Hi my incredible 2nd class

Happy Easter to you and your family. I hope you tried some of the activities and that “every-bunny” wasn’t kung fu fighting over who got to do the obstacle course first for PE!!

A little update of what I have been up to: I have mowed my lawn and created an obstacle course in it. I planted flowers, painted my hall, skyped my mum and dad; there are now 73 baby lambs on my farm in Mayo and there is still more to be born!!! I have decided to start keeping a diary of my time off. Maybe you could too and we could have a diary reading party when we return to school. I am so incredibly excited to hear what you have been up to the past few weeks.

I’m going to give you some really fun ideas of things you can do over the Easter.

Lets change PE up a little. Why not have a family “EGG AND SPOON RACE”. This is so easy.
“Easy option” put an egg on a spoon.
“Challenging option” cut a toilet roll in half and decorate it. Then place it on a runner/pencil case and try run while balancing it!!

For drama over Easter I would love to hear you designed your very own Easter parade with all the teddies, pots, pans, cushions, cereal boxes and anything else funny you can think of in your cupboards. The crazier the better. Why not take some pictures to show us when we are all back together (in the best classroom) in school.

To help students, we have been granted free access to the Grow In Love online series. Simply go to the www.growinlove.ie website and use the following details to login:
Email: trial@growinlove.ie
Password: growinlove

Try make a GIFT BASKET for a brother/sister/mum/dad. In this you could put in something you know they would love to have for a little while. Maybe it’s your favourite book or toy. You could also add a very special Easter card you made. The basket could be made from a cereal box, or it could simply be a special corner in your bedroom where they can pick somethings to play with or use.

Lets make your bedroom a bit more colourful and dramatic. Your whole family can get involved in this one. Try create an EASTER ART GALLERY. Ask everyone to design and draw their own Easter eggs/ bunny rabbits/ Easter parade/chicks or anything that is fun and colourful. Then hang them up on your wall or lay them out on your windowsill.

I hope your animal project is coming along well. Try write up about chickens and rabbits over Easter. Remember to give the animal a name, what it looks like, what it eats, where it lives, any other fun facts about it and finally draw a really cool picture of it.

If you “eggs-cuse” me now I am off to design the first picture for my art gallery. I hope you have an “egg-cellent” Easter and don’t get too “eggs-hausted” with the egg and spoon/ toilet roll and pencil case race.

Remember, I still thinks there is absolutely no “bunny” as incredible as you.

Have fun,
Ms. Walshe the incredible.

Reading: Create a reading hut using blankets, towels, jumpers, chairs, teddies, whatever makes it cosy. Reading can be done for 20 minutes in here then every day.

Spellings: “Ow” words. Get your child to write a list of as many ow words as they can. Challenge them to see if they can get the same words as the list Ms. Walshe has created. Here are the following words, 3 a day. They can put them into a sentence and also look up their meanings on an online dictionary. You can google one on your phone.

1.cow 2. clown 3. crowd 4. powder 5. brown 6. town 7. flowerpot 8. now 9. how 10. howl 11. owl 12. down 13. crown 14. shadow 15. tomorrow

Maths: Tables champion (1 column a day) written and orally.

2D shapes – Draw their bedroom showing all the 2D shapes that are in it.

Practicing counting in 2s and 4s. It is equally important to count backwards as it is to count forwards. You will be surprised how much practice is needed counting backwards. Even I find it challenging sometimes!!

Art/Drama: Create a mask using cardboard from a box or a cereal box. Then make a mini sketch (which is a small play) and act it out to your family. Pick a cool costume from your clothes. Make sure it is funny.

Project: Write a report on the following farm animals: a cow, a hen and a sheep. Include the following: Give the animal a name, describe how it looks, where it lives, what it eats and any other fun facts you can research about these animals. Don’t forget to try draw it. Remember to write full sentences using adjectives (describing words like big/ small/ blue).

PE: 10 star jumps every day, and create an obstacle course for your family and see if they can beat your time record. If you are inside it could include star jumps, rolling, throwing teddies into a bag from a distance. If you are outside it could be tumbles, running, skipping. Be imaginative. The more different the better.

Hey incredible,
I know we both love when Friyay comes but I wish more than anything I was back in class with you and the rest of my incredible 2nd Class. I know I tell you all a million times that you are my FAVOURITE class so I thought I could still be your teacher even though we are not in school for the next little while.
Here is my incredible plan (promise not to tell anyone except your parents because this is especially only for amazing 2nd class kids in St. Gabriel’s National School). Every Friday I will upload some work onto our school website. You and your mum or dad can make a really fun plan of what you are going to do each day. I know you all love PE, Art and Drama so I promise to include LOADS of the fun stuff. Remember our deal in class that “We work hard, we play hard” that can be a deal with your mum or dad for the next little while no problem.
If you are wondering what I am getting up to I am doing lots of reading because I have made a really cool reading hut out of chairs, blankets and teddies. I miss our one so I made one. I am doing lots of exercise. I love Go Noodle at the minute. I have drawn lots of pictures and I am experimenting with cooking. Some things I have cooked tasted incredible, then some, let’s just say the birds enjoyed.
How about you give our plan a go. I cannot wait to see you again!!
Stay cool,
Ms. Walshe the incredible.

Dear Parents/ Guardians,
Firstly, I hope you are all well and keeping safe. I love school holidays and time off but believe me I wish I was back in school teaching your fantastic kids. There is only so much house work I am willing to tackle!! I miss my audience of little people.
In order to help you and my 2nd class I am going to upload some work that you CAN do while schools are closed but you DON’T HAVE TO do it. I do however suggest you try keep some routine going with your kids as regards school work because they are so bright and capable and really enjoy learning. It also helps maintain some sort of stability during this challenging time.
I hope to keep the work fun and engaging. Each Friday I will upload the following:
• 15 new words; 3 words, Monday to Friday. We can keep it the same of putting them into sentences but instead of writing them out perhaps they could try look the meaning up in a dictionary and writing it down.
• Tables Champion: 1 page a day (Don’t worry if your child finishes the book… that’s a positive not a problem)
-Remember to change things up a little ask your kids the sums orally and get them to beat their previous day’s score. Similar sums can be written down if you feel your child could benefit from more. Or even better still, get them to write you some sums or their brothers or sisters and get them to correct them after.
• Maths: Thematic approaches for example 2D shapes. They will be topics the children have already covered. This is an excellent chance to revise certain topics and it will really help them for next year going into 3rd class.
• PE: I will suggest some activities.
• Art/Drama: I will try and combine both of these together to make it really fun.
• As you know your children do history, geography and science. Instead of focusing on them as individual subjects over the next few weeks instead I will be suggesting mini projects they can do. The project can last a few weeks and be built on each day.
• MOST IMPORTANT: Play play play. This is fundamental. I myself have board games on the go and lots of colouring.
I hope this is of some benefit to you. I have attached a letter you can read to your kids and make them feel like it is specifically written to them from Ms. Walshe. This can help get them on board with doing some school work.
Stay safe,
Ms Walshe