Please find details of the Aberdeen City schools telephone information service for parents/guardians. This is the Schools Information Line. The main...
We would love to see how you get on with you Home Economics activities so please feel free to share any photos or videos via your child’s teacher, through Google Classroom, or email Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk.
Pupils and Staff at Orchard Brae are always doing their bit for the environment reducing food waste, using the green food compost caddy or creative sensory play. But there is always more we can do. Next week, every day on our WHOLE SCHOOL EVENTS Google Classroom there will be ideas, recipes, videos, crafts, music and science activities for you to explore. Please share your favourite recipes or lifehacks on the Google Classroom or directly with your child’s teacher. Room 19 will then compile these for everyone to enjoy.
Huge thanks to Room 19 for launching our Food Waste Week at the Secondary Assembly on Friday. It was really informative and you all did a great job in presenting and sharing your ideas!
Horizons Youth Dance Company are looking for new members to join a free dance company for young people aged 12 – 19 years with and without disabilities.
There is a free open creative dance workshop on Tuesday 16 March 5 – 7pm online where you will be able to see performances from the three Horizons Youth Dance Companies from Aberdeen, Stirling and Glasgow, join in a workshop with them and ask questions to the tutors or existing members.
It has been a very busy few weeks in the Primary Department.
Last week saw staff busy participating in a range of In-Service training and it was wonderful for all of our staff to be able to welcome our Primary 1, 2 and 3 pupils back to school this week.
However, there has still been lots of learning taking place at home over the last two weeks and we are delighted to share some of what you have been up to!
Snowy Fun
Many of you continued to make the most of enjoying the snow while it was still here. You continued to explore the snow and cold weather using your senses and even participated in some chilly science, learning what happens when you blow bubbles in the cold weather and creating your own exploding snow volcano!
Outdoor Learning
Even once the snow disappeared there was lots of learning taking place outdoors.
You participated in different types of exercise, feeling the effects it had on your body.
One pupil even took part in a horse riding lesson, allowing him to develop his balance and core strength.
You also enjoyed making some new friends!
Life Skills
You have also been busy developing your personal care and life skills ver the last two weeks. Some of you sat patiently to get some new haircuts and we think you look amazing!
Last week, we celebrated pancake day and we hope that you had fun making pancakes and choosing your favourite toppings. You’ve also been busy following other recipes, shopping for ingredients and making some delicious treats for yourselves and your families to enjoy.
Working Hard
You’ve all been busy working hard at both home and school, learning new things and consolidating what you’ve already learned.
In school, some pupils were learning all about Chinese New Year through the exploration of different props and using masks of different animals to retell the story behind this celebration.
At home, you’ve been practicing and developing lots of skills, from fine motor skills through art and writing tasks, to turn taking and patience during games and your awareness of time and weather through circle time routines.
And Finally…
We love seeing what you have been up to at home and school, but it is always wonderful to see how much you enjoy spending time together with the important people in your life!
I have a few pieces of information to share with you today.
I will start with the phased return to school. As I am sure you will have heard First Minister shared more detail of the return to school.
From March 15th should the Covid-19 figures allow P4-P7 and S4-S6 will return to school. We are expecting further guidance and detail to be released early next week along with information regarding S1-S3. I will of course keep you informed.
The levels of Covid-19 continue to improve in the NHS Grampian area which is encouraging and it is positive to have more detail of the Scottish Governments timeline for coming out of lockdown should the levels of the virus continue to improve.
The school submitted the report to have out Eco Schools Green Flag status revalidated, and I am delighted to say we passed with flying colours. A big thank you to Amy Dunnett PT Primary for compiling the report and to the pupils and staff for all their hard work. I have attached a copy of the feedback for your information.
Please find a couple of links below which you may find helpful:
What’s new in the city to support families?
ACC are launching Stronger Families Series – a range of free events for parent and carers to support children’s health and wellbeing (P7-S3). The main events will take place throughout March with additional focused webinars in April and May. There is something for everyone, why not sign-up now. To find out more information and book a space click here.
Information from NHS Grampian
NHS Grampian are currently developing a new family-based healthy lifestyle service that offers support to help your child get active, eat well and work towards a healthy weight. A range of topics will be covered including healthy eating, physical activity and behaviour change. The programme would run throughout Grampian and we are seeking the views of local families to help shape what the service could look like. Thank you for taking the time to answer this questionnaire. It should take around 10 minutes to complete and all responses will be treated anonymously.
Aberdeen City Libraries’ will be releasing a Bookbug video this Saturday (27 February) and it will feature a few more extra-sensory elements and communication supports than usual.
The session includes a visual timetable (Boardmaker symbols), some Makaton signing, an accessible music-and-movement activity and a sensory story time, with suggestions and encouragement for families to create their own sensory stories at home using basic materials. We really hope that this sort of session will be even more engaging for all families than our regular selection of songs, rhymes and a story.
Sensory Processing with Karen Gebbie-Smith (Head of Primary)
11-12pm on Tuesday 2nd March 2021
Orchard Brae Connect are pleased to invite you to this online workshop via Microsoft Teams. This workshop is open to all parents / carers and families of pupils at Orchard Brae School.
We look forward to welcoming you to a relaxed hour where we will explore the senses, understand sensory differences and share strategies to help our youngsters regulate their unique systems. It may also help us to regulate ours too! All you need to bring is an open mind and a cuppa.
If you are interested in attending this event please email rebecca.j.duncan@gmail.comnoting the following information:
Your name, email address, child’s name and class
You will be sent a link to join the workshop by email before the event.
We have big news this week! Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will have a LIVE PE lesson. To join us all you need to do is to check the ‘PE at Home’ class on Wednesday at 2 pm and there will be a link for the ‘Meet’.
You will need: comfy clothes and a willingness to have fun!
Amanda and Salvi look forward to seeing you!
The PE at home classroom on Google is updated weekly and the team are doing a great job in providing a range of activities to suit pupils of all abilities. These include Dance, Boccia, Orienteering, Scavenger Hunts (this week’s is a lovely sensory, texture hunt) and our regular PE with Salvi and Amanda, ably supported by our own Young Leaders in school.
Please ask your child’s class teacher for a link if you are not in the PE at Home classroom.
This week we are continuing to use flour in our artwork by making salt dough and using it to get creative! As always remember that the process is the main focus rather than the finished artwork.
Remember to warm up your hands and eyes beforehand using some of the exercises we’ve practised before! This activity has been split into three levels focusing of different skills and levels of ability. Choose the one that is right for your learner but feel free the experiment and explore! Salt dough is a fairly crude material so make your work quite chunky don’t expect it to hold fine details or stay intact if it is very thin!
To make your salt dough, you will need:
2 cups of plain four
1 cup of salt
1 cup of water
Mix the flour, salt and water in a bowl. If your mixture is too dry, you can add a bit more water or if it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour. Use your hands to knead and roll the dough until it is smooth. The salt dough will keep for several days if it is wrapped in cling film or placed in a sealed bag.
Stage 1: At this stage we are looking for the pupils to show a simple response or reaction as they explore the salt dough used in this week’s flour art. With hand over hand support from an adult, explore the texture and consistency of the salt dough. Can you squash and squeeze it? Can you roll it or pinch it? Try to use your fingers and hands to make prints in the salt dough or even add some food colouring for a more colourful experience.
Stage 2: With appropriate support, use your hands to manipulate the salt dough. Can you roll out the dough and cut out different shapes using either cutters or a knife? Can you use different objects to make impressions in the salt dough? Be as creative as you like but you could try forks, spoons, or sticks. You could also add some food colouring to you salt dough to really make your artwork stand out!
Stage 3: For this stage you will explore how to use the salt dough to create a 3 dimensional model. Can you use your hands or maybe even different tools to mould to salt dough? You could try making a bowl based on things you see in nature, such as a leaf or maybe even a model of an animal. Get creative and use your imagination. Once your model is finished, leave it to dry for several days or put into a very low oven to harden.
Extension: You can also use flour to make papier mache models. To create your papier mache model you will need:
old newspapers, comics or magazines, cut up or torn into strips or squares
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of warm water, plus a little extra tap water for loosening
Wire or cardboard to make a frame for your model
Paintbrush
Make a basic frame for your model using garden wire or cardboard.
Mix the flour and warm water in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add extra tap water a little at a time to loosen. You want a smooth, batter-like paste with no lumps. You can sift the flour first for a smoother finish.
Cover your work area in more old newspaper. Dip the paper strips in the paste, wipe off the excess on the side of the bowl and stick onto your frame. Use a paintbrush to smooth down the paper and remove any air bubbles or excess paste. Repeat to cover and leave to dry before adding further layers.
Once you are happy with your model, you can decorate it using any media you like!
If you are looking for some inspiration, you can look up images of Alebrijes on the internet. Alebrijes are brightly coloured Mexican folk art sculptures of fantasy or mythical creatures. The first alebrijes, along with invention of the term, originated in Mexico City with the artist Pedro Linares. Linares often said that in the 1930s, he fell very ill, and while he was in bed, unconscious, he dreamt of a strange place resembling a forest. There, he saw trees, animals, rocks, clouds that suddenly turned into something strange, some kind of animals, but, unknown animals. He saw a donkey with butterfly wings, a rooster with bull horns, a lion with an eagle head, and all of them were shouting one word, “¡Alebrijes!, ¡Alebrijes!”. Once he recovered he began recreating models of the creatures he saw.
Please feel free to share any photos or videos via your child’s teacher, through Google Classroom, or email Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk.
