will look amazing. Sometimes it won’t look the way you hoped. But if you know you tried your hardest, then it’s a success—because your best today makes your best tomorrow even better.

For the past few years, we’ve taken part in Science Blast, and I’ll need to put in our entry for this year in the coming weeks. In the last two years, we’ve done projects that included skipping and jogging, and I’d love for us to have a sports-related theme again this year. I already have a couple of ideas, but I’d also like to hear your suggestions—so if you have any ideas, share them with me. Once our entry is submitted, we’ll begin building towards it in March, so we’ll need to get started quite soon.

In PE today we will play Endzone escape.

It was great to start off together and see your All About Me posters — they helped me get to know you a little better. We read the story Enemy Pie and We learned that sometimes someone isn’t our friend yet simply because we don’t know them well enough. The story helped us see that friendships take time and understanding to grow.

We watched Mona McSherry’s bronze medal race and her interview afterwards. She explained that her race wasn’t perfect — her goggles filled with water when she jumped in — but she stayed focused and finished strong. This showed us an important lesson: things rarely go perfectly, but we can still be resilient and give our best. It reminded us that challenges and setbacks are part of any journey, and how we respond to them matters more than perfection. This is a valuable lesson to carry with us throughout sixth class and beyond.

We’ll start with a couple of PE games, including a fun dice game to get moving. After that, we’ll read The Lion Inside. Before we begin the story, I’ll ask you an important question to think about: What is courage?

Later, we’ll be getting our first copybook, which will be used for sketch notes. We’ll watch a couple of videos to learn how sketch noting works, and then we’ll practice by focusing on one topic. This copy will be dedicated to sketch notes throughout the year.

In Japan, the crane is a very special bird. People believe it can live for a thousand years, so it has become a symbol of long life and good luck. Cranes are also thought to stay with the same partner for life, which makes them a sign of loyalty and strong friendship. Because of their tall, graceful shape and the way they fly, cranes often appear in Japanese art, poems, and celebrations. The most famous tradition is folding paper cranes. These origami cranes are now seen around the world as a symbol of hope, peace, and healing.

I know you looked at Sketchnote last year with Ms Sheward and we will go back over that today as we will be using it every so often this year. What do you remember about Sketchnote?

Sketchnoting is a way to remember things better. Instead of writing down every single word, you:

1. Listen or read what’s happening.
2. Write down short phrases so you don’t forget.
3. Shrink those phrases into a few key words.
4. Draw simple pictures or symbols to show the ideas.

By turning words into pictures, your brain works harder, and that helps the information move from short-term memory (stuff you forget quickly) into long-term memory (stuff you keep for a long time).

👉 Simple steps: Listen → Write phrases → Pick key words → Draw pictures → Remember!

We will take an in-depth look at this river this week on our Chromebooks.