Castlerahan National School

Hallowe’en Fun

The children had great fun wearing their spooky and super costumes to school on October 26th. Each child addressed the school community telling us who they had come as!

 

 

 

 

 

Gaeilge agus spraoi:

Bhain na paistí an thaitneamh as a bheith ina

múinteoir. Chuir siad ceist ar na páistí eile. Cad é sin? Bhí áthas an domhain orthu paiste a phiocadh amach agus freagair a fháil. Sin bus, Sin traein, Sin sicín, Sin

madra. Maith sibh.

 

October: Autumn & Halloween

Our Autumn theme began with a nature walk around our grounds. The children enjoyed looking at the trees and the leaves and bringing a collection into the classroom. We examined the colours associated with autumn and created finger print trees for the season. We constructed parks and gardens and used great imagination to make wheelbarrows for our leaves. The children took in the roles of great little helpers at home doing all the autumn jobs. They also became squirrels scurrying around collecting their acorns but not forgetting to have a little play in the meantime. The age old activity of leaf rubbings brought delight to their faces as the leaves appeared through the pages.

Our Halloween activities are only beginning but BEWARE there are some very scary masks on the way home. We’ve also been building a witches house and acting out the story of Hansel & Gretel. We are looking forwards to a spooky week next week as we get ready for dress up day on Friday.

 

September: Myself & School

In September we worked on the theme of ‘Myself” & ‘School’.

The children explored their names, their bodies, their families, the similarities and differences between themselves and their classmates.

They created a self portrait which involved some important paint mixing to see if we could find that all important ‘skinny’.  They also created a family portrait. They role-played home and school – interesting to hear what the teacher sounded like  🙂 They built our classroom and used our wooden and lego people and furniture to create their own world. Great imaginations.

The children enjoyed trying out our different play areas of roleplay, art, playdoh, small world and construction. It is great to see their personalities coming out when they are given a bit of freedom.

 

 

 

 

 

School Year 2017/2018

And we are off……………!

This year’s Junior Infants have settled in greatly. Have to say the parents behaved well too as we had nothing but smiles as the budding young students entered their new classroom to begin a new phase of their education with us here!

A big welcome to each and every one of them and especially to the new families joining us this year.  We hope your time with us here is enjoyable. Beware it will fly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friendship Week

Cooperative work with 2nd & 3rd class helpers – Ms Grogan’s children came over to work with Junior Infants as they created clay people (friends) to sit in their ship – their ‘Friend Ship’ previously created.

Other groups also worked on painting Elmer and his friends. We have been examining the Elmer Stories and working on the colours of Elmer’s patchwork skin. Now we look at his friends, Wilbur and Rose, examining their friendships as well as their skin colours.

 

 

 

Junior Tour – Mellows Adventure Centre

Disco & Talent Show

Grow in Love

In Religion we learned about Mary and how special she is to God, Jesus and to us all. We made flowers for Mary.

We also learned about Spring and the new baby animals that arrive. We made sheep for our altar to show Jesus as a good shepherd watching over his flock.

 

 

Easter Art

Junior Infants created chicks for their Easter cards. Cuteness all around. 

 

Theatre Puppet Show

A special treat before the Halloween break

Halloween

Spooky fun: making masks, haunted house, monster dominoes, cutting, sticking and sorting activities. The children also enjoyed a threatre puppet show on the day of our Halloween Break!

 

Autumn

The children of Junior Infants examined our Autumn theme through Aistear – they examined leaves, did leaf rubbings, learned about squirrels and hedgehogs, made nests, role-played Sammy Squirrels family, created forest and autumn trees. Great fun had!

 

 

Valentine’s Day Fun

The children expressed their love for so many……..So who do they love?

Mammy, Daddy, Brothers, Sisters, Grandparents, Pets, Cousins, Friends, Neighbours …..the lists were endless!

 

 

 

 

Kyle from Little Folk Music has been working with each class using music and drama. His musical talents have drawn the children’s attention. All classes enjoys Kyle’s visits. More photo’s to come.

Here are Junior Infants exploring their musical and dramatic selves.

 Junior Infants practising the rules of The Safe Cross Code! All children went home with their reflective jackets.

Keep Safe everyone!

 

2015/2016

Junior Infants along with Ms Wilson and Mrs O Reilly work in stations weekly. Here each group have a different task which rotates daily. here the children are drawing zoo animals, practising letter formation, painting Rose the elephant and combating their phonic blending through digital games.

In this the month of May we remember and celebrate Mary. We made some very colourful flowers to brighten up our religion board. Decorated names and sheep as well as the children’s hand prints remind us how we are all different.

We have been reading the Elmer series of books by David McKee. Elmer is an unusual elephant as he is patchwork in design and all different colours. The other elephant love him as he is full of fun. Throughout the book we meet many different characters. Each one is a different design which we examine through pattern in maths and colour and tone in art. They also help us to appreciate the differences in those around us.

Elmer’s Day. The grey elephants in ‘Elmer’ celebrate Elmer’s fun personality by holding an annual Elmer’s Day. On this day they paint themselves all over with different patterns and colours. Junior infants designed their own elephant for the Elmer’s Day Parade.