Filling Buckets – A Project in SPHE

‘Have You Filled A Bucket Today’ by Carol McCloud

(A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids)

is a picture book suitable for four to seven year olds.

 

We had a quick read of it, so we understood its message

and then we started our ‘fill a bucket’ project.

 

The message in this book is that

Everyone throughout the world carries with them “a bucket”.

 

In that bucket we carry all of our good feelings and thoughts about ourselves.

Other people fill our bucket when they say and do nice things.

And we can do the same for other people.

 

We find when we fill someone else’s bucket we feel good about ourselves

and our buckets get filled up too.

 

We used plastic cups to make buckets.

During the week we wrote compliments on post-its

and put them in other people’s buckets.

 

At the end of the week we read the post-its in our buckets.

This made us feel GREAT about ourselves

and about the other people in the class. 

 

A SPHE Project – The Shoebox of Kind Acts

Teacher made a shoe box into a postbox.

 

This week she asked us to write down times

 

other people in the class

 

were kind to us on a post-it

 

and to sign it.

 

Everyday she read out what was written down.

 

It was good to hear how kind we are to each other.

 

At the end of the week there was a BIG pile of post-its.

‘The Crayon Box That Talked’ by Shane Derolf – Respecting Differences

Crayon Fence
Photo Credit: laffy4k via Compfight

The Crayon Box That Talked – By Shane Derolf

While walking in a toy store

the day before today,

I overheard a Crayon Box

with many things to say…

 

“I don’t like Red!” said Yellow.

and Green said, “nor do I”

and no one here likes Orange,

but no one knows quite why.

 

We are a Box of Crayons

that really doesn’t get along”

said Blue to all the others.

“Something must be wrong!”

 

Well, I bought that Box of Crayons,

and took them home with me,

and laid out all the Crayons

so the Crayons could all see.

 

They watched me as I coloured

with Red and Blue and Green.

And Black and White and Orange,

and every colour in between.

 

They watched as Green became the grass,

and Blue became the sky.

The Yellow sun was shining bright

on White clouds drifting by.

 

Colours changing as they touched,

Becoming something new

they watched me as I coloured.

They watched me ’til I was through.

 

And when I’d finished,

I began to walk away.

and as I did the Crayon Box

had something more to say . . .

 

“I do like Red!” said Yellow

and Green said, “So do I,

and Blue you are terrific,

so high up in the sky!”

 

“We are a Box of Crayons

Each of us unique,

But when we get together,

the picture is complete!”

Paint a rainbow
Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Mark J P via Compfight

Writing prompt: ‘Magical Photos of Children Playing Around The World’ from @Fascinatingpics

Earlier in the week I posted a writing prompt

of a series of photographs showing  

dangerous and unusual ways to come to school. 

These pictures showed how different

many children’s lives are to ours.

 

It is good to look at the differences

but it also good to look at the similarities

between children also.

 

Click on this link to see photos of children playing

from faraway and interesting places.

This pictures are from @Fascinatingpics.

Play is certainly something that children

have in common wherever they live.

 

This time I can’t choose my favourite pictures

as there are so many of them. What about you?

Do you have a favourite? Why not write about it!

 

Writing Prompt: From @BoredPanda, 25 Most Dangerous & Unusual Journeys to School in the World

Look what I found on Twitter!

Click on this link to see children

travelling to school in unusual ways:

I thought this would be a writing prompt

that was topical and would be fun to use.

 

My favourite photo was the one of

the boys climbing the wooden ladder

in Zhang Jiawan Village in China …

until I saw the girl on the zip wire.

Which one is your favourite?

SPHE: 2nd Class: Two Special Visitors

Isabella’s recount:

On Wednesday afternoon, 2nd Class, Room 6

had two very special visitors.

Senan’s Mum and his baby brother Markus

came up to our classroom.

 

Clara, Senan’s Mum sat at the top of the class

holding Markus on her lap

and she answered questions

that we had for her about Markus.

 

Very soon Markus started answering the questions too

in the only way he knew how.

He gurgled and giggled and blew bubbles

at the children in the class.

 

Markus was a lovely visitor

and we would like to thank his Mum

for bringing him to see us.

 

Then we made a podcast about the visit. Click on the link at the top of this post to hear more!

Teddy Flying
‘Teddy Flying’ by Abegoein on Flickr

Kind Words Make The World Go Round


Julia’s poster.

Every month the whole school reviews a school rule: 

The first school rule is

‘Respect: Kind hands. Kind feet. Kind words’.

 

We made posters for a school wide competition:

Posters on the theme of ‘Kind Words Make The World Go Round’:

Try our slideshow maker at Animoto.

This week was Anti Bullying Week, Term One

We have renamed it, more positively:

‘Be A Good Friend Week’.

Teacher will give out Good Buddy Awards certificates

from Seomra Ranga

Best Buddy Award from seomraranga.com


Rebecca’s colourful poster.

Can you spot your masterpiece? on Photopeach. Adult supervision of children on the internet is always necessary.

Teacher found this useful website when she was preparing this theme:

A Website about Getting Along

A Better Name for Anti Bullying Week

 As a Whole School we wanted a more positive name for Anti Bullying Week.

We have an Anti Bullying Week each term.

We brainstormed in class and this is what we came up with. 

  • Make New Friends Week
  • Be Kind Week
  • Friendship Week
  • Be Careful Week
  • Speak Up Week
  • People are Precious Week
  • Helping Others Week
  • Be Nice Week
  • Be a Good Friend Week
  • Thoughtful Week
  • Caring Week
  • Be Happy Week
  • Care for others Week
  • Fun Week
The winner was:
Be Kind and Be A Good Friend Week

Real Maths: A Survey about Bicycle Helmets

Bicycle Safety.

Remember always wear your bicycle helmet!

Second Class, Room Six conducted a survey about wearing bicycle helmets.

We asked each class from First to Sixth:

1. How many children have bicycles?

2. How many have helmets?

3. How many wear their helmets on their bicycle?

 

The findings were interesting.

We found that children in First Class were the most safety conscious.

 

Wearing a bicycle helmet can save your good looks.

A bicycle helmet can SAVE YOU FROM SERIOUS HEAD INJURY

A bicycle helmet can SAVE YOUR LIFE

 

These were the findings

Though 97 per cent of people had bicycle helmets

Only 61 per cent wore a helmet.

39 per cent didn’t.

 

Doctors and nurses who work in Accident and Emergency

would say that they wish people had to wear helmets by law

as they see serious head injuries from people who didn’t wear bicycle helmets.

 

When Garda Linda came to visit our class she said it was important too.

 

Good Mums in the Animal Kingdom

Good Mums in the Animal Kingdom.

 

Our Mums gives us food we like to eat.

A mother swan finds tender shoots that are easy for her babies to swallow.

 

Your mother loves to play games with you.

A mother cheetah plays a game to show her cubs how to hunt.

 

If a mother has to leave her baby, she chooses someone she can trust.

Mother giraffes help one another by looking after each other’s babies.

 

A mother’s voice is special. Babies always know their mother’s voice.

 

A mother dolphin makes a clicking sound. Her baby knows to follow it from the moment he’s born.

 

Mothers carry their babies close to them to keep them safe.

A mother orang-utan carries her baby for more than two years. Luckily her arms are strong and powerful.

 


We are growing peas. The little shoots have just sprouted.