I hope you had fun and did some interesting experiments. I really love science, especially the practical parts! Let me know what you like about it.
Month: February 2023 (Page 1 of 2)
Primary Matters is the Primary Newspaper brought to you by Year 6
Welcome to the second edition of this school year! For this edition, we have investigated how the New Year is celebrated, quizzed children on the playground about what they are looking forward to in 2023 and we have a special interview with Ms Robleh about how we can help the planet more in 2023. Adella has debated whether iPads should be banned and we´ve got the scoop on the new primary garden. Read all about it by clicking the links below:
An interview with Ms Robleh – how can we help the planet more in 2023?
Should iPads be banned in schools? Read Adella´s opinion piece here.
Exciting developments are taking place in the Primary playground. Ms Robleh and the eco warriors have been working hard on the creation of a school garden in the playground. Excitement is running through Primary, with children thinking that it is a very important idea since it helps
improve the environment by giving us fresh food, as well as providing more habitats for insects to live in the playground, and finally the massive advantage of giving us hands-on gardening education.
Ms Robleh has had this idea for a few years, and has always been excited by giving the opportunity to children to learn about lots of new things by interacting with the process of growing plants and vegetables, it is more than just about watering plants! For example, it is very important to know where our food comes from and it is also a very nice activity to support nature, because we get more insects like bees and butterflies. The huge benefits of growing fresh, healthy produce that doesn’t have to travel miles on trucks, planes or ships.
A garden is also something that Ms Robleh has been asking the Eco-warriors for ideas or had conversations with the school, it’s an idea that most people enjoyed. These projects are at the centre of what the eco-warriors in Primary want to do to improve our school environment. We know that the garden will be a huge success at Caxton and we cannot wait to have our turn getting our fingers green!
You can sign up for gardening club now!!!
Debate rages about the use of technology in schools. On one hand, some people think there shouldn’t be iPads in schools, but on the other, people speak about the many amazing things iPads do for learning.
The pro iPad side would argue that iPads also make learning far more interesting. Let’s say we were studying volcanoes. It is fascinating to watch a video of one erupting rather than looking at a picture in a book. It also takes a lot of time and effort to research a topic in a book. The instant nature of the internet speeds up a child’s learning process and creates higher quality work. This issue has many different dimensions to it and it isn’t a simple issue. For example, if we didn’t have iPads in schools, we would go through so much paper every day. A school will use an average of 2,000 sheets of paper per day. This means that during a full school year of 160 days, a school will go through over 320,000 sheets of paper! We are in the middle of a climate change fight, therefore, using iPads is a tool in the fight against climate change.
The anti Ipad side would say there are several reasons why iPads perhaps shouldn’t be used in schools. Too much screen time can lead to bad posture, back aches, neck and shoulder strain, wrist pain, sore eyes, headaches, stress and poor sleep. Teachers also say that iPads can be very distracting in the classroom and make it difficult for students to pay attention to them, especially those students who have concentration issues.
On the other hand, some teachers believed that iPads had a positive impact on learning and found them an invaluable learning tool. They say that iPads can make lessons more entertaining which makes it easier for students to remember what is being taught.
In my opinion, perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss new technology and that iPads have firmly established themselves as an important learning tool.
Have you ever wondered how New Years is celebrated around the world? Well, in this newspaper you’ll find everything.
The US
In the great US, families and friends gather around to have a feast and “Ring in” often with a toast or a song. They also enjoy watching New Year’s festivities at Times Square in New York City. New Year’s Day (January 1st) is a national holiday in the United States. So that’s why 92% of Americans celebrate New Years. Imagine a huge family party, there would be so many people. It would be chaos.
The UK
In the UK, just before midnight on New Years Eve, people hold hands and sing a traditional song called “Auld Lang Syne” They count the seconds to the new year and when it suddenly becomes the new year, people hug and wish each other a happy new year. Others sometimes set off fireworks into the night sky. Would you love to sing in the New Year?
This writer’s home country, Albania
In Albania, we have dinners and have meals like byrek, turkey, salad and others. People stay awake until the new year and count the seconds until the year. When it strikes midnight, people wish each other a happy new year.
On January 1st, people have lunch with other family members like aunts, uncles, cousins and others. This is a real family event.
Canada
Many people start the new year with parties to welcome the year. Those parties are at bars, clubs and homes. However, in rural areas, some people spend the night fishing with groups of friends. Canadian’s favourite dish in the new year is long-noodles to promise a long life just like the long noodles! Fishing at night?! That sounds so strange. What would you think of that?
Spain
In Spain, the streets fill with people, music playing and cars honking their horns to greet the new year. There are also celebrations at bars and clubs. Many hotels organise special New Year Eve celebrations including dinner, dancing and entertainment, and grapes.
The 12 grapes people eat under the table match the 12 chimes which represent the 12 months of the year. Is this how your family celebrates New Years?
Japan
One of the traditional ways to celebrate New Years is Hatsumode or the first shrine visit of the new year. Many Japanese go to visit a shrine on January 1st, 2nd and 3rd to pay their respects and also wish for a happy and healthy year. The shrines get very crowded and families go altogether because everyone wants to have a happy and healthy year. So traditional, what would you think?
There are different ways people celebrate New Years. How do you celebrate New Years? This reporter thinks the clear message is to be with the people you love and who make you happy at this special time.
Llum P interviewed Ms Robleh to find out more about the Eco Warriers, food waste and how we can help the planet more in 2023.
Why did you set up Eco Warriors?
I studied a Masters in Sustainable Development and when I started working in schools, I thought there was a big opportunity to help the planet by working with schools to make them more environmentally friendly.
Having students involved in how we are making the school more sustainable means that they can learn how better to help the planet and take action at home.
Being an Eco warrior empowers students to find ways to help the planet and to help spread awareness of what we can all do.
What difference can kids make to save the planet?
When we make small actions, if lots of us are doing it, we can have a big impact!
Eco Warriors, for example, help spread awareness of what we can do to help the planet – like not throwing rubbish on the floor, recycling when possible, not wasting food, walking or using a bike for short journeys rather than relying on using a car.
Spreading awareness and these actions make a big difference. I have had parents tell me that because of what their children have shared with them
they are now recycling at home.
Last term there was a big effort to stop food waste – we all loved the stickers we got in the dining room! But why is food waste an important issue?
We waste a third of the food we produce. It’s like going to the shops, buying three bags of food and then immediately putting one of the bags straight into the rubbish bin.
Why does that matter? Because, to make food we use a lot of resources that impact the environment: land (to grow the plants or to keep animals on), water (which many countries don´t have enough of) and energy (tractors and machinery used to grow, harvest and produce food). So when we throw that food away, it’s like we are also throwing away those important resources.
The food that is thrown away ends up going to landfill sites (big areas just for rubbish). Here the food breaks down, releasing methane gas. Methane gas is a greenhouse gas which is 27 times more potent than carbon dioxide. That means it’s really bad for the planet.
If that wasn´t bad enough, the food waste also releases a poisonous liquid called leachate, which goes into the waterways (rivers and streams) and harms the wildlife that lives there as well as poisoning plants.
If food waste was a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gas in the world after China and America!
So food waste is a really big problem but is something we can all help to reduce.
What can we do at home to help reduce food waste?
Most important is to use up your leftover food – if someone has made a meal and there´s some left, you can freeze it for another day or turn your leftovers into a new meal.
It’s also important not to waste the food on your plate. Don´t snack as much so you are hungry at meal times. Only ask for the amount of food you know you can eat. You can always ask for more food if you´re still hungry but it’s
hard to re-use food that has already been on your plate.
You can also compost your food waste – vegetable peels can be composted and then the compost can go into making more nutrients for the soil and you can grow your own vegetables!
Last term we voted on which menu items we didn´t enjoy as much. When will the new menu items be announced?
Right now the Eco Reps from secondary and the Eco Warriors from primary are thinking about how to adapt those old recipes to make them more appetizing for students. They will then be taking their ideas to the kitchen and the kitchen will prepare alternative options for them to try.
Once the alternatives have been agreed on, we will be announcing the new meals – watch this space!
OMG! It’s already 2023, these past 11 years have just flown by, and in a few months we’re going to secondary Aaaah! I’m getting even more anxious about that, the closer we are to it but, I always wonder, what are other people thinking about? So if you need to know, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be interviewing a few people to see what different opinions each of them have about the pressing issues.
New year, new me is a thing we hear often, what are your opinions about New Year’s resolutions?
A person, who has preferred to remain anonymous, told me she thinks New Year’s resolutions are positive since, it helps us get better every year. But, another child named Claudia insists New Year’s resolutions should be done on your Birthday because that’s technically YOUR New Year. Who do you agree with?
A teacher (Mr.Pickford): said New Year’s resolutions seem to be more important to adults than children, but are often not completed.
Let’s think about ourselves for a moment, what are your opinions on the Newspaper club this year?
Tom Y5: I think it’s a good idea but, I have seen the articles and they could be better by adding more personality.
Boyan Y5: Their papers are interesting!
Imogen Y6: It’s cool to have a newspaper club for advanced writers! And I love the blog entries!
Next, the pressing issue of school food, what is your least favourite school food this year? Why?
Alejandra Y5: Paella with ham and cheese because ham and cheese is not a meal, it’s an appetiser.
Sofia Y6: White beans with soup. Probably because of the texture they have and the flavour; they taste like tomatoes.
Anonymous: All the soups; I just don’t like them!
What is your favourite school food this year? Why?
Inés Y5: White rice with tomato sauce. Because I love how the tomato soup pairs with the rice.
Alejandra Y5: Pizza ( I have heard other people say that too ) because of the flavour.
Anonymous: Ice cream! I wish they would still put it!
Ana Y4: beef and chicken with pasta soup.
Thinking about the roles of clubs in our Caxton lives, what is your favourite club this year? Why?
Tiago Y6: Karate. Because it serves to protect yourself and makes you flexible.
Tessa Y5: Art. Because it’s creative and I use my imagination.
Inés Y5: Swimming. Because I’m in the water and I love swimming.
The big event of the year is the return of CGT! What do you think about Caxton’s Got Talent?
Tom Y5: It’s a little embarrassing but, still fun!
Ana Y5: It’s good teamwork and it’s fun to practice with our friends!
Sofia Y6: I don’t see the point in it!
Belén Y6: It’s fun but, if you fail the auditions it’s disappointing.
Gabi Y6: I don’t think it’s necessary.
As you can see primary is full of natterings about the topics of the day. This reporter thinks CGT is the most exciting return!
You can join the conversation by leaving a comment below.
This article is from the second edition of the Primary Matters newspaper, for more articles see here
