Secondary Update: Week Ending 29th May

Thanks to everyone that has shared photographs of their remote learning this week. It gives us all joy to see your photographs or hear how you’re getting on. We hope that you all have a lovely weekend and enjoy the sunshine. It looks like it’s going to be very warm so remember your suncream or protective clothing if you’re advantage of another spell of fine weather.

This week you’ve all been very busy! Here are some of the photos that have been shared …

Life Skills

Pupils from Howes Hoose have continued working on their life skills both indoors and out. It makes us very happy to see how you’re transferring your skills and becoming very independent at home.

 

Minibeasts

One of our Room 14 pupils made a ladybird using playdough and a rock he found when out on a walk.

He also recreated his favourite scene from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. This took a lot of time, making paper mache rocks and a spider’s body, and then painting the box to hold the scene. I’m sure you’ll agree it looks amazing!

 

Family Time

I know from staff as well as pupils that it can be tough just now trying to find creative ways to keep the family entertained. Please always remember that we’re all doing the best that we can! One family in particular have been going to great lengths to entertain themselves and even features on a TV series of Lockdown Diaries.

 

Fitness

Our PE colleagues have shared some links for fitness videos you can try at home. Why not give them a go as a family? The feedback from one of our young people was that the whole family enjoyed lots of fun and laughter as a result.

https://imoves.com/home-learning/1257

https://imoves.com/home-learning/1330

 

Thank You!

Finally, thank you to Mortey and Sam from Aberdeen Bon Accord Rotary Club. They visited school this week, having been in contact to arrange a way of accessing the grounds to avoid being in contact with anyone, and very kindly cut our grass. It had been growing very long during the period of lockdown. This is very much appreciated by us all.

 

 

 

 

Music With Emmeline – Tuesday 12th May

Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Move With The Music: Violin

Today we would like you to try moving with the music Emmeline is going to play on her violin. When Emmeline is playing high notes are you able to stretch up tall and when she plays low notes can you crouch down low. Also can you move in time with Emmeline’s music? Pay careful attention to whether she plays fast or slow. You can also just listen to the music and imagine something moving high and low, fast and slow too – maybe a bird or a butterfly.

All the Small Things: Part 2 – Verse 1

We hope you enjoyed learning the chorus to this song yesterday and today we are going to learn the first verse. Here are the words;

All the small things
True care truth brings
I’ll take one lift
Your ride, best trip
Always I know
You’ll be at my show
Watching, waiting
Commiserating

Expressive Arts – Week Beginning 11th May

Our Expressive Arts team have been busy creating more videos for you to enjoy at home throughout the week.

They include an art activity from Diane for you to copy, drumming from Keith and a trash band video from Keith and Emmeline as well as information about Sam’s online dance classes.  Don’t forget that Emmeline’s musical activities will be posted daily.

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: Printmaking

Drumming: Session 7 – Practical Rhythm Skills

Trash Band: Session 4 – I Know A Chicken

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/

Music With Emmeline – Friday 8th May

Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Musical Story – Giraffes Can’t Dance 

This week’s musical story is ‘Giraffes Can’t Dance’ by Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees. Throughout the story we are going to be adding different types of music along with the story. The different types are below if you would like to listen to any of them again at home.

The Warthog Waltz – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CTYymbbEL4

The Rhino Rock ‘n’ Roll – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LklFP1IG9KY

The Lion Tango – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaXNdVTGT0k

The Chimp Cha Cha – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4jWN_bsbI

The Baboon Reel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y05JwGIJ6qg

The Cricket’s Violin Music – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjejPjLmGyk

Close to you: Part 5 – Whole Song 

It is time to put all of this week’s song together today. Good luck and have fun!

Online Safety

We are absolutely delighted with the positive responses and feedback we are getting via our social media platforms. However, can we please remind everyone that to ensure the online safety of our young people, and in keeping with local authority and government guidance, please do not use or refer to pupil’s names in your comments. You are more than welcome to use initials should you wish.

Expressive Arts – Week Beginning 4th May

Our Expressive Arts team have been busy creating more videos for you to enjoy at home throughout the week.

They include an art activity from Diane for you to copy, drumming from Keith and information about Sam’s online dance classes.  Don’t forget that Emmeline’s musical activities will be posted daily.

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.  We are currently having issues downloading videos from the Orchard Brae School Facebook Messenger page so if they are too large to send via email, please send them using a free transfer site such as Dropbox or WeTransfer.

Art: Waterscape Reflections

Drumming: Session 6 – More Advanced Rhythms

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/

Secondary Update

We hope that you are all able to enjoy some of the lovely weather we’ve been having. We’ve enjoyed hearing from you through replies to our e-mails. Please keep replying and do get in touch if there is anything further we can do to support.

Some ideas that have been shared with classes may be of interest to other families. Have a look below:

 

Making Natural Paints (Room 16)

Step 1 – collect items when out on a walk, in the garden or in the kitchen

Step 2  – make the paints

Step 3  – paint!

There are several websites with different ideas for what to use.  These are the websites Jenny looked at for inspiration:

Twinkl – mud paint https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-t-26921-mud-paint-recipe-outdoor-activity

Activity Village – https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/painting-with-natural-paints

Recycle Nation  – https://recyclenation.com/2015/04/how-to-make-dyes-paints-from-plants/

Jenny had a trial run with her kids yesterday.  They think they added too much water.  So they collected up loads of old calpol syringes from the kitchen drawer and had fun in the garden (remember to take in the washing first!).  If you use less water, you can paint with a brush, like water colours.  It was great fun, very sensory (smell, touch, sound, physical) and as it had 3 steps, it became a project to revisit throughout the day. Best of all it was free and used what they had in the house and what they found on their walk.  You can also use food colouring if you prefer.

As with any painting activity, be aware that this may stain fabrics.

 

Ideas from Room 15

Below are some ideas for families wanting to do “school” activities with their children – if any of these ideas look good to you, give them a go!  Equally, if this isn’t what your child is needing just now please don’t put pressure on yourself or them to complete this.  Let me know if you have any particular learning requests for future weeks.

Information about how to do each activity is underneath.

 

 Literacy – Let’s share our likes and dislikes.

There are lots of ways to talk about what we like or don’t like – perhaps the most useful is for us to frequently share both likes and dislikes (some of our learners worry about sharing dislikes, so it helps to see us talking about likes and dislikes).  Please use the child’s communication system (e.g. PODD, PIXON, TouchChat).

One way to share likes, dislikes (and everything in-between) is a talking mat inspired activity.  I’ve popped together a video for how you might do this (https://bit.ly/2VmeRIS ), and if you’re keen, this could go towards your ASDAN Transition Challenge Citizenship unit, if you want to send a photo and/or a wee sentence I’ll pop it into your evidence folder.

 

Numeracy and mathematics – Applying money skills.

We’ve been looking at recognising one coin – let’s continue to apply that skill (and maybe refresh our memories after a wee holiday!).  I’ve shared with our class a symbol food shopping list for learners to use (and a template you could use them on can be found here: https://bit.ly/3bk3CGy ), but you can use whatever resources you have at home – perhaps packaging to recreate a food shop, maybe books to make a book shop, clothes to make a clothes store or toys to make a toy shop.

When your child has found the items on their list, ask them to pay for it with the coin they have been working to recognise.  Don’t worry if your child “buys” an expensive item with a 1p coin, it’s the skill rather than the realism that matters!

 

Alternative option (for learners not using coins): Play music and dance with your child.  Pause at different points and ask your child “More?  Or Finished?” (encouraging signing, use of communication device or personal signifiers as your child requires).

 

Bonus Easter activity – if you haven’t already, you might want to try an egg hunt.  You could give clues with directional language (up, down, left, right, near, far), talk about the colour of eggs, how big they are, how many there are – there’s lots of maths hiding in an egg hunt!

 

Health and wellbeing –can you try two different activities and show which you liked the most?  Ideas could include listening to music, watching a movie, playing a ball game, playing a card or board game – you choose! This could link to your ASDAN recreation work if you’re very keen – a photo and/or wee sentence about what you’ve done could be added to your evidence folder if you’d like to share one.

 

Physical activity – quite a few of our class enjoy Kidz Bop, so I’m sharing a video here you might want to dance along to together (and there are many more on their channel if you’re interested in more).  You might try to copy the moves or enjoy freestyle dance – enjoy!

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

 

Social studies – I’m not suggesting anything for this week, as if you’re doing the shopping role play above you’re already learning about how shops provide us with what we need in our daily lives.

 

Technology – Can you activate your preferred choice from the song PowerPoint from before the holidays (you can find it here if you need – https://bit.ly/2wU3yyr ) yourself?  (With physical help as required).  Can you tap a touch screen or click a mouse positioned over your chosen song?  This can contribute to your ASDAN ICT work if you’re super keen – take a photo and/or write a wee sentence about what you have done and we’ll pop it in your folder.

 

Science – Spring sensory profile.

We’ve looked at some of the features of spring already (weather and flowers), let’s build our understanding of the season with more sensory work.

What can you see?  (The sun?  Flowers?  Leaves coming out on the trees?)  What can you feel? (The breeze?  Lighter clothing with warmer weather?  The warmth of the sun?)  What can you hear? (Birds or other animals?)  What can you smell?  (Flowers?  Spring foods?)  What can you taste?  (Spring foods might include carrots, mint, lettuce greens, peas.)

 

Expressive arts – Can you sing / sign along to “Try Everything”?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBzYZE80pfY&list=PLjT4XhijakZjgDSblHxgYBiN4R9V2BZnA&index=27&t=0s Can you dance to the music?

 

Additional suggestion – Let’s “try everything” with an art version of Simon Says!  (This might get messy depending on the activity you choose!)

Choose any art activity that engages and you have the resources for.  Using your child’s communication system (being mindful to not take it from them!), take turns to give a simple instruction – e.g. if I was painting I might instruct a colour or where to paint (or both!).  If your child is less familiar with the instruction, you might start with a small range of instructions to keep it simple.  It might be one or both of you that creates their own piece of art, but whoever is taking part MUST “try everything” that is instructed with the communication system.  Once understanding is evident, you might have some fun with silly instructions!

 

RME – sharing.

Using a preferred toy or resource of your child’s, take turns using it to encourage your child to understand how to share.  (If your child is very new to learning how to share, please start with something they can happily part with for a short time so that sharing does not become a negative experience.)

 

 

Primary Department Activities – Week Beginning 20th April

Here are some fun activities for you to try at home this week.

Remember, we’re always delighted to see what you’ve been doing so please, feel free to share you photos and videos with us either through the school Facebook messenger page or email adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk

 

Story Of The Week: We’re Going On A Beat Hunt by Michael Rosen

This week’s book study is a favourite with many of our our pupils – We’re Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen.  In this story, a family go on a fun day out, looking for bears and exploring a variety of wonderful places, but they’re in for a BIG surprise!

Below you can read and listen along to the author Michael Rosen retelling the story:

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

 

Science: Rainbow Experiments

The rainbow has become a popular symbol of support during this time, so why not have a go at some of our rainbow inspired science activities!

 

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.

 

Learning Grid: Get Active!

Here is a learning grid for Getting Active!  It contains 16 activity ideas for you to help promote physical activity both in and out of the home on a daily basis.

These activity are only suggestions and we would recommend completing one activity each day.  However, we would love to see what other creative ways you and your family are using to Get Active daily!

Links to YouTube Channels and websites can be found below.

Oti Mabuse Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/mosetsanagape

Joe Wicks – Body Coach YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thebodycoach1

Cosmic Kids Yoga: https://www.cosmickids.com/

Cosmic Kids Yoga YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

Learning Station YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLearningStation

Bumble Bee Physio: https://www.facebook.com/bumblebeephysio/

Music With Emmeline – Friday 27th March

Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Musical Story: Igor – The Bird Who Couldn’t Sing by Satoshi Kitamura

Every Friday we will be providing you with a different musical story. Today’s musical story is Igor – The Bird Who Couldn’t Sing by Satoshi Kitamura. Emmeline is going to read the story with different pauses for musical moments.

Here are links to each of the musical moment so that you can listen to them yourselves at home at any point;

The Dawn Chorus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9dbAfjlrks

The Cat Swing Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-eQvmkcINw

The Dog Rock Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PN1gwO_6gv0

The Sheep Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOk8Tm815lE

The Crocodile Samba Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EAwoMMQtEM

The Penguin Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8FCGlwUyYQ

Igor’s Song! ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU

What was your favourite music from today’s story?

Donald Far’s Yer Troosers: Part 5 – Verse 4 and The Whole Song!

We have one more verse of Donald Far’s Yer Troosers to learn and then we will put the whole song together! We hope you have enjoyed learning your first virtual Makaton song at home and can now practise it over the weekend! It is certainly one that gets stuck in your head!

To wear the kilt is my delight,
It isn’t wrong, I know it’s right.
The highlanders would get a fright
If they saw me in my troosers.

Now have a go at the whole song!

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.