Home Challenges

To stop us all going a bit bananas at home there are a range of challenges that you might like to print out and work through. There's both learning and fun activities included. Enjoy

(Credits: ionaroadschool.ie and the following sources:Non-screen activities you can do at home - medium.com/pobble; 30 Day Lego Challenge - freehomeschooldeals.com; Home Activities - Magic Múinteoir; 2020 Reading Challenge - macaronikid.com; My Book Journal - literacywagoll.com and spreadthe happiness.co.uk)

Farmers Wildlife Tracker

For some very real 'citizen science' click here to visit the Biodiversity Ireland website to find out how your observations could help with a national research project !.

Download File

Engineers Week 2021

Quiz (Powerpoint)

Drawing of the Day

Click here to visit the Creative Schools Page to find the latest 'Drawing at Home Challenge'

Geography Challenge (Atlas work)

Here are some Geography Puzzles to keep you thinking. Use your atlas to find the correct answers ( suitable for 2nd to 6th class)

Challenge 1.pdf

Skipping Challenges

This term we have introduced skipping throughout the school and it has been a fantastic success. Every pupil has daily access to a skipping rope to practice their skills and build on their stamina.

As well as being a fun , active and Covid friendly activity the health and developmental benefits of skipping are many.

These include: developing coordination, improving fitness and improving bone density.

In order to structure the learning of skills and to add a little incentive our school has adopted an awards system based on the attainment of skills. Each level is assessed and pupils must perform the relevant list of skills in the required way to be awarded the certificate and badge . The list of skills is the same regardless of the pupils age or class which makes it a fair challenge for all. The badges can then be sown onto the school uniform to display the students achievement.

The Skipping Award levels are:

Level 1 Skip Star

Level 2 Super Skip Star

Level 3 Bronze Award (based on Skip Hop awards)

Level 4 Silver Award (based on the Skip Hop awards)

Level 5 Gold Award ( based on the Skip Hop awards)

The list of Skipping Skills ( Skip Star, Super Skip Star and Bronze Award can be found here:

For tutorials on how to perform the skills check out the SkipHop website

Active Home Ideas Cloud

Active Home Record Chart

Easter Challenges

During the upcoming Easter period we are going to set some Easter Challenges for all the boys and girls to undertake. While we will not be setting daily tasks for the period the following should provide an interesting challenge.

Easter Bonnet/ Easter Hat Competition.

Using only recycled materials pupils of all ages are challenged to create a Bonnet/ Hat that is seasonal and fantastic. We are talking about high fashion here!! The only stipulation other than it must be made from only recycled materials is that it must be worn in the picture by the creator (milliner). Let your imaginations run wild and create something beautiful.

Skills Challenge

There are a lot of Skills challenges out there and we think it’s high time that the pupils of Ardagh NS got in on the act. Your job is to record yourself doing something you find difficult. There should be 2 recordings one from beforehand and one from when you achieve your goal. It can be whatever you want it to be. Examples might be:

A ball skill: hitting a target, using both hands/ feet / blindfolded etc.
A Difficult Yoga Pose: Holding it for a set amount of time without falling over.
A Magic Trick: Learn a magic trick and perform it so that it fools everyone.
Skipping: A number of skips without stopping/ partner skip/ Double Dutch or long rope skipping (brothers and sisters together)

The stipulations are that it has to be genuine: nobody should be pretending not to be able to do the skill and then miraculously ten seconds later be able to master it. So decide on something you know you will be able to do if you practise.

Letter/ Journal Writing

Not as exciting as the other challenges but there are lots of family members that we are cut off from at the moment particularly grandparents and Great-grandparents. You can be guaranteed that as much as you are missing them they are equally missing you so take time over the Easter to write a letter or send a card to them to tell them how much you miss them.

There is no doubt that when this all passes we will look back and perhaps struggle to remember exactly what it was like stuck in ‘lockdown’. To keep a journal and record your thoughts and emotions even sporadically during the coming weeks and beyond will make for a really interesting and important record in times to come. A bit like a time capsule try to capture a bit of the atmosphere in your writing. For younger pupils keeping up ‘my news’ is the simpler version of this activity. An audio diary/ podcast could equally serve this purpose.

Birdwatching Ireland (Cork Branch) Competition.

Birdwatching Ireland are running a challenge this week where they are asking households to spot as many common garden birds as possible. They have produced a lovely poster for this competition and a handy tick list where people can tick off the birds they spot.

http://birdwatchcork.com/4th-april-the-great-stay-at-home-birdwatching-challenge/