Good morning to our An Choill Bheag families,
I hope that everyone is keeping happy, safe and well and that you all enjoyed the little bit of recent snow fall!
Síona, Edyta, Amy and I would like to say a huge thank you and well done once again on another fantastic week of home learning last week!
Keep up the great work everyone! 😊
I have emailed parents a little video that Amy asked me to pass on to the boys!
Below you will find some suggested activities for the week ahead. As ever, do whatever you can, and whatever suits your home situation.
Once again, please don’t forget to check out the work allocated by your child’s mainstream class teacher, as there may be some suitable activities that you could blend with the activities that I have suggested below.
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Morning Routine:
We are going to give morning yoga a little break for this week. Instead let’s begin each morning by listening to this lovely story called ‘The Listening Walk’, by Paul Showers
The Listening Walk
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Take your own Listening Walk:
Now it is time to go on your very own Listening Walk!
Will you hear the same sounds every morning, I wonder? Or will you notice different sounds every day? Maybe you could pop me a quick email with a list of the different sounds that you heard?!
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Action Song of the Week:
This week’s Action Song of the Week is called ‘Penguin Dance’ by Jack Hartmann. It is a really fun way of getting active, learning left and right, following directions and developing critical listening skills.
Penguin Dance
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Activity Sheets
You will find a wide range of lovely activity sheets here which will keep your child busy and engaged throughout the day.
Orchard Toys Activity Sheets
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Listening to Stories:
Here are the stories that the infant classes are listening to this week. Just like last week, there is a different story/video for each school day…
Monkey Puzzle, by Julia Donaldson
Elmer, by David McKee
Alan’s Big, Scary Teeth, by Jarvis
The Ugly Five, by Julia Donaldson
Amazing Animals, by National Geographic Kids (learn about 18 different animals!)
Or, if you would prefer, maybe an adult or sibling in your household could read something to you each day instead.
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Sensory Break:
Make your own SNOWSTORM IN A JAR!
I highly recommend this simple science idea... it is so much fun!
You will need baby oil, white tempera paint, water, and Alka Seltzer. Click on the link below for full instructions!
Snowstorm in a Jar
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Colour Matching Activity
Here is a nice colour matching game, which can be easily made at home. You will need a paper plate (or circular piece of card), markers and some wooden clothes pegs.
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Get Creative/Fine Motor Skills Development:
Below you will find two lovely little craft ideas that will keep those little fingers busy and will help to develop your child’s fine motor skills…
Penguin Bottle Craft
No-Sew Sock Worm
Click on this link to find out how to make a No-sew Sock Worm!
I’d love to see some photos of your creations!
Or, if you’d like to learn how to draw a giraffe, a monkey or a parrot you will find links to Art Hub videos on this week’s Junior & Senior Infants' choice board.
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Gross Motor Skills:
This week I would like you to try out 'PE with Joe', which takes place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m.
PE with Joe
I would also encourage everyone to take a look at ‘Gym INC’, which begins this Wednesday.
Here are the details…
Open to kids and families everywhere in any county
Gym INC
🤸🏼♀️ Fun Inclusive Gymnastics for All - Incentive to MOVE, INCLUSIVE to all, Incorporating FUN!!!!
Brought to you by Donegal Sports Partnership in conjunction with Citadel Gymnastics the aim of the programme is to have FUN interactive inclusive sessions delivered online.
🦽This programme targets families who have a family member with a disability with the aim being that everyone in the family can join in the fun together.
The programme starts on Wednesday the 27th of January and 20 fun interactive videos delivered by the brilliant coaches from Citadel Gymnastics will be posted to the private Facebook Group. There will also be 2 face to face Zoom sessions with the gymnastics coaches.
We will have links to resources, online sessions and challenges.
No need to worry about times or missing sessions, you can view the videos at your own time as everything will be saved to the private Facebook group that you will have access to once you complete the Eventbrite booking.
🤳 Each week we would love to see participants post their videos and/or photos in the private group which will allow for interaction between families.
🤩The programme is FREE.
ℹ️ Booking: https://gyminc.eventbrite.ie
📧 Once you book online an email will be sent with details on how to access the private group
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Fresh Air
As always, please remember to add this to your daily schedule…
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Lámh Song of the Week
This week’s Lámh Song of the Week is ‘Five Little Monkeys’. Please continue to practise your Lámh signs every day.
Lámh Song: ‘Five Little Monkeys’
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Aquarium Lessons on YouTube
Don’t forget to tune in again to this Friday’s Aquarium Lessons.
Here are the details again…
Each Friday there will be two sessions -
The first 'Deep Science' (1:00pm to 1:20pm) will see our schools team using aquarium exhibits and our AquaLab to explore the science behind the animated ocean exploration tv series ‘The Deep’
CBBC @12pm on weekdays during lockdown
Expect fascinating facts and real time experiments, as well as ideas to follow up with at home!
The second will be ‘Mermaid Tales’, which will air from 1:30 – 1:45pm and will involve a short story narrated by our resident mermaid, Marina - perfect timing before an afternoon nap, or as a gentle, relaxing start to the afternoon.
For more information head here: http://bit.ly/AquariumLessons
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Cooking/Baking Ideas
I received some lovely photos of some of our pupils happily engaging in home cooking/baking activities last week.
Below you will find three fun recipes that you might like to try out this week…
(Note: I will also email these recipes to parents, if you wish, in a format that might be easier to view. Just send me a quick email if you are having trouble viewing these on the app/website)
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Indoor Games
Try to schedule in some Family Fun Time every evening this week. You will find some great indoor game ideas at the link below.
Ten Minute-To-Win-It Games
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Evening Routine:
Calm down the body and mind at the end of the day with this yoga video from Cosmic Kids
Cosmic Kids Yoga
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Don’t forget to check your email inboxes on Wednesday and Friday again this week, as I will be sending on Storytime Videos from Síona and Geraldine, as usual.
Parents, please email me if you have any questions - ballymittybcasey@gmail.com, - and I will get back to you as promptly as I possibly can.
To Jake, Larry, Harley, Ben, Conn and Tommy – have another fantastic week and keep up the great work!
Kindest regards,
Ms. Casey
