Orienteering In Room 2

With Scott, room 2 have been learning the skills involved in Orienteering.

We all enjoy learning outside; following the route; looking for the orienteering flags in the playground; being first to find the flag; selecting the flag numbers (and correct colour) and matching them to the appropriate number on the orienteering board.

Room 2’s class team are very proud of all the pupils and how quickly they have learnt the skills involved.

Bonfire Night With Room 5

Remember, remember, the fifth of November
Gunpowder treason and plot
We see no reason
Why Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot….

This week in school Room 5 have been learning about Guy Fawkes.

To mark this celebration we watched a short animated video about Guy Fawkes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGJ5G4UNFJI

We also created our own firework pictures. We think our night sky guy Fawkes picture are really effective.

Why do we learn about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot?

In England, in 1605 during the reign of James I, an act of treason was planned that could have changed the course of our history. At the last moment, the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, and now we commemorate the traitors – and in particular, the scapegoat Guy Fawkes – every year with Bonfire Night!

Who was Guy Fawkes?

Guy Fawkes (1570 to 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes, was one of a group of Catholic plotters who planned, but failed, to blow up Parliament – now known as the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

What was the Gunpowder Plot?

At the time, King James I was on the throne. England had broken away from the Catholic faith and the Church of Rome in Henry VIII’s reign (by 1536), but there were still many Catholics in the country. Guy Fawkes joined up with a group of thirteen Catholic plotters, led by Robert Catesby, who planned to overthrow the King and put a Catholic monarch back on the throne.

The plotters rented space in the cellars of the House of Lords and filled it with gunpowder. Guy Fawkes was put in charge. They planned to set off the gunpowder during the opening of Parliament, on 5th November 1605. One or more of the plotters, however, were worried that some of their fellow Catholics and friends would be at the opening and get caught in the explosion, and wrote to warn them not to be there that day. We know that a certain Lord Monteagle received a letter warning him to go to the country because Paliament would “receive a terrible blow”. Lord Monteagle showed the letter to the King, and the cellars were thoroughly searched and Guy Fawkes caught.

After several days of horrible torture, Guy Fawkes gave up the names of his fellow plotters and eight of them went to trial in January 1606. All were found guilty and executed in the terrible fashion of the times.

On 5th November 1605 Londoners were encouraged to celebrate the King’s escape from assassination by lighting bonfires, provided that “this testemonye of joy be carefull done without any danger or disorder” – and indeed an Act of Parliament soon followed, declaring 5th November as a day of thanksgiving throughout the country for “the joyful day of deliverance“.

Modern Celebrations

When we celebrate Bonfire Night now, it seems very far removed from the events of four hundred years ago! For centuries since then, communities have come together to build a big bonfire and make an effigy – a model – of Guy Fawkes using old clothes stuffed with newspaper, to burn on the bonfire (see Penny for the Guy).

Fun fact: When you use the word “guy” in your sentences, have you thought where it comes from? The “guy” tradition of Bonfire Night gradually found it’s way into our language, and by the 19th century the word “guy” was used to refer to a strangely dressed man. From there it was adopted into American English to refer to any man, and is of course still commonly used today!

24 Hour Walk/Run Challenge

On Friday the 6th of November, we will be undertaking a whole school challenge to raise money to purchase at least one of these bikes.

All the pupils at Orchard Brae will help us to complete this challenge. Every class will be allocated a 30 minutes time slot from 10 am until the end of the day to walk around the School Playground. Then Orchard Brae Staff will continue with the challenge over night until 10 am on Saturday completing the 24 Hour continuous Walk/Run challenge.

Some senior pupils and their staff teams have already started their own fundraising activities. In the video below senior pupils explain how much they have raised so far and a little bit more about the bike we are hoping to purchase.

After the October holidays further information will be shared on how to make a donation for this cause should you wish to.

Many thanks,

PE Department

Signs of Autumn

Some of us have been looking for signs of Autumn when we’ve been out and about. We’ve noticed the weather changing a little – while we’ve had some sunny days, there’s also a chill in the air. The autumn colours are starting to appear and we notice the trees changing colour, both in our playground and in the community. Lots of beautiful orange, red and yellow. Some of us have made autumn pictures using the leaves we’ve collected.

We have also enjoyed some relaxing music:

What Have Room 10 Been Making?

Outdoor Learning: We took a walk around the school grounds and collected items as the children saw them.  We came back to class to make ‘Natural Things’ panels, which you can see us making in the photographs.  We will use these panels to decorate our outdoor area.

Making instruments in Science and Music: We are making our own xylophones, one of which can go outside as it has been made from drainpipes.  We have rolled and used Sellotape, we have tapped to hear the different sounds we could make with our rolls.  We have used string to make knots. We are going to use some of our own instruments in class music and see what difference size and volume can make to notes and pitch.#

Back to Nursery

Our morning and afternoon nursery children at Howes Road have been very busy since starting Nursery this term. Many have been showing an interest in vehicles and we have been listening to stories and songs about cars, buses and other things that help us to move around. A favourite song is ‘The Wheels on the Bus’ and great fun has been had playing the desk bells which sound like the bell on the bus. Some children have been using vehicles in the paint and looking at their tyre tracks. Others have been exploring the paint with their fingers. The garage and toy cars have proven very popular as the cars go up and down ramps whilst some children have been exploring cause and effect steering wheel toys or completing puzzles.

We also made lots of playdough as part of a group and have been using transport cutters to make shapes of planes, cars, trains and motorbikes. Some have been rolling the playdough in their hands and squeezing it as it is lovely and soft. 

We have had fun in the nursery garden, watering the flowers when it has been sunny and jumping in the puddles when it has been raining. 

Return to nursery

All the returning children from Orchard Brae at Ashgrove have settled well since starting back in August. We have been able to welcome new children to our Nursery and it has been great to see how quickly they have adapted to their new setting. They all appear to be enjoying and becoming familiar within the Nursery environment.

We have been doing lots of sensory activities with painting, gloop and shaving foam. We have also been making vegetable and fruit printing pictures. We have been planting our spring bulbs and enjoying what remains of the “summer weather.”

As the trees are now beginning to change colour we have been exploring this concept as we go for walks in the local community. Some of the children have shown great interest in our apple and plum trees which grow in our outdoor play area and have been collecting them. We have used some of the plums for our snack. Next week we are planning to use the apples to make apple pie.

The staff team at Ashgrove are all looking forward to working with the children and supporting them throughout their time with us. 

Our Sensory Garden

We were overwhelmed by the response we had to our sensory garden appeal. The donations of resources, time and money have helped to make a unique and already well loved area for our pupils to enjoy and explore.

A huge extra special Orchard Brae thanks to:

  • The Little City Garden – design and landscaping
  • Gerbera Designs – landscaping
  • James Gettka – landscaping
  • Morrison Construction – access path
  • Mike Bruce – path
  • James Millerby – boulders
  • Jenna Killoh – pallets
  • Dobbies Aberdeen – compost
  • Trees Are Us – logs
  • GI Cladding and Joinery – posts
  • Clan Miller Construction – slabs and posts
  • Bissett and Ross – tarpaulin
  • Alpha Fencing – new gate and fence
  • MB Landscapes – boulders
  • Karen Underwood – fruit tree
  • Karen Robertson – fairy house
  • James Polson Garden Creations – woodwork sculptures
  • BFLABDN – art work
  • Round Table Aberdeen – sponsorship for artwork
  • Linda Lovie – tactile sensory display
  • Dulex Paint Aberdeen – paint
  • Khyber Pass Association – donation
  • Unison Union – donation
  • Mrs Ann Thain – donation
  • Betty Craig – donation
  • Evelyn Drennan – donation
  • And last but not least our amazing fundraising families, the Simons and the Cruikshanks.

Home Economics: Developing Independence

Liz and Grace have had a busy start to the session, working with many pupils across the school. In our primary classes pupils focus on experiencing foods with opportunities to handle, taste and talk about a variety of foods. Hygiene is also a very important part of the routine at all times.

In Secondary, pupils continue working on routine and hygiene, experiencing different foods. As they progress, skills and independence are developed. Pupils at Senior Phase make a range of snacks and meals, some showing great aptitude and skill. We use our skills in literacy and numeracy to follow recipes and practise measurement. We are very adept at cutting and chopping. We’ve enjoyed fruit pancakes and have made apple crumble, enjoying the seasonal produce available.