Fáilte romhaibh go léir chuig ár seomra ranga!!

Welcome to the 5th & 6th Class Page

With the seashore at our doorstep, and the Burren as our backdrop, our curricular experiences are truly immersed in nature. A healthy, active, and happy learning environment is central to our daily experiences.

Below is a sample of our learning and photographic memories from our vibrant and active classroom. We hope you enjoy our page:

We love our trips to the seashore—We play on the sand, explore the seashore, have sandcastle competitions, and gather shells when we visit the seashore.

In September, we brought the shells and pebbles back to the class, and the following day, we decorated jars and flower pots with our shells. We adhered the shells with putty. Later on that week, when they were dry, we painted some of them.

We placed our pebbles onto a picture frame and created a ‘pebble art’ representation of our 6th class!!

We travel to the Burren quite often, exploring its flora and fauna as we walk along its Karst landscape.

We studied the names of the common Burren flowers in English and Irish. Please watch the video we made with Cula 4!!

An Bhoirinn | Scoil Chiaráin Naofa

Cula 4 Video

 

 

Sport

Sport is an important part of our day in Scoil Chiarain Naofa. In 5th and 6th, we become involved in many sporting competitions throughout the year. This year was no exception. We enjoyed being involved, traveling to different venues, and experiencing the success of sporting challenges. We took home some silverware, but the best trophy is the memories that we took home with us.

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, we all come together. We walk and talk for 15 minutes before we go into our classrooms.

At school, we also play hurling, camogie, football, yoga, hockey, basketball, badminton, athletic challenges, dance, and co-operative games.

Overall, we are a very sporty bunch, filled with energy and a love and zest for the outdoors from early in the morning and throughout all our breaks and P/E times.

We always begin our week with a ‘Walk and Talk’ 15-minute session. As we walk, we talk!! We run, jump, stroll, and chat with our friends about our weekend activities.

We usually enjoy our Walk and Talk sessions two or three times a week.

Here we are!!! Having a game at 9:30 a.m. We love to go out onto the Astro turf pitch and start up a game of soccer, football, hockey, or hurling—whatever the mood takes us!!

We were involved in a variety of sporting competitions:

Imríonn na buachaillí agus na cailiní peil ar scoil.

Both boys and girls were involved in inter-school leagues and tournaments throughout the year.

In October, we played in the Mini 7’s football competitions. We had a great evening of football!

Our Doorus Football Team were winners of group D in the Football Garda Tournament in October also.

The Boys team played an amazing Cumann na mBunscol league in May. Unfortunately, we lost by one point to Kilcreest in a nail-biting final which went to extra time. We really enjoy playing football.

Hurling

Every Monday, we practice our Hurling Skills. During March, April, May, and June, Mick came to our school to coach us. He perfected our Football, Hurling, and Camogie skills every Wednesday.

During the year, Boys and Girls were involved in a variety of Hurling and Camogie Competitions, including Mini-7s, Cumann na mBunscol, and the Garda Tournament.

We enjoyed participating in all competitions and traveling to each of the venues.

We play Hockey on our Astro turf. We run in school leagues, which we really enjoy.

We had a very eventful Olympic Handball year. We play Olympic Handball on our Astro pitch. Olympic Handball is a very popular sport, and over 40 Galway Primary Schools are involved in under 11, Mixed under 12, and Senior Competitions.

 

We kicked off our championship Under 13 Competitions in November. Amazingly, our Boys and Girls won all the qualifying leagues, and both Boys and Girls played in the finals, which were held in Oughterard Community Centre in December. A fantastic competition refereed and organized by The Irish Olympic Handball Association.

Both boys and girls teams got to the Finals and emerged as Runners-up to Craughwell N.S. and Moyculleen NS. A great achievement for our young players.

In February, we played in the Mixed Under 12 Competitions. In April, we played in the Under 11 Handball Competitions in Knocknacarra Hall. Again, our boys and girls competed so amazingly in all of their competitions. Olympic Handball is a sport we all enjoy.

We love Basketball, and our Basketball court is used every day. Our Senior Boys and Girls participated in The Primary School Basketball Competition in Gort in June. Again, a great day enjoyed by all. Our Final game was down to the wire.

Spot Mark in our picture collage below, scoring a dramatic free throw!

Our boys and girls play with Kinvarra Parish teams. This year, all participants had a very successful hockey, soccer, camogie, and Hurling season with their fellow Kinvarra Club players.

Sport’s day

Sport’s day is one of our favorite days. All children from Montessori to 6th, including teachers, enjoy a fantastic day in June. Running, finding our teddy bear in the teddy bear race, hopping in the sack race, helping each other in the three-legged race, and the spud ‘n’ spoon race. The teachers versus the students is an exciting event. And the golden prize for all is an ice cream cone from Mr. Wimpy’s ice cream truck at the end of a fun-filled day sponsored by our Parents Association.

I.T

In our classroom, we use a variety of I.T. devices to research, enhance our projects, and publish books and PowerPoints. We use iPads and laptops. Each child has their own laptop, which they have access to in class. Every week, we use our I.T. resources to publish our work. Each child, in September, purchases a license for Mathletics and Reading Eggs, which they have access to at home and in school.

Homework and daily school work is published on Google Classroom. Parents and children have access to this platform, and work can be accessed and published through this medium.

We were involved in the "We are Writers" project last term, and we published our own school novel. Each child in the school wrote a story. Our book was amazing and went on sale in September 2023.

The pupils of 5th & 6th class completed a 12-week Coding/Scratch Program with Ms. Leneghan. They submitted their own designed Scratch Projects to an online Scratch Competition. All students received Certificates of Merit for their amazing coding projects.

Art and Craft Work

We love Art and Craft. Here we are using paper and perfecting our weaving skills. We continued to perfect our weaving skills using wool, where we used a loom and designed woven mats and little rugs. We really enjoyed this work. Also, this year, we made a sewing book which traced our sewing skills.

We made a red mat which sits under a vase of flowers on my bedside locker at home.

 

 

Our weaving display!!

 

We developed our paper-weaving skills and made paper lanterns. We were studying Vietnam and discovered that the Vietnamese hold a special Lantern Festival. We based our craftwork on this idea, and on May 8th for our Annual Darkness into Light remembrance, we lit a candle in our lanterns that morning.

Lantern Festival is one of the most unique attractions of Hoi An and throughout Vietnam. Candles are placed and burned at the bottom of colorful paper lanterns, creating a glowing atmosphere in the twinkling moonlight.

We used lollipop sticks to make a fruit bowl:

 

We love working with clay

 

We really enjoy painting our clay faces and giving them personalities!!

We enjoy sewing. We began our sewing skills on paper, drawing pictures and sewing around them. Then we progressed to sewing on felt and fabric. Here we are using cross-stitch to sew a colorful rainbow.

 

Some students from 5th and 6th class stay in school from 3:10 PM to 4:45 PM every Friday evening to enjoy sewing and craft classes. They use the class sewing machines and complete beautiful sewing projects. Below are some samples of their creations!!

 

We enjoy participating in art competitions. We entered the local Kinvarra Community Games Art Competition in May. Many of our fellow classmates emerged as winners on the local podium and qualified to participate in the Community Games County Final.

We were all so excited when Sarah Frawley received a Bronze Medal for her art skills in the County Community Games Final.

Maith thú, Sarah!!

 

Our School Garden–

In 5th/6th class, the children participated in The Agri-aware–INCREDIBLE EDIBLES project. The project involved the following:

Incredible Edibles is an award-winning healthy eating and growing programme.

Our FREE grow box was delivered to our school in March. The project involves 5 tasks, growing the seeds and keeping a log of their growth.

The deadline for project submissions is 24th May 2024.

 

THE FIVE TASKS – involved;

 

Task 1: Food Origin This task aims to get you and your pupils thinking about where food comes from before it reaches the supermarket shelves. You will receive a more comprehensive email on this task once it begins. Begins 15th January 2024

 

 

Task 2: Identifying Irish

 

This task teaches pupils how to recognize Irish produce and to understand why we may or may not be able to grow certain foods in Ireland. Begins 5th February 2024

 

 

Task 3: Sowing & Growing

 

 

Your grow box will arrive in March. Your pack contains some new additions for this year including a surprise new fun food for growing. More details to come! Begins 4th March 2024

 

Task 4: Cooking & Preparing

 

This exciting task is designed to enhance creative food skills in the classroom and at home. Begins 8th April 2024

 

 

Task 5: Healthy Eating

 

By this stage of the programme, your pupils will have learned where food comes from and how to grow it themselves. Now it is time to increase healthy eating within the school environment. Begins 29th April 2024

 

Agri Aware's National Healthy Eating Week 13th - 17th May 2024 The Incredible Edibles programme will wrap up with Healthy Eating Week. Be sure to get your school and community involved. - Challenge everyone to eat 7 a day for 7 days - Host a smoothie making competition - Move your bodies more

 

Once Spring peeped its head, the pupils of 5th and 6th began preparing the garden for its future season’s growth.

We received seeds of carrot, lettuce, turnip, 5 potato seeds, a strawberry plant, sunflower seeds, and compost on April the 14^th. We planted some of the seeds, including lettuce, cress, and the strawberry plant, in an incubator in the classroom as it was a little too cold outside.

Once the seeds were strong, we transplanted them into the soil in the garden. We also sowed the carrots, spuds, and turnip seeds. For the next few weeks, as part of our project, we observed, recorded, and logged down the progress of growth.

This project was then returned to the agri-aware offices where it was assessed.

We were so delighted when we received the following email from the agri-Aware Office

Dear Students of Scoil Chiarain Naofa

CONGRATULATIONS!

We are delighted to tell you that you have achieved your accreditation to be an official Healthy Eating School.

 

You have achieved the level of: GOLD INCREDIBLE EDIBLES SCHOOL.

 

Your food journey and work were inspiring. Thank you so much for actively partaking in our project, and successfully encouraging wellbeing within the outdoor classroom, learning where your food comes from and how to support Irish, as well as learning how to grow, cook, and eat your own food!

 

What an amazing year it has been.

 

We really enjoyed watching our garden grow!!

On 6th class Graduation Day, our 6th class planted our traditional 6th class tree. We are developing our Fruit Garden.

So this year, 6th class sowed a Pear tree. Last year, our 6th class planted our first pear tree. So this year’s tree now has a new pollinator friend.

Food Dudes

We enjoyed participating in the Food Dudes Educational School’s Programme this year. In recognition of our involvement, ‘Food Dudes’ sent us an iconic wall plaque for our work.

Below, our most senior student, Mark, and youngest student, Kyia, accept the award on behalf of the students of Scoil Chiarain Naofa.

We love baking, and once a month or for a special occasion, we bake a variety of delicious goodies such as apple tarts, scones, bread, butterfly fairy cakes, marble cake for St. Patrick’s Day, and of course, gingerbread men and Christmas biscuits. We also learn to make healthy options such as smoothies, pizza, and healthy treats. We really enjoy eating our creations afterward.

Music

 

Below, our guitarists play for our parents at the school graduation and various school and Christmas concerts;

Our Sacraments

Our Confirmation Day was a very special day. We are so grateful to Fr. Hugh and Bishop Duignan for administering our sacraments.

Our School Mural

Our School Mural;

with!!

Kate Kelly

Freelance Artist and Art Teacher at Art Room 109

6th class Mural with Kate

 

We are so grateful to Kate Kelly, our local artist who spent a week with us in April. Kate kindly gave us a free art workshop and enabled 6th class to put together our mural ideas and affirmations. We creatively decorated our bird design, which was a symbol of our dreams, using the art of Zentangle: "Let your dreams be your wings."

Link below to learn the art of Zentangle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plIFRQgJ45U

Our display is now visible at the front entrance of Scoil Chiarain Naofa. The theme of our murals this year was "Every ending has a new beginning."

We are so grateful to Kate for working on this with us.

 

 

 

 

Our School Graduation and School Tour

On Thursday, June 20th, we hosted our Annual 6th Class Graduation.

Our parents and guardians attended. We celebrated our school memories, played music, received our 6th class hoodies, key rings, edible graduation goodies, and played a very exciting Teachers vs. Students Soccer Game.

Sarah Costello presented graduation scrolls to the boys and girls. We are so grateful to our Parents Association, who hosted a tea party for all afterward.

Members of our 6th class who joined us in Doorus Montessori Preschool with Aoibheann and Siobhan were photographed with Ms. O'Riordan in Infants… and finally in their 6th class year.

 

 

 

We traveled to Emerald Park the following day on our School Tour!

Memories of our School Tour... What a fantastic day we had in Emerald Park!

 

Our 6th class bade us farewell on June 21st, 2024, and set sail on the next chapter of their young lives.

On behalf of staff, fellow students, and our school community, we wish our wonderful 6th class every blessing go deo!!

 

 

Go n-éirí an bóthar libh i gcónaí rang a sé!!

Martina Ní Tharpaigh...

 

 

 

 

 

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