This week (18th – 24th May) is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme changed from ‘Sleep’ to Kindness Matters. Protecting our mental health is going to be central to us coping with and recovering from this pandemic. There is a close relationship between sleep and mental health which is also significant at this particular time, due to anxiety and worry which can affect peoples’ sleeping. Are you managing to get lots of sleep?
Kindness is defined by doing something for yourself and others, motivated by a real wish to make a positive difference and research that shows kindness and mental health are deeply connected. Showing kindness toward others helps to reduce stress and deepens friendships and kindness to ourselves can help boost our self esteem and improve confidence.
#KindnessMatters #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.
We know that one act of kindness can lead to many more.
e.g. write a thank you note, encourage someone, forgive someone, call up a friend, surprise someone, post an inspiring quote, give a compliment, tidy your room, house or garden, write a positive note on a sticky, draw a picture for someone you love, take time to listen to someone. read a story to your brother or sister..
These are just some ideas..
During this week maybe you could:
Reflect on an act of kindness you do and share your stories and pictures with us on the blog or twitter.
Share your ideas on how you think we could build a kinder society that would support our mental health. Post some of your ideas – make a poster, write a blog or speech, or draw and illustrate your ideas.
Take some extra time this week to talk and listen more with your family and try and not fall out with your sibling(s)!
Let us know how you get on
Here are a few useful websites for whole family
www.young.scot/campaigns/north-lanarkshire/mental-health
www.youngminds.org.uk/blog/looking-after-your-mental-health-while-self-isolating/#dealing-with-stressful-situations-at-home
http://www.elament.org.uk/self-help-resources/stress-control-classes/
www.elament.org.uk
healthyschools.scot
There are also excellent ideas/lessons and activities around emotions, friendships and relationships at the following:
Early Level: https://healthyschools.scot/lessonplans/healthy-lifestyles-early-level-nurtured/
First Level: https://healthyschools.scot/lessonplans/healthy-lifestyles-first-level-nurtured/
Second Level: https://healthyschools.scot/lessonplans/healthy-lifestyles-second-level-nurtured/
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Hello Boys and Girls
I can’t believe that we are now in the fourth term of school. Normally at this time we would be having our Health Week and Sport’s day with lots of fun sports and activities. Sometimes at this time we were also lucky to have Barbara from Tesco ‘Farm to Fork’ visit us at school to deliver some lessons about Healthy Eating/Dairy and Arable Farming. Do you remember boys and girls last year when you were in Primary 2, Barbara visited you in class and brought you lots of lovely fruit to taste?
I know that lots of classes have been learning about animals this year and P4/5 I know you have been enjoying learning about birds. Do you know that a little Robin Redbreast has been visiting my garden since Sunday? I didn’t know that Robins were around at this time of year so I was very surprised. (I think this is because the birds can now see my garden because it is a lot tidier than it was!) The bird was very small and I have been trying to take a photograph of it but it keeps flying off as I approach it.
After watching Roma’s presentation today, I now know that Sheep and lambs are Roma’s favourite animals. What is your favourite farm animal I wonder?
I thought that maybe some of you might want to do some learning combining health/science /outdoor learning/geography and learn about a visit to the farm and the journey that some food takes before it gets to the supermarket. For older pupils you might want to look at food waste, food adverts or making some of your own smoothies. There are great ideas and resources here for you as well.
For Early Level there is some information about plants and growing seeds which I know you would be learning about this term with Mrs McCargo.
This is a very good and simple website that Mrs Semple, myself and some of your teachers have used for some of your Health and Wellbeing Lessons.
Go to www.healthyschools.scot
This is only a guide – Your child is in P1 but you might want to also look at First level for ideas, your child is in P4 child but you might want to also look at Second level for ideas or alternatively your child is in P5 but you might want to look at First Level for ideas.
If your child is in P1 go to Early Level and then click Food and Health and then the blue section Responsible (HWB 0-35a)
On this first page of the Early Level Planning Framework
- Click on the Education Scotland Skills Pathway which provides lots of ideas for Food Skills, Tasting and Preparing and Making/Cooking and some great resources too e.g.http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/
- Click on the External Links * Plants and growing seeds resources can be found in the resource above.
If your child is in P2, 3 or 4 go to First Level and then click Food and Health and then the blue section Responsible (HWB 1-35a)
On the first page of the First Level Planning Framework there are lots of ideas but I thought your might want to find out about the journey of milk from the dairy cow on the farm to the supermarket.
- This is a great video link bbc.co.uk/programmes/p016lg (l for lamb) where you meet ‘William Whiskerson’ the great mouse explorer as he takes you on a visit to a farm in England and you learn about life on the farm, a new calf being born, milking the cows and milk production from farm to supermarket.
Also good for finding out more information about farming is:
- www. this is dairyfarming.com
- www, foodafactoflife.org.uk/5-7years/food-commodities/dairy/
- www.muller.co.uk/dairy-goodness
There are also other great resources on the External Links section of the planning sheet.
If your child is in P5-7 go to Second Level and then the click Food and Health and then the blue section Responsible (HWB 2-35a)
On the first page of the Second Level Planning Framework there are some great ideas for you and great links to resources.
- Maybe you want to discuss/debate a range of food adverts considering who they are aimed at and the message they give to children.
- Maybe you could look at some of the video clips attached and complete some of the worksheets e.g. A presentation looking at what has do be done to food in order to made it edible and safe to eat.
I hope that you enjoy www.healthyschools.scot and the other websites which are good and also link to this topic.
I would love to hear how you get on and about your favourite farm animals. I will post a photograph of my wee Robin if I can.
Take Care
Stay Safe
Love Mrs McIntyre
