Welcome to Mr. O'Connell's class
A big welcome back to all the boys in 5th class! After enjoying the summer we can't wait to get back to the classroom. Please scroll to the bottom of our page to see our latest news and activities.
We took some time out of our busy first week to support Ellen Keane in the SB8 100m breaststroke at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. A huge congratulations to her on winning the gold medal!
A very important part of our week is golden time. This allows us to unwind after a very busy week and chat in our pods about what we have planned for the weekend ahead. Last week many groups played Chess while others got involved in Scrabble or Jenga.
One of the most sought after prizes in our class each week is the the title of "Handwriting of the Week". Congratulations to the winners so far this year.
It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of all the boys during P.E. this week (10/9/21). Well done on a brilliant game of Unihoc.
On Friday (Sept 24th) we made our long awaited trip to Waterstown Park. It was fantastic to see such biodiversity in the locality, as well as the historic Farmleigh Bridge. Check out the pictures of our trip below!
This month also saw the start of the "Marathon Kids" initiative, where we will run a marathon over 8 weeks. It is fantastic to have the Oval to complete the running and it is proving to be a fun way of staying active and healthy!
October '21
On Friday (1st October) we began our "Dig In" webinars through Agri Aware. Our first webinar was all about Dairy production and how milk gets from the cow to our fridge. After the webinar we investigated how butter is made and decided that we should make some of our own! Contact any 5th class boy for our method!!
Click on the tractor to go to the Dig - In Website!
As part of Data, we decided to collect our own data, recording all types of vehicles passing the Oval for a 20 minute period. We processed this data and some of our results can be seen below!
With Maths Week just around the corner we took part in a STEM challenge to get prepared. Maths week takes place from the 16th to 24th October.
Over the last two years, we have had a lot of time to reflect while we have been in lockdown. Sometimes we can think about things that worry us or make us upset. To help us overcome our bad thoughts, we have a worry pot in our classroom. Every couple of weeks, all the worries in the pot are burnt to symbolise how we overcome our worries.
Ms. Ellis has been doing Junk Art with us and has let us use our imaginations! We made everything from spaceships to model houses.
See below for our Halloween Dress Up Day
November '21
In November we remember those who have died. Even though we are sad that they have passed away, Our Remembrance Hearts are a way of celebrating the lives of our loved ones and friends.
It's ok not to feel ok all the time! If you feel down and are unsure what is wrong, ask yourself the question "Am I
Hungry
Angry
Lonely or
Tired?"
Our second biodiversity trip took place on the 19th of November. On this occasion, we studied trees such as Yew, Ash, Willow, Hawthorn, Holly and other native species. As it was a beautiful day, we also brought our lunches and had a picnic.
And the picnic....
Juggle Boules has made a long - awaited return!
December '21
Friday 3rd of December saw us finish our Marathon Kids Challenge. The weather delayed our final kilometre by a week but it was worth the wait. 42k........ Completed!
STEM investigations have always been some of our favourite challenges. Over the past number of weeks we have been modifying our scalextric racing cars to improve their speed and handling. A dedicated team from the "Bohemians" group has also built a car!
Our entry for the Christmas door decoration competition organised by the student council.
Our Battery powered Advent Wreath!!
We had another great game of juggle boules this week, with one lucky boy winning a homework pass for scoring 21 on his very first throw!
January '22
After settling back in for another term, we created hand art. Here are some of the interesting creations we made.
Our latest STEM activity was based on aerodynamics. After studying how planes generate lift (and how racecars create downforce), we were challenged with making a paper airplane and making modifications to improve it!
February '22
The 1st Day of Spring saw use revive the tradition started by St. Brigid of making St. Brigid's Crosses.
This month's STEM activity saw us try to change the trajectory of a projectile (a small crayon) through a minimum of 90 degrees. Our inspiration for this challenge was the "Mythbusters - Bending Bullet" episode.
We hope to have all designs fully finished before the mid term break!
March '22
World Book Day
With the ending of Covid -19 restrictions in schools, we were able to invite Ms. Sloyan's Senior Infants to Room 8 to read them some stories. Some of us also dressed up in our favourite characters.
Friday March 4th - Our Trip to the Phoenix Park
Ar an Lá Glas, chuamar go dtí an Sraidbhaile Phámár chun freastal ar Pharáid Naomh Pádraig.
The Parade, run by Stewarts Hospital was a fantastic day out, with the weather making the return of the parade to Palmerstown a great day.
On Wednesday 23rd we accompanied Ms. Sloyan's Senior Infants on their nature trail to Waterstown Park. It also gave us an opportunity to complete our sound measuring experiment to find the loudest and quietest areas of our locality. Our results can be seen below.
Credit: Aaron H
April '22
Wellbeing Week
What a Wellbeing Week we had. On Wednesday 6th of April we went to Parnell Park to watch the Cumann na mBunscoil final. After a great game St. Lorcan's won! Congratulations to all the boys, especially Cain, Aaron H and Jack O'C who were members of the panel.
Friday 8th April saw our first Mad Hatters Walk in 3rd years. It was brilliant to be back in the parade around Palmerstown. Congratulations to Conor L and Lennon for winning prizes for their creations.
