Any enquiries email cforde@stmarysns.ie

CityGuesser

Daily Games

(World)le

Wordle

All going well, Stone Age cooking will take place tomorrow, did anyone get a chance to bring in stones or wood.

One of the problems that our Stone Age ancestors had was that they didn’t have a cooking pot for their joints of meat because they didn’t have clay pots or metal ones at that period they had to use their fire now to make an oven.

With your group, create a short scene showing how a Stone Age family prepares and eats their food. Assign roles such as hunter, gatherer, cook, and elder. Think about:

What they talk about while eating?

How they collect food (hunting, fishing, gathering)

How they cook it using the fire pit?

Comprehension – Fact or Fiction?
Read each statement below and decide if it is FACT or FICTION. Circle your answer. If it is fiction, explain why.

1. Stone Age people used clay pots to cook their food.
   Fact / Fiction
   Explanation: ______________________________________
2. They cooked meat by placing it directly onto hot rocks.
   Fact / Fiction
   Explanation: ______________________________________
3. A cooking pit had to be lined with rocks before adding the meat.
   Fact / Fiction
   Explanation: ______________________________________
4. The cooking method in the video could be done on any type of ground.
   Fact / Fiction
   Explanation: ______________________________________
5. Stone Age people only ate meat and never gathered shellfish.
   Fact / Fiction
   Explanation: ______________________________________

How did your reading go last night?

How did your focus subject go?

The 5th class rounders championship will begin possibly today. There are 7 matches including the final, the games will begin at 2 pm . Here are the fixtures.

Ms Sheward’s Strikers v Ms Barry’s Blazers

Ms Sheward’s Sparks v Ms Barry’s Bombers

Mr Forde’s Flyers v Ms Sheward’s Strikers

Mr Forde’s Falcons v Ms Sheward’s Sparks

Mr Forde’s Flyers v Ms Barry’s Blazers

Mr Forde’s Falcons v Ms Barry’s Bombers

Final

Our PE warmup today

The Green Fields of France

The Green Fields of France is an anti-war song written by Eric Bogle. It reflects on the grave of a young soldier, Willie McBride, who died in World War I. The lyrics question the senseless loss of life in war, highlighting the contrast between the peaceful graveyard and the brutal reality of battle. The song expresses sorrow, questioning whether the soldier’s sacrifice was truly worth it. It serves as a poignant reminder of the cost of war and the young lives lost

Well, how do you do, young Willie McBride?
Do you mind if I sit here down by your graveside?
And rest for a while in the warm summer sun
I’ve been walking all day, and I’m nearly done
I see by your gravestone you were only nineteen
When you joined the great fallen in 1916
I hope you died well and I hope you died clean
Or young Willie McBride, was it slow and obscene?

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Did you leave a wife or a sweetheart behind
In some faithful heart is your memory enshrined?
Although, you died back in 1916
In that faithful heart are you forever nineteen?
Or are you a stranger without even a name
Enclosed in forever behind the glass frame
In an old photograph, torn, battered and stained
And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame?

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play The Last Post in chorus?
And did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

The sun now it shines on the green fields of France
There’s a warm summer breeze that makes the red poppies dance
And look how the sun shines from under the clouds
There’s no gas, no barbed wire, there’s no guns firing now
But here in this graveyard it’s still No Man’s Land
The countless white crosses stand mute in the sand
To man’s blind indifference to his fellow man
To a whole generation that were butchered and damned

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Ah young Willie McBride, I can’t help wonder why
Do those that lie here know why did they die?
And did they believe when they answered the cause
Did they really believe that this war would end wars?
Well the sorrow, the suffering, the glory, the pain
The killing and dying, were all done in vain
For young Willie McBride, it all happened again
And again, and again, and again, and again

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play The Last Post in chorus?
Did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

Did they beat the drum slowly, did they play the fife lowly?
Did they sound the death march as they lowered you down?
Did the band play The Last Post in chorus?
And did the pipes play the Flowers of the Forest?

We have a new student from Bilbao, Spain starting today, he will be with us for 4 weeks, he is called Pedro.

Have you heard of The Dubliners?

They were a famous Irish folk band known for lively traditional songs.

We will listen toThe Rocky Road to Dublin:

Scealaíocht

An Alternative Ending to Goldilocks and the Three Bears

One day, Goldilocks wandered into the forest and found a cute little house—teach beag gleoite. She knocked, but no one answered. Inside, she saw three bowls of porridge.

“Tá ocras an domhain orm!” she said, rubbing her belly. She tasted the first one—róthe! The second—rófhuar! But the third was díreach ceart and she gobbled it up.

After breaking a chair (briseadh an cathaoir!) and taking a nap in Baby Bear’s bed, she woke up to Mamaí Béar, Daidí Béar, agus Béar Beag standing over her.

“Cé tusa?!” roared Daidí Béar.

Goldilocks panicked. “Uh… mise? Eh… tá brón orm!” She leapt from the bed and ran straight for the door.

But just as she reached it, Béar Beag held up a babhla eile lán le leite. “Wait! You didn’t try my new recipe. It has seacláid agus mil!”

Goldilocks stopped. “Seacláid?! Well, maybe just one more bite…”

And so, instead of running away, Goldilocks and the bears sat together, eating porridge and laughing about the whole thing.

MORAL: If you break into someone’s house, at least bring dessert!

Cormac’s Landscaping Challenge

Aaron has just built a beautiful new house in Blessington, and he wants Cormac to put down grass seed and build a fence around his large front lawn.

Cormac’s Prices:

• Grass seed: €30 per square meter

• Fence: €20 per meter

Aaron’s Budget:

• €1,000

The Lawn’s Dimensions:

Aaron asks Cormac, “Can you do the job for €1,000?”

Your Task:

1. Find the area of the lawn (to calculate the cost of grass seed).

2. Find the perimeter of the lawn (to calculate the cost of the fence).

3. Calculate the total cost of the job.

4. Decide if Aaron has enough money, or if he needs to find a cheaper landscaper!

We will be in the library at 10:45 for kite building today also.

We made a a cool discovery yesterda ! It’s one of those facts that surprises people because we’re so used to thinking of milliliters in terms of liquids, like drops of water or medicine doses, which seem tiny. But when you actually see a 1 cm³ cube and realize that’s the same volume as a milliliter, it changes your perspective!

We should try filling a 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm cube (1000 cm³) and see that it holds exactly 1 litre.

The New Boots

Jamie had been looking forward to football training all week. He had brand-new boots—bright red, just like his favourite player’s. When he arrived at the pitch, he couldn’t wait to show them off.

But as he laced them up, he heard a snicker. “Nice clown shoes,” muttered Luke under his breath. A few others laughed. Jamie’s face burned, but he forced a smile. “They’re class,” he said, trying to sound confident.

As training went on, Luke kept making little comments. “Careful, Jamie, those boots might trip you up.” Every time he made a mistake, someone whispered, “Must be the clown shoes.”

Jamie stopped calling for passes. He ran less. His excitement from earlier had completely disappeared.

After training, as he walked to his bag, he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Ben, one of the quieter lads. “I think your boots are cool,” he said. “Don’t mind them.”

Jamie felt a small weight lift. Maybe Ben was right. Maybe the boots weren’t the problem after all.

Great work on your World Book Day art activity last week. Tell us about some of your favourite books.

On your Chromebooks this evening, you will be asked to research a question for our upcoming WWI podcast.

Here are the 11 questions we will answer in the podcast?

1. Causes of WWI – The alliances, tensions, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
2. Life in the Trenches – What daily life was like for soldiers, trench conditions, food, and diseases.
3. Weapons & Technology – Tanks, poison gas, machine guns, and how warfare changed.
4. Animals in WWI – How horses, dogs, and pigeons played a role.
5. Role of Women – How women contributed (nurses, factory work, etc.).
6. Major Battles – The Battle of the Somme, Verdun, Gallipoli.
7. Propaganda & Recruitment – How posters and speeches encouraged men to join.
8. Letters from the Front – Read real or recreated letters from soldiers.
9. Ireland & WWI – Irish involvement and its impact back home.
10. The End of the War & Treaty of Versailles – How WWI ended and its consequences.
11. Interviews: Some students can “act” as historical figures (a soldier, a nurse, a general) and answer questions.

Here is an example answer to Q4.

[Interviewer:] Today, we’re talking about some surprising heroes of World War One—horses, dogs, and birds! Why were animals so important in the war?

[Expert:] Well, armies needed horses to carry supplies, pull heavy weapons, and even transport injured soldiers. Trucks weren’t reliable in the muddy battlefields, but horses could keep going!

[Interviewer:] That makes sense! What about dogs?

[Expert:] Dogs were trained as messengers, running through dangerous areas with notes tied to their collars. Some, like the famous Sergeant Stubby, even warned soldiers of gas attacks! Others carried medical supplies to wounded men.

[Interviewer:] Wow! And birds—how could they help in a war?

[Expert:] Pigeons were incredible messengers. When radio signals failed, they flew over enemy lines carrying life-saving messages. One pigeon, Cher Ami, saved nearly 200 soldiers by delivering a message, even after being shot!

[Interviewer:] That’s amazing! So, these animals weren’t just helpers—they were heroes!

[Expert:] Exactly! Horses, dogs, and birds played a huge role in World War One, saving countless lives.

[Interviewer:] And now, we won’t forget their bravery!

ESB Science Class 2025

Feedback from Judge

Date: 5 March 2025

Stand Number: 95

Judge: Tracy McCauley

Project Title: Can Visualization Improve Juggling Performance?

School: St. Mary’s Senior National School, Wrestling

Judge’s Feedback

Scientific Method

This was a fantastic project where the students investigated whether visualization can improve juggling performance. They had a clear question before the experiment and predicted that visualization could enhance juggling ability. They used a strong scientific method by measuring juggling performance at baseline and then dividing participants into an experimental group and a control group. The two groups practiced different methods—one using visualization and one without. The students displayed great critical thinking, explaining that noise was a distraction to juggling and had to be overcome. They also provided a well-explained background on the history of juggling and the importance of visualization in sports and among successful individuals.

Creativity

The results were beautifully presented, color-coded for clarity, making them easy to understand and interpret—an essential aspect of scientific communication.

Collaboration

The students worked exceptionally well as a team. Everyone was involved, eager, and excited to answer questions.

Communication

The students communicated their ideas clearly and confidently. They even incorporated a reaction time test to help explain their understanding of the science behind their project.

Additional Comments

Well done to the students who put in so much time and effort to present a wonderful project. Congratulations to all!

Also for the month of March we will focus on reading and encouraging you to read a little extra. There is a reading record for each class and you will record the names of books you have read throughout the month of March. There will be a small prize for the class the reads the most, upstairs and downstairs. 

3rd & 4th class records on a board upstairs and 5th & 6th on a board downstairs. 

Here is your presentation schedule for tomorrow. We will have a class down today to hear a presentation. I hope to listen to every group present before hometime.

We hope to have the bus on the road before 9 tomorrow in the morning so be in on time. At the moment we should be arriving back in Blessington at 3:30pm tomorrow afternoon but Fiona will send out a text to your parents if there is any change to that.

One or two members of each group should practice their juggling today, I would be a good to include juggling as part of the presentation.

Did you get a chance to read and add symbols last night? What symbols did you include?

How did our focus subject go?

Any Maths questions?

Léifimid an píosa seo sa rang nípos déanaí.

Well done identifying these bodies of water with your atlas yesterday. I told you I would come back to Number 19 today. Do you remember it’s name?

I also told you something about the sea located at position 10, the Sargasso Sea.

Eels are one of the most mysterious fish in the world! All freshwater eels, including those found in Ireland, are born in the Sargasso Sea, a warm part of the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda. Scientists believe they hatch there because it provides the right temperature, currents, and food for baby eels. After hatching, tiny larvae drift on ocean currents for years before reaching Europe, including Ireland.

When they arrive, they change into glass eels, then elvers, and finally yellow eels, which live in Irish rivers and lakes for up to 20 years. When they are fully grown, they transform into silver eels and begin an incredible journey back to the Sargasso Sea—over 5,000 km away! There, they spawn (lay eggs) and die, though no one has ever seen it happen.

Eels do swim up Irish rivers, including the Shannon and the Liffey. In the past, they were a big part of Irish fishing, with people catching them for food. Today, eel fishing is restricted in Ireland because their numbers have dropped. However, some eels from Ireland are still caught and sent to other countries, especially in Europe, where they are a popular food.

We will take Chromebooks for the first hour again this morning to work on projects. Our Science Blast results team began crunching the numbers yesterday and they have concluded that the group who visualized had better juggling scores. However the currently have no figures to prove this. They are currently working on the average for each group but sometimes using the average is not always the best as there can be outliers.

House Prices in a Neighborhood

Imagine a small neighborhood with 7 houses, and these are their prices in thousands of euros:

200, 220, 250, 270, 280, 300, 2,000

If we calculate the average (mean) house price:

The average house price is 503k, but that doesn’t really represent the typical house price in this neighborhood because one very expensive house (2 million) is pulling the average up.

Instead, if we use the median, we arrange the numbers in order:
200, 220, 250, 270, 280, 300, 2000

Since there are 7 numbers, the middle one is 270k, which is a much better representation of what most houses cost in this neighborhood.

Lesson for Students:

The median is often better than the average when there are really high or really low numbers (outliers) that can skew the mean and make it misleading.

We began reading about World War One yesterday, on our KWL chart I could see some of you know quite a bit about it and we also wrote down questions you have. Some of the questions you asked were How were the trenches made? How much were soldiers paid? What happened if you lied about your age to get out of going to war? How did WWI end? What were the punishments for deserters? Can you still see trenches today? Did soldiers buy their own weapons? Many of these questions will be answered as we go through the topic. We will finish WWI with a class podcast. This is the format it will take. We will begin planning it after Science Blast.

It was a little unclear how WWI began after looking at Horrible Histories yesterday, let us take another read of how it began.

World War One began in 1914 because of tensions between powerful countries in Europe. Many had secret alliances, meaning if one was attacked, their friends would join the fight. The spark was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne. A Serbian man killed him in Bosnia, and Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia. This led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia. But because of alliances, other countries got involved—Germany, Britain, France, and Russia all joined in. Soon, most of Europe was at war. What started as one event quickly turned into a massive, deadly conflict across the world.

On the surface, it does seem like World War One started just because of one assassination and countries blindly following their alliances. But the truth is, tensions had been building in Europe for years.

• Rivalries & Militarism: Countries were competing for power, building up huge armies, and preparing for war.
• Imperialism: Many European countries controlled colonies and wanted more land.
• Nationalism: People in different nations wanted independence or to prove their strength.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was just the spark that set off a situation that was already dangerously close to exploding. Some argue the war could have been avoided with better diplomacy, while others believe it was inevitable given how tense things were.

Podcast Format:

1. Introduction

• Welcome the listeners.
• Introduce the topic: “Today, we’re diving into World War One—what caused it, what life was like for soldiers, and how it shaped the world.”
• Mention that different students will be covering various aspects.

2. Main Segments

Divide students into small groups, each responsible for a segment.

Topics:

1. Causes of WWI – The alliances, tensions, and the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
2. Life in the Trenches – What daily life was like for soldiers, trench conditions, food, and diseases.
3. Weapons & Technology – Tanks, poison gas, machine guns, and how warfare changed.
4. Animals in WWI – How horses, dogs, and pigeons played a role.
5. Role of Women – How women contributed (nurses, factory work, etc.).
6. Major Battles – The Battle of the Somme, Verdun, Gallipoli.
7. Propaganda & Recruitment – How posters and speeches encouraged men to join.
8. Letters from the Front – Read real or recreated letters from soldiers.
9. Ireland & WWI – Irish involvement and its impact back home.
10. The End of the War & Treaty of Versailles – How WWI ended and its consequences.

3. Special Features

• Interviews: Some students can “act” as historical figures (a soldier, a nurse, a general) and answer questions.
• Debate: One group can discuss whether WWI could have been avoided.

4. Conclusion (3–5 minutes)

• End with a thought-provoking question: “What lessons can we learn from WWI today?”

Results (Fatima, Maria, Roisin, Success)

What are the results? How will we display the results? Did visualisation improve juggling performance? How did you decide that? Did anything surprise you in the results? Were there students who improved a lot without visualisation? What could be done different if we repeated the experiment?

Step by Step Method (Patricija, Laura, Milena, Alma)

Write a clear step by step breakdown of how we conducted the experiment. Include photos, illustrations and a time line of the 25 days. Include a description of the visualisation technique used by a student.

The Art and History of Juggling: From Ancient Times to Today, (Benjamin, Callum, Cormac, Finn)

explore origins of juggling, its role in different cultures, famous jugglers and interesting records.

QR Codes for members of the class juggling and famous jugglers

Student Experiences & Reflections (Mason, Kai, Rian, Leon)

Gather short quotes from students about their experience highlighting clearly if the were a visualiser or not. Did the visualisation help? Was juggling easier or harder than expected?

Science Behind Visualisation (Amelia, Ella Grace, Leticia, Millie)

Write a summary of research showing how mental practice activates similar brain regions as physical practice.

Find examples of how athletes, musicians and even astronauts use visualisation to improve their skills. Swimmer Michael Phelps, tennis player Novak Djokovic have spoken about visualisation.

Common Challenges and How we Overcame Them (Kayla, Eabha, Luke, Edie)

Interview Students – what difficulties did you face (frustration, dropping balls frequently or struggling to visualise) and how the adapted

The Role of Focus and Concentration in Juggling (Hugo, Aran, Senan, Logan)

Explain how juggling requires hand eye coordination, timing and focus. Set up a reaction time game on the microbits and a sheet to record juggling scores from judges and students from other schools.

Quick description of steps needed to juggle

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me?

Any Science Blast Permission slips for me?

Each school project is allocated a stand, with a display board measuring exact size is 2055mm x 920mm and a countertop/display area which is 3m long and .5m in depth

We begin a new topic in history today and after Science Blast we will make a podcast on it. What do you know already about World War 1.

Our SEAI workshop will be on between 11:30 and 12:30 tomorrow Wednesday. This workshop will bring energy and sustainability into the classroom in a fun, interactive way.

We are at the semi final stage of the class chess championship. Maria will play Kayla and Hugo will play Kai in the semi finals. Anyone absent yesterday will get a chance to claim one of the two available spots in the lunchtime Chess League beginning next week.

We will play footgolf after lunch today. We will have a 5th class championship later in the year.

The Industrial Revolution: A Revolution Without War

The Industrial Revolution was a time of great change. It completely transformed how people worked, where they lived, and the way goods were made. It was a social revolution, a revolution without war, but it still had a huge impact on people’s lives. Before this period, most people lived in the countryside. There were few jobs and little money. Many people worked in farming, and others made their own clothes by spinning wool or flax into yarn using a spinning wheel. The yarn was then sent to a weaver, who wove it into cloth using a loom. This process was known as the cottage industry because it was carried out at home.

Between 1740 and 1840, the population of Britain and Ireland grew massively. This was due to improvements in farming and medicine. Fewer people were dying from diseases, and new farming methods meant that more food could be produced. However, as the population grew, so did the demand for jobs, and many people moved to towns and cities to find work in the growing industries. Historians agree that the Industrial Revolution would not have happened without this population growth.

The Textile Industry: The Beginning of Change

One of the first industries to change was the textile industry, which made clothes from linen, wool, or cotton. Before the Industrial Revolution, this was a cottage industry, but in the 1760s, everything changed. A young girl named Jenny Hargreaves accidentally knocked over her father’s spinning wheel. Her father, James Hargreaves, saw how he could improve the design and created a machine that could spin eight spools of thread at once. He called it the Spinning Jenny, after his daughter.

Now that yarn could be spun faster, people started thinking about ways to speed up weaving. Edmund Cartwright invented a new power loom, which made weaving much faster. But what made this loom special was that it was powered by a steam engine, invented by James Watt. The steam engine would become the most important invention of the Industrial Revolution.

The Steam Engine and the Growth of Factories

A steam engine worked by heating water in large tanks. The heat was produced by burning coal, so the coal industry grew rapidly. Coal mines opened all over Britain and Ireland, especially in Ulster. Mining was extremely dangerous. Children as young as six were sent underground to work. Hundreds of people died in accidents, such as falling rocks, underground floods, and fatal gas explosions. Miners used candles for light, but they sometimes caused deadly explosions. To help with this, Humphry Davy invented the Davy lamp, which had a gauze around it to stop flames from igniting dangerous gases.

The steam engine made it possible to power factories, where huge machines could produce cloth faster than ever before. This led to the end of the cottage industry. People who had once worked at home were now forced to work in factories. Cities grew quickly, and housing could not keep up with demand.

Life in the Factories and Cities

For the poor, the Industrial Revolution brought misery. People worked long hours in dangerous conditions for very little pay. Factory workers worked six days a week, and their only day off was Sunday. They had no holidays or protections. Housing was cramped, and there was no clean water. As a result, diseases spread rapidly. One of the deadliest diseases was cholera, which first arrived in the 1830s. It was caused by dirty water and killed over 30,000 people in Britain and 25,000 in Ireland.

Despite the hardships, some people benefited. The wealthy factory owners made huge profits, and the middle class grew. New inventions made some tasks easier, and over time, conditions began to improve.

The Industrial Revolution changed everything. It transformed the world of work, ended the cottage industry, and led to new inventions that shaped the modern world. It was a time of great progress, but for many, it also meant great suffering.

Who has heard of The Beatles?

What do you know about them?

Body Percussion – “Come Together” Rhythm Game

https://youtu.be/D9gA8erVrcY?si=T26jf4miXpPj0n5b

Never before had a car reached the wood panels at the top of the hall and on Friday we had not one but 3 cars reach them. Fantastic work by all groups. There was 20 points on offer for your project and we still have one section to complete before I total your points –  

Reflection & Explanation (2 points)

• 1 pt: Students can explain how their car works.

• 1 pt: They reflect on what went well and what they would improve.

Whether you’re experienced in chess or new , today we will learn the game together and hold a tournament to crown two winners, ensuring everyone improves.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Saint Valentine was a priest in ancient Rome, around 1,700 years ago. The emperor had banned soldiers from getting married, but Valentine secretly helped them because he believed in love. When the emperor found out, he had Valentine arrested and later executed on February 14.

Over time, people remembered Valentine as someone who stood up for love. In the Middle Ages, people believed that birds chose their mates in February, so the day became linked to romance. Over the years, it turned into Valentine’s Day, a time when people give cards, flowers, and gifts to show love and friendship.

Time depending we will have a Valentines Day Quiz today

Millie, a dedicated Manchester United fan, brought in her father’s late 1990s book, Access All Areas: Behind the Scenes at Manchester United, for Artefact Thursday. This 1998 publication by Adam Bostock and Roger Dixon offers exclusive interviews and insights into the inner workings of the club, providing a unique glimpse into its operations during that era.

Millie’s presentation was engaging and informative, showcasing her passion for the team and her ability to share valuable content with her classmates. Thank you, Millie, for your excellent contribution.

All groups did very well yesterda and only the final few touches needed to complete the cars. You will get another half today to complete them before heading to the hall after lunch to race them. Will we have the first car ever to hit the wood panels at the end of the hall?

Éabha’s persuasive writing piece has been selected as the one to be read to Ms. Steedman’s class. She will need some support going over there today.

Is Selling Sweets in School a Good Idea?

By Éabha

Miss Steadman’s class are selling sweets for the Junior Entrepreneur Programme, but is it a good idea?

The idea is good because students are learning business skills like marketing, budgeting, and teamwork. Coming up to Valentines Day and calling their product ‘True Love Treats’ is a genius move. Their product is also well presented—the sweets come in a clear plastic cone, showing the effort they put into this business. I am sure many students who bought them think they were really good too.

However, some families only allow their children to have sweets except on weekends, so they might feel left out. Additionally, our school policy only allows sweets on Fridays. What if students want to support the business but can’t? A possible solution could be offering a healthier option.

And don’t get me started on the pricing. The price is three euros for one cone and two for five euros. This deal encourages students to buy more, which could lead to health concerns. Should that incentive be there?

Overall, I think a good solution would be to offer a healthier option and reconsider the special offer.

We read about Strongbow a few days ago. Richard de Clare, known as Strongbow, was an Anglo-Norman knight who played a key role in the Norman invasion of Ireland (1169–1171). He married Aoife MacMurrough, securing his claim in Leinster. He died in 1176 and was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, where his effigy remains today. There was a question after the story the last day – This story is set in the 12th century, what test of maturity might a father expect his 15 year old son to pass in modern times. It began an interesting discussion in class and I came across tis story last night.

Ralph had always loved football. From the moment he could kick a ball, his uncle was there, watching, supporting, and coaching. As Ralph grew older, his talent became clear. He worked hard, played with passion, and eventually earned a place at QPR, playing Championship football.

His uncle loved telling stories about him. People thought his proudest moment might have been when Ralph was called up to the first team, scored a hat-trick, or dribbled past top players to smash the ball into the top corner. But no—it was none of those.

His proudest moment came when Ralph was just 14. That day, he faced a midfielder who was bigger, faster, and stronger. Ralph struggled. He lost challenges, got beaten in the air, and couldn’t keep up. His uncle watched, feeling for him. Football can be lonely when things aren’t going your way.

But Ralph didn’t complain. He didn’t blame the ref. He didn’t give up. He started thinking—how could he adjust? Where should he be? How could he work harder? He didn’t dominate that game, but he kept fighting.

That was the moment his uncle knew—Ralph would be a great teammate, no matter how far he went in football.

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me?

Any Science Blast Permission slips for me?

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me?

Any Science Blast Permission slips for me?

Good start to Friendship Week, Friendship Bingo was great fun and we will definitely try Ping Pong Blow Ball again.

You will select a secret friend today and we will have more Friend Activities this evening. We will play Hoop Waddle and Cup Stacking

It is Safer Internet Day, we will look at cyber bulling today

Almost everyone completed their agamographs on Friday. It wasn’t an easy task especially folding the paper accurately. Well done.

It is Friendship week. We will start each da this week choosing an Act of Friendship you can do today.

This afternoon we will play Friendship Bingo and PingPong Football.

We played Rock, Paper, Scissors with our Microbits last week, this week we will learn how to get our microbits to talk to each other.

For the first half of our Chromebooks today we will be looking at Mountains, Mountain Ranges and Desserts of the world.

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me? I completely forgot to go over them yesterday.

In Favor of the Junior Entrepreneur Programme & Selling Sweets:

1. Encourages Business Skills – Teaches students valuable skills like marketing, budgeting, and teamwork.

2. Great Presentation & Branding – The sweet cones are well-designed and visually appealing, making them an attractive product.

3. Fun Treat for Students – A sweet cone is a nice reward, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up.

4. Incentivizes Creativity & Effort – Students put effort into designing, pricing, and selling their product, making the project more engaging.

5. Encourages Sales Strategies – Offering a deal (two for €5) helps students understand pricing strategies and customer behavior.

6. Raises Money & Teaches Profit-Making – A real-world experience of making a profit from their own business idea.

Against Selling Sweets in the Junior Entrepreneur Programme:

1. Health Concerns – Too much sugar can lead to health problems, and students may eat more than they should.

2. Encourages Overconsumption – The “two for €5” deal could lead to students buying more than they actually need.

3. Environmental Impact – Plastic wrappers and leftover sweets could lead to littering around the school.

4. Lack of Healthy Alternatives – No option for students who may want a healthier treat.

5. Educational Responsibility – Shouldn’t students also learn about the effects of excessive sugar consumption? Maybe labels should include ingredients and warnings.

6. Potential for Distraction & Pester Power – Some students may pressure their parents or friends to buy sweets, and it could create distractions in class.

Let’s explore another story about friendship. What solutions can you think of, or what could have been done to prevent this situation?.

Picture your Method

For the first part of this task, you’re going to try to answer a calculation in your head, without using pencil or paper.

What is 18 x 5?

Jot down your answer.

The answer is definitely not the most interesting part of this problem! Much more interesting is thinking about the way you arrived at your answer.

Below you can read what five learners said when they were asked how they worked out their answer:

Can you match each drawing below to one of the methods described above? 

Here are the results of yesterday’s worksheet. Did all 5 groups have similar opinions as to what a good friend is?

Let’s explore another story about friendship. What solutions can you think of, or what could have been done to prevent this situation?.

We will begin the 1st draft of our persuasive writing today. What do we include in the 4 paragraphs?

Persuasive Writing      4ú Feabhra

Title – is a question

Paragraph 1 – states the issue, the reader should still not be aware what side of the argument you are on.

Paragraph 2 – gives the opposing point of View (giving the opposing point of view makes your argument stronger and more convincing)

– it shows you understand the topic and have thought carefully about it

– by mentioning the opposing Point of view you can now argue why it is weaker

– it builds trust with the reader by acknowledging important facts

Paragraph 3 – gives our Point of View

Paragraph 4 – a possible solution to the issue

Here is a recent newspaper article (not a real article). You are being asked to write a persuasive letter to Taoiseach Michael Martin in favour or against this new policy.

Banning Sweets at Supermarket Checkouts WORKS!

Banning Sweets, Chocolate, and Crisps at Supermarket Checkouts Appears to Stop Unhealthy Impulse Buying by Shoppers, a Large Ireland Study Reveals

A major study in Ireland has found that banning sweets, chocolate, and crisps at supermarket checkouts has led to a significant drop in unhealthy impulse purchases. Researchers analysed data from 30,000 households, comparing their buying habits in the year before and after major supermarkets implemented the ban. The results showed an immediate reduction in purchases of these high-fat, high-sugar snacks, with the decline continuing as long as the policy remained in place.

The study revealed that shoppers at supermarkets that removed unhealthy products from checkout areas bought nearly 20% fewer of these items. Experts believe that many of these snacks are picked up on impulse while waiting in line, particularly by parents shopping with children. By placing these tempting treats at the checkout, supermarkets have been accused of using “pester power” to encourage unhealthy purchases—children see the products and pressure their parents into buying them.

The success of the supermarket bans has now caught the attention of the Irish Government, which is considering making the policy mandatory across all stores. While sweets, chocolate, and crisps would not be banned from supermarkets entirely, retailers would be required to keep them away from checkout areas.

Public health experts argue that such measures are necessary to help tackle the nations health. In addition to checkout restrictions, supermarkets would also be required to limit special promotions on unhealthy snacks to further discourage impulse buying.

As Ireland debates a nationwide ban, the findings from this study highlight the potential for simple policy changes to influence healthier shopping habits.

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me?

Rían brought in a medal that was 30 years old, it was from 1995. Rían’s dad won it. His Dad was promoted to the senior team the following year and scored a point in Blessington’s final game of the year to keep senior status. Well done Rían, what a lovely artefact and you presented very well.

News Article 1

article 2

We are onto topic 2 of Stay Safe. Today we are going to think about friendships, what makes a good friend, how we keep friends and how we resolve any disagreements which we might have with a friend.

For our project day this month we will make Electric Cars, we will put the books away for a day either this week or next.

Finally in Art this week you make gamographs

There was some great elevator pitches yesterday. I took Senan’s pitch and typed it up. It is called – Why Kids should get paid to go to School.

Why Kids Should Get Paid to Go to School

Adults get paid to go to work—so why don’t kids get paid to go to school? When you really think about it, school can actually be tougher than work. Adults get to choose their jobs, but we don’t have a choice—we’re required to be here.

We spend six hours a day in school with only two short breaks, while many adults get an hour or more between meetings. Even teachers complain about school sometimes, but at least they get paid for being here.

And what about families struggling with money? If kids earned something for their time in school, that extra income could help support their families.

It’s time to start seeing school for what it really is—hard work—and work deserves to be paid.

Tests today, how did our focus subject go? What effort levels will you be highlighting?

Let’s take a look at our reading.

Art from earlier this week.

There has been a huge effort put into the first 11 days of our juggling. I know some of you might feel there has been very little progress but believe me I can see huge improvements.

Juggling can be tricky at first, so teaching resilience is key! Here are some resilience tips.:

Embrace Mistakes

✅ “Dropping the ball is part of learning!” – Every mistake is a step toward improvement. Even expert jugglers dropped the ball thousands of times before mastering it.

Focus on Progress, Not Perfection

✅ Improvement happens in small steps. If they can keep the balls in the air for a second longer than yesterday, that’s a win!

Reset and Breathe

✅ If frustration builds up, pause, take a deep breath, and try again. Learning new skills takes patience.

Skills grow with effort – your brain is learning every time you try! “I can’t juggle… YET!” is a great way to reframe struggles.

Schoolyard Length Challenge: The Human Measuring Tape!

Problem:
This morning in groups of 3 you are going to measure the length of the basketball court. I will give you a measuring tape in the classroom but you are not allowed to bring the tape outside. How can you measure the court then? I have the actual length, who will be closest when we return to the classroom after.

Picture your Method

For the first part of this task, you’re going to try to answer a calculation in your head, without using pencil or paper. When you’re ready, click below to see the calculation.Hide

What is 18 x 5?

Jot down your answer.

The answer is definitely not the most interesting part of this problem! Much more interesting is thinking about the way you arrived at your answer.

Below you can read what five learners said when they were asked how they worked out their answer:

Can you match each drawing below to one of the methods described above? 

Problem:
A robot is programmed to follow these rules when moving on a number line:

1. It starts at 0.
2. It moves 3 steps forward (to the right) every time you press the green button.
3. It moves 2 steps backward (to the left) every time you press the red button.

If you press the green button 5 times and the red button 3 times, where will the robot be on the number line?

Bonus Challenge:
Can you find a general formula to calculate the robot’s position if you press the green button g times and the red button r times?

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me?

It is the final day to get our RDS photography consent form in. You will receive another permission slip next week which is a school permission slip.

Last week for Artefact Thursday, Mason brought in a huge amount of football memorabilia. Football memorabilia collecting is the hobby of acquiring and preserving items related to football history. Collectors seek jerseys, autographs, match programs, tickets, boots, and other artefacts from clubs, players, and historic games. It’s a passion-driven activity, with rare items holding significant sentimental and monetary value, connecting fans to their favourite teams and moments in football history. 1 notable piece of memorabilia was a souvenir match programme from the 1999 Champion League final between Man United and Bayern.

International LEGO Day is celebrated annually on January 28th, marking the anniversary of the patent for the original LEGO brick in 1958. This day honours the creativity, innovation, and joy that LEGO has brought to millions worldwide. Fans of all ages celebrate by building new creations, sharing their collections, and reflecting on the impact of LEGO on education, entertainment, and design. From simple childhood play to complex architectural models, LEGO encourages imagination and problem-solving. esterday you were asked to build golf putters, here are our results. Well done.

How did your reading go last night?

How did you get on with our focus subject?

Any Maths questions for me?

Well done to all our jugglers and well done to our visualisers also. 20 days of juggling left.

Let us listen to how snowboarder Alex Deibold visualizes before the gates open .

We are on Lesson 3 of Stay Safe, in today’s lesson we will be learning about A Child’s Right to be Safe. You will become familiar with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. You will understand that with every right there is a responsibility.

Think of it like being on a soccer team. You have the right to play in the game, but you also have the responsibility to show up for practice, work hard, and play your position well. If you don’t fulfil your responsibility, the whole team might struggle, and you might lose your chance to play. Rights and responsibilities are like teammates—they have to work together to win the game.

How are your elevator pitches coming along. What topic have you chosen?

Here’s another elevator pitch as to why schools be open 7 days a week instead of 5

“Imagine a world where schools are open 7 days a week—pure magic, right? Picture this: Millie mastering Monday math, Hugo tackling Tuesday history, and by the weekend, Aran, Fatima, and Kayla are giving back by washing teachers’ cars! (Because why should weekends be just for Netflix?)

Think about it—two extra days to learn, grow, and, of course, help out with all those coffee spills in the teachers’ lounge. We’ll raise the next generation of unstoppable, well-educated superheroes… and our cars will never be cleaner. 7-day schools: making dreams—and windshields—shine!”

You will see on homework this week that there is no Spellbound and instead you will be doing an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a super short and clear explanation of an idea, project, or who you are—like a mini commercial about something you want people to know. The idea is that it should be so quick and simple you could say it during a short elevator ride, like 30 seconds to a minute.

Here are some ideas you can choose from this week.

My Elevator Pitch to Michael D Higgins 🙂

“Okay, imagine a world where Mason, Rían, Amelia, and Alma go home after school with no homework. What would happen? Chaos, that’s what! Mason would be up all night playing video games, Rían would be trying to train his dog to do parkour, Amelia would start plotting world domination (she’s totally capable), and Alma would decide she’s moving to the moon because, why not?

Homework keeps all of that under control! It’s the glue holding society together. Without it, brains turn to mush! If anything, we need more homework. Picture this: a world where Mason writes an essay about why pizza is awesome, Rían solves a math mystery about how many cats it takes to rule the world, Amelia invents the next big thing in science, and Alma writes a story so good Netflix wants to buy it.

Getting rid of homework? No way. We need to eliminate that idea instead! More homework for all, and may the pencils always be sharp!”