In Science of late we have been providing a unique service to interested volunteers! Come and get your health MOT courtesy of the ELP Street Doctors!

We have been finding out how to and practising measuring various aspects of health using both low tech and high tech equipment - and decided to put that increasing confidence and experience to use in the greater school community by offering to take the following measurements for our willing volunteers:

• height in metres, using a low tech height stand
• blood pressure in mm of mercury using a high tech sphygmomanometer
• pulse rate in beats per minute using a high tech pulsemeter

We rehearsed explaining to our patients what we were doing - in the hope that this would help both us and them relax, as being stressed is something that can affect your blood pressure and your heart rate. We advised them that the sphygmomanometer might feel a bit funny as it tightened round their wrist but just to relax their hand as this would help.

We were able to advise people what a typically normal blood pressure should be and whether their own reading was in the normal range as prescribed by our simple medical chart. We were also able to work out who was the tallest and the smallest person we measured - and see whether our predications and perceptions as to who is tall and who is small were correct.

When considering aspects of our lifestyles that can cause high blood pressure we spoke about how the following can affect it:

• smoking can cause high BP
• drinking too much alcohol can cause high BP
• eating too much salt or fat can cause high BP
• not doing enough exercise can cause high BP
• being obese can cause high BP
• being stressed can cause high BP

With regard to the last idea that being overly worried or over worked can cause us to have high blood pressure we considered some of the things that we might be able to do to help us relax…these included -

• playing rugby
• walking the dog
• playing Wii Fit
• dancing
• reading a book
• riding a pony
• swimming
• yoga

We decided to try one of these things out as part of our investigation into stress and high blood pressure. Mrs Todd kindly agreed to take us for Yoga lessons, whilst Mrs Binnie agreed to help us make measurements of our stress levels before, during and after the Yoga. Science and health and exercise all coming together in great cross-curricular style whilst introducing a new facet to our skills set. (Om shanti Mrs Todd!)

Mrs B measured all of our blood pressures and pulse rates before the yoga session began. She recorded these in a chart. Whilst we did the yoga she made observations as to how relaxed we looked and behaved and wrote these down. She also helped us getting into some of the more complicated positions whilst Mrs Todd went through the yoga instructions in a calm, quiet way with lovely soothing music to accompany her. After the yoga session, we all had our pulse rates and blood pressures measured again by Mrs B. Once again she wrote the numbers down in a table - and we took this to science with us the next time we were there.

We analysed our data in a simple way, looking for trends - did our blood pressure go “up” or “down”? Did our pulse rates go “up” or “down”? The results were fascinating…

Almost all of us saw a drop in both our pulse rate and our blood pressure when we compared the end of the yoga lesson with the start. One of us stayed roughly the same, whilst one person actually went from being really relaxed to being quite anxious. (We wondered whether this was because they had never seen or done anything like yoga before and felt a little worried about doing it - as lying on the floor in the classroom with your smelly socks in the air is not your usual Thursday afternoon lesson!)

This last week we did some more intricate yoga moves designed for helping our digestive systems improve and we finished off with some relaxing meditation to quiet music. We discussed how some of us felt:

• sleepy
• calm
• peaceful
• quiet
• energetic

after the session and everyone decided it is something they would like to explore further. We went even further when one of the class asked if we could try the “thing the Japanese do outside” - which we have decided is actually Tai Chi .

Watch out for ELPs, teachers and auxiliaries in the school japanese Garden some Thursday in the near future!

In the last week we have introduced a new curriculum area for our ELP provision, on a trial basis - ELP Yoga.

We are always keen to ensure our pupils work in as calm and productive environment as possible and are looking for ways to help our youngsters cope with the stresses of modern life and school in general - filling our minds with information is hard work! Some of us have physical and movement difficulties that mean our bodies are under strain as well as our minds…

We have decided to explore using Yoga as a means of relaxing our minds and bodies at the end of a busy week - and are connecting it to the work we are doing in Science on health and technology. Is yoga going to make a difference to our general health - and can we measure it?

Last week we tried simple meditation style yoga, involving listening to quiet music and simple meditations asking us to focus on our body and breathing. Most of us lay on mats on the floor for this but the lesson was differentiated for our pupils in wheelchairs. The aim of the meditation was to try and help everyone in the room reach  a calm, neutral state of peace where their bodies and minds were less stressed than they had been.

We used a variety of specialist relaxation music tapes and Mrs Todd brought in a triangle, some fragrances to make the room feel calmer and a series of mind and body exercises for us all to try in this peaceful environment.

We measured Blood Pressure and Pulse Rate of all our staff and pupils involved in this trial before and after the yoga. All of us, without fail, saw our BP and pulse rate drop - many of us from quiet high levels back down to very normal ones. In the coming week we will repeat this experiment using more energetic forms of yoga instead of simple meditation. We hope to compare results in terms of our physiology - but more importantly in terms of how we feel during it and afterwards.

Peace mantra for inspiration and illustration…

OM SAHANA VAVATU SAHANA BHUNATTU
SAHA VIRYAM KARAWAVAHAI
TEJASVINAVADITAMASTU
MA VIDVISHAVAHAI
OM SHANTI SHANTI SHANTI OM

Together may be be protected
Together may we be nourished
Together may we work with great energy
May our journey together be brilliant and effective
May there be no bad feelings between us
Peace, peace, peace

(Scope there for a new school motto?)

Watch out, watch out the ELP Street doctor is about…and more of that later!

This week we will be looking at a wide range of interesting things on the  ELP provision. We will be trying some new activities and getting on with lots of hard work in the run up to the Festive Season…

ELP Science

Junior ELPs are now moving on to look at habitats, especially East Lothian habitats and have been taking a quick peek at David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet as an introduction to where things live - and wondering whether the Blue Whale or the Great White shark might live in the waters of the River Forth…

We even went out into the school corridors to pace out how long a Blue Whale is to see whether it might help us decide where it would live - Cockenzie or the Pacific? Hmmm…

This week we will continue to explore the world of the creatures of the deep and investigate which ones might live in a harbour or river near you.

ELP Senior Science will be continuing their Street Doctor practice! Last week some of you kindly volunteered to let the Senior ELP pupils give you a simple HEALTH MOT. They gallantly measured your blood pressure, pulse and height amongst other things - using both high tech and low tech equipment. Their bed side manner was impressive, reassuring and supportive and they even offered alternative therapy advice to those in need of a wee relaxation period Anyone interested in helping these pupils practise simple medical tests, please let us know.

ELP English

Last week in ELP English we wrote sentences and short passages about fireworks. We described them as best we could and came up with some great adjectives.

ELP RME

In ELP RME we made potato latkes - a Jewish food - and looked at the celebration Hanukkah.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday celebrated around this time of year…

ELP Gardening

In ELP Gardening we continue to look at the fruits of the garden and - tying into the fact that National Apple Day was recently on October 21st (when we were on holiday) - we have been finding out all the tasty and nutritious things you can make with the apples that grow in gardens. Last week we gently stewed some apples in preparation for making a pastry or topping for them this week. We took our time and were careful in peeling and coring the apples before cutting them safely into little pieces for stewing. The smell was delightful! Yum!

We stored the cooked apple in an airtight jar and now have to decide whether to make a crumble, some pancakes or some pastry to make a pie…what would YOU choose?

ELP YOGA

Working hard can often make people stressed and tired - and nobody works harder than our ELP pupils. In Science some of us have been looking at how being stressed can affect our health, so we have decided to use some of our curricular time to explore strategies to alleviate any worries and tiredness that creeps up during the week. On Thursday afternoons, Period 6, we will be test piloting ELP YOGA for the coming few weeks. Whether ELP Yoga be meditation and relaxation or more energetic with lots of good stretches will be decided by us as we try out the different kinds.

Last week we measured everyone’s pulse rate and blood pressure before the yoga (staff and pupils) then measured them again afterwards. The results were actually pretty shocking! But it made us realise that we really DO need to take time to recharge our batteries at the end of a busy week. We are going to take our results to Science to do some simple analysis with Mrs A and Mrs B - so lovely cross curricular work, in addition!

Queen Nefertiti- designed by David and Amy

A Parade of Egyptian Gods by Melissa

A Golden Staff -inspired and made by Pharaoh David

The Weighing of the Heart ceremony by James and Dale

Beautiful Scarabs made with Mrs Hoban.

Thanks to all our pupils who have put so much effort into this topic and made it so enjoyable to teach.

Our next history unit shall be revealed shortly….

Melissa and David helped to find out how to make a Jewish celebratory food, Potato Latkes.

As a group we had a go at making them-improvising with the oven rather than the frying pan thanks to an electrical malfunction! Still, they went down a treat at lunchtime.

For more information see here. Rotary Cooking Competition

This week Gossip Girl meets the woman responsible for looking after sick pupils and working in the office, Mrs Donaldson.

Gossip Girl - How long have you been at Preston Lodge?

Mrs D - well, I have worked in the school for 17 years! 10 years in the kitchen, 7 years working with pupils.

Gossip Girl- Do you have to put bandages on people?

Mrs D - Yes I do, sometimes. It depends if they have a sprain or a cut or graze. Sometimes people need a bandage to keep things clean or give support.

Gossip Girl- If Dale was not well would you look after him?

Mrs D - Of course I would - for a while. It is most important however to contact the parents though.

Gossip Girl- Do you give people medicines like paracetamol?

Mrs D- Sometimes, yes. Some people need medicines handed out every day. However I am not allowed to give out paracetamol unless it is provided by parents.

Gossip Girl- When you go home after a busy day do you get to put your feet up and does your husband make the tea?

Mrs D- This is very difficult to answer! DO I HAVE TO BE HONEST?

No, I don’t get to put my feet up. Sometimes I do First Aid training after school and my husband doesn’t know how to cook!

Gossip Girl- when you are ill, who looks after you?

Mrs D - well, thankfully I am not unwell very often. However, my daughter is going to be a nurse and if I’m really bad she would help me.

Gossip Girl- were you 21 recently?

Mrs D - Of course! Just within the last few weeks!

Gossip Girl - Mrs Trolley spread rumours about you - are they true? Is it true that you walked about Edinburgh in the dark in the middle of the night with your underwear on?

Mrs D - Oh my goodness, all my secrets have been given away! Do I need to tell the truth again? Yes - I did! Why? I did it to raise money for Breast Cancer research - it is called the MOONWALK.

Mrs D was asked by Gossip Girl which photo she would like to accompany her interview and Mrs D made a very different request! She told us that MR BISHOP was her pin up and could she have a photo of him? We agreed and the photograph has been taken…it will soon be on the server and will appear here in due course. What a great reason to come back and read this interview TWICE

This week on the ELP programme we will be working on a wide range of things…

ELP Science

Junior ELPs will be working on having fun with water…making fruit dance and move as if by magic! Senior ELPs will be working as Junior Doctors for the week giving Science staff some free health checks measuring:

• blood pressure
• height
• weight
• pulse

ELP History

In ELP history we are making a fabulous wall presentation of all our wonderful work on the Egyptians. It can be seen in the Learning Zone corridor. (Come and look - its great!)

ELP Gardening

In ELP Gardening we will be using apples collected from the garden to make another healthy dish and will be spending some time checking on the wormery we set up last week and the bulbs we planted last month. We will also be having some relaxation time after our hard work - with a yoga session!

  Apples are a healthy snack…

ELP ICT

This week we will be publishing our interview with Mrs Donaldson and interviewing our Guidance teacher, Mrs Welsh, for the ELP BLog…

In ELP Art we will be finishing our Tutankhamum masks ready for display - just wait until you see these!

In RME we will be continuing our work investigating Judaism and are planning a trip this term to a local synagogue…

It is also Remembrance week and Bonfire Night and so we will also take a look at what these events are all about in class and through assemblies. Some of us will also have a Gideon Assembly - it is a busy week!

University of St Andrews

Paul Archibald, Bachelor of Science (Honours) Mathematics

Cameron Hunt, Bachelor of Science (Honours) Marine Biology

University of Glasgow

David Manderson, Bachelor of Science

Heriot Watt University

Mark Gilroy, BEng in Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Sara Goldsmith, MA in International Management and Languages

Kezia Richardson, BSc in Clothing Design and Manufacture

Jennifer Quin, BSc in Clothing Design and Manufacture

Alan Limerick, BSc in Construction Project Management

University of Aberdeen

Jillian Gardner, BSc in Geography

Eilidh McDougall, Bachelor of Music with Education

Do you know about any other graduates, please let us know email:admin@prestonlodge.elcschool.org.uk

The girls will have regular festivals to attend as well pathways into district and national squads.

If you are interested please turn up tomorrow after school.

After speaking to girls in Core PE classes we are looking to offer alternatives to our core sports such as hockey, badminton and rugby.

The format of the class would be on a social basis to access an extra hour of physical activity every week. They activities can also change on a regular basis either week by week with the class deciding what they would like to do or on a 4 week rotational basis.

If you are interested in this club come and see Mr Bennion or leave a comment on what you would like to do.

Preston Lodge hockey team travelled to Tranent to take on Ross High School on Saturday in good spirits.

The girls were looking forward to the game and started well even though there positioning on the field was not good. They took a 2-0 lead into the half time break.

The team continually threatened the Ross High’s goals throughout the first and second half and felt they should have scored more. They continued to threatened and scored a further 3 goals with Ross High only replying with 1 leaving the final score 1-5 to Preston Lodge.

The team feel there is a bit more to work on, but with regular attendance at training good results as this will continue to be a regular feature for the team.

Well Done!!!!!

are bringing a fantastic opportunity for local P7 / S1children to get quality basketball coaching and regular fixtures in Prestonpans.  Coach Mark Stevenson will be running the sessions and will be preparing the team for their regular fixture matches. Beginners and experienced players are all welcome.  Players will be provided with match strips when required.

Payment is for the 6 weeks block and the club will be resuming after the Christmas break. Payment is £1.50 per week or £9 per block

If your child is interested in attending the club please notify Mr Bennion, so the coach knows how many pupils to expect.

Please ensure your child wears appropriate footwear and clothing and brings drinking water to the session.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Mr Bennion on the school phone number

01875 811 170

Enjoy!

Genomes - http://www.ebi.ac.uk/2can/genomes/genomes.html

http://www.dnaftb.org/dnaftb/

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/biotech/index.cfm

http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/VL/xrays/ - living skeleton

http://138.253.199.114/hogweed/index.htm - Hogweed

http://www.europe-aliens.org/speciesTheWorst.do - Alien species

http://www.hybridmedicalanimation.com/anim_mitosis.html - mitosis

http://www.dnatube.com/video/352/Mitosis - mitosis

http://pharmamotion.com.ar/animation-explaining-mechanism-of-action-of-glucocorticoids-and-comparative-glucocorticoids-potencies-table/ - cortisol action

http://www.celanphy.science.ru.nl/Bruce%20web/Flash%20Movies.htm - G protein linked receptors

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__receptors_linked_to_a_channel_protein.html - ion channel linked protein

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::535::535::/sites/dl/free/0072437316/120069/bio08.swf::Signal%20Amplification - signal amplification

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp15/15020.html - The cyclic AMP (cAMP) signal transduction pathway animation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/darwin/ - My hero

http://www.wiley.com/college/boyer/0470003790/animations/replication/replication.htm DNA replication

http://bio-alive.com/animations/biochemistry.htm - Biochemistry animations

http://www.fed.cuhk.edu.hk/~johnson/teaching/genetics/animations/transcription.htm - RNA transcription

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp12/1202001.html - RNA transcription but with promoter and terminator

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:kmrU7U_ywTYJ:edubuzz.org/blogs/broughtonbiology/higher/+proteins+broughton+edubuzz&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

http://www.hamiltonscience.org/badhigher.html Hamilton AH stuff

http://stevebambas.com/images/AP%20210/210%20microtubules.jpg Stained cytoskeleton

http://celldynamics.org/celldynamics/events/workshops/archive/2003/cytomod_abstracts/DCompton/images/DCompton-fig1.jpg Microtubules during mitosis

http://scienceblogs.com/transcript/upload/2006/08/MTarray.jpg more cytoskeleton

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp06/0602001.html Comp and non-comp inhibition

http://www.phschool.com/science/biology_place/labbench/lab2/induced.html induced fit

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__how_enzymes_work.html induced fit

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072943696/student_view0/chapter2/animation__feedback_inhibition_of_biochemical_pathways.html end product inhibition

http://www.slideshare.net/musselburghgrammar/cell-molecular-biology Cool site with lots of slides

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=swf::535::535::/sites/dl/free/0072437316/120078/bio37.swf::Restriction%20Endonucleases endonucleases

http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/den08.sci.life.stru.dengue/ dengue fever

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olc/dl/120068/bio02.swf receptor mediated endocytosis

http://www.mun.ca/biology/desmid/brian/BIOL2060/BIOL2060-17/1711.jpg GAP JUNCTIONS

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Cellular_tight_junction_de.png tight junction

http://www.biology.iastate.edu/Courses/212L/New%20Site/images%202005/cells&tissues/01Cells/plasmo%20low.jpeg plasmodesmata

http://219.221.200.61/ywwy/zbsw(E)/pic/ech4-18.jpg plasmodesmata again

http://www.colorado.edu/MCDB/MCDB1150/ohd/spotdesmosome.jpg spot desmosome

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Desmosome_cell_junction_en.svg/400px-Desmosome_cell_junction_en.svg.png spot desmosome

http://edubuzz.org/blogs/broughtonbiology/files/2008/12/genetic-control-of-growth.ppt lac operon

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__how_the_sodium_potassium_pump_works.html Na K pump

http://www.sinauer.com/cooper/4e/animations1302.html Na K pump (better)

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/olc/dl/120109/bio46.swf -  Steroid hormone action

http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~bhdingli/Animation%20of%20Signal%20Transduction.htm -  protein linked receptors

http://personal.cityu.edu.hk/~bhdingli/Animation%20of%20Signal%20Transduction.htm - G proteins and a little on cAMP

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072495855/student_view0/chapter2/animation__receptors_linked_to_a_channel_protein.html - ion-channel linked receptors.

http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/matthews/neurotrans.html - neurotransmitter action

http://bcs.whfreeman.com/thelifewire/content/chp15/15020.html - G-protein and cAMP, the whole shooting match

http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/moaction/surface.html - Scroll down for Tyrosine kinase receptor, a type of enzyme-linked receptor.

This week we are welcoming everyone back from Half Term break and trust that we are all refreshed and ready to work hard between now and the end of the term in December…

ELP Science

This week in ELP Science our older pupils will be finding out a bit more about our circulation and asking the question : what is blood pressure? We already know that we can measure this with a special bit of equipment and we know that a healthy blood pressure is important to good general health…but what is a healthy blood pressure? What can we do to improve our own blood pressure? What could happen if ours were too high or too low?  We will be doing our level best to find out!

Our younger pupils will be finalising their Water Cycle talk and putting the finishing touches to their fabulous 3D model of an East Lothian landscape undergoing the Water Cycle. We will be busy taking photographs to show how much we have achieved and how much we are able to explain to other people. Please feel free to pop in and see this - it is fab!

ELP Blog/ICT

This week in ELP ICT we will be interviewing Mrs Welsh about being our Guidance Teacher. We have already come up with (and written down) our questions for her stint in the hot seat. We will also be writing up our great interview with Mrs Donaldson and adding her very special pin up to the article before publishing it this week. Don’t miss it!

Any member of staff wishing to be interviewed by Gossip Girl should feel free to contact us at ELP Towers, The Learning Zone, PO Box GG123

ELP Gardening

This week in ELP Gardening we will be making our own wormery! We have recently been looking at recycling in the garden and at home and we will be finding out all about the worm and its important role in recycling materials in the garden. We will soon be able to watch our worms in their own habitat and find out a bit more about how they live…

ELP Maths

The clocks have just gone back an hour and we will be using this timely opportunity to look at clocks and practising telling the time. Some of us have recently started wearing watches to school to help with our timekeeping and the staff think this is simply great!

ELP PE

In ELP PE we will be playing Dodge Ball - which is a surefire way to ensure that Karin ends up looking like a drowned rat…poor Karin!

ELP Social Subjects

We will be continuing to look at the life of the Egyptians this week - how much have we remembered since the October break? Will we need to ask our Mummies for help? Will we have a pyramid of facts and figures to show for our work? Or will we be lost in the desert like a lonely camel?

The week was spent making fruit loaves and scones, pancakes and biscuits and we set up the training room where we served the tea and coffee.

Mrs Sinclair’s S4 class provided the musical entertainment which was enjoyed by all.

The event was thoroughly enjoyed by all our visitors who agreed it was fantastic to come into the school and see what all our students are doing.

The Hoody Jumpers are £15 which is with the pupils initials on the front right of the jumper, an embroidered badge on the front and a large print on the back of the school badge.

Also the T-shirt is the same design costing £7.

If anyone is interested in these items please come and see Mr Bennion in the PE department, were we have sample to try on to get the correct sizes.

We need 100 orders of each before we can order them so the quicker the names are down the quicker we can order.

(The above photograph is for one of our very bravest pupils, Steven, who is going into hospital the week we come back from Half Term. We wish him all the best and hope his recovery is speedy. We know he loves Mr Bean and - as we are off on Half Term this coming week - thought this was chronologically appropriate. However, we hope his week off is not particularly Bean-esque! Teddys are allowed though…)

This week the school is closed for Half Term and we hope that all of the ELP pupils have a restful and enjoyable time. Whether it is Play Scheme or further afield you are going…HAVE FUN!

When you come back on TUESDAY OCTOBER 27TH we will be waiting for you with lots of exciting activities. As the half term break is a little later this year, Hallowe’en is actually during our first week back. Mrs A and Mrs B had maybe better look out those ghoulish body parts and that gunky gunge from last year’s party…

Also, when we get back Miss Strachan will be no more - as she becomes Mrs Todd this weekend. Good luck and congratulations from us all to Mr and Mrs Todd!

Have a great week off!

The idea of the 2000 Club is that you pay £2 each month (or multiples of £2) and you are given a number in return. At the end of the month three numbers are drawn at random and they are awarded a 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd prize.  The more people who join the club the bigger the cash prize is each month.  The 2000 Club keeps half the money raised as funds for the school.

Out of a school population of over 1,000 pupils, only 105 people currently are in the 2000 club – just think what an increased membership of the 2000 club could achieve to make Preston Lodge High School an even better place for your children. 

There is a simple form which can be filled in and returned to the school for you to join the 2000 Club – a copy is attached here preston-lodge-2000-club-standing-order-form.

On Tuesday October 6th, a small group of our pupils were invited by Mrs Nicoll (from HE) to visit her at Setonhill Farm, near Longniddry. In addition to the very lucky pupils chosen for this trip, Mr C from CDT, Mrs A from Science and Mrs B (that’s me!) were asked to become involved to ensure we made the most - from a cross-curricular point of view - of this wonderful opportunity. So much could be taken from the experience and rolled out into Home Economics, Science and CDT lessons for weeks to come and with the new S1 cohort undertaking the “East Lothian - Our Environment” course this session, this was too valuable an experience to turn down.

So, wellies in hand, woollie jumpers at the ready and faces bright with anticipation (and that was just Mr Cruickshank) we headed off in the school minibus to the farm. The weather forecast had not been great however, although the skies were leaden, no rain was actually to fall whilst we were out and about. We felt very happy and lucky in this regard.

Above is a beautiful photograph of Setonhill Farm. It shows how picturesque a setting we were being treated to. Mrs Nicoll met us at the driveway to the farm house, ready to get us started with one of the many tasks we were to be set during our visit. We were off to feed the hens and see if there were any eggs to collect!

At first the birds were not interested in the gaggle of Preston Lodge pupils desperate to chuck bread pieces at them. They stayed, wise old birds, in their wooden hutch and were doubtless having a good old hen chuckle at our expense. We coaxed and we cooed. We made embarrassing noises of encouragement. One of us even instructed the hens with a “Hey, yous! Come out!” But none of it worked and we were about to walk away when the inevitable happened…the feathered fiends deigned to grace us with their presence.

Out they strutted, splendid in their red and black and white finery.

We gladly took the chance to feed our feathered friends whilst one of our party checked their living quarters for signs of eggs. We were very pleased to find two warm brown shells…that we removed and stored for taking back to the farm house.

Our next job was to go round the garden orchard harvesting fruit from the trees. We were amazed at all the apples, pears and plums hanging from the branches above our heads. Some fruit was lying in the grass but often this was not edible - little furry or feathered creatures had obviously gotten to these before us.

We spent a fair while collecting the fruit from the canopy and were delighted when Mrs N said we could try a little of our produce…

Our next mission was to climb into a hilly field on the other side of the farmhouse to feed some very special animals - Mrs N’s gorgeous Zwarbtle Sheep! We were simply dumb struck at how these animals looked and felt. They were quite simply some of the loveliest animals we had met. Able to get into the field with them, we had a good pat of their brown springy fleece before feeding them with basins of sheep feed.

The sheep visit was then soon followed by a visit to meet Mrs N’s fabulous labrador dogs - one chocolate and one black - before we went off on an exciting forest walk to look for conkers, cones, leaves and twigs. We soon found we were not walking on a pathway…we were getting deeper and deeper into the undergrowth and had to be careful. Branches could ping back in our faces, tree roots could trip us up - there was even a badger’s set to get past. We didn’t want to fall into that and break an ankle! We felt as though we were Robin Hood in the Longniddry Wood…or Ant and Dec in the jungle. (We are sure at one point we heard Mr C shout, I am a Celebrity! Get me out of here!).

The walk was wonderful and we were disappointed to find out that we would soon have to be turning back towards the farm again - something about teachers having classes to teach (pah!). However, we were not finished yet and we were treated to a tour of the farm buildings and stores. We saw grain mountains, potato piles, cow sheds, tractors, ploughs, a vet’s enclosure and - best of all - the hay bales! We had great fun climbing up on top of these bundles of hay (and Mrs A had a fine time bouncing across from one to another, proving PTs don’t have to be square!).

We asked our pupils for feedback on how they felt the trip went. The expressions of excitement are too many to relay here, so we thought we’d end with a photograph that says it all!

(Back at the ranch we have used our collected apples and pears to make meals in our HE lessons and our Gardening lessons - and they tasted all the better for knowing we collected our own apples! We have used the cones and twigs for our 3D model of the Water Cycle in Science and we have spoken about the animals and plants we saw with our Science teachers. We are using the conkers we collected in CDT - drilling holes into them to make stringed conkers for the annual whole school conker competition. Now that’s what we call Cross Curricular!)

A PORT Seton gymnast mixed with some of music’s hottest stars at this year’s televised MOBO (Music of Black Origin) awards after being chosen to show off her skills on stage.

Lisa Aytoun appeared alongside chart-topping artists Lemar and X Factor winner Alexander Burke at the 14th annual MOBO awards, held last week in front of a capacity crowd at Glasgow’s SECC.

The 20-year-old tumbled onto the stage to help present awards after impressing organisers at an audition just days before the show.

“My friend phoned me and we went along to the auditions in Glasgow and I had to show them what I could do as a gymnast,” said Lisa.

“I had to hold a vinyl record and do tumbles at the same time as the vinyl was what the winner’s name was printed on at the awards show,” she explained.

“I was a fantastic experience going up on stage and being part of it and I got to meet a lot of people and celebrities who were all really nice to me backstage.

All my family and friends were really supportive and watched it on TV so it was great for them to see me perform.”

The awards ceremony featured the best of British and international urban music talent, and was held outside London for the first time in its history.

Among those who performed was Michael Jackson’s sister La Toya.

Lisa, of Gosford Road, is a former pupil of Preston Lodge High School and is in her third and final year of study at Dance for All in Edinburgh where she is completing a professional stage dance course.

As well as performing gymnastics within award-winning Midlothian TeamGym, Lisa also teaches dance and gymnastic classes and has been part of a group of dancers who recently got through to the second round of a new TV show to be aired on Sky One called ‘Just Dance’.

“We have just found out that we managed to get through the first round so hopefully we will be able to go all the way and it would just be fantastic if we were able to get through,” she said.

Preston Lodge High School former pupil computer scientist has fought off fierce opposition to reach the final stages of a competition designed to find the UK’s most enterprising student.

Daniel Robertson won a place in the regional final of Shell Step’s annual search and now travels to Glasgow next month for the chance to reach the national finals in London.

The 21-year-old - studying Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh - took part in a Shell Step work experience placement at LEEP Recycling in Roslin and used his computing skills to produce a document formalising their business procedures, particularly in relation to their software system.

Daniel, of Schaw Road, said: “It’s great to get through to the Scottish final especially since the competition was so tough. I had a wonderful time at LEEP Recycling and will be doing more for them. The Shell Step placement has been invaluable to me. Not only have I been able to use my knowledge from my university course in a real business environment, but I’ve also improved my people’s skills and loved working in a team.”

Shell Step is a leading creator of tailored work placement programmes for students in small and medium-sized businesses.

A national network of skilled agents matches student applicants, from all academic backgrounds, to predefined business projects that take place over the summer during an eight week period.

Ken McLean general manager, LEEP Recycling said: “Daniel has been invaluable to us this summer. This is the third time we have been involved with the Shell Step programme, and we’d certainly recommend it. He has produced a comprehensive user manual that will be used to train staff that will save us time and makes us far more efficient. We wish Daniel the best of luck in the Scottish final.”

Daniel is pictured with a certificate by Alex Baird, plant installation manager at Shell’s Mosmorran facility in Fife

The Kit Chat

At the start of the day we had to get kitted out with all the equipment. Then we had like a half an hour drive to sutra. When we finally got there we got helmets. Then we had to walk through a field went through another field. We sat down on the side of the field and eat berries. Then we trekked through bushes and everyone kept falling. We finally got into the water and I sat down in the water. We walked up and round a corner on a platform we had our break. Then we walked up and climbed up a mini waterfall. Then we walked up even more and climbed up an even bigger water fall. We got up on a platform then walked up a river then home.

The Gorge

At the start of the day we had to get kited.     Once we got all of our equipment we got changed.   Then after that we sat in the mini-bus.

Then we got going, it took us about 30minutes to get to surfa.

When we finally got there, we walked through a field, over badwire fences.    Shortly after we finally got to our destination.   We were walking down steep hills. All the girls kept falling, boys were at the front.

We got to the bottom of the waterfall, were there was foam bubbles etc.

We started climbing the waterfall, when we got past the first bit we got a snack from our pack lunches. Then we got to the hardest part, were lots of people fell, luckily we had the rope attached to our belt.

After we got near the end we had our lunch, after that we started heading up another steep waterfall. After we got to the end we got to the bus and took some of our clothes of and kept our wet-suits on.

Then we got to Tranent where we got our own clothes on.

We finally got to P.L and went home.

The Trek

Monday 24^th august our life skills class went gorge walking at soutra in the morning we had to wait in the guidance room for a while and then the man came and we got on the bus to the place in traent where we had to change into waterproof clothes after everyone was changed we put our boots on and took our jewellery off and got ready we went back on the bus it took half an hour to get there when we got there we put on red helmets after we put them on we went to the place when we went down the hills we finally got to the river the water was really cold we climb a big waterfall it was really hard to climb but I did it after that we went back on the bus and went back to school and everyone went home.

The Team

On Monday the 25^th of August I went gorge walking with my life skills group and it was miserable. When registration had finished I went to the mini bus the mini bus was small and had a bad smell it was to cramped we finally got there at the outside education senter we got changed into a wet soot, a red rain soot and some boot I didn’t like waring the cloths because by the end it didn’t help (I still got wet) when we got to the valley we walked down a steep hill it took adages and we all fell  on the way down as soon as we got to the water we had to get in and climb a couple of rocks son we had climbed most of the rocks (so I thought) we had a snack and there we had to go agen more rocks and water. We got to a waterfall some people took adages so we were in the water splashing each other with water. Soon it my time to go up the waterfall  half way up I lost a shoe so but I got it back thanks to Mr Bell .Son we were finished and had to walk up a steep hill agen but this time we were wet witched made it a lot harder to get up. Finally we were back at school and over all it wasn’t that bad!!!!!!!!!

The Help

on Monday 24^th august I went gorge walking with the life skills group we went to soutra. I came into school and I went to reggisration and then we went to the mini bus outside and I was feeling very excited and nervous. We drove to the outdoor centre in tranent. And we had to put on wet suits and we all looked very stupid and on top of the wet suit we had our jumpers on then we had a waterproof rain sheet on and the bathroom was tiny and it was so smelly and we had to put on a huge heavy boots and my ones were so big they were a size 7 but they were huge. It was very difficuilt to walk in and now I was feeling more nervous. Then we headed off to the hills and it took half an hour to get to the hills and by now I was getting excited I couldn’t wait to get started. We had to climb up huge sliding waterfalls and I am very scared of heights and I was getting very upset I wouldn’t like to do this ever again but I was helped up the waterfalls so that was okay. My boots were full of dirty water and I smelt horrible. My day gorge walking was such a challenge and thank you for taking me. Then after that we headed back to the bus and we had our lunch and I was starving, I was sitting beside amy macfarlene and lauren roberts. Then we had to go back to the outdoor centre to change again then after that we headed back to school and when I went back home and I had a nice plate of soup and a hot shower I felt nice by then. But I did enjoy the walk and it was a great expereence for me.

The View

When we went gorge, we went up to tranent to get the gear ready. We had to ware I wet soot and water proofs whit a harness. When we were set we went up to the sootra hills . when we got there we put on helmets we jumped the gate and we had to walk for a bit but then we got the river. We walked through that  for a little then we climed a water fall. It was easy for me. Then we got to a bigger one was that was easier.

then got round to the bit that we had to got back!

The Easy Bit

we had to wear lots of stuff to protect us warm and water-proof. But we still got wet, took us live half an hour to get to the place then we went down through the rivers it was pretty hard to jump the rocks the water was deep very deep at some parts, the first water-fall we went up we had to get tied in case we feel took like 1 hour maybe then we jumped couple of rocks then there was this big water-fall we had to free climb all the way to the top. I feel a couple of times was very funny but I still made it

The Waterfall

We went gorge walking last Tuesday. We went in the mini bus to the tranent outdoor sports centre. When wee got there wee all got the wet suits and everything else and went to the changing rooms to put them on. When wee had everything on wee got back into the mini bus, Then wee toke a 20 minutes drive up to the gorge walk place, Got out the mini bus then toke a long treck to the river wee started walking through the water. It was so cold in the water wee where all falling over all the time. Wee stopped for a bit to have our lunch then wee started walking again wee got to the bottom of a waterfall and andy through down a rope and martin through it over a rock then tied it onto us. Wee started walking up the rocks wee got up to the top of the waterfall and started walking again then wee got to the grass and started walking through bushes and back up to the mini bus and headed back to the sports centre got changed into our clothes and headed back to the mini bus and drove back to the school…

The Deep Dark Gorge

To start with we went up to the out door edd place in tranet and got all gerd up for safety. We hade to were a wet suit it fell hornbill at first we hade to wear big walking boots and red Walter proofs. Then we got in to the mine bus and I was talking pictures of every one! And then when we got there us hade to trek down a big step hill I kept falling a push Andy and he fell on his bum it was funny. When we got to the bottom we hade to climb up a water fall when I got in a screed it was relay cold wee got drench. The boys were swimming in the deep part I fell lots of time wee stop at a lil shallow part to have something to eat. Then carried on it was hard to climb the big water fall! But we all did it in the end. by the time we got to the top of the water falls we were all relay tired and we hade to climb back up a step hill and on the way up I was picking blue berries the tasted good ! Wee eventfully got back to the bus after all the climbing walking and falling. I didn’t think I would like it but I did it was fun. We went back to the out door Ed place and got changed in to our own stuff and got ready to go back to school. When we were ready we got to look at the picture of us grog walking. Wee got back to school at the 3 o’clock and we got to go home relay. It was I good day I really enjoyed my Seth! J

IN THE MORNING WE WENT UP TO TRANENT OUTDOOR CENTRE.WEGOT ALL OUR KIT ON. WE WENT ON THE BUS. WE WENT UP TO SOUTRA. WHEN WE GOT THERE WE WALKED DOWN THE BIG FIELDINTO THE RIVER.WHEN WE GOT IN THE RIVER WE WENT UP THE BIG WATERFALLWHEN WE GOT TO THE TOP WE STOPED AND HAD OUR LUNCH.

The Hair Washer

Tuesday we were going gorge walking. When we got there we started to walk thought a field and then we had to jump a fence and jump Barr wire to get down the hill when we got to the bottom. We look at what we have to clime it had water pouring down the water fall and we had to clime it .We started and we got half way and we had our lunch and I was putting head under the water when we got out the water fall we had to walk thought a field back to the bus and then we went home

On the day we arrived to get are kit the gear was crazy. We had to get in this tight swimsuit and put on red trousers and a red jacket with a helmet. When we were all set we got back in the mini bus and seted off to start the journey. When we arrived sutra hills I started teasing Jenny about rats (Not too much teasing) and we started walking down the hill but I had a better idea. I started rolling down the hill. Anyway when we got down to the water the instructor told us to help each other when climbing waterfalls so we did. When we got to the 1^st waterfall David.S slipped and nearly drank a pint of water the 2^nd waterfall was imposable to climb but we eventually climbed it .When I was waiting at the top on the waterfall with Andy we started swimming under the 3^rd waterfall. 3 hours later we eventually finished and headed back to the school.

We went in the bus to go to sutras hills. To go up Tranert to get our kit. We got our waterproof vest thing on we got boots and got told to get back on the bus. We climbed down the hill and up the water fall. Then we clime the waterfall back up to get to the field what we came thought we were heading back to the bus . I was thinking it was great fun climbing the water fall we had fun on the way back to school.

Preston Lodge High School are soon to start a “Fit for Girls” class and are in urgent need for a Coach/Parent/Volunteer to take this class of girls.

The class will run on a basis of letting the girls chose the activities they would be interested in doing and doing them in a 4 week block or on a week to week rotational basis. This is to target all girls to attend an activity that will keep them fit and healthy throughout their time at Preston Lodge High school.

If you are interested please contact Mr Bennion at the school (01875 811170).

This is an exciting new opportunity not to be missed.

This club would be after school and would be whatever the group wants to do.

The group can run the club and can change week by week, or the club can run in 4 week blocks of a specific activity then change after to another activity.

We are looking for as many girls as possible to be involved in the club. If you are interested in joining a club such as this, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Bennion or, leave a comment on this post, with your name and the activity you are interested in.

Do you like individual sport more than team sports?

If you do we may have the best opportunity for you at school…….

There is now an opportunity to take part in Skateboarding at Preston Lodge High School.

We are looking for people that would be interested in Skateboarding as an Extra-Curricular activity.

There would be a charge of £2 per week for a 5 week block, this includes use of equipment as well as an instructor.

If you are interested in this opportunity please do not hesitate to contact Mr Bennion, or leave a comment on this post.

The first meeting will take place on Wednesday 10th October 1.15-1.40 in the PE classroom. If you feel you can contribute to the Sports Council please come and talk to Mr Bennion.

The minutes of the Parent Council meeting held on 3 September 2009 are available here .  Please note that these are currently draft minutes until ratified at the next meeting which is being held on 8 October to which all parents are invited.

Louise was in S6 (2008-9) and in August she traveled to Hle Bee School in Myanmar (Burma), the link school of Forthview Primary (Pilton, Edinburgh) to teach English, for 5 months.

After a few very tricky days, Louise is now in her element, loving her work in the school and confidently managing to live independently in this fascinating town on the Thai-Burma border.

Last year the pupils of Preston Lodge raised a splendid amount of money for Burma Educational Scholarship Trust and for the school Louise is now teaching in - about £760.

To read more about the exciting and courageous work that Louise is doing please visit her blog.

www.ilovemaesot.blogspot.com

http://french.about.com/library/weekly/aa111000ex.htm

We will look in more depth at the language next Friday. Bon Weekend!

The orchestra shall run from 3:45 to 5:00 pm on a wedensday till christamas. The orchestra will play at this years christmas concert!

Find out what we will be playing when you come along!

Hope to see you there!

 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/…

Please bring your logbook (completed if possible).  

You are ALL stars!!!

Please be sure to read (at least) The Importance of Being Earnest over the holidays, and make sure you have a copy of all three plays before August.

Our other main text will be 18 Carol Ann Duffy poems - these, however, will be provided for you.

If you intend on studying either Duffy or Wilde for your dissertation, you are able to, but will need to choose works other than these (in order to satisfy the SQA’s requirements).

Have a good summer.

Apart from a few spits of rain, the weather was excellent, as was the behaviour and enthusiasm of all the pupils. At both venues they got a chance to dress up in medieval armour and clothing, including chain mail which weighed a ton (well… that’s what it felt like!) The pupils learned many interesting facts about life during the times of the Scottish Wars of Independence and showed a keen interest by asking loads of questions.

I would like to congratulate the pupils for giving such a good image of the school, and the other members of staff for their help in accompanying this trip. A special award goes to the pupils who had to sit beside a teacher on the coach! This was a great way to end S1 History in 2009 - roll on The Stirling Invasion, 2010!

As part of our One Scotland unit 2GR2 (new 3GR2) had an adventure out to Edinburgh to investigate social diversity. After logging the age, gender and ethnic background of shoppers in the Princes Mall we undertook detailed research through questionnaires of willing volunteers.

We managed to talk to 36 people, from 14 different countries of origin, and 9 different religions, about their views of how tolerant Scotland is. We asked them about how open Scottish people were to foreigners as well as how racist/sexist/homophobic/ageist Scotland is. Overall we found that most people think Scotland is an open-minded and tolerant society and open to different types of people. Hooray!

We are happy to report Miss Johnson and the Standard Grade class had an excellent trip over to Glasgow. We explored the Cathedral (dead bodies and all) and St Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art (it’s a lot cooler than it sounds!)

The class were model pupils and did admirably in the surprise quiz that was put on them, and the rest of the train coach, on the way home. A thoroughly enjoyable day out.

Again the pupils were brilliantly behaved and were a credit to PLHS !

And here

The actress who led the session was very impresssed by the pupils attitude and behaviour which she described as ‘excellent’. (In fact she came in on her day off to host this session because she had been so impressed by last years S3 group too !).

Well done to everyone including Ms Duthie and Ms Marr for making it a fab day !

Félicitations!!

 Congratulations to all of the first year pupils who took part in the Grand Défi competition last month. 

 You can now access the answers on the Linguascope website:

Please come along to Mrs Fitzpatrick’s room (ML 5) to collect your certificates and prizes.

Preston Lodge’s Polyglots

Some of the pupils at Preston Lodge High School speak more than one language. We think this is something to be celebrated!

Here is a sample of the languages spoken. You can click on the links below to see and hear them…

 Portuguese    Polish    Norwegian     German     Urdu      Chinese (Modern)

Urdu    Punjabi    Cantonese    Gujarati

Dutch     Spanish     French      Pans

 Willkommen zur Preston Lodge High School!
 

 Unsere Schule befindet sich in Prestonpans, ungefähr 12 Meilen östlich von Edinburgh. Wir haben ca. 1000 Schüler, 100 Lehrer und andere Mitarbeiter an unserer Schule. Die Altersgruppe  der Schüler reicht von 12 bis 17 Jahren. Wir haben Schüler aus den umliegenden Orten: Prestonpans, Port Seton, Cockenzie und Longniddry hier. Die Schule liegt nah am Meer, mit gutem Blick über Firth of Forth, Edinburgh und auf die Meeresküste. Die Schüler haben viele verschiedene Fächer von Kunst bis Physik und von Deutsch  bis Sport. Es gibt auch viele Klubs wie Schauspielerei, Afrikanische Trommelgruppe, Hockey, Fußball, Rugby, Senior und Junior Chor, Fotografie, Big Band und Badminton. Wir haben 3 Schulhäuser: Gosford, Grange und Seton, welche im akademischem Sinne gegeneinander antreten sowie in vielen sportlichen und schulischen Veranstaltungen. Neben English sprechen einige Schüler über 20 andere verschiedene Sprachen in ihrem zu Hause.  Unserer Meinung nach ist das ein Grund zum Feiern!

Danke fürs Lesen!

Auf Wiedersehen!

Click here for the German audio!

  歡迎到臨 Preston Lodge High School!

我們的學校位於 Prestonpans,  離愛丁堡約12  哩。  本校約有1000 名學生及 100 名教職員.  學生的年齡 由12 歲至 17 歲。  我們的學生來自 Prestonpans, Port Seton, Cockenzie 及 Longniddry 等小鎮。  學園非常接近海灣, 可以遠望愛丁堡及以外美麗的海灣。  學生可以選擇不同的學習科目, 包括美術﹑物理﹑德文及體育等。  校內也有多種課外小組例如 : 話劇﹑非洲擊樂﹑曲棍球﹑足球﹑欖球﹑高級及初級聲樂隊﹑攝影﹑大樂隊及羽毛球等。  我們的學生分成三個學社 : Gosford, Grange及 Seton, 它們會在學術上及很多其他運動和課外活動項目上亙相競賽。  我們的學生除了會說英語之外, 在家裹有些學生也會說他們自己的母語, 總計起來有超過 20 種語言. 這些都是讓我們值得自豪的!

多謝您們寶貴的時間來細閱這些資料!

再見!

。

Nossa Escola está localizada em Prestonpans mais ou menos à 12 milhas à Este de Edimburgo. Nós temos 100 estudantes e 100 trabalhadores. Os estudantes abrangem de 12 a 17 anos. Temos estudantes de Prestonpans, Port Seton, Cockenzie e Longniddry. O Edifico da Escola está situado perto da praia com vistas surpreendentes de Firth of Forth, Edimburgo e ao longo do litoral. Alunos aprendem varias matérias, desde Arte, fisica e Alemão à Educação fisica. Ha tambem varios clubes incluindo Drama, grupo Africano de percussao, Hockey, futebol, Rugby, Senior e Coros Juvenis, Fotografia, Grande banda e badminton. Temos três lares de estudantes: Gosford, Grange e Seton no qual compete um contra o outra academicamente e em muitos outros eventos extra-curricular eesportivos.

Bem como ingles alguns do nossos alunos falam cerca de 20 diferentes lingua-mãe. Achamos que seja algo para ser celebrado.

Obrigado por ler!

Adeus!

Listen to some portuguese here!

  Bienvenue à Preston Lodge!

Notre collège se situe à Prestonpans, à environ 15 kilomètres à l’est d’Edimbourg. Il y a environ 1000 élèves et 100 employés. L’âge des élèves varie entre 12 et 17 ans. Le collège compte des élèves de Prestonpans, Port Seton, Cockenzie, et Longniddry. L’établissement se situe près de la plage et offre une vue imprenable sur l’estuaire de la rivière Forth, Edimbourg et la côte. Les élèves étudient differents sujets comme l’art ou la physique en passant par l’allemand ou l’EPS. Il y a aussi de nombreux clubs notament celui d’art dramatique ainsi que le club de percussion africaine. Il y a aussi le hockey, le rugby, les chorales, le club de photographie, le big band et le badminton.
 

Nous avons trois maisons dans le collège : Gosford, Grange et Seton qui sont en compétition les unes contre les autres dans les matières académiques mais également en sport ou d’autres évènements pluridisciplinaires. Tout en parlant anglais, certains de nos élèves parlent plus de vingt autres langues chez eux en tant que langue maternelle. C’est une diversité que nous avons décider de fêter !

Merci pour votre lecture !

Au revoir !

Now listen to the French recording! 

 Bienvenido a Preston Lodge High School

Nuestra escuela està situada en Prestonpans unos 15 kms de Edimburgo.  Tenemos alrededor de 1000 alumnos y 100 profesores.  La edad de los alumnos varia desde los 12  años hasta los 17.   Tenemos estudiantes de Prestonpans, Port Seton, Cockenzie y Longniddry.    El campus escolar està situado muy cerca de la playa con vistas fantàsticas sobre el Firth of Forth y algo de la costà.
 

Los alumnos aprenden varios matérias desde Arte hacia fìsicas y desde Aleman hacia gimnasia. Tambien hay muchos clubes incluyendo Drama, Percussion africana, Hockey, Fùtbol, Rugby, Corales, Fotografìa, Grupo musical y Badminton.

Tenemos tres casas escolares: Gosford, Grange y Seton que compiten entre ellos académicanente y en muchas màs actividades esportivas y extra-curriculares.  Ademàs del Inglés, algunos de nuestros alumnos hablan màs de veinte idiomas en su casa como su primer idioma.  Nosotros pensamos que esto es algo que se debe de celebrar.

Gracias por haber léido!

Adiòs!

 Witamy w naszym gimnazjum Preston Lodge!

Nasza szkola znajduje sie w Prestonpans okolo 12 mil od Edynburga.  Mamy okolo 1000 uczniow oraz 100 mauczycieli.  Uczniowie sa w wieku od 12 do 17 lat.  Nasi uczniowie miszkaja w Prestonpans , Port Seton, Cockenzie i Longniddry.  Szkola znajduje sie niedaleko plazy ze swietnymi widokami na morze I inne miejsca wokol. 

W szkole uczymy sie wielu innych przedmiotow poczawsy od plastyki do fizyki I od niemieckiego do wychowania fizycznego I wiele wiecej. 

Mamy duzo szkolnych klubow w ktore wchodza teatr, hokej, pilka nozna, rugby, fotografia, badminton, afrykanska grupa perkusyjna, zespol muzyczny.  Mamy trzy domy szkoly jakimi sa Gosford, Grange i Seton ktore ze soba rywalizuja na rozne sposoby tj zawody sportowe, konkursy lub inne wydarzenia szkolne.  Mamy w sxkole sporo ludzi ktorzy mowia w innym fezyku niz angielski jest to ponad 20 innych jezykow.   Myslimy ze to jest cos co mozna swietowac!

Dziekuje za czytanie!

Dowidzenia!

Click here to listen to the Polish! 

The Art and Design department would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the following former pupils on their success at this years University of Dundee degree show (http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/degreeshow/courses.htm). Pupils have progressed on to study in a variety of disciplines and have worked hard to reach their potential. They are a credit to the school. Examples of their work can be viewed at the sites listed below.  

Amanda Richardson (class of 2005)
BA Graphic Design
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/design/show2009/graphics/RichardsonAM.htm

Kirsten Lawson (class of 2005)
BA Illustration
http://imaging.dundee.ac.uk/illustration/

Ryan McLeod (class of 2004)
BA Interactive Media Design
‘QLASHR’
Working together Ryan McLeod and Ian Shiels have brought together their independent specialist skills to make a fantastic interactive video jockey installation. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to mix their own visuals and lighting show within a mini club in the exhibition space. 
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/degreeshow/ryanian.htm

Ailsa Lawson (class of 2005)
BA Time Based Art and Digital Film
‘DEE OF THE DEAD’
Ailsa Lawson’s taste for gore is manifested in her two-minute zombie flick “Dee Of The Dead”, which showcases her startling make-up effects and rekindles memories of 70s horror films like “Dawn Of The Dead”.
http://imaging.dundee.ac.uk/tba/ailsa_lawson.html
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/djcad/degreeshow/ailsa.htm

Update:

Answers are now available here. Remember, there are lot’s of different methods for getting the same answer, and these answers might not definitely be right!

The Higher Maths exam took place today, and the exam papers are now available to view online here:

Paper 1: 

Paper 2: 

Use this space to discuss the exam, answers, solutions, worries if necessary etc.

The dreaded answers (thanks to Invergordon Academy) are available below:

Paper 1 Answers                             Paper 2 Answers

The finale will see them competing in creating a dish of their own choice. Looking forward to the results. The winners will hopefully represent the school in the East Lothian Food festival schools competition in September

On the 29 we went to the Motorcycle Project at Haddington just off the High Street.  When we arrived we were introduced to everyone.  We then played some games before we went outside for a tour of the buildings and to see where the bikes and equipment were kept.  We had great fun sitting on the bikes and getting kitted up.  After that we played more games outside before we had some lunch.  Shortly after lunch we travelled back to the school in the minibus.  I really enjoyed my trip to see the motorbikes and found it very interesting.  I have now visited the Motorcycle Project twp times and I would to go back again.

we meet Linsey and Rowin and in the furst weet we got iwer gerr on.  and week 2 we went to the track

We all went to the bridgeside centre on Wednesdays with our pack lunch.  there are 2 people what take it  All we have done is games and went on the motorbikings  it was fun

We got the minibus and we met rowan went round.  When the Motor Bike centre.  We meet Rowan and Linsey  We played some games and started on the rolling road

first week   moterbiking got geared up and sat on a bike   second week we went on the bikes I done an incredible Jump in mid air with the bike and I landed it.  the third week i got the hang of the motorbike.  we metmen call Linsay and Rowan

First Week

On the first week we explored the aria and make banna and hot choclate, the second week we cut down trees, and then made hot dogs, the forth week we made a shelter and played games, and we carved wood and helped burn rope.

Forest School Programe

On the first week we expord the aria and mak bannas and Hot choclet. The second week cutting trees down and then mad hot dogs. The four week we mad sheater and payed games and carvend and then made march mals.

We cut done trees and clened up the phafe we cooked bhaps and choclate and we yous Bo Soard and lopers to cren up the pach.

The favourite part of the day at Forest Schools was when we played a game in the field. And it was okay when we the part I did not like when was it was raining and

We went to this wood calld buttrden wood and we got told to go and chek it out then we had lunch then mor cheking it out it was a fun first day. The second time we went we were cutting down trees to mack the path bigger. I like it when we all work as a grop I don’t like it when have to go

We bult a hut and cooked marshmallows on a stick. We also done some carving and made our fire. The first time I went we had a look around so we no our bounderys.

I Liked forest schools because I was with ma mates. The best thing was when I helped the boys make a hute. I didn’t like the hotdogs because they are not the nice. We cut down trees and used lots of Tools.

I dident enjoy when I dident fell well :$ I like it best when we cooking we cooked, chopped down trees, and learnt stuff about the woods and stuff

Forest school Programe

It was good

On the first day I wasin’t there I was at the duke of Edinburgh but I got told that we explored and made banna and something else. The secound week. We cut down trees and made hot dogs. On the forth week we had marshmallows made fires and made shelters

Work hard now!!!

Ms McGeachie   x

These photos show Larissa, Lauren and Kieran handing over a  cheque to Julie Aitken from Harlawhill. Julie was delighted to receive this cheque which would be used to take a group of elderly people on a day trip. Julie expressed  her thanks and she  said how kind, and considerate,  the PLHS pupils were. Mr Galbraith, who was soon to retire, was able to accept the cheque on behalf of Help the Aged !!

Well done S3 F/G - an excellent example of citizenship and enterprise !

Initially pupils investigated ideas on the internet, looking at different breakfasts in various countries. They then tried some of the ideas within class time. Pupils were then put into pairs/groups to work on developing the ones they decided they liked most. Ideas included baked doughnuts, fruity crepes, a variety of fruity drinks.smoothies/mooless,variations of french toast and welsh rarebit.

Staff were then invited to sample the dishes and decide on the entries we would send off as part of the national competition. 3 dishes were chosen from a very high standard.

The winning dishes were :-

Toffee Apple & Raspberry porridge with honey & greek yogurt drizzle, plus a refreshing fruit smoothie - created by Blair Forlow - S4

Hawaiian tropical crepes with mango coulis, coconut cream and crshed pineapple- with Morning Caribbean mooless- created by Hannah Burns - S4

Egg stuffed baked tomatoes with welsh rarebit topping, asparagus and tomato accompaniments followed by Berry stuffed frech brioche with poached peaches and a Merry berry smoothie on the side. - created by Lee Sneddon

A great effort by all pupils involved. They seemed to enjoy the challenge and using their own recipes to achieve such good results.

Well done!

We went camping on the 23rd of May.  We went to Cranshaws.  We had to walk 8 miles to get there, it was good.  Every 2 mile we stopped for a break and had something to eat and drink.  When we finally got there we set up the tent and mucked about for a few hours and then made some food and after we had a game of rugby.  When it got dark we got a game of hide and seek for the rest of the night and every two games we heated up marshmellows and went back for another game.

In the morning we packed everything away and made some breakfast and left.  When we left we went somewhere to go gorge walking it was great fun we were absolutely soaking and had no change of clothes.

Watch & comment below!

-

The winning entry is a fabulous Scottish steam train by …

KRISTINA BURNS OF 1SE2

Well done Kristina.

Special mention also goes to Melissa Marsden of 1Go2 who created an amazing creme egg castle at home.

More photos to follow …

higher-maths-easter-revision_calculus

higher-maths-easter-revision_expslogs

higher-maths-easter-revision_vectors

higher-maths-easter-revision_wave-function

Well done!

You have set the bar high for those following.

Watch and enjoy!

the -a-to-z-of-the-d-of-e

The seven finalists were: Paul Berg, Danielle Brown, Emma Codling, Michaela Rafferty, Kevin Reid, Liam Wilson and Keiran Wilson.

Each pupil cooked their dish and these were judged by Mrs Hogg and the Canteen supervisor.

The competition was very stiff, but by a small margin it was won by Kieran Wilson with his healthy cheesy pasta.

All the dishes are currently being analysed for dietary content and it is hoped will be featuring on the canteen menu.

All the candidates will receive a Silver award certificate. Well done to them all.

The S1 history course features a unit on archaeology so it was really exciting when Natasha- an archaeologist at Glasgow University- came into the dept to work with classes. She brought in many artifacts such as coins, buttons, musket balls and even a cannon ball - all of which were over 300 hundred years old. Pupils were shown how an archaeologist dates and records such artifacts and then they had the opportunity to handle, and record, the artifacts for themselves. Everyone got a real kick out of handling 300 year old items. The sessions were enjoyed by everyone . Natasha also said how great it had been to work with pupils at PLHS and how she would like to come back to work with other classes in the future. The dept also hopes to take pupils up to the site of the Battle of Prestonpans where Natasha and other archaeologists are excavating that site. It is  also funny to think that PLHS was built on part of the site of the battlefield. Not many schools can say that !

revision

revision-calendar

Baked prawns with tomato                                  Moroccan Chicken

Fettucine Alfredo                                                Vegetable Quiche

Seafood Risotto                                                  Szechwan Soup

Chicken Flautas                                                 Garbanzo Cake

Staff thoroughly enjoyed sampling the exceptional high standard of dishes on offer. A request was made to make it a regular lunchtime feature!!!

Pupils will now send off their entries to receive their Gold Award. Well done to all involved. Thanks to the staff who supported the event.

www.worldmathsday.com

Tom Lehrer, the man who brought us ‘The Elements Song’, was a lecturer at Harvard University. ‘The Elements Song’ wasn’t his only masterpiece; turns out he had quite a few! Here’s a song he wrote (and sang) about ‘New Math’:

Pupils entered as part of the level 1 Bronze award, with ideas for using Local Produce and Hearty Soups. They had to consider healthy eating, food selection, planning, cooking and presentation. They also had to ensure safe and hygienic working practices.

Five pupils were then selected to take part in the School ‘Cook off’

Eilidh Alexander - 1Gr3 - Homemade Scotch Broth

Ashton Ritchie - 1Gr3 - Stuffed Butternut Squash

Courtney Ritchie - 1Gr3 - Sweet Potato, Carrot & Ginger soup

Sam Donaldson -1Se1 - Smoked Fish Cakes

Fraser Woods - 1Gr3- Clapshot Pie

The pupils created their dishes within 1hour 15minutes ready for the judges to undertake the very difficult task of deciding on the winners. The judges included Mr Stewart, Mr Galbraith and Mr Don Ledingham (Director of Education). They all agreed it was a very high standard.

The eventual winners were Courtney for the Hearty Soups section and Sam for the Local Produce section.

All entries will receive their Bronze award certificates shortly.

For more information log on to www.activekidsgetcooking.org.uk

O beautiful maiden with beaming eyes, tell me, since you understand the method of inversion, what number multiplied by 3, then increased by three-quarters of the product, then divided by 7, then diminished by one-third of the result, then multiplied by itself, then diminished by 52, whose square root is then extracted before 8 is added and then divided by 10, gives the final result of 2?

So what’s the answer? Answer below, with your reasoning please!

The army made two visits to Preston Lodge this month. They gave the SVS pupils a chance to take part in a number of ‘Command Tasks’ and then allowed a question and answer session in the Learning Zone. They were well received and gave the students a realistic view of what they could expect from life in the armed forces. Thanks to all those involved, and especially those students who really pushed themselves.

higher-prelim-revision

Enthusiastic young chef Lee Sneddon received a framed certificate and a Gift Voucher for £25 when he won the Longniddry and District Rotary Club’s Young Chef competition held at Preston Lodge School on the 14^th January. The runner up was Sean Gaffney who also received a framed certificate and a gift voucher for £20.

The competition, which was entered by three girls and three boys, was judged by John Cleary who provides the catering at Craigielaw Golf Club and Hilary Cochran from Knowes Farm and Shop who also presented the awards to the winner and runner up respectively. President Peter Wood presented all the entrants with certificates, recognising their participation.

The organisers, the Club’s Youth Opportunities team chaired by convener Charles Simpson, appreciated the feedback from the Preston Lodge teaching staff that the pupils had enjoyed the experience, which they felt, was a genuine competition.

The event is part of a Rotary District 1020 initiative to encourage the development of life skills and the next stage is the zone competition at which the winners from Penicuik and Dunbar High Schools will compete with the Preston Lodge winner at Preston Lodge in early February

In the 1943 photo of class 1A, Janet is the unnamed pupil beside Ruth Greenshields.

Four of the girls from Class 1A still have an annual (June) reunion in Edinburgh - others are most welcome and should contact Janet for more information, “jchristie572@btinternet.com”

Thanks very much to Janet for keeping in touch with Preston Lodge and for sharing these photos with us.

We hope you enjoy these photos and look forward to receiving more from other FPs in the future.

Here’s (part of) the video from the day:

And here’s the current point totals:

Gosford: 171, Seton: 238, Grange: 240

Great fun was had by all.

 Click below to see what went on!!!

Here goes…….

Special thanks go to Bill at Outdoor Ed.

The weather was kind to us during the day but bitterly cold at night.

This made for great night of stargazing.

“Quite a moving experience” claimed a tearful Mr Kidd clearly overwhelmed by the beauty of the night sky!

Well done to all those who braved the elements.

Special thanks go to the ‘Technical support staff’!

Here are the pictures…….

S2 have been trying some fishy treats. Here’s a copy of a particularly popular recipe…..

Feel free to comment here or at flickr!

Dr Voge is travelling by ship from south of the equator to the north.

He has a nice little second class cabin which has a bathroom, but no window.

Dr Voge has no compass or any other scientific instruments.

Yet, without leaving his room or talking with anyone, Dr Voge knew exactly when the ship crossed the equator.

We all know how clever he is - but how did he know?

Answers on a postcard…

The optical illusions proved to be a winner.

Check out the link below to access the presentations.

Sci-fun presentations.

To view the video required for the ‘Observation’ task, the password is easy to remember (if you watched the show!!)

More of a corny Chemistry joke befitting of other departments!

Surely something to register on the Whatcott Scale, perhaps even the Kiernanometer…

A chloride ion steals a sodium’s electron.

Sodium calls the police and reports his electron stolen.

The policeman asks “Are you sure?”

Sodium yells “Yes, I’m positive!”

All hands on deck to prepare for the assessments in October and November!

http://www.oronsay.org

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/standard/biology/

http://www.deeksbiologyrevision.co.uk/

Not many of you have returned your paperwork which is a little worrying.

Staff are not in a position to chase this up!

Don’t leave it to the last minute.

Get your paperwork in!
Get your money in!

Have you sorted your route?
Not long now.

Well done 1 B2, B3 and C4!

Silver - Thursday 23rd - Saturday 25th October.

Bronze group 1- Thursday 9th - Friday 10th October.

Bronze Group 2 - Thursday6th - Friday 7th November.

Better get cracking!

Good luck

See any of the team for maps and don’t forget to get the paperwork in.

For quick facts and a better summary than I could manage, look here!

This morning at 8:30am GMT, the world’s largest and one of the most important physics experiments was switched on. The Large Hadron Collider, situated on the Swiss/Franco border, near Geneva, and found 100m underground, the 27km long circular tube began accelerating small particles of matter to speeds close to the speed of light. Two beams of protons are fired in opposite through a vacuum at temperatures colder than those found in deep space. It’ll take about a month for them to reach the speeds wanted before they allow the two beams to overlap, and let the protons collide - at these high energies, it is hoped that a new particle will be discovered - the Higgs Boson.

After about 40 years of colliding protons elsewhere in the world, the existence of the ‘God particle’ has still not been confirmed - now, on a much larger scale, physicists believe that they will be found. If they are, it’ll prove many theories that are surround physics - e.g. the Higgs field; it’ll explain why some objects have mass, while others don’t. But, even if nothing is found, it’ll still be useful - it’d show us that we have severely misunderstood something; that one of their assumptions is wrong, allowing them to rethink and rediscover, which may lead to the right answer.

CERN and the LHC will be a major stepping stone as physicists search for an ever simpler and more ‘beautiful’ solution to the puzzles of our universe.

Watch the videos below for a better explanation than I could write!

CERN in 3 minutes:

Why not learn about CERN in rap form?

What can you identify?

Bottom lobe of lung showing bronchioles in cross-section.

Mmm….nice.

A fully inflated lung (with heart still attached)

Trachea showing rings of cartilage (and mucus!!)

Check out the pictures from our recent lung dissection.

What can you identify?

Play video clip below to see us trying to get a tune out of a lung!

• Designs should be made on an A4 sheet of paper
• Must be based on your house colours
• Must be your own design (no googling!)
• Open to all year groups
• One entry per person
• Each entry gains your house 1 house point
• Closing date - Friday 12th September
• Give your entry to your register teacher for the register bag, or hand into the Office (and don’t forget to put your name and register class on the back!!!) or email your design to the email address shown at the bottom
• Winning entries will be announced at your house assembly week beginning Tuesday 16th September, and prizes are available!
• The winning designs will be displayed throughout the school and on the House Noticeboard outside the S6 common room

Have fun, and Good Luck!

pl03doide@prestonlodge.e-lothian.sch.uk

Can you identify the species?

Prize for first correct answer posted.

Enjoy!

pics to follow..

Forest week 5.  I gathered tree baby is good.  Then we got the food.  Got wood for the bridge and we watched the tree go down.

Robyn

We got there, and we went to our shelter.  We had lunch, and I made the rolls.  We built a bridge.  We put logs down on this muddy path, with a tree that was cut down.  We also talked about all the equipment.  We put the two logs deep into the ground so it wouldn’t move.  When the tree was getting cut we had to keep a fair distance from it.

Steph

Went to woods, cooked sausages and bacon, made bridge, for going across marshy area, from a tree we cut down.  I dropped sausages when i was cooking them.  Smoke burned my eyes.

Bethany

I was a chef and we built a bridge for teh John Muir Award.  The tree got chopped down and we had to stay back from it.  We put two big logs across it.

Big Cook

When got there, we recapped on what we did last week.  We made another fire, and I got it lit first time.  We had toast on the fire.  We found a new camp to sit and eat at.  We started making seats for the camp.  We had to leave what we did.  And finally, Bethany had to wait to get the car keys so she could get her shoes.  Stephanie

We arrived at Butterfean Woods and got ready.  When we got into the woods itself, we played a game called Stealth.  Stealth is a game where someone stands in a spot, closes their eyes and counts to 20.  when they are counting everyone runs and hides.  trhe aim of the game is to get back to the person counting, without being seen.  We then toasted toast with our own cooking methods, and then ate it.  We also chose a place for our base.  Last but not least, we started making seats.  Bethany

Making my baby tree and making the benches and chair.  Played hidey.. had food..   hoops and bread.  Robyn

Played that Stealth game, made a fire and had toast and spagetti hoops.  Found a place for our camp and made seats.  There was a tree stump in the ground and I pulled out and found a log which I used for a seat.  I was making daggers for the seat to stand it up.  Raymond

WEEK 4

Finnished the benches

Had a hobo lunch

Be on your own for 10mins

Robyn

3 of us went up to the woods in Franny’s car.  We finished the sseats, had personal time and had a hobo meal.

Bethany

We finished off the seats at our new camp, had a hobo lunch and we had to have 10 minutes on our own to think about things.

 Stephanie

Please see Mr Kiernan asap to sort out kit and last minute info.

D-Day is fast approaching!
Get up to Mr Kidd’s room next Thursday (29th May) to get kitted out and try your boots on (maybe break them in over the weekend and prevent blisters when on the exped!!).

The main points from this meeting concerned an update on the implications of the efficiency savings, Columba 1400 and local twinning with Barga.

Any questions, suggestions or comments? pl03doide@prestonlodge.e-lothian.sch.uk

Did you leave at the end of S4 in June 1996, S5 in June 1997 or S6 in June 1998?

If so this reunion is for you!!

It is going to be at The Gothenburg, Prestonpns on Saturday 24th May, from 7pm until midnight.

A buffet a few drinks and a chance to catch up, £5 per person to cover the buffet and any additional costs (anything we have left over can go to charity?).

More details to follow see also this link

Pupils have been working on a selection of new short animations which are now available.

Download

Congratulations to Emma Rollo, who’s fantastic drawing won 1st prize at the Peter Potter exhibition. She beat off stiff competition from several schools around East Lothian.

 Well done Emma - We are all very proud!

On Friday evening pupils from Preston Lodge performed in Longniddry Parish Church. The purpose of the concert was to give pupils experience in performing to others before their Practical Exams in February/March. The concert was well attended and the evening was a great success. The department would like to thank Robin Hill for inviting us and all others who supported and helped out at the event. We would hope that this can become a regular concert and look forward to our next visit.

Sarah Hutchison, a past Preston Lodge pupil, is currently taking part in an exhibition celebrating the best of Scottish silver. This is now showing at the National Museum Scotland. For more information visit the NMS website at http://www.nms.ac.uk/silver.aspx

Sarah left Preston Lodge in 2000 to study at Edinburgh College of Art. Graduating with a First Class Honours Degree, she went on to complete her Post Graduate and is currently an artist in residence at Edinburgh College of Art. You can find out more about Sarah and see some of her work at http://www.sarahhutchison.co.uk

 We congratulate her on her success and wish her all our best wishes.

The Peter Potter Gallery in Haddington is currently holding its annual exhibition of pupils work from around East Lothian. A selection of Preston Lodge pupils, from S1 to S6, are exhibited there. Other participating schools include Knox academy, Loretto’s and Musselburgh Grammar.

Opening Hours:
Monday - Friday: 10am - 5pm
Saturday: 10 am - 5.30pm
Sundays: 11 am - 4.30pm

Address:
10 The Sands,
Haddington
T: 01620 822080
E:  info at peterpottergallery.org

Full Results:

Vocal Competion

1. Megan Rourke
2. Mellisa Cowe
3. Ross Hamilton

Instrumental Section

1. Dominic Tartalia
2. Emma Longmuir
3. Gordon Wilson

The club takes place on a Friday after school in the music department.

See Mr Smith for more details

Will the real Mr.Thomas please stand up!!

Mr.Rose, Paul van Reitvelte and Mr.Smith queue for the leg waxing.

Have two of them already had their heads done?

He’s bean for bath but now he needs a shower.

Mr.T been in the bath

Particular thanks to the sixth year for the fantastic effort - you all looked great!!

Sponges and Stocks

On the astro turf pitch at 1.15 and support the ten staff and ten S6 pupils in stocks

• 6 water sponges for a £1. (1.15 - 1.45)

Friday 16th

• Fancy dress in hall
• Mr Thomas sitting in a bath of beans
• Mr Smith and Mr Rose getting legs waxed

Five a-side football- various dates over the next 2 weeks