Piggley's Adventure in Washington: Monday the 28th of June 2009

Another fascinating day in Washington!
Today we left the hotel at 6.45am. Myself and Ms. O Connell took part in a Panel Session talk with Dan from England, Andrew from Australia, Sarietjie from South Africa and Nathan from New Zealand.




David Walddon from Microsoft was the moderator.




Here you can see all the Microsoft Innovative Teachers together before the talk. I will post up a podcast of the talk later- Ms. O Connell needs my help to edit it!



We talked to a full room of teachers and administrators about the work that we did with all of the students in Kilvemnon over the past few years. They were so impressed that you were all working away and logging on to the blog over the summer holidays. You are all so dedicated!

Afterwards we visited the exhibits downstairs and guess what? LEGO had a stand. I learned how to data log colours on the new NXT. I can't wait to show you all when we get home.

Afterwards we visited the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum right here in Washington. Ms. O' Connell told me that you had emailed to make sure we visited the Wright Brothers Flyer.

Above you can see me sitting on a real piece of moon rock! It is just inside the door of the Smithsonian.


Next we visited the REAL Wright Brothers Flyer. This is the actual machine used in the first flight. in 1985 they changed the canvas on the Flyer it had become damaged. It had been built in 1903 after all!

The Red Baron would love to see this! Wouldn't he?

Check out this link to see inside the Air and Space Museum and around Washington in the new Night at the Museum Film: http://www.nightatthemuseummovie.com/ The Flyer has a huge part in it!

Rockets verywhere at the Smithsonian!



Find out more about the Smithsonian here.

This is me visiting the Korean War memorial. It is a really powerful memorial. America fought in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.


Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia is a military cemetery in the United States, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna (Custis) Lee, a descendant of Martha Washington. The cemetery is situated directly across the Potomac from Washington, DC and near The Pentagon.
More than 300,000 people are buried in an area of 624 acres.

What an exciting day! Is there anything else you woould like myself and Ms. O Connell to visit?
Tomorrow evening we have been invited to the Library of Congress for a reception. We are so excited. The Library of Congress is very famous and is not normally open to the public. I will wear a clean uniform for the night and will make sure to clean my trotters for the event!!
can you find out more about the Library of Congress for me before I go?

See you soon,
Piggley.

PS. Great to hear all the positive comments from Kilvemnon and beyond! Keep them coming!

Piggley's Adventure in Washington: Sunday 27th of June 2009

Today was a very exciting day for me! Guess where I visited!! That's it- the White House! For more than 200 years, the White House has been more than just the home of the Presidents and their families. Throughout the world, it is recognized as the symbol of the President, of the President's administration, and of the United States. Learn more about the White House at this address; http://www.whitehouse.gov/


All the teachers were excited to see the White House; Andrew Douch, Australia, Nathan Kerr, New Zealand, Mariella Paz, El Salvador, Dan Roberts, England, Ms. O' Connell and myself and Ronald Ddungu, Uganda.


I met a squirrel outside the White House. It is an American Red Squirrel. They eat the seeds of pine cones and are as known Pine Squirrels and Chickarees.


When Barack Obama heard that myself and Ms. O' Connell were in town he had to come and meet us! What an honour! We told him all about your great work on aviation. He was so impressed!


Here are all teachers who are Microsoft Innovative Teacher Winners this year.

Here we are at a poster session where we talked about the project. We talked to so many interesting teachers, educators and innovators.

I met a lovely girl called Sarah. She has a teddy near called Civil War Sallie. She has set up a blog about her teddy and she helps her to learn about the American Civil War. Click on to http://civilwarsallie.wikispaces.com/ to find out more.

Here i am with Ms. O Connell at the ISTE President's Reception. Look at the ice sculpture behind me!

Did you know that there was a big fight in Washington in the 1840s and it was callled the 'Pig Wars'? My ancestors must not have been as peace loving as me!!!

I'll write some more tomorrow! Thanks so much for the last emails! keep it up!
Piggley.
Oink oink!

Piggley's Adventure in Washington: Saturday 26th of June 2009

Hello everyone!


Well, I had such an interesting day today. Myself and Ms. O Connell were up early and left the hotel at 8.30am for the Microsoft Reston Campus. We had a lovely breakfast with all of our friends from Hong Kong. Here you can see me sitting up at the desk enjoying a juice.



It was hot today but the forecast for tomorrow is for it to be even hotter. It will be mostly sunny in the morning...then mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 80s.(F) Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
I don't understand the Farenheit temperature. Could someone please tell me what 80 degrees Farenheit is in Celcius? Thanks!!

After breakfast we all went to a meeting room upstairs where we spoke to Les Foltos, who works with the Puget Sound Centre. He helps teachers to peer coach; that is teachers are aided to teach teachers. Les met me in Hong Kong and he was very impressed with all that the Kilvemnon students are working on. Ms. O' Connell told me that he really likes my jumper! Here you can see me giving my thoughts on the subject of collaboration.



We know all about collaboration in Kilvemnon. Collaboration basically means working together and I know that all of you love being part of the Kilvemnon team that help each other in school. You have also collaborated when we work with other schools on different projects. Remember how you worked so hard to help Volkschule Uttendorf, Shoscombe Primary in Bath and Gurranaesig in Cork to learn about the area of Mullinahone? They also hepled us and we learned their own songs, dances, poetry and the history of their areas. Now that's what I call collaboration!! Click here to learn more about our project.

Here you can see some of our friends working on a 'silent chat' about collaboration. Remember this is where you create a mind map of your ideas as a group but you cannot talk.


These are the ideas our group came up with.


The second group had very similar ideas on what makes collaboration work. I like the colour in this one!!




On my way out I spotted this in the hall. I had to take a picture for all you wrestling fans in Kilvemnon. It is the WWE wrestling belt. You'll have to explain the difference between WWE and WWF to myself and Ms. O' Connell when we get home. I know that Lynx and Smiley will know the answer to that one!!



We went to Paolo's Ristorante in Market Street in Reston. Here we are preparing to eat. I had a salad and Ms. O' Connell went for a fish dish. We will in bed early tonight as we are leaving the hotel at 7.30am tomorrow!!

We will travel to the NECC Conference. Click here to to learn more about it. From 7.00pm tp 9.00pm tomorrow evening myself and Ms. O' Connell will talk about 'Flying High: Exploring Aviation',your project from last year. We have to set up our posters for this session. We can't wait to tell everyone about all of your good work and also to learn new ideas for the classroom from other teachers and educators.

Goodnight from Piggley!!

Piggley's Adventure in Washington: Friday the 26th of June 2009

Hello boys and girls, I'm off on my travels again!

This time Microsoft have invited me out to Washington to take part in the NECC (The National Education and Computing Conference.)

I left Dublin with Ms. O' Connell at 12.30pm on Friday the 26th of June on Aer Lingus Flight EI119. We flew in an Airbus A330 called the St. Colmcille.


Here you can see me on the plane relaxing and listening to music.



Ms. O' Connell lent me her sunglasses so I could get some shut eye.



We arrived in Washington at 3.30pm (local time). Who knows what the time difference is between Ireland and Washington?

We are staying at the Sheraton Reston which is on 11810 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston. That's in the state of Virginia.
Here you can see me taking a well earned break after my long flight!





We met all of the other teachers that won at the Microsoft Innovative Teachers Forum in Hong Kong. They were all asking for you in Kilvemnon.

I went to bed early last night as we have an early start in the morning . We are visitng the local Microsoft offices at 8.30am on Saturday morning. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone there.



Stay tuned for more updates and don't forget to email me!!
Oink!
Piggley.

Congratulations 6th Class

Congratulations to 6th class who graduated from Scoil Mhuire Kilvemnon on the 24th of June this year. They can be proud of their achievements in Scoil Mhuire as leaders within the school. Each and every one of them led by example during their time in Kilvemnon.

Principal Múinteoir Barbara, Ms. O' Connell, Mrs. Hayes, Liz, Evita, Mary and Sarah all wish them the best for the future.

Fr. McGrath led the celebrations with a Mass of Graduation in the school. afterwards refreshments were served in Mrs. Hayes' room.

Everyone agreed that it was a fun send off for this years 6th class.

The seeds of today are the flowers of tomorrow.

Go n-éirí an t-adh libh go léir!

Historical Tour of Carraigmoclear

Today we went to the top of Carraigmoclear with Mr. Rickie Sheehan to learn about the Rebellion that happened there in 1798.
We were joined by some of our parents and two of the new Junior Infants for next year came with us too. We really enjoyed the trip!
Thank you Mr. Sheehan.


Learning about the Cross on top of Carraigmoclear


C'mon Piggley!


Learning lots!!


Hello there!


Starting the trip!!

The Birth of the Monkey King Film 2009

Director and Camera Man work with the Old Monkey


Getting ready to film


Chinese Opera Face Paint

What's that coming from the Rock?

Old Monkey gets his face on!

Monkeys everywhere!

Learning the ropes

Monkey Magic!

The National Anthem: Link to Canada and South Africa

Click on the Player to hear our National anthem.

Amhrán na bhFiann" in Irish or "The Soldier's Song" in English is the national anthem of Ireland.

The music was composed by Peadar Kearney and Patrick Heeney, and the original English lyrics were authored (as "A Soldier's Song") by Kearney.

It is usually sung in the Irish language, translation made by Liam Ó Rinn.

The song has three verses, but the national anthem consists of the chorus only.


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Irish version
Amhrán na bhFiann

Sinne Fianna Fáil,[fn 1]
atá faoi[fn 2] gheall ag Éirinn,
Buíon dár slua
thar toinn do ráinig chughainn,
Faoi mhóid bheith saor
Seantír ár sinsear feasta,
Ní fhágfar faoin tíorán ná faoin tráill.
Anocht a théam sa bhearna baoil,
Le gean ar Ghaeil, chun báis nó saoil,[fn 3]
Le gunna scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar,
Seo libh canaig amhrán na bhFiann

English version:
The Soldier's Song
Soldiers are we,
whose lives are pledged to Ireland,
Some have come
from a land beyond the wave,
Sworn to be free,
no more our ancient sireland,
Shall shelter the despot or the slave.
Tonight we man the "bearna baoil",[fn 4]
In Erin’s cause, come woe or weal,
’Mid cannon’s roar and rifles’ peal,
We’ll chant a soldier’s song