April activities

• ‘Cúla4 ar scoil’ ar TG4 ag tosú inniu ag 10am.

• World Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd. It marks the 50th anniversary to create awareness of the environment and how we treat nature. Here is some more information and activities from the National Geographic Kids on how to celebrate the day: https://bit.ly/2RTHMSz

• 3rd- 6th Class: An post and Children’s Books Ireland have put together a free activity workbook for kids full of activities, puzzles, poems and short stories from some of Ireland’s best children’s writers and illustrators. Download here: https://bit.ly/34MWRe0

• Junior Infants- 2nd class: Free educational ICT games, simply choose your area of interest and a game will pop up for your topic of choice. https://bit.ly/2KvI1PT

• Rainbow Oral Language Programme have all of their resources available for free at the moment. These include oral language games, Animations, slideshows, songs and poems. Junior Infants- 2nd Class: https://bit.ly/3cydvR4 3rd-6th Class: https://bit.ly/2VnQSJB

• Red Ted Art have a range of fantastic art ideas. Here is a video to learn how to finger knit, all you need is some wool. https://bit.ly/3bqwnkX

• Developing gross motor skills: This link contains activities to support core strength, balance, bilateral integration and ball skills.  https://bit.ly/2RMbPM3

• GAA Challenges:

  • Wall sit: You will need a wall. Pretend you are going to sit down while leaning against the wall. Have your legs at a 90 degree angle. See if you can hold this position for 30 seconds and challenge yourself to hold it for longer.

  • Wall sit with ball tap:You will need a wall and a ball. Pretend you are going to sit down while leaning against the wall. Have your legs at a 90 degree angle. Tap the ball off either side of the wall by twisting your upper body. See if you can hold this position for 30 seconds and challenge yourself to hold it for longer.

  • Footwork and reaction speed: You will need 4 markers or cones and arrange them in a diamond shape. Practice moving side to side, straight and backwards at speed. Get someone to call the next marker/cone to move to so you have to try react fast! Do this for 30 seconds.

• Saturday morning exercise classes with Eleanor Condon. This is being hosted by Triathlon Ireland every Saturday for 20 minutes starting at 10 am. https://bit.ly/2RSuvtq

Clár ama Cúla4 ar scoil

Finger knitted snakes

Non-screen activity ideas

Shadow drawing

Easter Week 2

We hope everyone enjoyed their Easter weekend! The following are some new activity suggestions:

• Here is a useful article from independent.ie with tips for parents on home schooling. https://bit.ly/2Xvr6o9

• Free graded readers and worksheets from Big Cat Collins.  https://bit.ly/2ReMH08 Click into teacher portal and here are the login details:

  Username: parents@harpercollins.co.uk

  Password: Parents20!

• Coronavirus a book for children: https://bit.ly/2xvhSxo

• Twinkl have extended access for another month. This website has an abundance of resources for each of the class levels with all the subjects so make sure to have a look. https://www.twinkl.ie/

• The great isolation activity book: https://bit.ly/3a6MHpt

• Quiz time!

  5-6 years old: https://bit.ly/2Vtke82
  6-7 years old: https://bit.ly/2yYTOUc
  7-8 years old: https://bit.ly/2RzgFMD
  Science Quiz: https://bit.ly/2K2AbwD
  All ages: https://bit.ly/3ekmxTD

• 5th and 6th maths challenges: https://bit.ly/2V46di6

• Gaa challenges:

  1. Kicking into large bin/bucket: You will need a large bin or a bucket and a football. Mark out how far you are going to kick it from(10m, 20m etc). Challenge yourself, make the angle more difficult, try kicking from further away, try your left and right leg.

  2. Strike into large bin/bucket: You will need a large bin or a bucket, a hurley and a sliotar. Mark out how far you are going to hit it from(10m, 20m etc). Challenge yourself, make the angle more difficult, try striking from further away, try using your left and right side.

  3. Solo and pass around back: You will need a football. Practice the solo using your right leg, pass the ball around your back and practice the solo using the left leg and continue pattern. See how many you can do without dropping.

  4. High knee ball touches: You will need a football. Hold the ball out straight in front of your chest, practice high knees and try to touch your knees off the ball without moving your hands, only moving the knees. See how many you can do in 30 seconds.

• Chalk activities outside: If you have chalk at home, there a loads of games you can play outside:

Obstacle course

Snakes and ladders

Hopping challenge

Twister

Line out different shapes using masking tape

Using chalk colour inbetween

Ta-da!!

Rubik’s cube and colour matching

Floating balloons

Parachute

Feeding the unicorn

X’s and o’s (love heart version)

Maths matching activities

Hopscotch for the senior room

Times tables

Easter

Happy Easter everyone!!

The following are some fresh ideas for the coming week:

• This week is Holy week marking the last week of Lent- Check Parish website for news and events: https://bit.ly/2vYW38V

• Draw with artist Don Conroy:  https://bit.ly/2V2KqGo

• Free graded readers based on the Jolly phonics groupings. https://bit.ly/2xTvB0O Scroll down to the table, all the books are in the third column, 'a pan' is the first pdf book once you click into it, it gives you suggestions of questions to ask and the reading pages are just below. They get more difficult then as the list goes down.

•  ‘My CJ Fallon’ have made all Busy at Maths online tutorials, games and interactives free to parents and pupils. Small World resources and Céim ar chéim posters are also available once you filter your subject to suit : https://bit.ly/2wUUObn  -Click on student resources, filter to suit level, class, subject, book and choose page in book.

• Incredible edibles are a healthy eating initiative which teaches us all about where our food comes from. They have set out a family challenge to work on over a few weeks with different entry categories and prizes. https://bit.ly/2V1ae5M

  Task 1: Food Origin                                              

  Task 2: Identifying Irish Food           

  Task 3: Planting/Growing                                  

  Task 4: Preparing/Cooking                             

  Task 5: Healthy Eating Week

• Time Capsule suggestion sheets: https://bit.ly/2wgVmYC

• Easter themed resources. Simply follow this link and scroll down to see a list of Easter games, stories and activities based on the subject of your choice: https://bit.ly/2UJYN3x

• GAA Challenges:

  • Partner wall strike Hurling: You will need a wall, a sliotar, a partner and you will each need a hurley. Strike the sliotar against the wall and your partner must catch it and strike it back. Continue this pattern and see you long you can keep it off the ground.

  • Partner wall strike football: You will need a wall, a football and a partner. Kick the ball against the wall and your partner must catch it and kick it back. Continue this pattern and see you long you can keep it off the ground.

  • Partner hand pass hurling: You will need a sliotar and a partner. Hand-pass the sliotar to your partner. See how many you can do in 30 seconds without dropping sliotar. To make this trickier, practice using every second hand.

  • Partner hand pass football: You will need a ball and a partner. Hand-pass the ball to your partner. See how many you can do in 30 seconds without dropping the ball. To make this trickier, practice using every second hand.

• Pictures below:

  1. As we were doing very well with our Green Schools before we finished up, these elephants made from recycled milk cartons are a nice activity for any class group to try at home. (pictures 1 + 2)

  2. Science experiment: Make colourful fizzy blocks (Picture 3)

  3. Free classes led by Celebrities for kids (picture 4)

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Spring

The Spring equinox took place last week followed by the clocks springing forward at the weekend, bringing us into longer days and shorter nights. This is a great opportunity to get out and about at home while the weather is fine and try to reflect on some positives from this time. It is a fantastic opportunity to reset, spend time with family and it allows us all to appreciate what is really important.

Each class group has been sent out work, here is a suggested timetable which can be altered to suit the needs of your child/ current lifestyle:

1. Exercise for 30 minutes before beginning work. Some suggestions:

   • Joe Wicks live at 9am every weekday.

   • Go for a walk/skip/jog/run around the house/ within 2km of your home.

2. Core Subjects: Children can get started with list of work from teachers.

3. Sos beag: It’s important to take a small break after subjects or transitioning between subjects to gain full concentration. Get some fresh air, take a stretch and re-start.

4. Continue core subjects.

5. School On TV: Every day on RTE2 at 11am they are showing School on TV for 1st-6th class- this may/may not suit your schedule but you could give it a try!

6. Lunch Time: It's important to eat lunch and take a break.

7. Finish off today’s work and include some DEAR time- drop everything and read.

8. Free time: Use this as you please. some suggestions include LEGO challenges, writing/ art competition, art projects, exercise challenges and scroll through the school website for more ideas.

Some new ideas for the week ahead:

• Enniskeane and Desertserges Parish have set out an artwork challenge as part of Parish Holy Week Celebrations this year. All children are invited to draw/create/colour one of the 14 Stations of the Cross and younger children and infants are invited to pick one of the 14 stations and colour in a pre-printed sheet available to view and download from the website. Deadline for this is Tuesday April 7th. More details can be found on https://bit.ly/2vYW38V

• David Walliams has started releasing a free audio book everyday at 11am on his website. https://bit.ly/3avoIBn

• Skype with a Relative/friend: This can be a nice idea while we all have to self-isolate. It’s a way for children to use oral language and is a great way of keeping in contact while we cannot meet in person. If you do not have a skype account, watsapp video call, viber video call, facebook video call, zoom or snapchat video call would all be similar.

• Family Tree: Do out your family tree either by hand or digitally and see how far you can trace it back. Maybe you have some cousins nearby that you didn’t know about!

• Activity village have a fantastic range of resources including how to sketch/draw, puzzles, crafts and games and offer many free packages during this time: https://bit.ly/2vXkTWz

• Teach starter also offer a range of free resources for all class levels. This month they are also focusing on little learners so there are a selection of free resource packs for Montessori and infant level. They also have resources for 1st-6th class. https://bit.ly/2WSCfPu

• Games:

  • Play 20 questions with different versions-sports person, someone in school, someone at GAA/ rugby/ swimming/ gymnastics/ horse riding/ athletics, someone from TV, singer/band, as gaeilge.

  • A-Z- pick a topic and see how many items you can name with each letter of the alphabet, for example cars/ items of clothes/ food etc. Try this game as gaeilge.

  • pick one letter and see how many you can complete in 30 seconds: Boys name, girls name, place, occupation, animal, car, colour, food, kitchen appliance, school subject, sport, drink, item of clothing. Try this game as Gaeilge.

  • Deck of Cards: Playing cards is a great way to include all the family with such a huge selection of games to choose from. It helps practice mathematical skills in a fun way. Here are a list of some card games and how to play them: https://bit.ly/2UO5vnQ

• New GAA skills challenges:

  • Hand-pass challenge: you will need a sliotar, a timer and a wall. How many hand-passes can you get in 30 seconds using the sliotar?

  • Over-head challenge camóige/ hurling: you will need a hurley, wall, sliotar and timer. How many over-head catches from pucking the sliotar high on the wall can you do in 30 seconds?

  • Over-head challenge football: You will need a football, a wall and a timer. How many over-head catches can up get from bouncing the ball high off the wall in 30 seconds?

  • Running: you will need a timer. How fast can you run around your house? Time it and try beat your time! This can also be made more difficult by soloing around the house with a football or sliotar/hurl.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day to all, we hope you had a lovely day of celebration!

Here are some new ideas and challenges. Please do not feel under pressure to do all of these, they are only suggestions so pick and choose as you please! :)

• CJ Fallon is now offering free access to its online books until the end of June:

  https://bit.ly/3doMq44

• Clonakilty credit union are running an essay writing competition for 19 primary schools in West Cork and all children up to 13 years old are eligible to enter. The theme of this years competition is ‘The story of the credit union monster’. Deadline for entries is April 30th 2020. Further details can be found on https://bit.ly/3aonJDf

• Daily Maths Challenge: Topmarks are hosting a daily mental maths challenge. Pupils can choose there class level and topic: https://bit.ly/2WzCj6E

• P.E. with Joe Wicks: Every morning there will be a live workout at 9 am for children/teenagers for 30 minutes. This can be found via youtube once you subscribe for free: https://bit.ly/3bnYJMp

• GAA: Players from county teams are setting daily challenges in relation to hurling/football/camóige skills-

  • You will need a sliotar, hurley, timer and wall: How many pucks in a minute?

  • You will need a football, a wall and a timer: How many hand-passes in a minute?

  • You will need a sliotar, a hurley and a timer: Keep the sliotar off the ground using every second side of the hurley. Time yourself to see how long you can do this for.

  • You will need 2 footballs and a timer: Practice a solo using both right and left legs, set a desired time and see how many you can do.

• Gaeilge: Faigh rudaí timpeall an tí:
  Rud dearg 
  Rud buí 
  Rud glas 
  Rud gorm 
  Rud oráiste 
  Rud corcra 
  Rud dubh 
  Rud bán 

Resources and Activities for all!

Following on from yesterdays Covid 19 post, here are a list of some more activities and resources based on subjects, feel free to use as you please:

Gaeilge:

1.  Cluichí ar an idirlinn agus cláracha gaeilge (online games and Irish programmes) or simply watch some TG4:  http://bit.ly/2vugD0w

2.  Cluichí teanga (language games-orally): Deir ó Grádaigh (Simon says)... bígí ag rith/ag léim/ ag snámh etc. Cluiche Kim (group of items and take one away)... (Faigh cúplá rudaí, ‘cad a fheiceann tú’?’ ‘feicim ___’, ‘Dún do shúile’, tóg rud amhain agus ‘Cad atá imithe?’..’tá ___ imithe’), Biongo (bingo), Cluiche cuimhne (memory game)- ‘Chuaigh mé go dtí an siopa agus cheannaigh mé úll, piorra, oráiste’. Ag imirt folach bíog (playing hide and go seek) te/fuar.

3.  Ról imirt (role-play)- an siopadóir, an dochtúir, an cat, an madra.

4.  Fiche ceist (20 questions) prompt card= http://bit.ly/3b9hTpd

5.  Scríobh na briathra i ngach aimsir= verbs in each tense.

6.  Tráth na gceist (Table quiz) http://bit.ly/2w7QXHC

English:

1.  Oxford owl e-books: http://bit.ly/2xJ5mdr

2.  Fun English games: http://bit.ly/33wglmC

3.  Letter formation practice: http://bit.ly/2x9D1ww

4.  Games: fruit bowl, word scramble cube, rhymes with, charades, clap out syllables.

5.  Keep a diary, write a poem or make a time capsule of Covid19 and bury it in the garden.

6.  Write our news, practice letter formation or cursive writing.

Maths:

1.  Maths week activities: http://bit.ly/3a1vnmG

2.  Help my kid learn: http://bit.ly/3d8jq0v

3.  Ixl maths: http://bit.ly/33whCdo

4.  Maths is fun: http://bit.ly/2QocceQ

5.  Games: table’s champion, counting forward/backwards, sorting toys by group. Clothes hanger game, different ways of making 10, number trace.

6.  Measuring items around the home- weight/length/area.

7.  Shapes trail outside.

SESE:

1.  STEM: http://bit.ly/38Z9FOM

2.  Science for kids: http://bit.ly/38Vio4t

3.  History for kids: http://bit.ly/2IXVcrK

4.  BBC history for kids: https://bbc.in/3dbkkcE

5.  National Geographic: http://bit.ly/2QnsBjF

6.  All about Ireland: http://bit.ly/3a2dQur

7.  Activities: learn the rivers, mountains, counties of Ireland. Learn the world capitals/flags.

P.E.:

1.  In your garden practice your favourite sport, set up an obstacle course, gymnastics routine, ride your bike.

2.  Go Noodle: http://bit.ly/2w7TUba

3.  Just dance: http://bit.ly/390vkGq

4.  New horizon meditation: http://bit.ly/3a3Kr32

5.  Joe wicks HIT: http://bit.ly/2IUw3yf

6.  10 @ 10: http://bit.ly/3a6GyL2

7.  Cosmic kids yoga: http://bit.ly/3b3jRY0

8.  Zumba: http://bit.ly/390xE06

Music:

1.  Kidzbob: http://bit.ly/2IXVcrK

2.  Practice an instrument or make an instrument.

3.  Write a song.

Art:

1.  Twinkl: http://bit.ly/2Wn2WLX

2.  Red ted art: http://bit.ly/3b54Kxb

3.  Draw/paint/colour a picture.

Drama:

1.  Drama activities: http://bit.ly/2Wm7F0s

2.  Role-play/ small world similar to Aistear.

3.  Act out a story you’ve read.

Challenges: All in pictures attached

1.  Kids time Lego 30 day challenge

2.  Scavenger hunt

3.  I spy

March update

• Pancake Tuesday was an exciting day filled with lots of treats from each of the classrooms.

• Congratulations to all the boys and girls from 5th and 6th class on making their Confirmation.

• On Thursday 5th March we celebrated World Book Day in School. All of the pupils brought in a dress up item and their favorite book and we took part in paired reading activities throughout the classes.

• Well done to the Senior room who won both matches in the Carbery hurling mixed competition. The event took place in Ballinascarty GAA pitch with Clogagh and Copeen National school.

Upcoming events this month:

• Tuesday 10th: RNLI talk in school.

• Tuesday 10th: First Confession for rang 2 at 7:30 PM in Enniskeane Church.

• Monday 16th- 20th: Seachtain na Gaeilge.

• Tuesday 17th: School closed for St. Patrick’s Day.

Covid 19 Closure

Happy St. Patrick’s day!!

We hope everyone is following the guidelines from the professionals in relation to the Coronavirus.

Please stay safe everyone.

Here are some useful resources and websites for parents and children:

• List of educational companies offering free subscriptions: http://bit.ly/2TVJ2G5

• Social story for Coronavirus, from ‘Little Puddins, The Autism Educator’: http://bit.ly/2QnLPWz

• ‘Scholastic Book Club for Kids’: http://bit.ly/2wdx5mf

• Exercise ideas: Practice camóige, hurling and football skills outside in garden.

• ‘Magic múinteoir’ activites for different class groups: (pictures 1 and 2)

• Sample of a daily schedule which can be altered to suit the needs of your child: (picture 3)

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Aistear: Space

For the month of February the Junior and Senior Infant classes took part in the theme of Space for Aistear. In preparation week, we also came across some lovely Space stories and songs:

Stories: ‘Back to earth with a bump’, ‘Let’s go to the moon’ and ‘Beyond the sky’.

Songs: ‘Outer space- we are the planets’ and ‘Zoom zoom zoom we’re going to the moon’.

Writing station: Space passport and log book, practiced counting down from 10 and tracing the numbers.

Construction: Design and build a rocket.

Art: Made space helmets from cereal boxes and play-dough from scratch.

Small world: Alien-landing scenarios in a small village.

Role-play: Variety of imaginative scenarios including landing on different planets, rockets crashing etc.

Play-dough: Made stars, asteroids, craters on the moon, aliens, planets, rings for Saturn and rockets with flames.

Mid-term update

• The Confirmation classes went to Gougane Barra on Monday for a retreat and had a thoroughly enjoyable day.

• Thank you to Anne-Marie O’Brien for the last 6 weeks of drama classes.

• Seachtain na Gaeilge will take place in our school from March 16th-20th.

• Confirmation will take place on March 3rd in Enniskeane Church.

• World Book Day will be taking place on March 5th.

• Members from the RNLI will be coming to the school on March 10th to give a talk to the children.

• First Confession will be taking place for Communion class on March 10th at 7:30 pm in Enniskeane church.

Have a fantastic Mid-term break everyone!