Willowbank School, KilmarnockThe Sungazers Class have enjoyed exploring different weather types through various science experiments. This week we watched a video all about torandos then had a go at making our own ‘tornados in a jar’ using vinegar, water, food colouring and liquid soap. We even added some sequences to see them get sucked up into our torando. It was great fun!
SENSORY COOKERY SESSION
The Sungazers were Confident Individuals at Cookery this week as we participated in a hands-on sensory cookery session. The children enjoyed a chocolate fondue experience and explored a variety of tastes and textures. This was also a great way to sneakily introduce different foods. This creative session promoted independence by allowing the children to do as many of the processes as possible, melting, mixing, chopping dipping etc. Each child had their own set of equipment and ingredients to ensure we followed Covid Safety Guidelines. Most importantly the children loved getting involved and had great fun.
Earth Day
The Sungazers celebrated World Earth Day by watching a video clip Earth Hour 21 Official Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHLS7JlSoJ8.
We also created our own ‘Earth Day Handprint Keepsake’ to remind us about the need to protect our environment so that it is a better place to live.
We urge you to take part and support the cause at home by switching off the lights for Earth hour at 8.30 pm on Saturday 27th March.
The Sungazers have been ‘Effective Contributors’ as we took part in the Big Pedal challenge this week. We all enjoyed the walking, wheeling and scooting challenge in the playground. We have used a variety of bikes and scooters to travel around the playground and enjoyed taking part in our daily mile as always. Some also enjoyed a well earned rest at the end.
The Sungazers Class are enjoying lots of lovely Easter activities this week. They have been very creative in making their Easter cards and had great fun using the glass pens to decorate their Easter sun catchers to take home as a gift. We have more Easter fun planned for the next couple of days as well.
We hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday, stay safe and enjoy some lovely weather (fingers crossed!).
The Sungazers were ‘Confident Individuals’ and ‘Effective Contributors’ while working towards achieving our ’50 Things To Do Outdoors’ challenge.
Number 10 – Barefoot Challenge
The boys enjoyed having their bare feet placed on the grass and exploring this different sensory experience. They were able to experience the difference between bare foot and wearing shoes when walking on the grass.
Look at those faces!
It’s been a wonderful week in the Sungazers and a pleasure to have so many of our friends back together. This week we have focused on Health and Wellbeing, making sure the children feel safe and secure back at school. We have encouraged them to be ‘Confident Individuals’ by promoting self-confidence and coping skills at this time.
Some of the Health and Wellbeing tasks have included;
Outdoor waterplay,
Making friendship bracelets,
Making kindness cards,
Making happy and sad props,
Classroom music therapy session,
Participation in our daily mile challenge.
See the photos below –
Hi Sungazers, I hope you’re all safe and well. We are looking forward to being together again soon and having lots of fun in classroom. In the meantime here are some exciting activities for you to try at home with the family under close supervision. Next week is ‘Science Week’ so I’ve included a little ‘Hocus Pocus’ for your enjoyment.
Science – Make a potion
Rinse all plastic containers thoroughly and fill each container with water.
Add a splash of food colouring to each container of water, you an also add some washing up liquid.
Demonstrate making a potion by adding leaves, petals etc, collected from the garden. Mix the different colours to make a potion.
Allow your child to experiment mixing colours and adding different items.
Observe and talk about any floating and sinking opportunities.
See example below –
You will need:
A tray, some plastic bowls
Petals, leaves etc
Soap dispensers, plastic Bottles, and containers
Water
Food Colouring
Health and Wellbeing – Nature Hunt
Draw or write the names of 4 or 5 outdoor items on a piece of paper – eg, a leaf, a twig, a stone, a feather etc.
Place the list in a gift bag with a pen and place it beside the front door.
Take the gift bag outside with the list and go on a nature hunt to find the items listed.
Place the items in the bag and tick off the list.
Alternatively you could have a bag already filled with the items and ask your child to find matching items while on your walk or in the garden.
You will need:
A gift bag
Paper
A pen
Literacy – Outdoor Water Painting
Enjoy the benefits of the outdoors while developing your fine motor skills. Whether you’re making marks, overwriting or writing, grab a paint brush and a container of water. You can use water and a brush to paint onto the shed, the path, the fence etc. Even painting water onto a cardboard box is very effective. Start by making marks then, write letters/numbers, draw pictures. You can even ask your child to overwrite/write their name. Siblings and parents can join in, make it as easy or as challenging as you wish.
See photos below –
You will need:
A container of water
A paint brush
Numeracy – Mini Golf (can be done indoors or outdoors)
Place a cup on its side.
Lay out a mini golf course using cushions to weave in and out (see picture).
Use hard back books to make tunnels or ramps.
Place the ball and club/stick at the starting point.
Demonstrate moving the ball around the course and hitting it into the cup to score.
Take turns , count while one person writes/records how many attempts to get the ball in the cup.
Change the course by adding a trampette, (count the bounces)
Move or remove cushions, tunnels (books) and the hole (cup) to make it easier or more challenging – see photo below.
You will need:
A cup
Cushions
A few large hardback books
A small ball
A tube or a stick (something to use to hit the ball)
Paper and a pen to write scores on – Post It notes.
Hi Sungazers, this week we are going to be ‘Effective Contributors’ as we focus on World Book Day. Our new theme story for the next term is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, so I have planned a few theme related learning tasks for you to try at home.
Literacy – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Click the Link below and enjoy listening to the story.
Numeracy – Talk About Number 7 – Number Webs
You will need – see picture below –
After listening to the story, count the dwarfs again and count/sign from 0-7. Write numbers 1-7 on the post its and place nearby.
Ask your child to collect and place the number 1 post it on the floor, then ask them ‘what comes next?’
Ask them to collect and place number 2 on the floor near number 1 and connect with a piece of wool/string, attach with a blob of Blu-Tack then repeat.
Ask ‘can you find the next number and place on the floor?’…. repeat and complete until you reach number 7.
This will create a giant number web on the floor. (see photo below)
Ask your child to count forwards by jumping from one number to the next. Practise jumping on one place to add on one.
Health and Wellbeing – Emotion Balloons – Balloon Tennis
You will need -See picture below –
Think about ‘The Seven Dwarfs’ from the story. Explore and imitate the different emotions and personalities of the Seven Dwarfs.
Blow up balloons,
Draw a happy, sad and angry face on the balloons.
Ask your child how they are feeling today, ask them to choose and sign/say the emotion balloon that reflects how they are feeling. “I feel ….sad, happy, angry.”
Encourage your child to use their hands to play catch with the balloon or use the paper plates as a bat to play a game of balloon tennis and have some fun.
Art – Apple Print Pictures
You will need -See picture below –
Talk about the ‘Wicked Witch’ in the story and the poisoned apple that Snow White eats. Use an apple and some paint to make multi-coloured apple prints. (see example below)
