Room 18’s Green Fingers

Room 18 have been developing their green fingers. We had a wonderful time planting bulbs and vegetables. We potted some bulbs by adding soil to the pots and putting the bulbs in them. We watered them and put them outside Howes Hoose. We have been checking on them and watering them, hopefully the spring weather will make them grow quickly! In Outdoor Education, we have also been planting carrot tops and celery to see if we can grow them from our snack leftovers.

Sport Relief 2020

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!

Clothing Exchange

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

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.

Room 18 Pom Poms: Decorating the Fences

Room 18 have been learning to make pompoms using a pompom maker. We have been using our new skills to decorate the fencing outside our classroom. We used lots of different types of wool and tried out different colour combinations. They really do brighten up our outdoors!

Support Orchard Brae via your local Coop!

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

 

Young Leaders Of Learning

The Young Leaders of Learning programme has been developed by Education Scotland with the aim of enabling and empowering pupils to have an increasing say in their education and school. As a school, we have been in the fortunate position of working alongside Maxine Jolly, Senior Education Officer for Education Scotland, in adapting the programme for use in ASN schools.

Yesterday, a group of secondary pupils participated in a training day at the Beacon Centre alongside colleagues and pupils from Bucksburn Academy ASN Wing.

The students worked together in identifying the key skills required to be an effective young Leader and had great fun designing their Leaders.

The students also spent time identifying and comparing key areas of the two schools and sharing their likes and dislikes.

We’re absolutely thrilled to be the first group of pupils and staff trained from specialist settings and we look forward to participating in the programme with Bucksburn Academy ASN Wing over the rest of this term.

A Day of Culture in Room 18

We had a very busy day yesterday! In the morning we had a session with Scottish Ballet. They are performing The Snow Queen at HMT this week, and we were able to join in and learn about the performance through music, storytelling and multi-sensory play. All the classes that visited through the morning thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Then in the afternoon, we had a Ceilidh to celebrate Burns Night. Our teacher, Naomi, performed in the new Orchard Brae band, ‘A Bunch of Apples’, along with Emmeline (Music Therapist), Keith (Music Instructor) and Alan (Outdoor Education Teacher). The band played well, and alongside our Makaton Choir we had a rare old shindig! Lots of dancing and so much fun for everyone in school, with our PE team having supported us well in the run up to the event, practising a range of dances with us.

We also enjoyed an early Burns lunch, with mince, neeps and tattties for lunch for those that fancied something traditional and a vegetarian option as an alternative. Hope you enjoy yourselves if celebrating Burns this weekend!

 

Orchard Brae Clothing Exchange

Thanks to everyone that has sent in items for our Clothing Exchange. Please remember that you’re welcome to pop in and browse any time. It’s a great way to save money and help the planet by passing things on that our children and young people have grown out of.

We’ve got clothing in a wider range of sizes now. All sizes of clothing are welcome as our pupils go from age 3-18.

Out and about with Alan in Outdoor Education

Room 8

Room 8 took part in a scavenger hunt at Duthie Park.  We were looking for various items, including fish, flowers and the big frog in the pond.

Some pupils were able to read the words and reinforce their numeracy skills by counting what they had to find.

Sadly, the turtles were being shy and we only saw 3.

 

Room 10

Room 10 pupils were exploring a farm path near Orchard Brae.  We were exploring to see what we could find.  Some of the pupils loved splashing in puddles so it was just as well they were wearing wellies!

 

Room 14

It was too cold to go out, so we did our outdoor learning indoors!

We looked at pictures of trees of trees silhouetted against a winter sunset, and then tried to recreate this on paper, using natural materials.

We used charcoal to rub over leaves and twigs to create the trees, then used various materials to make clouds.  We stuck this down on a dark blue background, which looked very effective!

 

Room 18

Room 18 have been helping to dig over the sandpit.

The sandpit needed to be raked and dug over.  We also needed to brush sand from the playground.  The class used rakes to move sand, and the progress was amazing. Sand was moved from the edge back into the middle, where it was needed.