Group projects
This year, 5th and 6th classes of Scoil ChaoimhiÕn, Marlborough Street, were involved in various group projects. Pupils were asked to form their own groups, and to choose their own particular projects. Groups (consisting of from 3-5 pupils) chose topics like Sport, Diet, Health, and Endangered Species. Pupils were free to develop their own approach. Some decided to concentrate on using a computer.

The project on Endangered Species lent itself naturally to wordprocessing, and the pupils involved were glad to exhibit their work at the Student Computer Fair at The Marino Institute of Education, in March.

New horizons
In their initial enthusiasm, these pupils intended to cover a wide range of endangered animals. Then, as they began to work more concentratedly, they realised the necessity to scale the range of the project to approximately six animals, whose survival is actually in jeopardy. This allowed them to focus on the animalÕs habitat, the causes of its threatened extinction, and the hope offered by conservation.

The task of gathering information motivated pupils to improve their keyboard and wordprocessing skills. They became familiar with Folio, View, and Stylus, and eventually presented the project using Stylus. The goal of displaying their project at the Student Computer Fair was an added stimulus. In turn, the wide range of computer-based activities exhibited at the Fair itself, opened up further horizons for the pupils involved.

An t-Iora Rua
Ta an t-iora rua le fdil ar fud na hEorpa go leir. Ta se
beagnach imithe as an tir seo agus as Sasana agus an
Bhreatain Bheag a tháinig an t-iora mor liath. Tugadh an
t-iora liath isteach as
Meireaca. Ni bhionn an da iora ag troid le cheile ach nuair a thagann an t-iora liath go dtr ait eaIaionn an t-iora rua go dti ait eile. Ta aIan aorai in
Albain. Ta WWF (World Wildlife Federation) ag cabhra le
daoine faoin tuath coilite a cheannacht a bhfuii iorar rua
ina gc6nai iontu. Md ghearrann siad na crainn go I6ir cad a tharlóidh ansin???
Leah Ni Cheallaigh agus Tracy Ni Uiginn

THE ELEPHANT
In the outside world something is major.
That the big grey elephant is in great danger.
They are under threat and dying away.
Could be in extinction in another day.
I could be right and I could be wrong,
But if I'm right they won't be here for long.
So please listen don't hunt them down,
We don't need their tusks in any town.
So leave them alone let them run free.
Let them live in harmony.

Tracy Ni Uiginn

THE WHALES
Whales are big,
Beautiful and strong,
They swim all day,
Doing nothing wrong.

They only eat,
The food they like,
Like fish and shellfish.
All day and all night.

But why do we need to
Kill them soP
In drift nets,
And by pollution you know.

They sometimes are harmful.
They sometimes are mean.
But if you leave them alone,
They'll just swim In the sea.

Leah Nì Cheallaigh.