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Top Three Websites Supporting Music Appreciation & Learning At Home

“Music has healing power. It has the ability to take people out of themselves for a few hours.” – Elton John.

Be sure to share these top three recommendations for music appreciation and learning at home.

Teach Rock – View HERE.

Music lovers and music teachers, if you are not already familiar with www.teachrock.org then you are about to spend many happy hours sifting through its catalogue of lessons. Although it’s called Teach Rock, lessons cover every conceivable music genre. From big band to folk, jazz to pop, lessons for all ages explore the power of music to influence society, history and culture. Cross curricular links are made with The Beatles used to teach Maths and Pink Floyd used to teach art. To support learning at home during this period of school closures, a number of PDF packs have been prepared and are available to access HERE.
Pupils can learn about expressing gratitude and care with music through the Bill Withers hit ‘Lean on Me’ or even learn about the history behind one of the greatest guitar makers of all time – Leo Fender.

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra – View HERE.

The kids section of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s website is well worth a visit for anybody looking for resources relating to classical music and instruments of the orchestra. By clicking HERE you can learn about all the instruments played by the orchestra and sample sounds.
By clicking HERE you can learn about composers throughout history from the Renaissance period right through to modern day.
This site even includes a section that shows children how to make their own instruments using everyday items including a homemade xylophone made from different lengths of PVC piping. Click HERE.

London Symphony Orchestra

The closest thing to actually going to see an orchestra perform is available to experience via the London Symphony Orchestra’s website. Click HERE. Not only are visitors treated to incredible performances, they are also able to change camera views and explore the different sections of the orchestra from multiple angles. An additional sidebar option to the left enables visitors to learn more about the conductors, musicians and their instruments.

Continue To Stay Safe

Battle Boredom With Stem Projects – Kids Will Love Them

“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” – American Astronomer Carl Sagan (1934 – 1996).

Firstly, do remember STEM activities are great fun, but all activities should be supervised by a parent or adult.

Check out our top three recommended STEM websites and stave off boredom while staying safe at home.

STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

STEM projects enable children to develop skills and knowledge across these four important, stated disciplines. STEM projects typically involve everyday household items and challenge eager participants to build, design, investigate, evaluate, test and redesign.

Here are 3 great websites packed with STEM projects using everyday items.

The James Dyson Foundation – View HERE.

The inventor of the well known Dyson vacuum brand has; through the James Dyson Foundation, created a website that aims to inspire future generations of inventors. One of the best resources available on the website is a set of challenge cards and associated YouTube videos, the former which can be accessed HERE.

Science Buddies – View HERE.

Science Buddies provide lots of hands-on experiments, engineering challenges and demonstrations that take an hour or less and involve everyday items. For more information click HERE.

Little Bins for Little Hands – View HERE.

Little Bins for Little Hands has lots of great ideas for STEM projects and it is a must visit for fans of slime and LEGO. Click HERE.
One resource that is of particular merit is its LEGO calendar which outlines a daily LEGO building challenge, such as, build a LEGO catapult. For more daily LEGO challenges visit HERE.

Again, we remind you all activities should be supervised
by a parent or adult.

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” – Theodore Roosevelt.

Getting Through COVID-19 Together

The ‘Getting Through COVID-19 Together’ campaign has been set up by the Government to provide help and support when dealing with stress, anxiety and isolation during this difficult time.

The website provides advice on topics such as staying active, looking after our mental health, parenting, daily routines, cocooning and getting involved in community solidarity efforts.

The website also provides information on volunteering and other community solidarity efforts.

Research consistently shows that volunteering and other altruistic activities help to promote wellbeing across the community, so why not log on and find out how you can lend a hand and connect with your community?

For more information visit HERE.

Thurles In Spring Time

With most people cocooning because of the Covid-19 virus pandemic, many Thurles residents have turned their hands to gardening, in order to ‘while away the hours’, until life gets back to some kind of normality.

Others have undertaken DIY projects which had been put on the long finger. This in turn has led to a grave shortage of paint within the community.

Can any supplier/provider help out here, while continuing to conform to government guidelines with regard to the current Covid-19 pandemic?

Any suppliers wishing to contact us, will have their contact info. passed on.

Help For Learning At Home With RTÉ’s Home School Hub

RTÉ, with support from Mary Immaculate College, have developed ‘Home School Hub’ to help primary school children across the country to learn at home, during this school closure period.

Now in its fourth week, ‘Home School Hub’ is well worth timetabling into your home school day.

Home School Hub is available on RTÉ2, from Monday to Friday between 11:00a.m. to 12:00 noon. If you miss the 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon broadcast, there is a catch-up programme later in the day at 4.15p.m. You can also catch up on the RTÉ Player.

In addition, you can view HERE, to allow children download and engage with even more fun activities, based on ‘Home School Hub’ and the Irish primary school curriculum.

RTÉ Home School Hub is presented by qualified primary school teachers. This week, among other fun learning activities, the ‘Home School Hub’ teachers will be teaching all about marbling prints; Japanese Haiku poetry; Irish words for clothes we wear; music and probability and chance in maths.

Maybe adults should tune in too! There will be lots to learn and explain to hungry young minds!