Glenlivet pupils go global on social media
Pupils at one of Moray’s smallest schools have been using social media to learn how Christmas is celebrated in other parts of the world.
The children at Glenlivet Primary – roll just 15 – posted a message on the school’s Twitter page asking people in countries around the world to send them a Christmas card.
The response has been overwhelming, with the postbag growing daily as cards arrive from every corner of the globe.
The exercise has also proved invaluable in teaching the youngsters about the reach of the internet and social media.
The pupils’ message was posted only in mid-November, appealing for people from different countries to send them a Christmas card.
“Please write these in your native language and we will have a go at translating them,” they wrote.
“At Glenlivet Primary we are learning about Christmas around the world. We are going to compare Christmas in Glenlivet to Christmas in other countries.”
Already the school has received cards from across the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Greece and Malaysia and more are arriving daily.
Class teacher Alison Johnston said: “There is great excitement in the classroom when the postman arrives with more cards every day.
“The children are developing their knowledge of geography, time zones, seasons and comparing Christmas traditions.
“As well as cards they have been receiving photographs, letters, stories, recipes, a story about Christmas in Australia and some sand from a bay in California. They have even had a tree planted in their name in North Carolina.”
The pupils are working together to create a country themed Advent calendar and are learning about a different country each day.
Head teacher Nancy Fraser said the more senior pupils in the school had recently taken part in an internet safety session with an officer from Police Scotland.
“This particular project has provided an excellent opportunity for the children to learn about the power of social media and the internet and how quickly messages can spread across the internet,” she said.
Updates on the project can be found at https://twitter.com/glenlivetps
Moray Council area stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Forres in the west. The council and its 4,500 employees respond to the needs of 95,510 residents in this beautiful part of Scotland, which nestles between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands.
Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live.
Headquartered in Elgin, the administrative capital of Moray.