Third Class’ Trip to Dublin Zoo!

On Tuesday the 30th of April Ms.Travers’ and Mr Dunne’s 3rd class went to Dublin Zoo. We headed off on a bus. We all had partners. Everyone played card games, read, talked, drew, sang or made up handshakes. Luckily nobody threw up! We finally reached Dublin Zoo and everyone was so excited. When we got out of the bus it smelled so wonderful. We could smell fresh air.We walked along, it was so lovely to walk in the forest. We went to meet our tour guide. She was very nice. We were very hungry when we got out of the bus so we had lunch. It was so lovely and we went to see the animals. We walked along to see a hilly piece of land, it was full of animals. We saw ostriches, they were playfully walking around. There were two boys; I know this because they were black. We learned that the boys are black and the girls are grey. We saw giraffes and they were very tall. The mother giraffe was looking after her babies.

We also saw zebras. The zebras had a lot of stripes and they were so cool. We saw rhinos and they were very big. We saw many more animals like monkeys, they were not shy at all, they were looking up at the glass and jumping from branch to branch. We also saw elephants, they were pushing themselves down hills in muck, they were so cute. We saw a lot of other animals like tigers, lions, wolves, chimpanzees, primates, gorillas, penguins and snow leopards. It was a great day, everyone laughed and were fascinated by the animals. Before we left we went to the playground and saw the reptiles. There are so many animals in the zoo. I have an interesting fact for you. Did you know there are 550 animals in the zoo?

When we went back on the bus, the lion didn’t want us to leave because he let out a huge roar. Some of us were scared and some of us were happy and just laughed. We left on the bus and a lot of people were singing Queen. It was a great day; both of the 3rd classes enjoyed it!

By Pearl Rose

Category: Third Class, Media Team | Comments Off

May 28 2019

An Interview with Mr. O’Donovan!

Were you nervous meeting your new class?

I have to say I was really nervous because I didn’t know the class and they had no idea who I was. It was difficult because I was going to be taking over from a fantastic teacher, half way through the school year. I wanted to put my own little twist on things as well as keeping some of the groups routines, so it was a nervous time for me!

What was it like leaving your old school?

It was very strange because I started my teaching career there. I had only been there for two years but I had met some amazing pupils and teachers, and had built up some fantastic relationships. The Principal of my old school was and still is someone who has given me advice from the beginning, so saying goodbye to her and the other staff was also difficult. But we all keep in contact.

Have you settled in completely to your new classroom?

I think so. I have the Cork GAA jersey hanging up which is the most important thing. We have a good routine now, and things are definitely taking shape. There’s still lots of stuff to do with regards putting up displays and stuff, but I think the atmosphere in the room is good and we are getting to do some exciting lessons. It’s a fun room to be in, and there is a relaxed mood in there so yes I do think I have settled.

Are you liking it here in St. Annes?

It’s such a change for me compared to my previous school but I am thoroughly enjoying it. All of the staff have been so welcoming, and have really made me feel at home from the beginning. It is such a busy school, and there is always something happening which keeps me on my feet and I love it! The children are polite, and always say hello to me on the corridor, and there’s just a great atmosphere around the school each day. Assembly on Fridays is something new for me but its a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge the many talents of the children in the school and it is a true reflection of the ethos of the school.

What were you looking forward to the most when you were coming here?

It’s always going to be exciting meeting a new class and getting to know the children individually. So I was excited to get to know the class and to build up a positive relationship with the group. I had 4th and 5th class together last year, so I was looking forward to trying out lessons that worked well for me with them, and also some new lessons. I haven’t had a chance yet, but I’m looking forward to teaching them some proper Cork hurling skills as well!

Are there any differences between this school and your old school?

There are lots of differences. For starters, St. Anne’s begin in the morning earlier and we also finish earlier than my old school. The school is much bigger. My old school had about 150 pupils. As I mentioned already, assembly is something new for me on Fridays, something that my old school wouldn’t have done as often.There are other differences like for example a lot of children in my class in my old school would have got a bus to school, and I know that this doesn’t happen in St. Annes. There are lots of after school clubs and activities in St. Anne’s because of the huge number of pupils and interest from children, which is new and exciting for me. I hope that I can help out in some way with activities in time to come!

What subject do you like teaching most with your new class?

The class are very much involved in choir with the school, and they’re very talented singers. So I love trying out new songs with them. They’re also very creative in writing so I’ve really enjoyed English lessons where we have written poems like Limericks and Haikus which were fun.

Are you enjoying the experience of your new class and school?

I really am enjoying it very much! The first couple of weeks were a big change for both of us and it took some time to get a routine in place but it has been really enjoyable. As I said, the staff have been more than welcoming and I am enjoying coming in each and every day to school. It has been a great experience so far, and I am excited for the next few months especially when the weather hopefully picks up and we can get outside for more outdoor activities and lessons.

Category: Fourth Class, Media Team | Comments Off

May 28 2019

The End of Year Show!

For the last few weeks we have been doing dance. We are doing it with Ms. Casey. We are practising for the End-of-Year Show. This year we are performing ‘Cinderella Rockerfella’. Sixth class are acting in the show. Here is the cast list for some of the main parts;

Cinderella – Jennifer

Rockerfella – Saibh

Buttons – Meghan

Dan – Ella

Ugly Sisters – Oisin and Charlie

Fairy Godmother – Lauren

I interviewed Ms.Aivalikli and she said her class have been working very hard on the play and have started practising it on stage. Every class from 2^nd to 5^th are doing the dances. I am doing a dance which includes a lot of different moves such as freeze frames and the box step. Part of our routine even includes cowboy hats.

Cool Fact – Ms.Casey used to teach me ballet!

Why not come and see the show for yourself, It’ll be a lot of fun!

By Pearl Fitzpatrick

Category: Media Team, Music, Drama | Comments Off

May 28 2019

The National Children’s Choir!

The National Children’s Choir had lots of rehearsals to learn and prepare for the big show in the basketball arena on the 27^th of March. We had 3 rehearsals before the big night. One here in our school and two in another school. We had 15 songs to perform and some were Latin, Ancient Latin, Swahili and more. It was great fun at the rehearsals since there were other schools there too and we made lots of new friends. When we were at the rehearsals the principal gave out 8 homework passes which were given to 8 lucky students. The students had to try really hard to smile and sing loudly. It is really important for singers to look happy on stage. It brings a positive energy and the audience seem to enjoy it more. The principal found it really hard to pick someone because we all tried so hard. The concert itself was great then and the children could be heard from miles away!

The whole experience was amazing and we made so many new memories. It was a great opportunity to be part of a choir of new and old friends. It is something we will never forget and something that we are really proud about!

By Kyla

Category: Media Team, Music | Comments Off

May 28 2019

An Interview with Mr. Allen!

Recently the boys and girls of the 5^th and 6^th class soccer teams have had a lot of success. That is why I have interviewed Mr. Allen, their coach to find out how they are getting on.

I wanted to get some background information on Mr. Allen and see how long he has been a coach. I wondered had many of his teams won before and if there were any exciting games coming up soon.

Mr. Allen has been coaching the girl’s soccer team for one year now. He has been coaching the boys’ soccer team for 3 months. The boys’ last match was on Wednesday the 10^th of April and they won 10-nil which was an amazing result. The girls’ last match was on the 2^nd of April and they drew 2-2 which is also a great result.

If the boys win their next match they will be in the league quarter final and that goes for the girls too. This is amazing. We are so lucky to have Mr. Allen so dedicated to both our boys’ and girls’ teams. Mr. Allen also told me that the boys are also in the cup semi-finals. The boys have not lost any of their matches so far and the girls have only lost two. These are both incredible records. These records are in place because of Mr. Allen’s work and also the boys and girls who train so hard and are always ready to play a match. Mr. Allen’s favourite part about being a coach is giving boys and girls the opportunity to play sports on a team for their school.

We hope that we will be able to bring some more good news soon!

By Anna

Mr. Allen’s 4^th class

Category: Media Team, Physical Education | Comments Off

May 20 2019

News from Sixth Class!

As we settle into our last term together in St. Anne’s – we can’t quite believe how quickly our time here has gone by.

In class at the moment we are reminiscing daily and looking forward to the big transition to secondary school. Many of us are going to different schools around the area and some of us are heading there on our own. It’s going to a big change but one we are preparing ourselves for in class through S.P.H.E lessons on topics such as relating to others, effective communication and myself and the wider world. We are excited and anxious in equal measure but we are definitely ready for the challenge and our next chapter.

Speaking of chapters – we are almost finished reading our latest class novel – ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas’ – what an amazing book it is. We love reading books that bring history to life through story and this is definitely an excellent example of how it should be done. Linking with this we are learning about WW2 in history, Europe in Geography, propaganda and our visual art will be pretty impressive too we hope, as we attempt silhouette art.

So as you can see we are still very busy on the academic side of things and alongside that we are working hard on our End of Year Show, which is on June 12^th and 13^th – we cannot wait but we’ve still got lots of work to do with our teachers Ms. Kett and Ms. Aivalikli before we’re stage ready.

The highlight of the last few weeks was of course our confirmation. The weather was amazing, the ceremony was beautiful and the day was memorable. Many of us shared the day with family and friends, some at home, some in hotels and restaurants but we all agree it was a truly wonderful day and occasion for us all.

Another highlight was of course getting our Class of 2019 hoodies – I’m sure you’ve spotted us around the school (we never take them off :0)

With active schools week coming up and testing continuing, we will keep working hard for the next few weeks and we look forward to our show, our end of year tour to Avon Rí and of course our graduation ceremony.

Bye for now!

Category: Sixth Class, S.E.S.E, Art, S.P.H.E | Comments Off

May 2 2019

Mr Hacketts 2nd Class News!

We’ve had a busy few weeks as we come to the end of the term in 2^nd class.

In Maths we have been looking at money and are working out how to add different amounts and also how much change we get. We have been using coins to help us work out our answers.

We also planted our very own seeds and we were lucky enough to have Cushla bring us in a grow box. We have planted the seeds in small containers in our class and have vegetables of every kind. There certainly are some green hands in this class. This week we will move them and plant them in the garden outside our window.

As Easter is fast approaching we looked at chocolate, how it is made and where it comes from. This was followed up with a trip to the Butlers chocolate factory. We had a tour of the factory where we found out how the chocolates were made and packaged to be sent around the world. We then went to a demonstration and got to decorate our own.

In lift off some of the children have been producing some fantastic projects based on the books they are reading.

Our write a books were returned from being judged and as you can see the children put in some extra hard work really did produce some amazing books!!!!

Category: Second Class, S.E.S.E, Science | Comments Off