A Busy Week In Primary

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All the staff at Orchard Brae are missing seeing all our pupils every day and we are always eager to see and hear what you’ve been up to.  We love seeing what everyone has been busy doing while they are at home and we have some wonderful photos and videos to share with you this week.

If you would like to share what you have been up to at home, please send any photos or videos 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.

Birthday Boy

One pupil shared some photos and a video from his birthday celebrations!  It looks like he had lots of fun celebrating with his family.

Working Hard

We’ve been delighted to see how well some of our pupils have been working at home on continuing their learning.

There has been lots of work on this week’s story ‘The Story Monster’, listening to monster stories, exploring the colour of emotions and creating your own colour monsters.

Others have been busy practising their writing.

Getting Crafty

We love seeing how you are all exploring your creative side!

Making Music

It certainly looks like there has been lots of fun being musical this week, making and playing instruments and listening to your favourite tunes!

Life Skills

Once again, we’ve been impressed with you’re life skills, whether it be developing your independent feeding skills…

…exploring tastes…

…or helping to bake some yummy treats!

Out And About

Despite our delightful Scottish climate and having four seasons in one day this week, you’ve managed to get out and about and explore your local area.

Animal Antics!

From feeding the ducks and watching the lambs when you’ve been out and about, to playing with a new kitten at home, we’ve loved seeing your photos of you interacting with animals.

Getting Active

You’ve all been busy exploring different ways to keep yourselves active from swinging around, bouncing on the trampoline, chasing bubbles, tiring yourselves out with some sport or simply having a stretch.

And Always Remember…

We love seeing all your smiles and even during this difficult and strange time it’s important to stop and smell the flowers…

…make some wonderful memories and have fun with those you love.

We can’t wait to see what you get up to next week!

Bedtime Story – Friday 15th May

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Welcome to tonight’s bedtime story.  Every week night we will bring you a bedtime story for you to watch and listen to.  The stories are read by staff and pupils and we hope you enjoy seeing some familiar faces and hearing some familiar voices.

If you would like to join in and record a new bedtime story to share, please contact Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk for more information.

So get comfy and cuddle up because it’s time for a new Bedtime Story. Tonight’s story is…

Peace At Last (written and illustrated by Jill Murphy)

It was late at night and Mr Bear was tired. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not get off to sleep. Mrs Bear was snoring and the clock went tick-tock, tick-tock.  Will he ever find some peace?

Happy Birthday!

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We would like to wish a very happy birthday to our pupils who are celebrating their special day next week.

Here is a very special song to each of you from our Music Therapist, Emmeline – trust me you wouldn’t want to hear the rest of us sing!

We hope you all have a wonderful day.

16th May

19th May

21st May

Autism Outreach Service – Presentation: Understanding Sensory Difference

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This sensory presentation is one that has been delivered to education staff in the past as a twilight workshop, presented by Laura May and Karen Inglis, members of the Autism Outreach Team. Under the current circumstances, our team thought it would be useful for staff to have access to it online, to help contribute towards CPD.

The presentation will guide you in…

  • identifying the eight senses
  • understanding the meaning of sensory difference
  • examining how sensory difference can affect a child or young person
  • looking at strategies that can be put in place to support.

We hope you enjoy!

Autism Outreach Service – Resources to download: Visual Schedules

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The Autism Outreach Service are looking to support you at home in whatever way we can during these difficult times. Below you will find some links to visual schedule boards and cards which we thought might be useful in helping you to maintain structure and routine at home. We know too, however, that printing out and making up these resources is not always easy as it requires both time and resources that may be in short supply.

To support you in this, if you have an autistic child or young person at home and are unable to print out and make up the resources yourself, and would appreciate some ready-made resources, then we would ask you to get in touch. The Team can then make up the resources and get them out to you. As well as the ready made resources we can also help if you need the resource individualised, such as specific cards or your child or young person’s name on the boards!

Our team member for resources is Dahni and she can be contacted on:

DaNewcombe@aberdeencity.gov.uk

It would be helpful if you could give Dahni the following information when you email her:

  • Your Name
  • Child’s name, class and school
  • Whether they are currently supported by the Autism Outreach Service
  • The resource that you are looking for

Dahni will get in touch to let you know that she has received your request and then email you back when the resources are ready and arrange to get them out to you!

Please note that we can only provide this service for children and young people who are attending, or will be attending, an Aberdeen City Council educational placement.

The symbols used are Boardmaker from Mayer-Johnson.

 

Schedule Cards – Standard (Everyday Home)

Morning Schedule Board – Standard

Afternoon Schedule Board – Standard

Morning & Afternoon Schedule Board – Standard

Evening Schedule Board – Standard

Morning, Afternoon & Evening Schedule Board – Standard

Horizontal Schedule Boards – Standard

Vertical Schedule Boards – Standard

Choice Boards -Standard

Schedule Cards – Large (Everyday Home)

Now & Next Board – Large

Now, Next & Then Board – Large

Choice Board – Large

Lanyard Schedule Cards (Home)

Helping out at Home Boards & Cards

Music With Emmeline – Friday 15th May

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Musical Story: Commotion In The Ocean

Today’s musical story is going to be ‘Commotion in the Ocean’ by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz. Much like ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ this book lends itself to becoming music very easily because of the rhyming, rhythmic patterns.

Here is an ocean soundscape from YouTube for you to listen to after hearing the story if you would like to. Can you hear or see any of the sea creatures from the story in the soundscape? Which sea creature is your favourite?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGuBBKEGu9o

All The Small Things: Part 5 – Whole Song

Let’s try and put all of All the Small Things together today. Good luck everyone and thank you to whoever chose this song for the new challenge!

Bedtime Story – Thursday 14th May

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Welcome to tonight’s bedtime story.  Every week night we will bring you a bedtime story for you to watch and listen to.  The stories are read by staff and pupils and we hope you enjoy seeing some familiar faces and hearing some familiar voices.

If you would like to join in and record a new bedtime story to share, please contact Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk for more information.

So get comfy and cuddle up because it’s time for a new Bedtime Story. Tonight’s story is…

This Bus Is For Us (written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Gillian Tyler)

It’s always fun to go travelling but will you travel far by car or take the train when it starts to rain?  You could always go on a trip on a ship, or what about flying to the moon in a hot-air balloon? But…which way is best for us?

Music With Emmeline – Thursday 14th May

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Here are today’s musical activities from Emmeline.

Familiar Song: She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain

Almost everyone is familiar with the song “She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain”. Today we are going to be making up our own version of the song and encourage you to come up with your own version afterwards. After she has come round the mountain we are thinking about;

    1. What did she travel on?
    2. What was she wearing?
    3. What did she have to eat?
    4. What did she have to drink?

After you have listened to Emmeline’s version of the song can you come up with your own version?

All The Small Things: Part 4 – Verse 3

This is the last verse of All the Small things we need to learn before we put the whole song together tomorrow. Luckily we already know the first two lines of it!

Say it ain’t so, I will not go
Turn the lights off, carry me home
Keep your head still, I’ll be your thrill
The night will go on, my little windmill

Bedtime Story – Wednesday 13th May

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Welcome to tonight’s bedtime story.  Every week night we will bring you a bedtime story for you to watch and listen to.  The stories are read by staff and pupils and we hope you enjoy seeing some familiar faces and hearing some familiar voices.

If you would like to join in and record a new bedtime story to share, please contact Amy Dunnett (Principal Teacher Primary) adunnett@aberdeencity.gov.uk for more information.

So get comfy and cuddle up because it’s time for a new Bedtime Story. Tonight’s story is…

A New Home For Little Fox (written by Janet Bingham and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw)

When Little Fox sees Mrs Finch building her nest, Daddy Fox explains that everyone thinks about new homes in the spring. Little Fox wonders where he and Daddy will make their own new home.

Music With Emmeline – Wednesday 13th May

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Here are today’s musical activities with Emmeline.

Soundscape: Rainbow

Today’s soundscape has a rainbow theme. We have provided this lovely picture of a rainbow as a visual stimulus but perhaps you would like to close your eyes and imagine your own rainbow. Do you have anything at home that reminds you of the rainbow. Perhaps something colourful or your own rainbow you have made or drawn and put up in your window to support the NHS and our keyworkers at the moment.

Please relax, listen to the music, look at the picture, imagine your own rainbow and take deep breaths.

All The Small Things: Part 3 – Verse 2

It is now time to learn the second verse of All the Small Things by Blink 182. The words are;

Late night, come home
Work sucks, I know
She left me roses by the stairs
Surprises let me know she cares