This page contains helpful hints, tips and links to help ease the boredom of staying at home. It is intended as resource for parents and students to dip in and out of and is in no way compulsory.
Enjoy!
WHAT'S NEW?
Cruinniú na n-Óg
Cruinniú na nÓg is Ireland's national day of free creativity for children and young people. On June 13th this year they are doing things differently and everything is going online. Everything you will need for a fantastic day of creativity is available on their website. From learning how to make a real cool kite to making up fabulous stories about one of Ireland's Great Lighthouses. Don't wait until 13th June, you can get started now here.
FAI Resources
The FAI have been busy off the pitch during the restrictions and have come up with a number of resources for Primary School students.
FAI Homeskills - Watch videos of Rep of Ireland stars demonstrating football skills.
FAI Healthy Eating Guide - Tips and recipes from Irish players.
No Barriers at Home - Learn about what some football stars had to overcome before making it in the game.
#WeWillDraw - Printable football themed colouring sheets.
The FAI have been busy off the pitch during the restrictions and have come up with a number of resources for Primary School students.
FAI Homeskills - Watch videos of Rep of Ireland stars demonstrating football skills.
FAI Healthy Eating Guide - Tips and recipes from Irish players.
No Barriers at Home - Learn about what some football stars had to overcome before making it in the game.
#WeWillDraw - Printable football themed colouring sheets.
Water Safety Ireland - Learn Water Safety Skills at Home
Learn the essential live saving guidelines that every child needs to know.
https://www.teachpaws.ie/
SCHOOL ON TV
RTE School Hub
An hour of school on TV every day from 11am to 12 pm. If you have missed it, follow these links to find previous episodes on RTE Player5th and 6th Class
3rd and 4th Class
1st and 2nd Class
Cúla4 ar Scoil
School TV 'as Gaeilge' each day on TG4.
https://www.cula4.com/en/shows/cula4-ar-scoil/
FREE DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES
My 2020 COVID 19 Time Capsule
My 2020 COVID 19 Time Capsule - For Parents!
Discover Ireland's Walled Towns - A Workbook for Primary Children (The Heritage Council)
Learn at Home Packs (Prim-ed)
GAA Kids Activity Pack 1
GAA Kids Activity Pack 2
GAA Kids Activity Pack 3
Tipperary Food Producers Activity Book
#WeWillDraw - Printable football themed colouring sheets.
COMPETITIONS
Sligo IT Art Competition
To Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of IT Sligo in 2020 and the launch of a new academic department, Yeats Academy in Art, Design and Architecture, IT Sligo is launching an art competition for April and May 2020. School children all around Ireland can enter.
Draw Your Hero
“Draw your Hero” is an art competition designed to recognise the many different professions and people who are working tirelessly to bring Ireland through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Details about prizes and how to enter here:
Visit https://confirm.ie/future_competition/ for more information.
CURRICULUM AREAS
English
Free writing
Many pupils will be familiar with the concept of “free writing” and may have a special notebook or journal in which they write freely about any topic of choice, and in any genre. This is a simple idea that can be continued in the home setting. Children have the autonomy to decide what they wish to write about and there are a variety of different styles that they can practice:
Many pupils will be familiar with the concept of “free writing” and may have a special notebook or journal in which they write freely about any topic of choice, and in any genre. This is a simple idea that can be continued in the home setting. Children have the autonomy to decide what they wish to write about and there are a variety of different styles that they can practice:
- Diary writing (personal accounts)
- Recount writing (a report of an event)
- Fiction (short stories)
- Instructional writing (e.g. rules of a game *the children can even come up with a new idea and create their own game!)
- Poetry (Limericks, acrostic poems etc.)
My Story Book is a lovely, free resource for creating online, illustrated storybooks. Hours of creative fun.
Letter writing
Post from a pen-pal and the anticipation of awaiting the arrival of a response may be lost in our global world where social media has taken over the art of writing, but this may be the time to resurrect that magic!
Post from a pen-pal and the anticipation of awaiting the arrival of a response may be lost in our global world where social media has taken over the art of writing, but this may be the time to resurrect that magic!
Another interesting idea is to chart the journey of a letter from the writer to the recipient. An Post have an educational resource on their website https://www.anpost.ie/anpost/schoolbag/primary/our+people/the+journey+of+your+mail/
Children can also design their own stamp or begin a collection of stamps and look out for special commemorative stamps that were commissioned by An Post to celebrate a particular occasion.
Lists
If parents are venturing out to shop and stock up on groceries, children can help by writing the list of what is needed. Depending on the age of the child, elements of mathematics could be incorporated here estimating prices and weights etc. Children could also work out which option is better value (e.g. two individual boxes containing 80 teabags or one box with 160 etc.)
If parents are venturing out to shop and stock up on groceries, children can help by writing the list of what is needed. Depending on the age of the child, elements of mathematics could be incorporated here estimating prices and weights etc. Children could also work out which option is better value (e.g. two individual boxes containing 80 teabags or one box with 160 etc.)
Book review
We all know that a grá for reading is one of the most important gifts that we can pass on to our children. Use this opportunity to read a wide selection of books. Children can then write a review, give their personal opinion, talk about their favourite character and give a star rating. They may have a chance to present this in front of an audience in their own home (i.e. immediate family – maintain social distance!)
We all know that a grá for reading is one of the most important gifts that we can pass on to our children. Use this opportunity to read a wide selection of books. Children can then write a review, give their personal opinion, talk about their favourite character and give a star rating. They may have a chance to present this in front of an audience in their own home (i.e. immediate family – maintain social distance!)
Oxford Owl - Free ebook library for 3-11 yr olds https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/
Storytime
Everybody loves a good story being read to them from time to time. Follow this link to hear children's author Robert Munsch reading some of his own books aloud.
Literacy
Teach Your Monster To Read is a fun game for younger readers. Its free if you play it on a PC or laptop but you have to pay if you want to download the app to your phone or tablet.
Follow the link below to the homepage where you can play a demo to see what you think. If you like it then you must register but as I said it's free for computer users.
https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
Teach Your Monster To Read is a fun game for younger readers. Its free if you play it on a PC or laptop but you have to pay if you want to download the app to your phone or tablet.
Follow the link below to the homepage where you can play a demo to see what you think. If you like it then you must register but as I said it's free for computer users.
https://www.teachyourmonstertoread.com/
Gaeilge
Caint agus cómhrá
Bí ag caint as Gaeilge chomh minic as is féidir!
Try to incorporate Irish into daily activities. As well as cartoons on TG4, children can play games such as “I spy” (Feicim le mo shúilín) as Gaeilge and perhaps put labels (lipéid) on items around the house.
Even if you can’t speak Irish, there are some great ways to pick up some vocabulary. One really easy activity is to pick a topic, for example: food, household objects, colours, and so on, then write down 20 words associated with that topic in a list. Next go to https://www.focloir.ie/en/ and translate the words. The great thing is that almost every word on the website has an audio recording of it so you can listen to how to pronounce the words! As a family, you could try and learn a few words every day!
Duolingo - Learn any language including Gaeilge. Smartphone apps available. https://www.duolingo.com/
Tearma.ie - The National Terminology Database for Irish https://www.tearma.ie/
Cooking and baking
A very worthwhile activity for many reasons. Children have to read a recipe, follow directions, use measuring skills, use their own judgement and in the end, if all goes to plan, there is a tasty treat at the end. But then of course there is the washing up....
A very worthwhile activity for many reasons. Children have to read a recipe, follow directions, use measuring skills, use their own judgement and in the end, if all goes to plan, there is a tasty treat at the end. But then of course there is the washing up....
Maths Problems
Prodigy is a fantasy adventure game where you have to answer maths problems to cast spells to defeat your opponents. Its free to play and you just need to register a password and a user name. Suitable for students from 1st to 6th Class.
Maths Dictionary
A very helpful resource to help children understand various mathematical terms
http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html
Shape Hunt
A “shape hunt” in the home / garden (shape and space strand in primary maths curriculum). Children identify and classify as many items as possible.
A “shape hunt” in the home / garden (shape and space strand in primary maths curriculum). Children identify and classify as many items as possible.
Time (schedules)
Children can look at a tv guide from a newspaper or on screen and work out duration of programmes.
Children can look at a tv guide from a newspaper or on screen and work out duration of programmes.
Distance
Children can incorporate distance into football / hurling drills. How far do they think (estimate) they can throw a ball? Use a measuring tape to obtain an accurate answer.
Children can incorporate distance into football / hurling drills. How far do they think (estimate) they can throw a ball? Use a measuring tape to obtain an accurate answer.
SESE
Maps
Use https://www.google.ie/maps/ to find out how far it is from your house to, for instance, Croke Park or Malin Head.
https://www.distance.to/ is another site where you can find the distance to any place on the globe 'as the crow flies'.
Seterra
The link below leads to the Seterra website where you can test your knowledge of the counties of Ireland.
There are loads of other map based quizzes on the Seterra website.
The students page on the official EU website has games, competitions, information and activities suitable for Primary and Post-Primary students.
https://europa.eu/learning-corner/home_en
Project work
https://europa.eu/learning-corner/home_en
Project work
Children can work on a longer-term project based on a country of their choice.
A scrap book is ideal, and children can cut and paste articles, pictures, diagrams and pieces of writing.
Other children may prefer to use their IT skills and create a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation.
STEM Activities
There are loads of brilliant STEM activities on this site to try out at home.
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/
ARC
The Aquaculture Remote Classroom (ARC) is a mobile classroom which has been designed to raise young people’s awareness of aquaculture. Aquaculture is the farming of plants and animals in the water. The ARC usually travels around Ireland visiting schools but of course at the moment it cannot do that so it has created 'ARC Interactive' where you can learn all about aquaculture from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Interviewing
Children can devise a list of questions for a member of their family / wider family circle. For example, with grandparents / aunties / uncles they could explore aspects of the past (school life / pastimes / festivals and traditions around Easter etc.). This can link nicely with the “Then and Now” strand of the History curriculum.
If possible, where children can communicate with grandparents via phone / facetime / skype this is a good way of keeping contact during this period where circumstances dictate that they must not visit older relatives.
Nature walks
This is one for parents and children. It is so important to remember to get active and get outdoors to open spaces.
This is one for parents and children. It is so important to remember to get active and get outdoors to open spaces.
Incorporate science, geography, oral language, drama and music into a walk.
Always follow social distancing procedures when taking a nature walk.
Always follow social distancing procedures when taking a nature walk.
STEM Smaointe
e-Bulletins from the PDST which are full of Maths, Science and STEM activities.
STEM Smaointe - e-Bulletin 1
e-Bulletins from the PDST which are full of Maths, Science and STEM activities.
STEM Smaointe - e-Bulletin 1
Art
Creative arts
Most homes will have a “bits-and-bobs” box or a bosca somewhere with nets, buttons, lids, wrapping paper etc. Now is a good time to use those recyclables and create a piece of artwork. Children should be encouraged to be original, be creative – and don’t forget to take a picture!
Sligo IT Art Competition
To Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of IT Sligo in 2020 and the launch of a new academic department, Yeats Academy in Art, Design and Architecture, IT Sligo is launching an art competition for April and May 2020. School children all around Ireland can enter.
Physical Education
Outdoors / physical activity
There are endless opportunities for physical activity. Even if children are playing on their own or in very small groups, there are many fun ways of keeping active:
- Hopscotch
- Skipping
- Hula-hoops
- Obstacle courses
- Treasure hunts
Local GAA clubs and county teams have been posting videos on their social media outlets with some of their star players demonstrating drills that children can follow.
GAA Activities for Kids
GAA Activities for Kids
PE with Joe
Join Joe Wicks online for a daily PE lesson.
The Bodycoach TV
Soccer
FAI Homeskills - Watch videos of Rep of Ireland stars demonstrating football skills.
Water Safety Ireland - Learn Water Safety Skills at Home
Learn the essential live saving guidelines that every child needs to know.
GAMES
-Board games
-Card games
-Lego
-Jenga
-Jigsaws
-Flying a kite
-Memory games (e.g. stop the clock with one letter of the alphabet and come up with words beginning with a specific letter under certain headings such as boy name; girl name; country / city; food; item of clothing; activity; kitchen utensil etc.)
-Recreate “Countdown” television programme with word puzzles and maths problems.
-Painting
-Card games
-Lego
-Jenga
-Jigsaws
-Flying a kite
-Memory games (e.g. stop the clock with one letter of the alphabet and come up with words beginning with a specific letter under certain headings such as boy name; girl name; country / city; food; item of clothing; activity; kitchen utensil etc.)
-Recreate “Countdown” television programme with word puzzles and maths problems.
-Painting
Games - Cards and Dice
Fun for all the family.
Bingo Card Generator
A fun take on the classic bingo game - make your own game using words instead of numbers.
https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator
RESOURCE BANK
A very useful online forum with a wide array of resources (emphasis on free tools). Resources are organised into theme pages and the website is easy to navigate.
A treasure trove of resources with an Irish interest, focusing on our national culture.
Movement and mindfulness videos created by child development experts.
Learn to program interactive games, stories and animations.
Child-friendly resource where kids can learn about science and space.
A visual arts initiative comprising 30 short TV programmes (each 6 minutes in length), an interactive website with slideshows, lessons, weblinks and interactive games, providing a stimulating collection of curriculum-mapped resources.
Online, interactive Maths and Literacy games
