Wednesday 27 January 2016

Class Reminder

Reminder to all 5th and 6th class: Ensure you bring your bike and helmet with you tomorrow (Thursday). As there is a possibility that the children may be going out on the road with Gerry Butler, he will not be in a position to loan the children helmets (due to insurance purposes). Please ensure the children have helmets for cycling.


Monday 25 January 2016

5th and 6th class are brewing up a storm!

LearnStorm Ireland (formally known as MATHletes) is a free, 9-week maths challenge designed to build confidence and competence.


From January 29th through April 1st, students across the island of Ireland can master maths skills on khanacademy.org to earn rewards and recognition for themselves and their school.

LearnStorm gives every student a way to succeed, no matter their level.

Here are some of the benefits of the maths challenge:


  • LearnStorm rewards progress and perseverance equally, giving students of all abilities an opportunity to succeed. Additional weekly Growth Mindset activities engage the creative mind and help students develop effective learning strategies.
  • Students earn points by practicing maths on Khan Academy’s personalised learning platform, with thousands of exercises, integrated with hints and videos.
  • Students can work independently and as members of their full school team, building school pride and earning recognition.
  • Students can work on LearnStorm from anywhere, whether it’s at school, or at home. All the student needs is their Khan Academy account.

We are looking forward to completing our missions to earn points for our school (and unlocking new avatars!)


For more information on LearnStorm Ireland visit http://www.learnstorm2016.org/resources/ireland#downloads

Information for parents:
Encourage your child to be involved by perhaps setting aside a certain time
to complete LearnStorm, encouraging progress and acknowledging achievement!













Thursday 21 January 2016

Bike Safety Course

Last Thursday, 5th and 6th class started their bike safety course, provided by Mayo County Council. We have been learning a lot about road safety for cyclists - road positioning, using hand signals and being aware of other road users. Also, we're having great fun practicing our cycling skills on our bikes such as balancing and maneuvering - take a look:

While I was doing the bike safety course, I enjoyed the game Simon Says, it was very fun and makes you think about what he says. During the bike safety course, I have learned to always cycle on the left hand side of the road. I have also learned that if you are cycling on the road always listen and be alert when a car is coming.
-Niamh, 6th class

While I was doing the bike safety course I enjoyed doing the game figure of eight. I enjoyed this because you had to be aware of your surroundings and you had to be very focused. During the course I have learnt a lot of things that I did not know before. I would really like to do a course similar to this one. Now that I have finished the course, I feel much more confident cycling on the roads.
-Ellen, 6th class
While I was doing the bike safety course I learned  how to use hand signals how to read road signs. Next I will try to remember all the road safety rules I learned and to use them. I also want to practise my hand signals. I would really recommend this bike course.
-Roisin, 5th class

While I was doing the bike safety  course I enjoyed the figure 8 game .I learned how easy it is to get run over. I will be much more careful in future. I will also try to practice my balance. I loved the bike safety course!
James Greally 5th class




Great fun as well as teaching us how to cycle safely on roads. One day we tried cycling straight forward while not looking at our wheel. It proved a great challenge but once we learned it, it was easy to do. I hope Gerry continues his job at helping us cycle. 
-Kelan,6th class.


I really enjoyed the hand signal and the figure of eight game. I also learned that cyclists always cycle on the left hand side of the traffic.I will be more aware on roads now that I know everything.
-Grace Grealy, 6th class
                                                                                                                                                
I enjoyed a game called figure of eight,the closing circle, and a game where we had to cycle around the yard and use hand signals to turn. I learned how to brake properly too.
 Cathal Greally, 5th class