Lost and Found
It has been great to see all the children this week and hear about their magical Christmas experiences.
The weather has definitely matched up to our new topic this half term – Fire and Ice.
In literacy, we have been reading the story Lost and Found.
We began by using the title and front cover to make predictions.
I think they might find a pirate ship. Leo
I think they fell off a boat and they have to swim home. Jacob
Someone might find them and bring them home. Lucille
It might be about getting lost at sea and they have to find their way home. Norah
We created a story map and actions to enable us retell the story.
Can your child spot key events in these story maps?
In Maths, we have explored numbers to five. We have used Numicon to partition numbers to five.
In the classroom this week, the children have enjoyed freeing the penguins from the ice, creating frozen themed narratives, drawing penguins, feeding the penguin words and lots of other fun learning activities.
Home Link
How fast can you melt an ice cube?
What happens if you put the ice somewhere hot/cold? What happens if you put salt on it? How different does it look after 10 minutes?
You may choose to record your results using drawings or use a timer.
Notices
New PE days – Wednesday and Friday
We are beginning our swimming lessons next week! Your child will go on alternate weeks. PE kit should be worn on both swimming and non-swimming weeks.
Swimming dates
Sunshine – 12 Jan, 26 Jan, 9 Feb
Rainbow – 19 Jan, 2 Feb, 16 Feb
Please ensure your child is in their PE kit on these days, including trainers.
New eBooks will be added to child’s online library on Friday. This will ensure they have read the text at least three times in school.
It’s Christmas
Christmas spirit has definitively been in full swing this week!
In Literacy, we have been reading the Christmas story. This has deepened our knowledge of how people celebrate traditions and special times.
The wise men followed the star.
Baby Jesus was born.
There were shepherds. They look after the sheep.
In Maths, we have used part, whole models to partition numbers up to five. We created number stories and represented them in a part whole model.
In Phonics, we have focused on reading words.
We have all enjoyed the Christmas themed areas. There has been dressing up, playing in fake snow, creating candy canes and many more. Just take a look…
We had a special visit from Professor Myers. She had a very special Christmas investigation for us.
How strong is a candy cane?
First, we made predictions. Then, we tested them out using lots of objects around the classroom.
We had an exciting video to watch. It was Santa! He had been in our classroom whilst we were all at home. Santa left a sack full of presents for us to share.
Our last day has been full of dancing and fun (and a little bit of sugar).
Have a wonderful Christmas break. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year.
We have sent home your child’s change of clothes to check and restock for next half term.
Festive Fun!
It has been fabulously festive this week!
Show time!…
We’ve recorded our Very First Christmas Play! The children all looked amazing in their costumes. Thank you to parents/carers for providing costumes and to those who helped their child/ren to learn their lines. We really hope you enjoy it!
The journey of a letter…
This week, we read The Jolly Christmas Postman by Allan and Janet Ahlberg. We’ve been learning what happens to our post after we put it in the letterbox and what we need to do to our letters, to make sure they get to their destination. We may have even created our own special post to be delivered to our homes (shhh!) Let us know if you receive anything special in the post!
Would your child like to watch The Journey of a Letter again? Click here to be taken to the video.
Christmas dinner…
On Thursday, Reception had their special Christmas dinner and got to visit a very magical Christmas wonderland in our school hall:
Maths…
In maths this week, we’ve been learning about the parts that make a whole. We started by thinking about the parts that go together to make a whole toy and the parts of us that make our whole body. Later in the week, we thought about the parts that make a whole number (the numbers within numbers) We will continue this learning into next week.
More festive fun…
Here are some more snapshots of our learning this week:
Next week, we will be learning why Christians celebrate Christmas, through the story of The Nativity.
Home-Link Challenge…
We’ve been learning about how some other countries around the world celebrate Christmas. See what your child can remember from our learning, by asking the following questions:
-Which country that we looked at, use paper lanterns as decorations at Christmas time?
-In Denmark, why is it so great if you find the almond in the rice pudding dessert? What does it mean?
-Which country have the legend of ‘La Befana’, the old, kind witch who helped the Three Wise Men on the way to find the baby Jesus?
-In Australia, what does Santa wear and what pulls his sleigh instead of the Reindeers?
Diary dates…
Monday 13 December- Links to Nursery & Reception’s production emailed.
Friday 17 December- Non-uniform and Reception Christmas party day.
Christmas fun in the hall
A massive thank you to Mrs Pennock and all the lunchtime staff who created a fabulous atmosphere for Christmas dinner day today. The children and staff had a lovely time!
Wake Up Shake Up (WUSU) Club
WUSU Club have had a successful series of sessions after school this half term. They have made two new dances for you to enjoy and learn:
Dance Monkey and and Christmas Special, One More Sleep
WUSU club will be continuing after Christmas. Keep an eye out for letters about after school clubs so you can decide if you’d like to join in with any.
Toys, toys and more toys.
Our interactive workshop with Abbey House Museum on Tuesday was very educational. We learned about how different toys work. Some push, pull, use gravity, or need squeezing. Identifying the differences between old and new toys was a new skill that we used too. Old toys are often made from different materials to our new toys. Can your child remember some of the differences between the two? The toys workshop was very inspiring and our children really enjoyed writing about the toys that they had seen.
In our learning environment, Santa’s workshop has been in full swing. Our elves have been building and wrapping toys. There have been many letters written to Santa this week too.
Our focus in Maths has been on ‘one more’ and ‘one less’ from 0-5. The children are so impressive! We are really proud of their learning.
A little flutter of snow and ice made for great learning about the seasons. What does your child notice when you go outside?
Home Link.
Can your child show you ‘one more and ‘one less’ with items in your home?
Reminders:
Please ensure your child has their Christmas play costume in school by Monday 06.12.21. We are having our dress rehearsal and filming early on in the week.
Our Christmas party day is Friday 17.12.21 Children are allowed to come to school in non-uniform. Please ensure that your child wears something that is appropriate for them to be comfortable in all day. (See school uniform policy if needed). Your child can also bring a few party type snacks to eat on the day. We kindly ask that all snacks are nut free. Children will still eat their usual school meal.
The Night Box
This week we have continued to explore light and dark, by learning about animals that are more active at night.
The children loved learning new vocabulary – nocturnal and diurnal.
We have read the story – The Night Box.
These were some of our predications based on the front cover.
I think the boy will go into the box into the realm of night. Stanley
I think the boy will jump in the treasure chest. Leo
In the areas, we have explored nocturnal animals.
In maths we have deepened our knowledge and understanding of the number five.
Check out our other learning too!
Tuesday 30 November- Toys from the past day…
On Tuesday 30 November, Reception Classes will take part in a virtual workshop with Abbey House Museum on Christmas Toys and Games. We will be comparing toys and games from the past, with those we enjoy now.
On this day, children are welcome to bring in a toy from home that does not require any electricity or batteries. Please ensure the toy has your child’s name clearly labelled, so that they can be safely returned at the end of the day.
Thank you.
Fundraising
A massive thank you to everyone who donated to our recent fundraising events – you were all unbelievably generous. We managed to raise £126.25 for our school charity – Leeds Autism Services. This was following our Odd Sock Day at the start of anti-bullying week. Last Friday we raised money for Children in Need and managed to raise £410.30.
Thank you all so much.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Our book ‘Each Peach Pear Plum’ has helped us to focus on many different nursery rhymes.
We have had nursery rhyme stations set up throughout our classrooms and it has been brilliant watching and listening to the children’s interactions with the resources. Can you spot the nursery rhymes?
Anti-Bullying Week
‘Odd Socks Monday’ was a great opportunity to think about and discuss the brilliant ways that we are different from each other. We have been thinking about being kind and celebrating the many ways that we can do ‘One Kind Thing’. (The theme for this year’s Anti-Bullying Week). ‘One Kind Thing’ can make the difference to someone’s day, week, year or life!
Children In Need
Today we have learnt about the charity Children In Need. The children were empathetic and had many questions. We spent time making Pudsey Bear necklaces, ears and pictures. Thankyou so much for your donations!
Home-Link
Can you recreate a nursery rhyme with your toys at home? Please send your photographs to our usual email address. We enjoy showing them to all of the children.
Remembrance
Remembrance…
This week we’ve been learning about Remembrance Day. Our focus story was Flo of the Somme by Hilary Robinson and Martin Impey.
The story, which has repeating lines in poetry verse, follows a rescue dog during a WWI. It features child-friendly depictions of events in which animals were needed. For example, Flo finds injured pilots and carries a medical kit, a donkey walks alongside a soldier carrying equipment and a messenger pigeon gets hurt on duty. The children learnt about why we wear both red and purple poppies- purple to remember the animals that served during wars.
The children used their phonics skills to write words or captions about the story.
On 11.11 at 11am we held a two minute silence. The children were asked what they thought about during the silence:
The soliders in the war- Eti
Flo and the animals- Mahli
We’ve been making our own poppies in different ways. Our beautiful poppy wreath is now on display in the classroom.
Light and Dark…
The dark tent has been out in Rainbow room this week. We’ve been exploring shadows using our light frame and models we have made.
Marvellous Maths…
We’ve been revisiting our subitising skills (when you are able to look at a group of objects and know how many there are, without counting) and representing numbers 3 and 4.
Our Magnificent Marching Band!…
In music sessions this week, Reception became marching bands. They used the skills they had learnt over the past few weeks when playing percussion instruments, to put on a magnificent march!
What else have we been up to?…
Home-link challenges…
- Next week, we will be celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week 2021 Have fun singing nursery rhymes with your child at home. Ask them what their favourite nursery rhyme is- they may be lucky enough to see it around the classroom next week!
- On Friday 19 November, we will be taking part in Children in Need. Talk to your child about charities and the work Children in Need do. You could visit the Children in Need website. We will of course be doing this in class too but it is lovely for the children to be able to share what they already know with their friends.
Diary Dates…
Monday 15 November- Odd Socks Day 2021
Children can come to school wearing odd socks with their PE kit, in support of Anti-Bullying week.
Friday 19 November – Children in Need Non-Uniform Day (Donations welcome)
Friday 19 November, 3.30-4.00- Classroom Drop-in, Sunshine Class.
Friday 26 November, 3.30-4.00- Classroom Drop-in, Rainbow Class. (rescheduled from 12 November)
Tuesday 30 November- Toys from the past day…
On Friday 30 November, Reception Classes will take part in a virtual workshop with Abbey House Museum on Christmas Toys and Games. We will be comparing toys and games from the past, with those we enjoy now.
On this day, children are welcome to bring in a toy from home that does not require any electricity or batteries. Please ensure the toy has your child’s name clearly labelled, so that they can be safely returned at the end of the day.
Thank you.