Category: Specialist Areas

Specialist Areas

Expressive Arts – Week Beginning 29th June

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We have some more activities from our Expressive Arts team for you to enjoy at home throughout the week.

There is an art activity from Diane for you to copy and drumming from Keith.  There is also information about Sam’s online dance classes and don’t forget that Emmeline’s musical activities will be posted daily.

And finally, get ready to join Keith and Emmeline, along with a very special guest, in a pirate adventure on the high-seas in this week’s Trash Band!

If you would like to share how you have got on with our activities, please send any photos via your child’s teacher, 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.

Art: Painting With Objects

Art: Rotary Appeal

Bon Accord Rotary Club are hoping to spread some joy by organising for pictures to be sent to care homes and to those living on their own.  The theme for the images is ‘The Seaside’ and they would like you to get involved so get your creative imaginations going and help to brighten up someone’s day.  Full details of how to participate can be found in the picture below.

Drumming: Orchard Brae Favourites

Dance: Online Classes

Sam is holding two online dance classes this week on Wednesday and Friday at 1pm.

Both of these classes will be taking place through his YouTube channel.  You can join in by searching Sam Stephen on YouTube or you can subscribe to his channel by following the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqBDh0VNpocZvdW29VlfPg/

Trash Band:

In the second installment of their Pirate Adventure on the High Seas, Keith and Emmeline are joined by a very special guest, Dame Evelyn Glennie.

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.

Virtual Sports Day

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Huge thanks to Amanda and Salvi, our PE teachers and Scott, Active Schools, for organising our Virtual Sports Day, and thanks to everyone that took part. Pupils and staff have been joining in over the course of the week to complete up to 8 challenges. It’s been fun seeing how you’ve been getting on, how things have been adapted to support our individual strengths, and also to see some healthy competition within your families! We hope you enjoy the photos. If you’ve not had a chance to get involved yet, why not try out some activities over the weekend, or even in the summer holidays?

 

Beat the Goalie

We set up our own goals and took on a challenge. The different options suggested were:

  1. Kick from further back
  2. Kick backwards
  3. Pass to someone before trying to score
  4. Kick blindfolded

 

Obstacle Course

Your challenge was to be creative and have fun, using various objects around the house and garden to build obstacles.

 

Throwing

We practised throwing with different challenges for anyone finding it easy:

  1. Throw from further back
  2. Throw backwards
  3. Throw under leg
  4. Throw blindfold

 

Water Run

Always a popular activity on Sports Day, thankfully we’ve had some sunny weather! As you can see, some of us really entered into the spirit of things and got very wet! Trying out the different options, you can see we had some team work in action:

  1. As a team
  2. With obstacles
  3. With holes in the cup
  4. Add food colouring to water

 

Egg and Spoon

A sports day classic, this can be adapted by using a frying pan or plastic bowl instead of a spoon. All sorts of things can be improvised in place of an egg, such as a potato, a scrunched up sock, newspaper, and anything else you can think of!

The options included:

  1. Race against each other
  2. Add obstacles
  3. Time yourself

 

Bowling

Our challenge was to practise bowling using empty plastic bottles as the target – a good way of re-using plastic. Keeping things safe for indoors, rolled up socks, a toilet roll or even a teddy were suggested alternatives to a ball.

Again, different options to increase the challenge:

  1. Bowl from further back
  2. Bowl from sitting
  3. Bowl standing
  4. Bowl blindfold

 

Running

The only event I personally tried, again there were options to make things a bit more interesting:

  1. Have a race against each other
  2. Run backwards
  3. Shuttle run with toys
  4. Run with obstacles (hurdles)

One inventive Grandad even encouraged running by turning on the garden hose!

 

Tower Building

This activity allowed us to be even more creative, using any number of objects to:

  1. Build a tower and push it down
  2. Shuttle run to build a tower
  3. Build a tower as high as you can
  4. Build a tower as a team

It looks like good fun was had by all.

A fabulous effort! We hope you had fun. You’re all winners!

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!

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)

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.

Music With Emmeline – Tuesday 23rd June

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Musical Activity: Simon Says

Today’s musical activity is going to be a game of Musical Simon Says. Can you listen carefully to what Emmeline plays and play it back on an instrument you have at home? Or can you sing back what she plays or clap the rhythm with your hands? Listen carefully!

Shine: Part 2 – Verse 1

Today we are going to learn the first verse of Shine. Here are the words.

You, you’re such a big star to me
You’re everything I wanna be
But you’re stuck in a hole and I want you to get out
I don’t know what there is to see
But I know it’s time for you to leave
We’re all just pushing along
Trying to figure it out, out, out

All your anticipation pulls you down
When you can have it all, you can have it all.

Primary Department Activities – Week Beginning 22nd June

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Our Google Classrooms have gone live!  Your child’s teacher will be using Google Classroom to share activities with you 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.

Virtual Sports Day:

This week we are holding our first ever Virtual Sports Day and we would like to thank our PE teachers, Amanda and Salvi for organising this.  Our Virtual Sports Day will start on Monday 22nd June and we would love for as many of our pupils, families and staff as possible to join in.

There will be 8 challenges for you to try at home and you will have the whole week to complete as many challenges as you can. Each challenge will have a short video clip which will include a demonstration of the task and suggested equipment to use. Challenges can be copied, adapted or you can even devise your own.

If you would like to participate, please check your child’s ab-ed.org email where you will find an invitation to join and access the Virtual Sports Day Google Classroom.

Story Of The Week: The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

This week’s story is a wonderful shimmering underwater adventure – The Rainbow Fish.  Troughout this story, the Rainbow Fish gradually realises the importance of friendship and sharing!

Using the link below you can watch and listen to the story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifXlc0QI2kY

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

Links and additional documents to support the activities can be found below:

Activity 1: Fish Outlines

Activity 3: Aquarium Sensory Bag

Activity 5: Fishy Biscuit Recipe

This recipe can also be found at https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/easiest-ever-biscuits

Other Activity Ideas:

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.

Expressive Arts – Week Beginning 22nd June

  By ,

We have some more activities from our Expressive Arts team for you to enjoy at home throughout the week.

There is an art activity from Diane for you to copy and drumming from Keith.  There is also information about Sam’s online dance classes and don’t forget that Emmeline’s musical activities will be posted daily.

And finally, get ready to join Keith and Emmeline in a pirate adventure on the high-seas in this week’s Trash Band!

If you would like to share how you have got on with our activities, please send any photos via your child’s teacher, 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.

Art: Waterscape Reflections

Art: Rotary Appeal

Bon Accord Rotary Club are hoping to spread some joy by organising for pictures to be sent to care homes and to those living on their own.  The theme for the images is ‘The Seaside’ and they would like you to get involved so get your creative imaginations going and help to brighten up someone’s day.  Full details of how to participate can be found in the picture below.

Drumming: Session 12 – Notation Continued

Dance: Online Classes

Sam is holding two online dance classes this week on Wednesday 6th May and Friday 8th May at 1pm.

Both of these classes will be taking place through his YouTube channel.  You can join in by searching Sam Stephen on YouTube or you can subscribe to his channel by following the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWqBDh0VNpocZvdW29VlfPg/

Trash Band:

Music With Emmeline – Monday 22nd June

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Vocal Warm-Up: Horse

This week’s vocal warm-up is going to be making the sounds of a horse! Can you take a deep breath in and make a horsey sound with Emmeline to warm up your voice?

Shine: Part 1 – Chorus

This week’s Makaton song is going to be ‘Shine’ by Take That. A song that we are sure most of you are very familiar with! Today we are going to learn the chorus, the words are;

So come on, oh come on, get it on
I don’t know what you’re waiting for
Your time is coming don’t be late, hey hey
So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine