Clare Russell

Shoebox Appeal

By Clare Russell 22nd November 2019 22nd November 2019 Citizenship, Howes House, Secondary Department, Senior phase

A huge thank you to everyone who sent in items for the Shoebox Appeal. We filled an amazing 100 boxes which will go to people who would otherwise have had no gifts for Christmas. David, from the Rotary, came to pick the boxes up last week. He also wished to pass on thanks from the Rotary and to let everyone know what a huge difference this will make to the lives of those who have less than we do. This was a great learning experience for the pupils from shopping for items, collecting and sorting the items donated, decorating and packing the boxes. But the lesson of giving to others was the most important thing achieved.

From all the Howes Hoose Staff and pupils

Christmas Enterprise: Making Dog Biscuits

By Clare Russell 22nd November 2019 22nd November 2019 Room 15, Secondary Department

This week Class 15 have been busy working on their class enterprise project, making dog biscuits for the school Christmas fayre.

Before making our biscuits we all engaged in a dog themed bucket time – the (toy) dog from the bucket amused us all with its mischief, and watching the tennis balls splat onto the floor was entertaining. Our turn-taking game saw us each choose a dog to “buy”, activating a switch talker to share a “woof woof” and exchanging money for our chosen toy dog.

After bucket time, we moved on to making our biscuits. We used a switch operated blender to grind oats, peeled and mashed bananas and mixed these together with peanut butter – the classroom smelt delicious (and the individual ingredients tasted rather fine too!). We used cookie cutters to make the biscuit shapes, choosing which shape we preferred. Some of us worked on developing fine motor skills, others on developing independence in everyday tasks, and some of us gathered evidence to go towards our ASDAN folders as we work on our enterprise unit.

Our finished products will be available at the school Christmas fayre.

National Junior Championship Swimming at Tollcross

By Clare Russell 22nd November 2019 22nd November 2019 Howes House, P.E., Secondary Department, Senior phase, Specialist Areas

Four members of Howes Hoose represented the school at the National Junior Championships for swimmers with a learning disability. These championships took place at the Tollcross Aquatics Centre in Glasgow. We had competitors in different races, including 25 metre backstroke, 50 metre breaststroke, and 25 metre breaststroke. We were also delighted to bump into our old PE teacher, there with pupils from his new school. Well done to everyone that competed!

Room 18 Maximising their Pumpkin!

By Clare Russell 14th November 2019 14th November 2019 Room 18, Secondary Department

Room 18 had a wonderful time carving our Halloween pumpkin. We have roasted and eaten the seeds (yum) and we made pumpkin soup in home economics out of the pulp. Our pumpkin is now feeding the wildlife in the playground outside the classroom!

Fun Science in Room 14

By Clare Russell 14th November 2019 14th November 2019 Qualifications and Awards, Room 14, Secondary Department

Room 14 have been doing some fun Science experiments in class recently. We have been learning about how we can mix two things to make something new! We took turns to mix baking soda with vinegar to inflate a rubber glove. Everyone enjoyed giving high fives to each other hands! Nobody liked the smell of the vinegar but it was worth it for the fun!

Christmas Fair: 30th November 2019

By Clare Russell 11th November 2019 12th November 2019 Howes House, Nursery @ Ashgrove, Nursery @ Howes Road, Primary, Primary 1 @ Ashgrove, Room 10, Room 11, Room 12, Room 14, Room 15, Room 16, Room 17, Room 18, Room 19, Room 3, Room 4, Room 5, Room 6, Room 8, Room 9, Secondary Department

Room 12 are holding another doll raffle, to be drawn at the Christmas Fair on 30^th November 2019, all proceeds to Orchard Brae.

Included in the prize is a beautiful wicker basket bed, bedding, the doll and several outfits – from a bride’s dress, to clown’s outfit to pyjamas and matching dressing gown and more. Doll donated and bedding and outfits beautifully made by the mum of one of Room 12’s class teachers.

Tickets to win all this are £1! Come and see us at the fair to buy your ticket!

There will also be many dolly clothes at our stall available to buy separately. These are unique, handmade and better than any dolls clothes you’ll see in the shops!

Making Playdough

By Clare Russell 11th November 2019 11th November 2019 Room 17, Secondary Department, Senior phase

Room 17 had a lovely sensory experience, making cinnamon playdough. Pupils enjoyed mixing the ingredients and playing with the finished playdough. One of us really liked smelling the cinnamon!

Home Economics with Room 13

By Clare Russell 7th November 2019 7th November 2019 Home Economics, Room 19, Secondary Department, Specialist Areas

This week’s Home Economics lesson was very special for us in Room 13. It was the first time that all our students were able to attend a baking session – Altogether!

We all made porridge with Liz and then we all tasted our final results!

Some of us, mentioning no names, ate all our porridge! Very tasty too, I may add!

And not a sign of Goldilocks either!

Outdoor Learning: Transforming our outdoor learning space

By Clare Russell 6th November 2019 6th November 2019 Core Curriculum, Outdoor Learning, Primary, Secondary Department, Senior phase, Uncategorised

Outdoor Learning space

Last term we asked the council to come and cut down the weeds, to make an area where we can set up outdoor learning. They then delivered a large load of bark, which the pupils helped to take down to the newly cleared area. This area will now be developed over winter, to have bug hotels and hedgehog houses.