Good morning 5th,

Both myself and Ms Desmond really enjoyed our book discussions for the last few days. Today we will have a short discussion together before we go on to correct our Maths from the last few days.

Your reading today is Chapter 41 and 42. There is also a document giving you LOADS of examples of reading responses :)

Today we will do page 108, Busy at Maths, question 2 and 3. It involves adding in intervals of minutes.

Please continue your WOW words definitions using your dictionary or the Collins Co-build online dictionary here. There will be a test on the last two week of words tomorrow Friday.

There is a short lesson also on weather lore.

Talk to you all at 11am!

All the best,

Mr Kelly

Here are the first 20 reading responses. Click on the document and scroll down for more.

You can find the ebook by clicking here: Holes by Louis Sachar.pdf (google.com)

Weather Lore

‘There’s a grand stretch in the evenings!’ – There’s no doubt about it, Irish people love to talk about the weather. It is said that in Ireland we can experience all four seasons in one day! Our changeable climate makes it a constant topic of conversation. Weather forecasting is important to everyone as it helps us to make plans in our daily lives. We often consider the weather when we are making decisions, such as what clothes to wear, if it is advisable to walk to school or go in the car or if a trip to the beach is a good or bad idea.

While the weather is of interest to everyone, some people have more of a vested interest in weather prediction than others. Farmers, sailors and fishermen are just a few examples of people who are particularly concerned with the weather as it impacts their livelihoods. Nowadays weather forecast updates are easily accessible throughout the day on the television, radio and internet. Satellite technology means that they are available at the click of a button on mobile devices. The Irish Meteorological Service, also known as Met Éireann, even provide a detailed forecast especially for farmers which is known as ‘the farming forecast’.

Before meteorological technology existed however, people relied on signs in nature to help to predict the weather. By observing patterns in the natural world, they were able to make certain predictions about the weather. Many of these predictions were told down through the generations and this weather lore is still told today. These sayings often rhyme in order to make them easier to remember as they were passed on by word of mouth. These rhymes sometimes have different variations due to different dialects, translations or misinterpretations over the years.

Most of us have heard some variation of the saying ‘Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning’. Phrases such as this one may not always be accurate but they do carry some meaning. In this instance, a red sky at night can be a sign of high pressure coming which means the weather will be good. When there is a red sky in the morning, it can mean that the good weather has passed and a period of low pressure is dawning, bringing with it some bad weather.

There is a traditional proverb which originated in England that states that the weather on 15th July, St. Swithin’s Day, affects the weather for the forty days which follow. The proverb reads - ‘St. Swithin’s Day if thou dost rain, for forty days it will remain, St. Swithin’s Day if thou be fair, for forty days ‘twill rain nae mare’.

The story goes that St. Swithin, a bishop, requested to be buried outdoors so that the rain could fall on his grave. Later, his body was moved and buried indoors and a terrible storm arose. To this day, you may hear older people hope for dry weather on 15th July!

Even though advancements in weather prediction mean that traditional proverbs and sayings are no longer relied upon, many people still take an interest in them and their meaning. You might hear people comment that rain is on the way when a herd of cows are seen huddled together sitting down in a field or when spiders are making their webs in a sheltered spot. Michael Gallagher, a postman and amateur weather forecaster from Co. Donegal became well known across Ireland in recent years for his weather predictions based on observing animals and plants in the Bluestack Mountain range, near where he lives. In 2010, he predicted that Ireland would experience a period of severe cold weather and his prediction was correct in what became known as ‘The Big Freeze of 2010’.

There is one weather tradition which is still commonly adhered to in Ireland the night before a wedding. The family of the bride often put the Child of Prague, a Catholic statue, outside their home for the night before the wedding in the hope it will bring good weather on the wedding day. While this may not be the most reliable technique, it’s all in the name of fun and tradition.