Driving at last!!

On Monday my class went to the Leinster School of Driving to learn all about, well driving!! We left school at 9:00 to head to Maynooth to the driving school. When we arrived we were split into two groups, Group 1 and Group 2. I was in Group 2, we went driving first. We went into groups 3 and stood beside a car. When the instructor came over Aisling Doran said she'd go first at driving so myself and Aisling Kavanagh got into the back seats. It was the 2 Aisling's first time driving so the instructor explained everything to us first before handing Aisling the key! She started up the car and away we were!! We each drove for 20 mins each and then another 15 mins each after that, so altogether we were driving for about 35 mins. We did a circle of the course and then went down the driveway to the school. We went through 2 sets of gates a ramp at each and just before the main road we turned around at a little round-a-bout. We then went back up the driveway and back onto the course where the instructor told us to go left or right. We then drove down the driveway and back before switching around. I went second driving. I had driven once before that day, but only the very basics. Anyway I got in the driver seat, adjusted the mirror, put on my seatbelt (safety first!) and away I went. I really enjoyed it, I thought it was so much fun.

After each of us drove the first 20 mins, we went back to the start. This time we went around the course and went up onto the hill. We then stopped on the hill and did a hill start. I was nervous at first for the hill start and stopping on the hill but it was perfectly fine. We then went somewhat down the driveway and came back up. This time we stopped before getting to the course and reversed the car. I was also nervous to reverse but again it was fine. After each of us finished we went for lunch.

The Course

After lunch we swapped around, the first group were out in the cars and we were inside. We did a mock theory test in our groups of 3. After doing the test we had a bit of fun. We were shown road signs and had to come up with funny answers for the signs. After that we went outside to a little shack where we each had a go at wearing drunk goggles. The goggles blurred our vision and make it seem like we were drunk. We then had to pick up a cone, place it on top of another cone and then high five the instructor. It was really funny watching everyone.

Overall it was a brilliant day out but we came back at lunch so had 3 classes left until we went home, but I'd definitely so it again.

Grab the Popcorn, it's Movie Time!!

On Tuesday all the TY's went to Vue Cinema in Liffey Valley to see the new movie Selma as part of our history programme.

Selma is based on the American Civil Rights Movement. This movie focuses on one particular march which occurred in the town of Selma, Montgomery in 1965. It's about Martin Luther King and what he did to help the people of Selma to get rid of segregation in their town. 

I really like this movie and I'd definitely recommend it to other people. The movie is a great story and also has an great soundtrack. 

SciFest

We recently had SciFest, a little like Young Scientist only in the school hall. It was really fun, we set up in the morning and finished off our poster. Our project was the same as Young Scientist Ideal Conditions for Learning. However we had to make a new poster whcih we did like 3 days before the competition. We spent the whole day in the hall. The judges went around between 9:45 and 12.40. Everyone was judged twice and then some people may have been judged 3 times. There were 4 judges altogether from different places but all science related backgrounds. The judges seemed really interested in our project, which was a good thing. After lunch at 12:40 some classes from First Year to Fifth Year came down to the hall to look at all the projects. At around 2:45 we started to tidy everything away. We put all the tables and chairs away and took down our posters. We then gathered around in a semi-circle in the hall and the teachers awarded everyone with certificates for competeing in the competition.

After all the certificates were given out we then awaited for the results of who got through to IT Tallaght in May. 15 groups from our school got through to the next round on May 12th, my group being one of them. Other projects whcih go through are projects like testing different hair strenghts of different hair types, do looking at computers screens and phones affect our eyesight, does wifi affect our consumer habits and do dogs have a prefered paw. All the projects were really good there. Within the 15 groups which got through there were 2 highly commended projects and a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd project. Everyone who came 1st, 2nd and 3rd each recieved a €20 one-for-all voucher which is really good. 3rd place went to A Study of Lucid Dreaming, lucid dreaming is where you know you are dreaming and you can kind of control the dream. I think it's a cool project. 2nd place went to Do Dogs Have a Prefered Paw which also an interesting project. Lastly, 1st place went to my group the Ideal Conditions for Learing.

Congrats to everyone who participated in SciFest all the projects were amazing!! And Congrats to everyone who got through to IT Tallaght, Good Luck!

Thanks for reading,
Aimee

Briery Gap Drama

Last Saturday my class was involved in the Briey Gap Drama Competition in Cork. It was the national final and the two groups from my class got in - Change and Speak Up.

We met up in the Esso Station at 7:30 on the Satruday morning!! We then hit the road at about 7:45 heading towards Macroom Cork. altogether the journey was about 4 hours long, which is too long in my opinion. We stopped at a service station on the way down, as soon as we stepped foot off the bus everyone was running to get to the bathroom. It was funny. We got back on the bus and continued the journey to the Briery Gap Theatre. We arrived at the theatre at about 12. We we arrived my group - Speak Up - was first on so we went to the dressing room to get changed. We didn't have any time to practice before hand because we went on early but we still thought we did good. After our performance we had lunch and then after lunch the other group Change performed. They did really good too, the group even got a judge's award! We watched one more performance before getting on the bus at 3 to come home.

Again the journey was 4 hours long!! We stopped off at another service station on the way home and there was a McDonalds, everyone was happy with that. Once on the bus again we started to play music and have some-what of a disco all the way home again. It was really fun, nearly everyone on the bus was gathered down the back of the bus singing and dancing.

Overall the day was really fun, although it was a very early start for a Saturday it was really fun and a great, enjoyable experience.

PANCAKES!!!

Who doesn't love pancakes?!
Well today there was a pancake sale in aid of The National Children's Hospital Tallaght. It was so busy down outside the home ec rooms with everyone buying pancakes. There were about 300 pancakes made all together today and all were sold out by the end of lunch, they tasted so good.
The TY home ec classes today made all the pancakes rom the batter which a few of us made yesterday and left it in the fridge overnight then.
There were plain pancakes, pancakes with lemon and sugar, and pancakes with nutella. My favourite pancakes would have to be nutella pankcakes, they're the best.

Mini Company

My group Mini Company this year is.... Unique Handmade Bracelets.

We are making handmade braided charm bracelets, or anklets.
There's a regular braid, or a fishtail braid.

There are also loads of charms too: 

Ship Wheel

Wolf Head

Angel Wing

Pad Lock

Key

Prices range from €2-€4.50.

YOUNG SCIENTIST!!

Young Scientist was last week, it was so much fun. Since I was in the group who was involved in the competition it was even more fun because I was there for 4 days!! Up early every morning was the down side though. 

Our project is the Ideal Conditions for Learning where we tested 8 different variables to see which students learn best in. We tested music on and music off, lights on and lights off, before lunch and after lunch, before PE and after PE. 

Our results are quite interesting, we found that NATURAL LIGHTING and MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND (instrumental music) worked the best to help learning. The next best were AFTER PE and BEFORE LUNCH. 

Unfortunately we didn't win any main awards, however we did the school proud and received Highly Commended. We even made the website of The Irish Times too. 

Overall the experience of the Young Scientist was a rewarding one, it all boosted our confidence with talking in front of people and we all had great fun over the 4 days there.

source: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/science/natural-light-and-music-aid-learning-in-primary-school-1.2057789