National School Sport Week 2009 July 6, 2009

Churchfields Primary School made a concerted effort to participate in this Lloyds TSB National School Sport Week by carrying out the following activities, in addition to normal P.E. lessons.

The Year 4’s were taken to Chesterton High School ’s Sports Centre for basketball and five-a-side football.

Later that day Year 5’s, in association with numerous schools in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent , took part in the Guinness Book of World Records attempt at skipping. There were two independent witnesses who joined us to sign that they had seen 12 of our children pass the specified amount of time required to continuously skip.

 Year 5’s used the High School’s tennis courts to play various sets of mixed doubles which provided an added dimension to the skills they had been practising back at school.An inter-school rounders tournament took place at the High School. We also invited Friarswood Primary School to join us for an extra-curricular basketball game.

There was a lunchtime intra-school soccer competition which the ‘Yellow Tigers’ won.

There was aerobic activity for Year 3’s presented by former pupil Fay Braxton.

 

An inter-school swimming gala was organised by Sarah Jackson (Chesterton Primary) and Sarah Beech, attended by three schools.

Key stage One would be targeted the following week with the following sessions :

multi-skills session for Year 2’s  

 a streetdance session for Years 1 and 2 

        a family ‘mothers and toddlers’ swim for Reception children.

 

 

The scheme definitely raised the profile of sport in our school and gave some children the opportunity to ‘try out’ some sports they might not normally be exposed to. There ought to be one more often !!

 

 

Phil and  the Class 4 – Churchfields Primary School – Chesterton, Newcastle-under- Lyme – UK

 

A French game: “La pétanque” July 2, 2009

Professional set of "boules"

On our last day of school, we took the bus to go to the local botanical garden to have a game of “pétanque” which is a very popular game played by lots of people in Fance , especially during the summer.

18 of us chose that activity to spend our last day of the school year together. No exams for us this year so we could enjoy our day out with our teachers. We had our picnic with us so we could spend the whole day outdoors and we had a lot of fun playing “pétanque”. We can’t traslate this word in English because it is a specific French game.

Each one of us was in a team of 3, so there were 7 teams icluding the teachers! We all had two “boules”  and the aim was to get as many points as possible. A game is won if your team gets 13 points. We had to get our “boules” as close as possble to a smaller one called “cochonnet”

Cochonnet et boules

At times, we had to measure very precisely who got the nearest to the “cochonnet” and we use a rule  (metre) to make sure who had the point. “Pétanque” is a very serious game, you see!

Measuring!

We had a loooooot of fuuuun and we won against the teachers who disputed each point!!

Discussion!

and discussion!

When we came back to school we were given our trophies. The first team had a big mug each to drink chocolate in the morning, the second team a smaller mug each for tea and everybody had a token for participating ( a rocket balloon).

A good day indeed and to top it all the weather was great and warm!

Marie-France & kids ( 6émes 1 & 2) wish you a good holiday.

“La Fête de la Musique” ( 2009 edition) June 21, 2009

Tonight in Paris there are huge free concerts for this special event. The most popular European and American singers, choirs, classical orchestras, R&B’s , Jazz , Rock’Roll , Latino and Rap bands are performing with a national television live broadcast. It is in keeping with the 5oth anniversary of a specific Ministry called the ” Ministère de la culture” . Those concerts are played under the Eiffel Tower, Trocadéro, Parc de Bagatelle ( on TV), Place des Vosges, Champs Elysées …and in lots of streets. Thousands of people are taking part in the event. Millions in two days in fact!

Yesterday, everywhere in France, people celebrated the ” Fête de la Musique”. Every sort of music was played and all sorts of musical instruments too: drums, guitars, vilolins, cellos, trumpets, saxophones, accordeons, bandoneons, pianos, bagpipes, fiddles …

In western Brittany where we live, people enjoyed themselves last night and all generations were represented ( from babies… to great grandparents).

Marie-France & kids.

Photo Session June 21, 2009

Raluca, Ana-Maria and Andrei, three of our 7th graders, have done some research on traditional costumes that the people in their home village (Comăneşti) still wear on special occasions. Here is what they’ve discovered in their parents’ and grandparents’ wardrobes.

Daniel, Ştefan, Raluca and Ionuţ, their classmates, went through their old village and took photos of places and people who still preserve the beauty and energy of the old times.

Liliana&the kids

Street Delivery June 14, 2009

Street Delivery is a recent tradition. The event has just had its third edition. Its catch phrase is “Closing the street for cars and opening it for people”. It takes place every June, on an old and well-known street in Bucharest and aims to make again the street a social place, a place for people and for culture. There are mainly unconventional activities, and the themes are: urbanism, environment, books, modern art, activities for children, dying crafts, architecture. Here are some photos, we hope you will like them.

Happy holidays to everyone!

Irina and the kids from School no 92, Bucharest.

Our grandparents’ games and toys in Francavilla/I giochi e i giocattoli dei nostri nonni a Francavilla June 13, 2009

Quante volte ci siamo sentiti dire dai nostri genitori o dai nostri nonni:” Ma che giochi fate, i nostri sì che erano giochi !”. Ora ci è venuto il desiderio di conoscere i loro giochi ed è per questo che abbiamo deciso di intervistare i nostri nonni  per conoscere e riproporre a noi stessi il loro modo di trascorrere il tempo e il loro modo di divertirsi. Li abbiamo intervistati e ci siamo convinti che avevano ragione. Noi trascorriamo troppo tempo in solitudine davanti al televisore mentre loro stavano sempre in compagnia in mezzo alla strada, dalla mattina alla sera . Giocavano e si divertivano un mondo. I loro giochi erano coinvolgenti, spesso pericolosi, ma quasi sempre molto interessanti, da tutti i punti di vista, in quanto erano giochi che prevedevano fantasia, intelligenza,tattica, abilità, resistenza e persino creatività. Già, perché il più delle volte erano loro stessi che dovevano costruire i loro giocattoli, dal monopattino alla carrozza, dalla fionda all’arco con le frecce, dal pallone costruito con staccë al ruòllë, ecc. Noi abbiamo provato a rifare i loro giochi e abbiamo constatato che erano davvero bravi nell’eseguirli.  Li abbiamo rifatti nelle nostra palestra, con il tappeto in gomma, con le scarpe da ginnastica ai piedi, con il materasso per attutire eventuali cadute, e tuttavia abbiamo incontrato molte difficoltà. Essi, invece, li eseguivano in mezzo alla strada selciata, con ai piedi pesanti scarponi, senza tuta e soprattutto senza materassino per attutire delle cadute che sicuramente ci sono state. 

How many times we heard to say to us by our parents or our grandparents: “But what games you play, ours, certainly, were games!” Now the wish to know their games was born in ourselves and that’s why we decided to interview our grandparents to know and repropose  to ourselves their way to spent the time and have fun. We interviewed them and convinced ourselves that they were right. We spent our time in loneliness  opposite the television as they always  stayed in company on the road , from the morning to the evening. They played  and had a lot of fun. Their games were captivating , often dangerous, but quite always very interesting, from every point of view, as they were games that provided fantasy, intelligence, tactic, ability, resistance and even creativity, Yes, because the more of the times they had to make their toys for themselves, from the scooter to the carriage, from the catapult to the bow with the arrows, from the ball made with the “staccë”( flat stones) to the “ruòllë” (tumble), etc. We tried to replay their games and realized they were really good at playing them.  We replayed them in our gym, with the gum carpet, with the trainers at our feet, with the mattress to cushion the falls, and all the same we had many difficulties. They, instead, played them on the paved street, with at their feet heavy boots, without track suit and moreover without mattress to cushion the falls that surely there have been.

 I questa presentazione, da noi realizzata, tutto ciò che abbiamo trovato/ In this presentation, made by ourselves, all  what we found out:

Our grandparents’games and toys in Francavilla

 In questi filmati, anch’essi realizzati da noi, tutti i nostri giochi in palestra/In these videos, also made by ourselves, all our games in the gym:

foto / Photos

Video 1

Video 2

La musica, nella presentazione ed in uno dei video, è suonata con strumenti tipici del nostro artigianato locale: fischietto, zampogne e totarella.

The music, in the powerpoint and in  one of the videos, is played with typical instruments of our local handicraft: whistle, bagpipes and “totarella” ( a kind of recorder).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

              

 

 

 

 

 

         Zampogne / Bagpipes                                                        Totarella / Recorder

Mario, Gina e la classe 5^B- Scuola Primaria “A. Ciancia” – Francavilla in Sinni (PZ) – Italia

Grandparents’ games and toys in Chesterton June 12, 2009

Children did a survey about old games an toys and we have some news about grandparents’ memories of childhood games. Personally, ones which I remember were Hide and Seek, (kids go off to hide in the park while the ‘catcher’ counts to 100, then he chases after them and tries to spot them) cowboys and indians (pretend shooting each other) and a favourite girls’ game was hopscotch. (sort of hopping onto paved stones on the pavement which had numbers written on them with chalk)

But here’s what the children have found out as a result of their interviews:

“We have been asking grandparents about old toys and games. Here is what I found out:

“Slinky”
The Slinky can “walk” down stairs and stretch and reform as gravity moves them down each step. From COREY and WILLIAM

“Peashooter”
I found out that people used to play with pea-shooters and also with a whip and top. From COLE. Here is a peashooter :

“Dolly pegs”

I found out they used to play with dolly pegs. (What your Mum uses to hang the washing out). From JESSICA
Here are some :

” Top and Whip”

Here is what I found out :I found that the top and whip was a toy, you used the whip to spin the top. From JOSHUA

I found out the spinning top was kept spinning by a whip.From James

I found out that a spinning top and whip looked like a U.F.O. (small spaceship) and you kept it spinning by using a whip. Bye from TILLY

The top and whip was popular in 1945. It cost 1 penny from the corner shop. This is what it looked like ……… from ADAM

“Hopscotch”
Here is what I found out: They used to play
· hopscotch.
· and hide and seek. From JOSIE

“Hide and seek”

 In a game called hide and seek, you have to hide from people. They count to a number (50 or 100) and then they come to find you.
From Bethany

I found out that hide and seek is older then me. From Chantelle

The game hide and seek has been around for a lot of years. From Emma

“Man the ship”

I found out:
the game ‘Man the ship’ was most popular in 1960-1965.
The last girl or boy still in would be the winner. From Charlotte

“Cowboys and Indians”

I found out that playing cowboys and Indians was very popular in the 1960s. From Geri

“Bus conductor”

Here is what I found out:
They used to pretend they were bus conductors and use tickets to give to their customers. From Nikita

Phil and the class 4 – Churchfield Primary School – Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme – UK

21st of June: fête de la musique. June 2, 2009

Every year, on the first evening of summer, many countries celebrate the arrival of summer with music. It is the longest evening of the year coinciding, more or less – depending of the year- to the summer solstice.

It was first imagined by an American musician whose name is Joel Cohen. He was working in France for a very important national radio at the end of the 1970’s. He broadcasted, twice a year, very important concerts for the winter solstice in december and the summer one in june.

The idea was really adopted in 1983 and ever since, on June the 21st, lots of people play music in the streets, parks, music kiosks, stadiums …

This musical evening has become international in the following years and more than 350 towns and cities have adopted the concept. Here are a few posters from different cities from all over the world:

Djakarta. Indonesia.

Let’s hope you’ll have a great enving on June 21st , 2009. Have a good time. Check in your own city. I am sure you will have “une fête de la musique”.

Here is a photo of a member of our local brass band “Zebaliz” from my home city.

Street musical fun.

“Le 21 juin « Faites de la musique »

Chaque année, le 21 juin est le rendez-vous de la fête de la musique.

28ème édition de la Fête de la Musique 
Samedi 20 et dimanche 21 juin 2009

Inscrite dans le calendrier des Français depuis plus de vingt ans et célébrée dans plus de 100 pays à travers le monde, la Fête de la Musique réunit dans un grand moment de rencontre, de partage et de convivialité, les artistes tant amateurs que professionnels et les publics les plus divers.

Les musiciens de tous horizons sont invités à s’exprimer sur les scènes et dans les rues.”

source: Kioske BMO

 

Panama. 2005

 

 

 

 

Pentecost “ferias” May 27, 2009

When bulls are supposed to become kings

Many French cities , in the south of France, have got a very popular tradition called “feria” ( Spanish name for fair, festival and corrida). Most of them will start at the end of this week and will be carried on until their apex on Whit Monday.

 

The best kown feria will take place in Nîmes at the end of this week. Nîmes is an inland town in the south east of France. It has an arena dating from Roman times in France where corridas can take place.

Having a run with small bulls

This weekend and for 6 days starting tomorrow, the event will bring together about one million people from France but also from a lot of foreign countries.Young bulls run in the streets and young men try to provoke and get away from their horns. Very dangerous indeed.

The best bull fighters will be there, like each year since 1952. If you don’t like corridas and I don’t, there will be plenty of other events to attend.

The best part of these festivities is the get-together and the good fun you have with your friends and the evenings are very pleasant. You can taste wine ( not too much though), dance, sing and listen to festive music played by brass bands. The atmosphere is great and you can have 4 nice evenings in a row!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is nice to see brave bulls running after fast young men but I don’t think the bull killing adds anything to this feria! To me the fight between man and beast is not fair. The bull is weakened so much by picadores ( the ones on their horses) that the brave animal doesn’t stand a chance.

Springtime and the festival of Celtic bands May 2, 2009

Le Printemps des sonneurs

Marching down the streets

Since 1997, in my town, Celtic bands have celebrated springtime.

The idea of this festival was born in a local group of musicians. The local band called « Kevrenn Sant Mark», Breton word to say band with bagpipes, heavy drums and the traditional musical instrument « bombarde », wished to invite their friends to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Ever since, faithful bands « bagadoù » have come to Brest to march down two long streets for a parade which takes place at the end of April or at the beginning of May every year.This year, it will be the 12h edition.

The audience is massive and people gather on pavements to see them walking down the streets. The music is impressive and the audience is overwhelmed with joy and pride. Every « Bagad » has got its traditional costume too and it is a festival of colours too .

Young kids are also included and trained to play this band music. This year a 10 year-old young boy will take part in the local band for the first time. He is a little bit stressed and his photo is in the local press. Good luck to that young gentleman.

Getting ready

This year's poster

Here is, on the right, this year’s poster which has promoted the event in town.

Last year's poster

Last year, they had a great poster which has been my favourite up to now. It represents a little white animal called an ermine, the symbol of Brittany. Nice animal which has become very rare, nearly extinct.