For children at Sgoil Àraich and P1

Many children are drawing rainbows to put in their windows to say ‘Thank you’ to all the workers in the National Health Service (NHS). Have you made one yet?

Things to do together in Gaelic:

• When you are out for a walk in your community, count the different places you can see drawings of rainbows. You might see them in house windows, in shop windows or on posters.
• Talk about which rainbows you like best and why.
• Do you know all the colours in the rainbow? Can you say them in the right order in Gaelic? (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet)
• Choose one or two colours of the rainbow, and go on a treasure hunt in your house or garden. How many things of the same colour can you find?
• Can you spot any rainbow-patterned items in your house?
• Draw a picture of a doctor, a nurse or someone else who cares for us in our community, to say ‘Thank You’ to them for looking after us. Remember to draw a rainbow in your picture.

For children at P2/P3/P4

Look out of your window or look around you when you go out for a walk. Think about ways that your local area could be made better.

Here are some ideas to think about:

• Is litter or graffiti an issue anywhere?
• Are there buildings which are currently not being used? Are there any buildings which are boarded up?
• Is there a play-park? Is it sufficiently exciting?
• Are there enough quiet sitting areas?
• Can people walk or cycle safely?
• Is there a sports pitch? Could it be better?

Which aspect if the community do you feel strongest about improving? Think about a way you could get other people to understand the problem and how it may be fixed.

Choose one of the following ideas to do in Gaelic:

• Make a poster to show what you would like improved. This should be colourful, eye-catching and have a clear message.
• Design a leaflet to help people look after the local area – you could have a cover page, and on the other pages include at least three ways that people can look after the area.
• Write a letter to your local councillor explaining what you would like improved in the community. Try and have one or two sentences. Remember to start the letter with ‘Dear Councillor’ (‘A Chomhairliche chòir’) and finish the letter appropriately.

Please keep your finished piece of work. At some point, you might be able to display your poster or leaflet in the community. You might send your letter or email to your local councillor.

For children at P5/P6/ P7

My community values

Your school might have a set of values. You might have been involved in creating them. Can you remember what they are? If you have access to the internet, you could check your school’s website.

Values, such as respect, honesty and kindness, are standards in which we believe. They help us to remember how to treat others.

• Select a few values that you think are relevant to your own local community.
• In Gaelic, write a persuasive letter to your local community councillor or your headteacher, suggesting the local community adopt your values. Make sure you highlight which values you have selected and why. When you have finished, read over your work to check your spelling and punctuation.
• Make a poster highlighting one of the values for displaying in your local community. Make sure your text is clear and readable from at least two metres away.
• Make your own “values jar”, for which any type of container may be used. Here are some instructions.
  • You will need seven small pieces of paper. On each piece, write one of your chosen values.
  • Each morning over a week, select a piece of paper from the values jar.
  • Try to show this value during the day. You could do this through your behaviour and in how you treat others.

For young people at S1/S2/S3

In your local community, recent plans have proposed the use of ground currently used for skate boarding as an additional car park. If these plans go ahead, there is no other area in the community that can be used for skate boarding. You and your friends have an opportunity to attend a local debate that may influence the final decision. You should consider both sides of the debate.

• Decide whether you agree with the proposals for a new car park, or if you prefer to keep the area for skate boarding.
• Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of a new car park and also for retaining the ground as an area for skate boarding.
• In each case, think about and research the benefits of retaining the skate boarding area on the local environment and people’s wellbeing. Also think about and research where possible, the benefits a new car park might bring.
• Can you come up with a convincing argument, backed up with evidence on the environment, people’s health or any other aspect that might convince people of your argument, for or against the new car park?