Author: Amy Dunnett

Primary Department Activities – Week Beginning 29th June

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Wow!  We’ve made it to the last week of what has been an unusual and difficult term.  We would like to say thank you to all of our pupils for their ongoing engagement with learning from home as well as a massive thank you to the parents who have helped to support this while juggling the other daily demands of home and work life during a global pandemic – you are all amazing!

Your child’s teacher will be using Google Classroom to share activities with you this week but we are aware that some families are waiting on technology and other supports to enable them to access Google Classroom so we will still be posting a selection of activities here too.  If you haven’t logged in yet or having difficulty accessing Google Classroom please contact your child’s teacher who will be able to offer you support and advice.  Here is a short video to show you some of the exciting things happening on Google Classroom.

If you would like to share how you have got on with our activities, please share any photos via your child’s teacher, through Google Classroom, the Orchard Brae School Facebook Messenger page or email Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk.  Downloading videos from the Orchard Brae School Facebook Messenger page appears to be working again (fingers crossed!) however if you are having any issues, please send them using a free transfer site such as Dropbox or WeTransfer.

Aberdeen Reads Challenge:

Once again Aberdeen City Libraries will run a reading challenge during the holidays. Aberdeen Reads is open to everyone to challenge themselves to explore reading this summer and will run from 27 June – 29 August 2020. People can take part as an individual or as a group, so please register and get involved!

Although library buildings are closed Aberdeen City Libraries continues to provide services 24/7 via our digital offer. There is a wide range of ebooks, eaudio books, ecomics,  emagazines and online resources suitable for all ages and abilities. They will also continue to deliver regular Bookbug sessions digitally via YouTube and Facebook.

The Challenge aims to support children to develop language and literacy skills by encouraging all kinds of reading – instructions, recipes, picture books, sharing stories with younger siblings. There are a series of suggested challenges; many of which can be easily carried out as part of a daily routine; on a range of topics to inspire everyone to try different genres and types of reading.

Children and families who register will be entered into a prize draw and there will be another prize draw for those who complete 3 or more challenges/reads.

Reading activity can be recorded on a Challenge card which be printed or downloaded from the Aberdeen City Libraries website to a mobile device. Information on the Challenge and how to register is on our website www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/aberdeenreads

Story Of The Week: We’re Going On A Beat Hunt by Michael Rosen

This week’s book study is a favourite with many of our our pupils – We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen.  In this story, a family go on a fun day out, looking for bears and exploring a variety of wonderful places, but they’re in for a BIG surprise!

Below you can read and listen along to the author Michael Rosen retelling the story:

The book study below has some great activities for you to try at home based on the story.

Be Resilient!

Education Scotland, in conjunction with Aberdeen City Council, produced a Resilience Alphabet full of fun think, say, do activities designed to promote resilience and develop coping strategies.  There are a series of activities for each letter of the alphabet, so pick a letter and give it a go!

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/scotland-learns/health-and-wellbeing-activities/resilience-alphabet/

Learning Grid: Life Skills

Here is a learning grid for Life Skills.  It contains 16 activity ideas for you to help develop and promote your child’s independence in a range of household and life skills tasks.

These activities are only suggestions and we would recommend that, where appropriate, you adapt these activities to meet your child’s ability level.

Learning Grid: Get Active!

Here is a learning grid for Getting Active!  It contains 16 activity ideas for you to help promote physical activity both in and out of the home on a daily basis.

These activity are only suggestions and we would recommend completing one activity each day.  However, we would love to see what other creative ways you and your family are using to Get Active daily!

Links to YouTube Channels and websites can be found below.

Oti Mabuse Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mosetsanagape

Joe Wicks – Body Coach YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1

Cosmic Kids Yoga: https://www.cosmickids.com/

Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

Learning Station YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLearningStation

Bumble Bee Physio: https://www.facebook.com/bumblebeephysio/

Music With Emmeline – Monday 29th June

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Vocal Warm-Up: Pop The Gum

For this week’s vocal warm-up we are going to pretend we are chewing a piece of gum to get our mouths moving. First, we are chewing one bit of gum, then two and then three! We are also going to try and blow bubbles with our gum which will then pop!

Someone You Loved: Part 1 – Chorus

This week’s Makaton Song is going to be Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi. This is such a well-known song with lovely signs to accompany it. Today we will be singing and signing the chorus. Here are the words.

Now the day bleeds
Into nightfall
And you’re not here
To get me through it all
I let my guard down
And then you pulled the rug
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved.

Bedtime Story – Friday 26th June

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Welcome to tonight’s bedtime story.  Every week night we will bring you a bedtime story for you to watch and listen to.  The stories are read by staff and pupils and we hope you enjoy seeing some familiar faces and hearing some familiar voices.

If you would like to join in and record a new bedtime story to share, please contact Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk for more information.

So get comfy and cuddle up because it’s time for a new Bedtime Story. Tonight’s story is…

The Yawning Game (written and illustrated by Greg Gormley)

Dog just can’t seem to stop yawning. This gives him an idea for a game. He starts to yawn at everyone he comes across and, one by one, each of them falls asleep. But will Dog’s yawning be too much, even for him?

Thank You

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We are delighted to reveal our newest additions to the school and we’re sure that they are some familiar faces you will recognise. Welcome to Alvin, Simon, Theodore and Turbo who will all take pride of place in our school.
We would like to say a huge thank you to the Play Specialists at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital for their amazing donation to the school. We know that they will certainly be well loved and enjoyed by all at Orchard Brae.

Music With Emmeline – Friday 26th June

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Musical Story: The Flying Bath

Today’s musical story is going to be The Flying Bath by Julia Donaldson and David Roberts. During the story the Flying Bath makes many rescues using its water. Emmeline has made her own water instrument to make a water sound effect every time someone is rescued. Do you have something at home that makes a water sound or can you make your own to join in with the story?

Shine: Part 5 – Whole Song

We are going to sing and sign all of Take That’s Shine today. We hope you have enjoyed learning it this week and good luck putting the whole song together!

Information For Parents/Carers

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On Tuesday, John Swinney, the Depute First Minister (DFM), made a statement in Parliament which detailed the ambition of The Scottish Government for all children and young people to return to school full-time in August 2020. The DFM stressed that it is an aim which the Government is now working towards but it “remains conditional and dependent upon ongoing scientific and health advice.”   

 You’ll be aware that all schools were asked to develop a Plan to detail the arrangements made for ‘blended learning’, this plan now acts as our Contingency Plan.  The Plan details all of the arrangements made to keep our children safe and outlines a number of new arrangements to ensure physical distancing.  The Plan also outlines how children will access in-school learning if we are asked to deliver education in this way in August. 

 We now know that this plan will only be enacted if the scientific and health advise determine that it is unsafe for children and staff to return to school full time.  We currently await further guidance in light of the DFM statement yesterday and plan to share contingency arrangements with you as soon as we can check our approach against updated guidance. 

 We still have some work to do to ensure our contingency school recovery plan is finalised and we will be sending out a survey to gather information about transport.  

 The response so far to the introduction of Google Classroom has been very positive and we would like to thank you all for working so hard to enable this to happen. 

 We will be in touch soon with further information regarding our school recovery contingency plans.  

Bedtime Story – Thursday 25th June

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Welcome to tonight’s bedtime story.  Every week night we will bring you a bedtime story for you to watch and listen to.  The stories are read by staff and pupils and we hope you enjoy seeing some familiar faces and hearing some familiar voices.

If you would like to join in and record a new bedtime story to share, please contact Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk for more information.

So get comfy and cuddle up because it’s time for a new Bedtime Story. Tonight’s story is…

Wonky Donkey (written by Craig Smith and illustrated by Katz Cowley)

What do you call a donkey with three legs? A wonky donkey!

Music With Emmeline – Thursday 25th June

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Familiar Song: Zoom, Zoom, Zoom

Today’s song is Zoom, Zoom, Zoom we’re going to the moon! At the end of the song we are going to countdown from 5 and have a big blast-off into space! Can you blast off from where you are sitting or make your own blast-off noise?

Shine: Part 4 – Verse 3

This is the last part of Shine we will learn before putting the whole song together tomorrow. Here are the words.

Hey, let me know ya (let me know ya)
You’re all that matters to me (you’re all that matters to me)
Hey, let me show ya (let me show ya)
You’re all that matters to me (you’re all that matters to me)

Bedtime Story – Wednesday 24th June

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Welcome to tonight’s bedtime story.  Every week night we will bring you a bedtime story for you to watch and listen to.  The stories are read by staff and pupils and we hope you enjoy seeing some familiar faces and hearing some familiar voices.

If you would like to join in and record a new bedtime story to share, please contact Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk for more information.

So get comfy and cuddle up because it’s time for a new Bedtime Story. Tonight’s story is…

The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water (written and illustrated by Gemma Merino)

Everybody knows that crocodiles love water, but this little crocodile is different. He doesn’t like water at all. In fact, he prefers climbing trees! But it can be lonely when you’re the odd one out, so the little crocodile tries his best to change.

Music With Emmeline – Wednesday 24th June

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Musical Soundscape: A Bird In The Sky

Today’s soundscape is going to be imagining you are a bird soaring through the sky. We have provided this picture of birds flying in a clear blue sky as a visual stimulus but perhaps you would like to close your eyes and imagine you are a bird flying through the sky. Do you have any toy birds or anything that makes the sound you imagine a bird to make as it flies.

Please relax, listen to the music, look at the picture, are there any birds you can see or hear from your window?

Shine: Part 3 – Verse 2

We are now going to sing and sign the second verse of Shine. The words are;

Stop (stop)
Being so hard on yourself
It’s not good for your health
I know that you can change
So clear your head and come ’round
You only have to open your eyes
You might just get a big surprise
And it may feel good and you might want to smile, smile, smile

Don’t you let your demons pull you down
‘Cause you can have it all, you can have it all.