Room 16: Home Learning Ideas

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Here are some ideas of activities children can do at home to retain and develop their skills during any school closures / holidays.

Life skills and motor skills

  • Cutting fruit and veg – prepare a meal/snack, make a face with it
  • Spreading with a knife – toast, crackers, sandwiches etc
  • Following a simple recipe (written, read aloud or copy the adult)
  • Pouring – make a cup of tea/coffee or fill a tray with rice/lentils etc and pour them into different containers
  • Make play dough –

Here’s a link for a simple no-cook playdough using boiling water https://www.instructables.com/id/No-Cook-Play-Dough/

  • Some pupils have been learning to knit this session
  • Construction games with magnets or lego
  • Tying knots and weaving, for example weaving material in fences, tying shoe laces

 

Physical activity

  • Cosmic kids yoga – a lot of episodes are on Youtube and there are greater mindfulness videos too if you need to relax

https://www.cosmickids.com/category/watch/

  • Just dance routines – again free on Youtube. Angry birds, Just Mario , Old Town Road and Ghostbusters, are firm favourites at the moment

 

Literacy and Numeracy

  • co.uk is a free website for teachers and parents, with loads of interactive games at a variety of levels, most of which are tablet friendly, we have been using the money games and the Chinese dragon game in class

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting

  • Each pupil has a unique login for Education City, most pupils are working at early level, maybe first level. I have not assigned any specific tasks.  Pupils are familiar with the website.
  • For Makaton practice again on Youtube search for songs by Melody Signs or Singing Hands there is a mixture of nursery rhymes and pop songs, we tend to choose the more modern ones in class.
  • Lets talk Makaton charity page also has videos and ideas

https://wetalkmakaton.org/

  • Many pupils will benefit from colouring and drawing activities
  • Typing games https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zf2f9j6/articles/z3c6tfr

Animal Discovery: Live Webcams

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Some of our pupils show an interest in animals and nature. There are Live Webcams at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park that the children may enjoy.

https://www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/webcams (Highland Wildlife Park)

https://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/webcams/ (Edinburgh Zoo)

For our Secondary pupils, the National Geographic Kids website can provide more information. Although not all pupils can access it fully independently, there are pictures to look at and discuss, and some interesting video clips to watch:

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/

Have a look and find out what your favourite animals are.

 

 

Music With Emmeline – Wednesday 25th March

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Here are today’s musical activities with Emmeline.

Soundscape: Under The Sea

Every Wednesday we are going to be providing a different themed soundscape.

Today’s theme is Under the Sea. We have provided this picture as a visual stimulus for under the sea ideas.

Please relax, listen to the music, look at the picture, imagine different under the sea creatures and take deep breathes. If you have anything at home that sounds like the sea then you can also join in using this. Perhaps you have a container filled with beads or buttons that could be used as your own ocean drum or a shell to hold to yours or someone else’s ear?

Donald Far’s Yer Troosers: Part 3 – Verse 2

Today let’s try the Second verse of Donald Far’s Yer Troosers,

A lady took me to a ball
And it was slippery in the hall
I was afraid that I would fall
‘Cause I didn’t have on my troosers

Music With Emmeline – Tuesday 24th March

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Here are today’s musical activities with Emmeline.

Play Away & Stop 

This is a brilliant fun game of musical statues with instruments included! The lyrics of the song are;

Play Away, Play Away, Play Away and Stop!

Try playing along with Emmeline first. Playing and listening at a normal volume, quietly, loud, fast and slow. You can then try this amongst yourselves. If you do not want to sing the song you can say ‘Play’ and ‘Stop’ or wait for someone to vocalise or smile to indicate the starting and stopping. Try playing about with the dynamics and tempo at home too!

Also remember if you don’t have any musical instruments, please don’t worry. Use a pot, pan, old box, kaleidoscope, homemade shaker, clap your hands or tap your knees!

Donald Far’s Yer Troosers: Part 2 – Verse 1

Today we are going to learn Verse 1 of Donald far’s yer troosers, we will learn a little bit each today to build up to the entire song on Friday! Don’t forget to do your ‘Little Man’ vocal warm-up from yesterday before we start!

Just got in from the Isle of Skye
I’m not very big and I’m awfully shy
The ladies shout as I go by
Donald far’s yer troosers?

Children 1st Parentline

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Children 1st have set up a Parentline to help support parents in coping with Coronavirus.

You can speak to Parentline for:
calm, practical, advice;
emotional support;
space to talk.

They can be contacted by calling free 08000 28 22 33

Further information can also be found on their website www.children1st.org.uk/parentline and through their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram feeds.

Music With Emmeline – Monday 23rd March

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Hello everyone

The aim for the next while is to bring you two musical videos each day.  These will feature a daily extract from a Makaton song, building up to the entire song by the end of the week as well as musical games, soundscapes, interactive musical stories and activities.

Here are today’s videos.

Vocal Warm Up:  The Little Man

Each Monday we will be sharing a different vocal warm up for you to use throughout the week.  Today is the story of the Little Man.

The little man goes for a walk and he comes to a lift.  He presses the button and goes up in the lift.  Once he is at the top of the building, he puts on his parachute and jumps off the building!  Luckily there is a trampoline on the ground which he lands on…

Can you think of anything else to add to the story?

Donald Far’s Yer Troosers: Part 1 – Chorus

This term the Makaton Choir have been learning a variety of Scottish songs to sing and sign initiated by our Burns Night celebrations.  Now it is time for our pupils to refresh theses songs and teach their parents, carers and family.  Today we are learning the chorus.

Let the winds blow high

Let the winds blow low

Down the street in my kilt I go

All the lassies say hello

Donald far’s yer troosers?

Autism Outreach Service – Some Ideas and Resources!

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We understand that changes to routine, the sensory challenges of increased hand washing and the general anxiety of the situation surrounding Coronavirus (Covid-19) may be having a big impact on your child or young person, so over the next few days we will be sharing some ideas and resources that may help you manage these things at home.

We will update with new resources as and when we can so please check back regularly to see what’s new!

To get you started here is a social story written by Carol Gray that may be useful to share with your child or young person if they are feeling anxious or unsure about what is going on around them concerning the Coronavirus.

 

 

Navigating the School: Room 14

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Room 14 have been working on their Geography skills as part of our ASDAN work. Their task was to give directions to find familiar parts of the school. We found lots of places including the nurses office, the P.E cupboard and soft play.

 

Room 18’s Green Fingers

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Room 18 have been developing their green fingers. We had a wonderful time planting bulbs and vegetables. We potted some bulbs by adding soil to the pots and putting the bulbs in them. We watered them and put them outside Howes Hoose. We have been checking on them and watering them, hopefully the spring weather will make them grow quickly! In Outdoor Education, we have also been planting carrot tops and celery to see if we can grow them from our snack leftovers.