Category: Room 16

Room 16 Staff Team

Teacher:

EYP:

PSA:

Home Learning: Secondary Department

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We hope you’re all fit and well, managing to find your new ‘normal’ during these difficult times.

Our teachers are working hard to try to support you and your child in learning at home. Please check your e-mail as ideas will be popping into your Inbox regularly. These e-mails are intended to give suggestions of activities that might help to fill your day. There is no expectation that things must be done and we most certainly do not wish to add additional stress to your family life! Dip in and out of learning as you feel appropriate and do let teachers know if there’s anything you’ve found particularly useful.

We would be very grateful if you would maintain contact with your child’s class teacher during this period of closure to let us know that you’re safe and well. If we can support in any way, please do let us know.

Healthy regards,

Clare

Storytime: Elevenses with David Walliams

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You’re never too old to enjoy a story! Many of our senior classes enjoy listening to stories and in these uncertain times all of us (adults too) can benefit from a bit of escapism! Please tune in daily to listen to author David Walliams sharing stories. While stories are shared at 11 am, they can be accessed throughout the day.  The link to his website is:

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Room 16: Home Learning Ideas

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Here are some ideas of activities children can do at home to retain and develop their skills during any school closures / holidays.

Life skills and motor skills

  • Cutting fruit and veg – prepare a meal/snack, make a face with it
  • Spreading with a knife – toast, crackers, sandwiches etc
  • Following a simple recipe (written, read aloud or copy the adult)
  • Pouring – make a cup of tea/coffee or fill a tray with rice/lentils etc and pour them into different containers
  • Make play dough –

Here’s a link for a simple no-cook playdough using boiling water https://www.instructables.com/id/No-Cook-Play-Dough/

  • Some pupils have been learning to knit this session
  • Construction games with magnets or lego
  • Tying knots and weaving, for example weaving material in fences, tying shoe laces

 

Physical activity

  • Cosmic kids yoga – a lot of episodes are on Youtube and there are greater mindfulness videos too if you need to relax

https://www.cosmickids.com/category/watch/

  • Just dance routines – again free on Youtube. Angry birds, Just Mario , Old Town Road and Ghostbusters, are firm favourites at the moment

 

Literacy and Numeracy

  • co.uk is a free website for teachers and parents, with loads of interactive games at a variety of levels, most of which are tablet friendly, we have been using the money games and the Chinese dragon game in class

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting

  • Each pupil has a unique login for Education City, most pupils are working at early level, maybe first level. I have not assigned any specific tasks.  Pupils are familiar with the website.
  • For Makaton practice again on Youtube search for songs by Melody Signs or Singing Hands there is a mixture of nursery rhymes and pop songs, we tend to choose the more modern ones in class.
  • Lets talk Makaton charity page also has videos and ideas

https://wetalkmakaton.org/

  • Many pupils will benefit from colouring and drawing activities
  • Typing games https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zf2f9j6/articles/z3c6tfr

Animal Discovery: Live Webcams

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Some of our pupils show an interest in animals and nature. There are Live Webcams at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park that the children may enjoy.

https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/webcams (Highland Wildlife Park)

https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/webcams/ (Edinburgh Zoo)

For our Secondary pupils, the National Geographic Kids website can provide more information. Although not all pupils can access it fully independently, there are pictures to look at and discuss, and some interesting video clips to watch:

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/

Have a look and find out what your favourite animals are.

 

 

Sport Relief 2020

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Many thanks to Amanda, Salvi, Sam and Scott for organising fun activities for us all to join in with to support Sport Relief 2020. We kicked off the morning with a select band signing up to Run a Mile. Thanks to Room 19 for braving the cold throughout our challenge, the spectators that cheered us on from the warmth of the classrooms and those that came out for playtime, supporting with cheers as we ran our loops. Each of us did 5 loops of the playground in total.

At lunchtime we enjoyed dance sessions with Sam. We all had lots of fun!

Finally, the whole school joined in for the afternoon to Walk a Mile with a Smile. We were grateful that the sun came out and warmed up the playground nicely for us. We also had some special visitors – the sumos!

Our day was just for fun, but we also received generous donations towards Sport Relief, raising a total of £165! Well done to everyone for taking part!

Preparing Healthy Snacks in Room 16

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In addition to weekly H.E. lessons, we have been working on preparing healthy snacks and meals in class.  We have been using small appliances as well as developing our cutting skills.

Clothing Exchange

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Room 16 have been doing a great job, supporting the Clothing Exchange scheme. Pupils are regularly tidying up the area, washing, sorting and folding new clothing. It’s good to see an increase in sizes available too. Please keep sending items in if they’re in good condition and no longer of use to your child. Do also feel free to pop in and browse any time or let us know via the home school diary if you’d like the class team to have a look on your behalf.

Friends of Orchard Brae Fun Run: 28th April 2020

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Many thanks to the brother of one of our pupils who has asked if he can fundraise individually through sponsorship for the 5k Fun Run for Friends of Orchard Brae. If anyone else wishes to raise money through the Fun Run or any other sponsored activity in future, sponsor forms can be obtained via the Friends of Orchard Brae by contacting school, or a sponsorship page can be set up at: https://wonderful.org/charity/friendsoforchardbrae

Lisa Thomson (Chairperson of the Friends) is the normal point of contact for any fundraising. Clare Russell can also be contacted regarding the Fun Run.

Full information regarding the Fun Run can be found here: https://scottishrunningguide.com/race/fun-run-for-friends-of-orchard-brae

or check out the Friends of Orchard Brae Facebook page.

Please remember, all participants must be over 12 years of age to enter, and must be accompanied by an adult at all times if under 16. Donations are optional – the event is free to run for everyone!

If we have wheelchair users who wish to participate, an adapted course that avoids the rooty / muddy trail section will be available.

Support Orchard Brae via your local Coop!

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If you shop with Co-op, please consider choosing us as your cause to support when you shop.  Join here…

https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/41483

 

Room 16 Science: Investigating Magnets

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This week in Science we investigated the properties of magnets using magnetic construction kits. We found that pieces moved by themselves if we held them close together. We picked pieces up using magnets and were surprised by how much weight one magnetic piece would hold. We also enjoyed knocking models down and seeing how the pieces remained together despite having been squished flat on the table.