Tag Archives: Remote Learning

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Remote Learning: Eco Schools

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Responsible Robbie

As a nursery community, we are on a continuous journey to empower our children to improve their environmental awareness.  

There are lots of wonderful ideas that you can do as a family to learn more about the natural world and care for the environment, which supports STEM and literacy learning, as well as your child’s health and wellbeing.

RECYCLE

Introduce your children to the concept of sorting household rubbish for recycling into categories such as plastic, paper, metal and glass.  This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about different types of materials used for packaging, how they are made and how they can be reused.  

National Geographic have a great online game to do a recycle round-up and clean up the park: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/action-and-adventure/recycle-roundup-new/

RE-USE

Instead of throwing things away, encourage your child to think of great ways to reuse items.  Egg cartons work really well for growing herbs, glass jars are perfect for storing loose parts for play, and tin cans make really good pen and pencil holders.

COMPOST

Composting helps to teach our children about reducing the waste that heads to landfills by converting it into nutrient-rich soil.

There are lots of free and easy ways for your family to start composting.  

Use a recycled plastic drinks bottle – https://www.changeworks.org.uk/sites/default/files/Make_compost_in_a_bottle.pdf 

Recycle some wooden pallets – https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/startcomposting/

You could also simply create a compost trench in your garden or use an old bin or container – https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/Kindergarden/kidscompost/CompostingForKids.pdf

So what should you put in?

Greens – these are things that rot quickly, and provide important nitrogen and moisture

  • Tea bags
  • Grass cuttings
  • Vegetable peelings, salad leaves and fruit scraps
  • Coffee grounds
  • Old flowers and nettles

Browns – these are things that rot more slowly.  They provide carbon and fibre and also allow air pockets to form

  • Cardboard
  • Egg boxes
  • Paper
  • Leaves
  • Twigs and branches
  • Sawdust
  • Egg shells

LITTER PICK

Visit a local park and spend some time cleaning up the litter.  You will not only be protecting the wildlife and caring for the world around you but you will also be helping your community.  It will hopefully inspire others to join in too.  Count how many bits of rubbish you find – you will be amazed!  Don’t forget to wear protective gloves and take a rubbish bag.     

GARDEN SAFARI

You don’t have to go far to encounter some amazing living things.  Going on a back garden safari in your own garden or to a local park or woods will be a real voyage of discovery.  It is such a fun way to explore and learn about local plants, animals and minibeasts.  You can simply sit and watch, take photos or a video, do a scavenger checklist or record what you found by drawing a picture.

There is lots of information on the WWF to help you get started – https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/love-nature/garden-safari

GROWING FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Getting your child involved in growing fruit and vegetables is a great way for them to learn where their food comes from and make healthy eating choices.  Children can see first hand the growing cycle and develop an awareness of the seasonal nature of food.

Try growing indoors whilst the weather is still cold.  Tomatoes, carrots, peppers and beans work well on a nice sunny windowsill using a recycled container that allows drainage.

https://kidsgardening.org/gardening-basics-indoor-gardening/

Spring is coming soon and the perfect time to start growing outdoors if you have the opportunity.  You can plant in tubs, make a raised bed or create a garden growing patch.  

Fruits and vegetables that are easy to grow and mature quickly are strawberries, lettuce, peas, radishes, and courgettes.       

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/easy-crops-kids-grow

We would love if you could share your learning from home with us so we can use it as part of our action plan, either via Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC #Glenwoodlearningfromhome  

Health and Wellbeing, Numeracy and Mathematics, Uncategorized

Remote Learning: Pancakes

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Healthy Henry

Healthy Henry likes to eat healthy food but he says it’s OK to have a treat sometimes.

As it’s Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day, Miss Pearson would like to share her pancake recipe with you.

Miss Pearson’s Pancakes

First of all you will have to wash your hands with soap and water to make sure they are clean and dry them well. If you have an apron you can wear this as well to keep your clothes clean .

You will need:

  • mixing bowl 
  • wooden spoon 
  • tablespoon
  • mug 
  • frying pan
  • spatula 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 level mug of  self raising flour 
  • 1 level tablespoon of caster sugar 
  • 1 egg 
  • 1 cup of milk for mixing 
  • Oil for your pan 

Method: 

1. Put the flour and sugar into the bowl.
2. Add the egg and mix well.
3. Then gradually add the milk to make a runny consistency – you might not use all the milk.
  1. Mix until smooth.

Now we can start making our pancakes. 

First of all you will need to ask an adult to help you with this part as we are going to use the cooker and we have to be very careful  so we don’t get burnt . 

We need the frying pan to be hot. 

So put a little drop of oil in the pan and wait until it is hot.

Put a spoonful of your mixture into the pan and wait for the bubbles and then turn and cook the other side.

Turn the pancakes over when you see the bubbles.

I made 12 pancakes out of my mixture you could make big pancakes or small pancakes it is up to you.

Here are some ideas for toppings:

  • Jam 
  • Banana 
  • Butter 
  • Chocolate spread  (but just a little) 

 

Miss Pearson hopes you have as much fun making them as she did.

What toppings will you choose?

Cooking together provides us with lots of opportunities to practise our maths skills – measuring out our ingredients, talking about colours, shapes and sizes, using a timer – as well as helping develop fine motor skills – chopping, mixing, spreading – and literacy skills as we read a recipe.

Here are some other ideas for simple cooking activities:

  • sandwiches
  • fruit salad or fruit kebabs
  • pitta bread pizzas
  • vegetable soup

Let us know what you like to cook together and show us your pancakes on Twitter @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome 

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Remote Learning: Chinese New Year

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Today marks the start of the Chinese New Year. This year is the year of the Ox. The Ox represents strength and confidence in others, something those of us at Glenwood have shown in recent months.

Chinese New Year has been celebrated in China and other Asian cultures for thousands of years. It is also celebrated as part of the Spring festival which allows this holiday to mark the end of the coldest days and allows the people to welcome in the Spring season with planting and new beginnings.  

Fireworks are a big tradition to mark the celebrations of Chinese New Year with firecrackers used to scare off bad luck with these being set off at midnight. The following day firecrackers are used again to welcome in the new year with good luck.

Red and gold envelopes which contain money are given during the festival to children from their relatives. The envelopes are a  symbolism of good luck and wishes, but it is the red paper which is significant and not the money inside as this represents happiness and blessings to the children receiving them. 

There are 12 different Zodiac Signs which the years are named after:  rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

Find out more about Chinese New Year celebrations and how the years got their names here Chinese and Lunar New Year – CBeebies – BBC

Here are some ideas to try at home with your families:

Miss Chrystal’s Chinese Vegetable Stir Fry

Ingredients:

  • Garlic
  • Peppers
  • Onion
  • Baby sweet corn 
  • Carrots
  • Spring onion
  • Crushed ginger
  • Sunflower oil 
  • Soy sauce 
  • Optional Stir fry sauce
  • Noodles
First chop your vegetables.
Heat up the oil in a wok or frying pan, add your vegetables.

Remember to keep stirring!

Add the soy sauce and any other sauces.
Serve over noodles.

Enjoy your tasty stir fry – I wonder if you can use chopsticks?

Creating our own firework paintings

 You will need:  cardboard tubes,  scissors, (paper) plates, different colours of paint, paper  

Cut up the cardboard tubes to give a fringe – why not try different lengths.  

You can use as many different colours of paint as you wish.  Pour your paint onto the plates.

Press the cardboard tube down into the paint and then print your firework onto the paper.

Repeat this process by using all of your colours. 

Find more ideas for firework crafts here Firework Crafts – Easy Firework Crafts and Activity Ideas – Science Experiments for Kids (science-sparks.com)

Chinese Lanterns  

Can you create your own Chinese lanterns using A4 sheets of paper, glue or sticky tape and scissors. 

 You can decorate your lanterns using whatever you like. You might like to draw the animals of the zodiac in them using colouring pens or pencils.

Chinese New Year Dancing

The Lion Dance is an important part of the celebrations – find out more and why not have a go!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/lets-go-club-chinese-lion-dance  

Chinese Lion Dance | An introduction (Hello China #39) – YouTube 

Don’t forget to let us know how you get on by sharing with us on Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome 

Health and Wellbeing

Remote Learning: Active Aamir

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Active Aamir is here to give you some activities to help you stay active indoors.  

 

Star Jumps 

See how many star jumps you can do in 30 seconds. Remember to count!

Limbo

Tie a piece of string between 2 objects (or ask someone to hold it) and every time you make it under the string move it lower, how low can you go?

Book balance 

Place a book on your head and walk from one side of the room to another, see how many times you can do this without the book falling off. Remember not to touch the book with your hands. 

Washing basket 

Count how many pairs of socks you can throw into your washing basket. Move the basket further away to make it more difficult. 

Balloon volley 

All you need is a balloon and you! The aim is to use different parts of your body to keep the balloon in the air and off the ground.

Don’t worry if it goes on the ground, just pick it up and start again. See how long you can keep the balloon in the air…10 seconds, 25 seconds? Count and see.

Can you beat your own personal best? Invite your family to do it too. Who can keep the balloon in the air for the longest time?

Freeze dance

Choose some music you like, get some of your cuddly toys or even your family to join in.

Play the music and everyone has to dance to the music. When the music stops you have to freeze. Just like an icicle!

If you search ‘freeze dance’ on YouTube you will find music that stops automatically. Here is one to try!

A move jar

With some help write down the names of about 5 animals on a small piece of paper. Fold the paper and put them in a jar (or box).

Now pop your hand in and pull out a piece of paper. What does it say? Think about the animal you have chosen. How does this animal move its body?

Does it slither, wiggle, hop, stop, jump or crawl. You decide and try to move your body like this animal from one side of the room to the other.

Be creative and think big – pretend you are in the same environment as the animal you have chosen. It could be the jungle, a farm or the ocean.

Why not try a Sticky Kids Work out?

Here are some more ideas from NHS Change 4 Life Indoor Activities for Kids.

Show us how you are staying active on Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

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Remote Learning: Useful Websites

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We have created a Sway with a selection of websites that might be helpful to you at home.

We have included a selection of  sites – some online activities and games for your child, some with ideas of activities for you to try together and also some sites offering support and advice for parents and carers.

We hope you find this useful.

Go to this Sway

 

Literacy and English, Uncategorized

Remote Learning: Time to Rhyme

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Rhyming words are words that have the same ending sound: bat & cat, frog & log, car & star… Learning to recognise rhyme is an important step in learning to read.

Nursery Rhymes – Sharing songs and nursery rhymes with young children is the first step towards this and also helps create a bond with their carers.

Find out more: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading-and-stories/why-share-songs-and-rhymes

The Scottish Book Trust has a Bookbug App for you to share stories, songs and rhymes together. Find out more here.

The CBeebies website also has lots of nursery rhymes to share. Click here.

Once your child understands rhyme you could make up some silly ones together… why not try Humpty Dumpty?

Humpty Dumpty sat in a tree, he fell down and hurt his …

Humpty Dumpty sat on a bed, he fell down and broke his…

Or Twinkle, Twinkle?

Twinkle, Twinkle little mouse, hiding in your little…

Twinkle, Twinkle little moon, I’d like to eat you with a …

Rhyming Stories – Lots of children’s stories are written in rhyme. As you read with your child, try missing out the last word to let them fill it in.

Here are just a few authors who write rhyming stories:

  • Lynley Dodd – Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy
  • Jez Alborough – Fix It Duck, Some Dogs Do
  • Kes Gray – Oi Frog, Oi Dog, Oi Cat, How Many Legs?
  • Nick Sharratt – Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose, Don’t Put Your Finger in the Jelly, Nelly!, Octopus Socktopus
  • Giles Andreae – Commotion in the Ocean, Mad About Minibeasts
  • Clare Freedman – Aliens Love Underpants
  • Dr Seuss – The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham

One of our favourite authors is Julia Donaldson and some of her rhyming stories have been made into animations. Why not watch some together? Zog and the Flying Doctors 

Rhyme Games 

Create a rhyming basket – Collect together pairs of rhyming objects – they could be toys or household items. Take out an object… can you find it’s rhyming partner?

Go on a rhyming treasure hunt – Collect together some objects again but this time challenge your child to find a rhyme around your house or garden. You might put in a star (to rhyme with car), a parrot (rhymes with carrot), a bee (to match with knee or tree), a cat (rhymes with mat or hat) or a bear (to rhyme with pear). I’m sure you will think of many more!

Play I-Spy – On a walk or in the house, you could play a rhyming version of I-spy…

I spy with my little eye, something that rhymes with bee.

I spy with my little eye, something that rhymes with bog.

It’s OK if your child makes up nonsense words – that means that they have understood the concept of rhyme.

Why not play this rhyming game on the computer with Grover from Sesame Street?

Share you rhyming fun on Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC   #Glenwoodlearningathome

Numeracy and Mathematics, Uncategorized

Remote Learning: Everyday Counting

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Achieving Andrew

Children learn about numbers by hearing number sequences over and over and learning the number names. Through play and everyday activities is a natural way that children will learn.

There are lots of things you can do at home with your children to learn number sequence.

 

  • When you bring the shopping home can you count how many apples/bananas/blueberries you bought?
  • If you have stairs. How many do you have?
  • How many small/big steps is it from your front door to the gate?
  • A scavenger hunt. Can you find 8 leaves, 5 stones, 4 sticks.

Number songs are another great way to learn number sequences. Here are some Glenwood favourites (click on them to watch a Youtube video):

Playing board  and card games is another way to develop number recognition and practise counting.

  • Snakes and Ladders
  • Kids Monopoly
  • Snap (using playing cards)
  • Bingo
Play Splat! – say a number and ‘splat’ the correct card.

Another favourite game we play in Glenwood is Number Splat. This is a great way to develop number recognition. All you need is numbers 0-10 or 0-20 written on pieces of paper and a spatula or wooden spoon. Ask your child to splat different numbers in a random order. Why not have a competition?

Share with us on Google Classroom or Twitter how you have been practising your counting and number recognition. @GlenwoodFC #Glenwoodlearningathome

 

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Remote Learning: Storytelling

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A brief History of Storytelling  

Story telling is said to have been dated right back to 30,000 BC where cavemen would draw pictures on the wall of their cave showing a short series of events usually depicting their rituals of hunting. 1,000 BC Greek myths and legends came about, and then in 700 BC the first written story was printed. 

Benefits of Storytelling  

  • Helps with understanding of social behaviour – telling right from wrong and teaching empathy.
  • Develops language and communication.
  • Improves listening skills. 
  • Encourages creativity and imagination. 
  • Promotes higher order thinking skills.
  • Can helps understanding of difficult ideas and situations.  

Ideas to try at home… 

Helicopter Stories 

Helicopter Stories is a way of creating stories with your children. As a parent you’re the scribe and write word for word your child’s story down. Then have a go at acting it out…let your child decide who plays which character and what props to use.

Find out more in Miss MacLean’s Helicopter Stories Blog here.

I’m a tree…

What’s in the bag? 

All you need is a bag or a box filled with objects (can be anything you find around the house.) You then take turns with your child to take an object out and create a story around the object. 

You could make up a station to go with the bag full of cuddly toys or dolls or toys that you could use to be the characters for your story.

This is a game that can have endless results and can be played repeatedly, as so many different stories could be told.  

I wonder what story you could tell about the Gruffalo?

Hanen 

In Nursery we use Hanen’s Abc and Beyond approach to develop early literacy skills. Find out more about how to turn stories into conversations in this Sway.

Go to this Sway

Listen to some stories together online 

This ThingLink has links to many stories that you might like to share. Click on an icon to take you to the story…

 

We would love you to share your stories with us on Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

 

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Remote Leaning: Looking after the birds

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Responsible Robbie

Responsible Robbie likes to help look after the environment and wildlife.

Have you tried the recipe for bird cake in your home learning booklet?
Why not try to make your own bird feeder from recycled materials you have in the house. Here are some ideas…
Remember to throw any wire away after the birds have eaten the cereal.
The CBeebies website has some more ideas on how to make bird feeders for your garden. Why not take a look… Make a bird feeder – CBeebies – BBC
Why not join in with the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch which is happening from the 29th to 31st January and you can sign up for free. There are lots of other things to do on their website too, including stories to read and games to play.
I wonder which birds you will have visiting your garden?
Why not let us know on Google Classroom or Twitter?
 @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome
Health and Wellbeing

Remote Learning: Our New Nursery

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Respected Rhiya

Respected Rhiya encourages us to think and talk, and to share our ideas and views. 

Rhiya has got some sad news, happy news and she wants to give you a challenge.

The sad news is that we can’t all be at nursery together as we have to make sure everyone is safe from the virus. Also when we come back together, our nursery building might have disappeared. Big machines are going to knock it down.

How does that make you feel?

Some people think that will be exciting and they want to see it all smashed. Some people are worried it will be very noisy and messy. For lots of people the building and garden have lots of happy memories. The happy news that we are getting a new nursery with lots of lovely new toys inside. It is much bigger, with large playrooms, lots of windows and a little garden in the middle. Everything is new and clean and there will be lots of new things to try and we will see our friends there. 

What do you think?  Are you excited, worried or not sure?

The adults are getting things ready in the new nursery – here are a few photos for you to see what it looks like.

The cloakroom where you will hang your jacket.
These are some of the toilets.

 

The book corners are waiting for their rugs.
Look at the lovely new cooker and sink in the role play area.
One of our new art areas.
Some new vehicles to play with in the sand.

 

 

This room will be a gym hall and dining room.
What a smart mud kitchen!

 

The sandpit is underneath the white tarpaulin – isn’t it big?

Rhiya’s challenges are:

  • Can you tell us what you liked best about our old nursery?
  • What are you looking forward to at our new nursery?
  • Can you draw us a picture or make us a model or write us a story or make a game? 
  • What should our rules be for our nursery and what is important?

Rhiya hopes you like the challenges and that you will post into Google Classroom.

Completing the challenges will help you use lots of skills – you will be remembering, understanding, applying, analysing, evaluating and creating. These are called higher order thinking skills.

 

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Remote Learning: Sorting and Matching

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Sorting and matching objects is an important mathematical skill for young children to develop. It helps children to develop their thinking and awareness of number and quantity.  Children organise, match and sort items in different ways, by colour, shape, design, size, and sometimes using their own criteria. They may sort by using simple  categories such as colour, size or shape, or by using categories such as, type of transport (cars, trains, boats) or types of animals (farm, zoo, sea). Matching encourages children to look for similarities and differences. 

Here are just a few ideas… 

Sorting toys You could start by asking your child to gather some of their favourite  toys  (maybe suggest small toys like Lego or animals) then ask them to sort them using different criteria, shape, colour or size. 

Loose parts are things like bottle tops, buttons, beads or natural objects – there are many wonderful possibilities.

You might choose stones or shells of different colours, shapes, sizes and textures.

Loose parts can provide good opportunities to challenge children’s thinking because of variations – Will all the different shades of blue go in one set? How will you decide if an item is ‘big’ or ‘small’? Encourage your child to explain why they have chosen to put an object in a particular set.

Household sorting jobs 

  • Putting away the shopping – sorting the fruit, vegetables, tins, frozen food into the correct places.
  • You could talk to your child about what you are doing as you sort and separate clothes for washing (whites, colours, and darks) or get them to help you sort and match socks.
  • At lunchtime or dinner time encourage children to set the table by matching knives and forks or plates with cups, you could talk about the different sizes of spoons you might use. How many will you need?
  • Involve them in  recycling waste (paper, plastic, cans and food waste).
  • Will you read a story (fiction) book together or will you choose non-fiction? Are they all muddled up on the book shelf?
  • Putting toys away into the right place!

Putting in order of size

Challenge your child to put a selection of items into size order – coins, sticks, shoes or lego bricks perhaps. This encourages measuring skills as well.

Play Odd One Out

Show your child 3 objects, start simple perhaps 2 red and 1 blue – can they spot the odd one out? As they get the idea, increase the challenge – perhaps a red car, a blue car and a green train.

Let your child have a turn at choosing the items for you to say which is the odd one out.

Mrs Russell wonders who can spot the odd one out in the picture below… remember to say why!

Show us what you have been sorting and matching on Google Classroom or Twitter @Glenwood FC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

 

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Remote Learning: Fine Motor Skills – Getting Ready to Write

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Fine motor skills involve the use of the muscles and joints of the hands that interconnect and work together to allow you to complete dexterous tasks.  They are the smaller hand and finger movements used, for example, to open a lunch box, zip up a coat or write with a pencil.  A young child cannot be expected to be able to do these tasks or learn to write appropriately if they haven’t yet developed the strength needed in their hands and fingers. Here are some ideas you can try at home with your families to help develop your fine motor skills and have some fun as well.   

Ice and snow melt

Use a pipette to squeeze some warm water on to some ice cubes or snow.  How long does it take to melt?  Maybe you could try adding some food colouring or paint to the water or try using different liquids such as vinegar or fizzy juice.

Play dough 

Try squeezing, stretching, squashing, pinching and rolling some play dough.  Can you make some snakes or wiggly worms?  Maybe you could try using scissors to cut the play dough into small pieces and then rolling them into little balls.  How many can you make?  Can you make different sizes of play dough balls?  Try holding a masher in both hands and find out how flat you can squash your play dough.  You could also try using some loose parts to add to your play dough. Have fun.

 

Recipe

  • Plain flour – 2 cups
  • Water – 1 cup
  • Salt – ¼ cup
  • Vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Food colouring or paint (It helps to add this to the cup of water)
  1. Add everything together into a large bowl and stir well with a spoon until it turns into a soft dough.
  2. If the mixture is too sticky add some more flour.  If it’s too dry add some more water.
  3. Empty the play dough onto a floured surface and mix together with your hands.

Bottle top blaster

  • Ask an adult to help you cut the top from a plastic bottle and then attach a balloon where the lid would normally be.
  • Put a pompom into the bottle funnel.
  • Hold the bottle funnel with one hand and pull the balloon back hard with your other hand.
  • Let go of the balloon and your pompom will shoot out.  How far can your missile travel?
  • Why not rip or cut some paper to stick on to decorate your bottle top blaster.   

Mark Making

Fill a tray with rice, or spread a thin layer of shaving foam or salt on a worktop or old baking tray.  Try different items to draw, write or make patterns with such as your fingertip, twig, lollipop stick or paper straw.

 

Rice RacePut three small empty bowls on a table. Divide a handful of uncooked rice into two of the bowls, leaving the middle one empty. Have a race with someone from home to find out who can be the first to empty their bowl using a teaspoon to put their rice into the middle empty bowl.  Try using your left hand and your right hand.

Activities such as jigsaws, building with Lego or playing with loose parts are also great ways to help develop your fine motor skills. Collect a variety of small loose parts from around your home such as buttons, dried pasta, beads, coins or bottle lids. Experiment with making shapes or patterns with your loose parts or perhaps you could make some pictures, or build towers.

Please remember to share your learning on Google Classroom or Twitter @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

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Remote Learning: Fresh Air and Exercise

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Just because it’s winter and the days are short doesn’t mean going outside is not fun!

In fact, fresh air really is good for you! It can:

  • help you feel more energised
  • help you sleep better
  • help decongest you if you have a cold
  • restore your mood

Here are some ideas of things that you can do with your families outdoors at this time of year…

Play in the Snow – Why not build a snowman, go sledging or throw some snowballs? Just going for a walk in the snow is exciting – everything looks and sounds different! Can you see different footprints? Who do you think made them? Which way did they go?

Ice and Frost – Go exploring – look for different patterns of frost and different places to find ice. You might slide on it, smash it or pick it up and look through it.

Try blowing bubbles when it’s cold – if you are lucky they will freeze.

Have a go at making ice decorations  click here to find out how.Go on a Bear Hunt – Use all your senses as you squelch through mud, scrunch over frosty grass and splash through puddles! You might need to climb through branches or scramble up a hill… will you find the bear’s den?

Puddle Jumping – It’s always fun to jump and splash in puddles! Who can make the biggest splash? Which puddle is deepest? Can you splash all the water out of the puddle?

Fun with Sticks – You could try a game of Pooh Sticks if you are near a bridge over a stream or take some sticks home and make a Stickman using what you have in your house.

     

Go exploring with a torch – Why not go for an adventure after dark? Take a torch with you and explore the woods or just have a turn in the play park! You might choose to watch the sun go down while you are out as well.

Have a campfire – Some of you might be lucky enough to be able to have a fire in your garden. Why not try cooking some tasty treats on it, such as foil wrapped bananas or marshmallows?

Remember to wrap up warm – Several thin layers are better than one very thick one – then if you get too warm you can take one off! Adults please remember that children will not feel the cold as much as you do BUT they also may not realise when they get too cold – especially when hands and feet get wet.

Whatever you do outdoors – have fun and please share your adventures on Google Classroom or on Twitter @GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

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Happy New Year

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All of us at Glenwood hope that you had a good break and wish you all the best for the New Year.We are disappointed that we are not able to welcome you all back to nursery this week but have been busy making plans for the upcoming weeks.

We will again be providing regular ideas for learning experiences for you to use at home if you wish. This will be both through our website and on Google Classroom. We are also getting another Home Learning Bag put together along with a booklet full of ideas for you to use as a family.

We hope that you will share your learning with us through Google Classroom – by doing this your child can show their friends what they have been doing and also see what their friends have been doing to! We will also add your pictures to your child’s learning journal to show their learning at home.

This is an unsettling time for everyone, so you may like to look back at some of our previous blogs….

Healthy Minds and Bodies

Daily Routines

Stay safe and we hope to be able to welcome you back to Glenwood soon.

For full details of how we are supporting home learning and the extra measures we have in place to keep safe in Glenwood please visit this page as part of our Coronavirus planning.

January 2021 – Remote Learning

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Remote Learning – Patterns

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Patterns are everywhere.  Looking for patterns helps us discover and learn new things about the world around us.

Mrs Wilson went on a pattern hunt in her house and garden.  Here are some of the patterns she found.

Can you find any of these patterns?

Maybe you can find some different patterns in your house or when you are outside.

 

Activities to try at home

Pair socks by looking at their patterns to help develop matching skills.

 

 

Print a pattern using fruit and vegetables.

 

 

Look at the patterns on the soles of your shoes and wellington boots.  How many different patterns can you find?

 

 

Design your own tartan pattern using paint and toy car wheels.

Support your child develop their understanding of repeated patterns by providing simple patterns for them to copy using loose parts.  Saying the pattern out loud as it is made can really help children as they decide what item is next.  Making their own patterns also helps children develop their decision making skills as well as learning how to make logical connections.

Collect some leaves to peg a leaf pattern on a washing line or piece of wool or string.

Explore the different patterns that animals might have by watching a clip from CBeebies about animals with spots and stripes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p011mxh0

Remember to tweet to let us see the patterns you find or make.  Have fun!  @Glenwood FC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

 

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Remote Learning – Fun Friends: Don’t Forget to be Brave and Stay Happy!

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Hello Fun Friends. This is our last message of this year and we want you to carry on being Brave and Happy!

Remember to use your milkshake breathing and relax when you feel upset or worried. Also it can be good to talk about your feelings with people who care for you. 

Mirror, Mirror

When you are looking at yourself in the mirror (perhaps brushing your teeth or hair) Tell yourself something positive e.g “I can be brave, kind, helpful, try my best” These are positive  (green) thoughts.

You can help other people to have green positive thoughts too. Send a message to a friend, member of your family or neighbour. 

We know that you are Brave! We saw how Brave you could be at Glenwood and we know you will continue to try and be brave. Remember to keep practising being brave. Brave is :

  • Looking people in the eye
  • Smiling
  • Using a brave voice
  • Standing up tall
  • Trying your best and giving it a go!

Making  New Friends

It’s good to make new friends and to play with different people. Friends smile, help, talk, listen, play and share. What would you tell your friend? What would you ask them? Would you tell them about your family?

Family Fun Questions (why not write these out, add some more and then pick a question to answer)

  • Who has the loudest laugh?
  • Who makes the best food and what is it?
  • Who is the funniest person?
  • Who has the smelliest shoes?
  • Who is the oldest person in the family?
  • What is your favourite thing to do?

Our support Team

Sometimes we need help or care from others. On a piece of paper draw yourself and then people who can help or support you round about you.  This might include siblings, wider family, neighbours, teachers (pets can also be included).

Game – What could you do if? (Think of solutions to these problems)

  • You don’t get a plate/book but everyone else does.
  • There’s a lion in the garden.
  • There is a group of children playing and you want to join in.
  • Everyone is doing an activity and you don’t know how to do it.
  • Your friend gets their head stuck in some railings.

Make up your own scenarios – some things that might happen and some funny.

It’s ok to say No! 

Sometimes our friends do or say things we don’t like. Remember it’s ok to say “I don’t like that”. Look the person in the eye and use a brave voice. Next you can get louder and show a cross face. Then use a very loud voice and show your angry face and body (no hitting or kicking). Get help from an adult if you need it.

We follow the rules so we don’t get lost or hurt. We ask for help when we need it and we remember the Pants rule https://youtu.be/_SzbMEVYiyg

Game – Today we will be……

Here are a few positive behaviours (add your own), write them on pieces of paper, fold them up, put them in a container and then pick one out each day. Then everyone playing needs to try and be this word.

Determined   Flexible   Thankful   Friendly   Creative   Funny   Surprising   Tidy   Helpful   Co-operative   Bendy   Strong   Gentle   Playful   Try hard

Keep Learning!

As you grow there are lots of things to learn! Keep practising to achieve your goals and try hard! Remember: ‘No matter how old you are everyday is a learning day’. 

We are proud of you! 

Being in lockdown has been very hard and we want you to know that we have missed you very much but we are very proud of you staying at home or going to a nursery hub. 

We hope you will continue being Fun Friends and will remember:

    • Friends- can recognise our own and others feelings
    • Relaxing and milkshake breathing
    • I can do it – turning red thoughts green
    • Encouraging – I can achieve a goal
    • Nurture – I can be a good friend
    • Don’t forget to be brave!
    • Stay happy!

 

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Remote Learning – Healthy Tuck Shop

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Miss Bibby has been thinking about ways you can use money in your house.

One way I thought of is to set up your very own healthy snack shop.

My snack shop is going to have apples, tangerines, strawberries, blueberries, carrot sticks, peppers and celery for sale.

 

 

 

You and your family can take turns at both selling and buying your snacks.

You could make it a bit easier by putting the coins on the price list.

Why not see what coins you can recognise and use these to buy your snacks?

This activity will help develop numeracy skills such as coin and number recognition.

Don’t forget to share your tuck shop with us on Twitter or Google Classrooms  #Glenwoodlearningathome

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Remote Learning – Number Sense

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Number Sense is when a person has a sense of what numbers mean, understands their relationship to one another, can perform mental arithmetic and can use numbers in real situations.

At Glenwood we play games that help us to develop our number sense. All of these ideas can be adapted to suit the stage of individual children – make the numbers and quantities smaller or larger to give the appropriate amount of challenge.

We like to add an element of competition to add to the fun and will play several games in a row for a short time each.

Saying Number Sequences – Forwards and backwards: this can be as simple as counting together as you climb up the stairs, kick a football or count down to begin a race. Try saying alternate numbers as you count, or clapping for each number.

Recognising and sequencing numerals:

Point to each number as you say it – go forwards and backwards.
Cover a number – Which one is missing from the sequence?
Play Splat! – say a number and ‘splat’ the correct card.

Counting Visible Items:

Count out the correct number of items onto the plate or match the correct numeral to the set.
Use a pack of cards and count out the same number that is shown – see who can do it fastest.

Spatial Patterns: These are the dot patterns that are on dice or dominoes – we learn to recognise the pattern and can say how many spots there are without counting them.

Roll a dice and count out the correct number – take turns and see who has the most at the end. Add the spots on two dice together for a challenge…

Subitising: Our brains are very clever – they can tell us ‘how many’ items are in a small group without us counting!

Hide a small number of objects under a cloth…
…lift up the cloth just for a few seconds – How many did you see?

You could try using more than one colour and asking how many of each colour.

We hope you will try out some of these games with your family… have fun and let us know which you enjoyed most.

@GlenwoodFC  #Glenwoodlearningathome

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Remote Learning – Fun Friends: Nurture

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Consistency is key – the more your child practices, the better they will become at finding ways to work through their own personal challenges.

 

Recap on previous weeks’ learning:

  • Feelings It’s ok to have feelings, everyone has feelings. Learning how to recognise and deal with our feelings is an important skill.
  • Relax Practise relaxation every day if you can and encourage your child to use relaxation strategies to calm down if they feel upset/worried/angry.
  • I can try We can be BRAVE! By looking someone in the eye, smiling and using a brave voice. We now know that RED thoughts are unhelpful thoughts and GREEN thoughts are helpful thoughts. We can choose to turn our RED thoughts GREEN.
  • Encourage Did you encourage your child to try a new skill, develop self-control or overcome a fear? Did your child have the opportunity to practice the skill of being brave as they took on a new challenge?

Nurture

Learning about role models in our lives and how they can influence how we nurture relationships. Spending time together doing fun activities with adults, peers and siblings help us to role model positive relationships. Our family, friends and adults in our lives can help us be brave and we can help them.

Being a good friend Discuss what makes a good friend – helping, sharing, smiling and listening. Then talk about a time that your child has been a good friend and thank them for sharing the story.

Making new friends Remind children about doing things one step at a time. Discuss steps to make new friends by, smiling and saying hello, asking them to play with you, share your toys, invite them to play at your garden, etc

Encourage children to listen to their friends.

Listening game: Play a Simon Says game but with a different action from what is being said. For example, Simon says “touch your nose”, while touching your head. Your child needs to listen and do what you say rather than what you do.

Sharing game: In a small group give each child 5 stickers of the same colour. The aim is to end up with 5 stickers- all different colours. Each child has to ask the other child for a sticker in a brave voice and say please and thank you. Afterward you can discuss the importance of being kind and sharing. What would happen if no one had shared a sticker.

Magical sound box: Put different objects, such as keys, paper, beans in a bottle, etc., into a covered box, and then manipulate one of the objects asking a child to tell you what he or she heard. You might need to introduce the child to different objects and sounds before playing this game.

Guess who is calling you: Seat everyone in a circle, choose one child to cover their eyes. Then choose someone else in the group to shout out the person’s name that has their eyes closed. The child then uncovers their eyes and has to guess who shouted out their name. Continue until everyone has had a turn in the circle.

Useful links for being a good friend.

CBeebies Justin’s Good Friends Song 

What makes a good friend? song on YouTube

Bad Apple: a tale of friendship by Edward Hemingway (YouTube) 

Friendship Soup – a recipe for friends (YouTube)

Can you tell us about when you have been a good friend to your family, neighbours or anyone else?

Share on Google Classrooms or Twitter @GlenwoodFC #Glenwoodlearningathome