Rabbits don’t lay eggs!
Rabbits Don’t Lay Eggs
This week, we’ve been reading Rabbits Don’t Lay Eggs by Paula Metcalf.
Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off auto play – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip.
The story begins on a farm, with a rabbit named Rupert. All he wants is to be useful but unfortunately, he struggles to find anything he’s good at. Luckily, he soon finds an unexpected job on the farm.
Our ‘word of the week’ is creation – something that is made or created.
“Come look at my creation!”
“The creation of new life, like lambs.”
We also spotted some other adventurous words in the story.
Giggled to laugh lightly and repeatedly (a lot) in a silly way.
“When I told a knock-knock joke. Finlay giggled!” said Rupert.
Glumly to look unhappy and disappointed.
We also talked about writing the story from the farmers perspective. How would he feel waking up to no vegetables? To seeing Rupert running across his field? The children wrote some fantastic stories!
Maths
In Maths, we have been sorting objects by attributes.
They are sorted by colour.
They’re big and they’re small.
Those bears have scarves and they don’t.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is called A Tiny Seed.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
We always look at two words in the poem and share the definition. This week, we looked at the following words.
sow – plant (seed) by scattering or putting in soil
shower – a short period (time) of rain
We finished the week with lots of Easter themed activities. The egg rolling competition was a real highlight of the day!
Home learning
Can you write a daily diary about your half term? A sentence a day would be fantastic! Please bring your diary in to share when we return to school.
Writing reminder
Remember, it is okay for things to be spelt phonetically. It is important your child grows into an independent learner. Encouraging your child to write the words as they sound rather than always spelling correctly is important. It encourages your child to use their own skills – rather than copy from an adult.
It is important you do not let your child simply copy your writing. They need to use their phonics skills to write. Here is an example of a child’s writing in Reception.
Have a fantastic half term!
Reminders and Dates
SWIMMING DATES- Summer 1
Rainbow Class- 17 April, 1 May, 15 May
Sunshine Class- 24 April, 8 May, 22 May
A Tiny Seed
This week, we’ve been reading The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.
Some of the children recognised the illustrations, knowing that the author also wrote The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
The story follows the journey of a tiny seed, tracking its journey through the four seasons.
We decided to go on a season walk to find signs of spring. The children spotted buds, leaves, blossom, bees and even the sun.
Miniscule is our ‘word of the week’. We’ve been learning that miniscule is even smaller than tiny!
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been doubling! Ask your child explain how we find doubles.
Phonics
Spring 2 week 5 has been a review of phase 3 sounds. We’ve been reading longer words, words with s in the middle /z/ (like ‘visit’), words ending –s and words with –es at end /z/ (like ‘foxes’)
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is called Hungry Birdies.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
click here to watch us recite this week’s poem!
Road safety
A visitor came to talk to us about how to keep safe around roads. We discussed what should be on the roads and what/who should be on the pavement. We talked about how seatbelts, helmets, zebra crossings and holding our grown-up’s hand keep us safe. We even sung a seatbelt song to help us remember to always wear a seatbelt in the car.
Science
This week, we have explored seeds and stones that are found in fruits. We looked inside a kiwi, melon, pepper and nectarine. The children were able to describe what they discovered and drew their observations.
Loads of seeds. Myla
It’s a nectarine! Sienna
It’s a tiny seed. Albie
Teeny tiny kiwi seed! Frankie
Reminders and Dates
Learning Journey Drop in Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 8.45-9.15 or 3.15-3.45
Every child in Reception has a Learning Journey book that celebrates their learning – this might be with photos, our observations, and your updates from home. Come in and share with your child their Learning Journey so far.
Jack and the Beanstalk
It’s been another busy week in reception!
Jack and the Beanstalk
This week, we’ve been reading the traditional story ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’.
We discussed how this story has been re-told many times and some versions of the story are different. Just by looking at the front covers, we could spot similarities and differences.
This week, our word of the week was gigantic.
Planting a (magic) bean
After listening to the story, the children all agreed that we should plant our own bean.
We then wrote instructions to explain to others how they could plant a bean too!
Music
Each week in music, the children listen to a piece of music and respond to it; what it reminds them of, or what they notice. This week’s piece was non-vocal music, Frog’s legs and dragon’s teeth by Bellowhead:
“it’s faster” (than last week’s music)- Finlay
“It goes fast, then slow, then fast”- Harry
“I like sandstorm…that has no voices in too. It’s on my playlist”- Oliver Gr
The children then watched a video of the band performing and named the instruments.
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been exploring the composition of number 7.
We’ve also used our magic bean machine to combine two numbers.
Class Assembly
Thank you to parents and carers who were able to join us for our class assembly on Thursday. We hope you enjoyed the journey through our day in Reception! If you’d like to see the slideshow of photos shown in the assembly, please click here
Comic Relief; Red Nose Day
Thank you to everyone for participating in our non-uniform day for Comic Relief and for your kind donations.
Phonics
Spring 2 week 4 has focused on longer phase 3 words, words ending in –ing and compound words (words made of two words i.e. rooftop/farmyard) We review tricky words daily.
In provision, we’ve been making beanstalks by reading tricky words!
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! We’ve previously introduced a few fun games you can play at home to practice tricky words. Here’s another you could try.
Tricky Word Jigsaw
A game to help the spelling of tricky words
- Write 5 tricky words on paper.
- Chop the words into individual graphemes.
- Ask your child to reconstruct the tricky words, by calling them out one at a time.
It doesn’t need to be as fancy as the picture above, a plain piece of paper and hand-writing the words will work just as well!
Poetry Picnic
Each week, we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is Spring Wind.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
click here to watch Reception recite this week’s poem
Reminders and Dates
Easter Disco 22.03.24 – 3.15 -4.15
The Friends of Scholes have arranged the Easter Disco after school. If you would like your child to attend the disco, payment should be made on the Gateway app. Collection as usual from the classroom door.
World Book Day 2024
Thank you for your participation whether it was dressing up (everyone looked amazing!) sharing books at our stay and read or reading books with your child at home.
Hundred Decker Bus
A fantastic trip to the Railway Museum!
On Monday, the children had a fantastic time at the Railway museum. They were very excited to go on their first ever school trip – especially travelling there by coach! A few members of the public commented on how well-behaved the children were. Well done, Reception class!
The children enjoyed looking at different trains and making comparisons of old and new. They had lots of fun watching the miniature railway and it led to lots of great discussions about trains, tunnels and transport. The children enjoyed sitting on the Japanese Bullet train – they particularly liked the fact it goes very fast (150-200mph).
To end our fantastic trip, we sat in the upper gallery and viewed the trains across the museum. We then sketched the trains we had seen – the children drew some fantastic sketches!
The Hundred Decker Bus
This week, we’ve been reading another ‘Hundred Decker’ story by Mike Smith. The Hundred Decker Bus
In this story, a driver who is bored of his daily routine decides to take himself and his passengers on a long ‘adventure’. As more people get on the bus, more decks need to be built!
Linked to the story, we’ve been comparing cities/towns to the countryside, discussing similarities and differences. Countryside is our ‘word of the week’.
Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip.
Computing
This week, we’ve been using Bee-bots. Bee-bots are an early coding resource. Children have to program the bee using directional and ‘GO’ buttons. They have to pre-plan the algorithm they need to enter, to successfully get the bee to its intended location.
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been comparing numbers and noticing whether change creates a number that is more or less than another.
In provision, we used the ‘bus stop’ number story to explore subtraction (creating less) and recorded our number stories.
Phonics
Spring 2 week 3 has been a review of phase 3 sounds, reading words with two or more digraphs (2 letters that make 1 sound). We review tricky words (a word you can’t sound out – you just have to know it) daily.
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! We’ve previously introduced a few fun games you can play at home to practice tricky words. Here’s another you could try…
Tricky word stick person (a modified version of the ‘hangman’ game)
We often play this game in class. Write the correct number of dashes for your chosen tricky word and let your child make guesses. Encourage your child to use letter names rather than sounds for spelling tricky words. Draw a part of the stick man for each incorrect guess- you can give extra chances by adding a hat, shoes, gloves etc. to the stick person!
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is the traditional nursery rhyme Pat-a-cake, Pat-a-cake.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
Music
This week, the children have been listening to Gustav Holst – Mars. We switched off the lights, laid in the dark with our eyes closed and listened to the music. The children really enjoyed the time to stay still and reflect on the music they were listening to.
“It’s like a movie” Kitson.
“It’s like a storm” Sienna.
“When it was the end I was curling up because it sounded scary” Eli.
“It made me happy because of the little bits and loud bits together” Myla.
“The quiet bits made me tired” Liezah.
“I heard trumpets” Harry.
Reading reminder
Children should be reading fluently by the time their book is issued home on Thursday. Your child will have read their book at least 4 times at school – this is where the teaching of reading happens. The aim of reading sessions at home is to celebrate their reading. To showcase what they have learnt that week and for your child to recognise themselves as a ‘reader’.
If you believe your child is reading from memory you can ‘spot check’ particular words in a sentence or play games with the e-book (such as spotting tricky words).
Remember to encourage reading for pleasure through sharing library books, magazines and other texts at home.
Reminders and Dates
Reception’s Class Assembly- 14.03.23 2.45pm You are invited to our class assembly, where we’d love to share our learning with you.
Hundred Decker Rocket
This week, we have continued to explore our topic ‘Let go’.
We have been reading the book The Hundred Decker Rocket.
This story is about a girl called Ivy who sets off on a mission to space. On the way, she meets some very messy aliens. When her rocket breaks down, all the aliens help to fix it and make their own deck.
In provision, the children were challenged to write their own sentences about a picture from the book or use their knowledge of the story.
Maths
This week, we have continued to engage in activities to draw attention to the purpose of counting – to find out ‘how many’ objects there are. We revisited the concept of cardinality – the last number in the count tell us how many things there are altogether.
Phonics
This week, the children have reviewed air, er and longer words that contain double letters.
Write these words on paper and ask your child to underline the double letters before reading.
hammer shimmer cannot chatter muffin
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! We’ve previously introduced a few fun games you can play at home to practice tricky words. Here’s another you could try.
Secret password
Write different tricky words on paper and stick them next to different doors around the house.
Each time your child enters or leaves a room they must press and say the tricky word password.
Poetry Picnic
Each week, we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. Watch here
Music
We began our lesson this week by listening to Beyond the Sea by Robbie Williams.
The children were amazing at recognising the instruments they could hear such as drums and the piano.
Then, they used xylophones to make low and high sounds.
Reminders and Messages
Monday 04 March- Class Trip to The National Railway Museum.
World Book Day 2024- Thursday 07 March Please join us in the classroom (9.00-10.00) where you can relax and read books with your child. We’d also like your child to share their favourite book with their friends. Please send your child into school with their favourite book and please ensure the book is named. As stated on the school calendar, this is a dressing up year. Dressing up is optional. Thank you.
These dates are also stuck to your child’s classroom door or window to view whenever needed.
Let’s GO!
We’ve sprung into Spring 2 with great excitement for the term ahead! We are very impressed with how both Sunshine and Rainbow class have shown a readiness to learn. The children have been really excited to share with their friends all the adventures they have been up to during half term. Outside, it’s been pretty rainy and drizzly but we’re looking forward to spotting signs of the new Season.
The Train Ride
This half term is called Let’s Go! We’re starting with a focus on transport. This week, we’ve been reading The Train Ride by June Crebbin.
This story is about things that are seen out of the window, on a train journey. We noticed that the rhythm of the book’s repeated/rhyming lines start fast and repetitive (much like the sound of a train chugging along a track) and then as the train approaches the station, the lines become longer and the pace slows down until the train reaches is destination. Destination is our ‘word of the week’.
We’ve been discussing journeys that we have been on, either on trains or other modes of transport and what destinations we were going to. We’ve been writing about what we might see out of the train window.
The children wrote some fantastic sentences about what they can see out of their window. Lots of children remembered to add in finger spaces too – well done!
Historical links
We looked at pictures of the early steam locomotive- Robert Stephenson’s Rocket. We compared it to the trains we use today.
In the discovery area, we’ve been ordering images of trains from oldest to newest.
Maths: Comparison
We’ve been comparing groups of objects and toys, saying which has more and which has fewer. We’ve been using our mathematical reasoning to explain why size, colour and other factors do not matter when comparing ‘how many’.
No, Mrs Flynn, Sam still has more aeroplanes than Pat. It doesn’t matter about the size or colour. What matters is the amount you count!
In the classroom, children have been making 6 using Numicon frames.
ICT- Programming a BeeBot
We’ve been learning how to programme a BeeBot. This week we’ve been ‘having a go’ at pressing the buttons and making them move. We’ll be continuing our learning over the next few weeks, learning about algorithms and programming. We will learn to use sequences of instructions, to programme the BeeBot to reach a destination.
Phonics
Spring 2 week 1 has been a review of phase 3 sounds: ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, oo, ow, oi, ear, in words and sentences. We review tricky words daily.
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! We’ve previously introduced a few fun games you can play at home to practice tricky words. Here’s another you could try.
Roll and Read
You will need a die for this game. You may wish to print the boards or display them on a screen.
- Roll the die
- Count the spots, match to the correct row
- Choose a word to read on the row
- Cover the word when read correctly
- Repeat
Who will be the first to complete a row?
PE
We are excited to continue having both swimming and Foot-Tech this half term.
Here is another reminder of the swimming dates:
These dates are also stuck to your child’s classroom door or window to view whenever needed.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is Pancakes by Christina Rossetti
Click below to watch Reception recite this week’s poem!
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm. Can your child re-tell this week’s poem to you?
Reminders and Messages
Monday 04 March- Class Trip to The National Railway Museum.
World Book Day 2024- Thursday 07 March Please join us in the classroom (9.00-10.00) where you can relax and read books with your child. We’d also like your child to share their favourite book with their friends. Please send your child into school with their favourite book and please ensure the book is named. As stated on the school calendar, this is a dressing up year. Dressing up is optional. Thank you.
Sponsored maths challenge: Please see the Sponsored Tens Frame Challenge letter, which has come home with your child this week.
Swimming Spring 2
The Magic Paintbrush
This week, our focus book was The Magic Paintbrush.
We began by listening to the story for enjoyment. After becoming familiar with the story, we were then able to discuss the main events and characters.
The children then explored what they would do if they had a magic paintbrush.
After reading, we also learnt about the Lunar New year and how it is celebrated.
They put up lanterns. Libby
They have fireworks. Violet
They have a new animal every year. Austin
Special dinner. Melissa
They clean the house. Sienna
Stay and Learn
On Tuesday, it was great to welcome adults into the classroom to share different ways to develop our fine motor skills.
Lots of activities can be done with items you already have a home!
Maths
During our lessons, we have explored weight using lots objects made from different materials and of various sizes.
We have focused on using mathematical vocabulary to compare different items.
heavy heavier heaviest
light lighter lightest
Poetry Picnic
Each week, we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. This week’s poem is Mrs Bluebird.
Phonics
We use the chunking method to read words with more that one syllable. We have also spotted words containing double letters (e.g. rabbit) – these are diagraphs too!
Ask your child to chunk and read these words.
sunset chicken carpet carrot
Your child will have come home with a grapheme mat and a tricky word mat. If any sounds are highlighted on the grapheme mat, these are those that your child is not yet secure on. Please keep practising these at home.
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! In Little Wandle phase 3, we learnt lots of new words. The children will continue to learn new tricky words fairly rapidly over the Spring 2 and Summer terms. We’ve previously introduced a few fun games you can play at home to practice tricky words. Here’s another you could try!
Musical tricky words
- Write the tricky words on individual pieces of paper, lay them out on the floor
- Play your child’s favourite song for them to dance around to
- When the music stops, your child should pick a word to quickly run to and stand on
- Your child reads the word they have landed on
- Remove that word and repeat until there are no words left!
Internet Safety
On internet safety day and throughout the week, the children have discussed ways they use the internet and how to stay safe online.
Here is a link you may find useful to help and support staying safe online.
More learning
Supertato continued…
Spring 1 week 4 saw another week of Supertato studies, as we tried to capture the Evil Pea!…
Literacy
We’ve been making Wanted posters to warn everyone who to look out for and describing his features. Lots of children used last week’s word of the week- mischievous, to describe The Evil Pea.
Our new word of the week is: villain. We know that a villain is the bad character, important to a story or plot.
In the reading area, we’ve been digraph/trigraph detectives.
Design and technology
We’ve been designing and then making our own traps to capture that pesky Evil Pea! Take a look…
Art; Observational drawing
We’ve been using charcoal to draw real fruit and vegetables, looking carefully at the details we need to add.
Later in the week, we did some observational drawings of our faces! It’s fantastic to see how our self-portrait art has developed since September.
Shop- using our imaginations and exploring money
Supertato takes place, ‘at night-time, in the supermarket’
We added our own supermarket to the role-play area and is has been a huge hit. Children have loved role playing their own experiences of visiting shops and having a go at paying for items with 1p/2p coins.
Maths; 5 ‘and a bit’
In Maths, we’ve been using the song ‘five little aliens’ to explore one less within 5. We’ve been using Hungarian 5 frames (or ‘die’ frames) to represent and subitise numbers.
Later in the week, we used the aliens and frames to explore ‘5 and a bit’ We started with 6, then 7 aliens and noticed what each are ‘made of’ by subitising what we could see across the frames, for example:
7 is made of 3 and 4
Did you know?…
We’ve recently had some new flooring added to our outdoor area, giving us even more space to use our gross motor skills and play safely together. Check out how much fun we’ve been having…
Phonics
Spring 1 week 2 has focused on our final sounds of phase 3: air, er
We’ve learnt the tricky words; are, sure, pure
Tricky words are words that should be read by sight.
In provision, we’ve been playing tricky word BOO- an updated version of a game we played earlier in the year, to include our newest words.
Each week, we’d like to give you an idea of a game you could play at home to make reading even more exciting.
This week’s games are from the website: Phonics Bloom
You can play many of the games for free. Try out Tricky Trucks to practise tricky words and Alien Escape to make words. Stick to your child’s current level. If they are confident with all of their sounds, you should use Phase 3.
Please note these are games to be played alongside an adult, who can support and correct any misconceptions where needed.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to the children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is called A Little House
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
Click below to watch Reception recite this week’s poem!
Diary Dates
Mon 5 Feb/Wed 7 Feb 2024- Parent Teacher Conferences (pre-booked appointments)
Tues 6 Feb 2024- Fine Motor Control, Stay and Learn Coffee Morning This session is all about Fine Motor Control and Writing. It’s followed by a chance to meet up with other parents/carers and your child’s class teacher.