My Body is amazing!
This week, we wrapped up our topic ‘Life on Earth’ by diving into the fascinating world of the human body.
Using a range of non-fiction books, we shared what we already knew and discovered even more amazing facts about how our bodies work. The children were especially engaged as they explored the many ways our bodies help us live, grow and stay healthy.
In Music, the children listened to a fun skeleton song and enjoyed working as a team to put together a life-size skeleton. (This is a YouTube link. 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).
Science
We had a very special visitor on Monday – Professor Myers! The children were excited to take part in a fun experiment all about dental health. Using eggs to represent tooth enamel, we explored how different drinks affect our teeth.
We began by applying toothpaste to one half of each egg before placing them in different liquids: milk, water, cola and fresh orange juice. We talked about the sugar content of each drink and made predictions about which ones would be the most or least harmful to our teeth. It was a great way to see how everyday choices can impact our dental health.
Living and Learning – Healthy Me!
Throughout this half term, we’ve been learning about what it means to be healthy – not just physically, but mentally too. During Circle Time, we explored real-life scenarios, such as why someone might feel very tired at school. The children shared thoughtful ideas, including going to bed too late, not eating well, not drinking enough water and spending too much time on screens.
We’ve played fun circle time games focused on healthy eating and the importance of getting our ‘five a day’. We also discussed the different ways we stay physically active and how this helps both our minds and bodies.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we learn a new poem and recite it every 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 Monkey Babies.
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.
Home Link
We hope that you have a wonderful holiday and if you go on any adventures, please share them with us using our email.
Rumble in the Jungle
Rumble in the Jungle
This week, our focus book has been Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz.
The book is a collection of fun animal poems. Whilst reading, the children enjoyed listening for rhyming words and noticing the patterns made with the words.
Our word of the week is Rainforest. We’ve been learning all about geographical features of rainforests and about some of the animals who live there.
In our writing, we’ve been writing facts about rainforests. Lots of children are challenging themselves to write more and use finger spaces!
Maths
In maths this week, we’ve continued to develop our understanding of the composition of numbers to 10. Using the rhyme ’10 Fat Sausages’, we have found different ways to represent 10.
We have also used 10 frames and dice patterns to show ‘5 and a bit’ numbers to 10.
Phonics
This week we have continued to read longer words as well as compound words such as windmill, handstand and lunchbox.
We’ve learnt the tricky words; there, when, what, one.
Help at home- Please continue to work through the weekly learn at home phonics sheets. We’ll continue to send these home each Friday.
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 Shell.
More learning from this week…
Reminders and Dates
Friday 23 May- School Closed: Training Day
Walking Through The Jungle
This week our focus book has been Walking through the jungle by Julie Lacome.
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.This repeating story has been great for re-telling and exploring different ‘action words’: walking, running, leaping, swinging, creeping and wading.
In our writing, we’ve been re-telling parts of the story in our own words.
This week, our ‘word of the week’ is leaping – to jump quickly or suddenly a long way.
Did you know?…
We have a new morning activity. After we’ve put our things away, found our names and chosen our dinner, we are writing about an interesting picture. We have been showing some spectacular independent writing. We are getting so confident to write on our own. Check out some of our writing below!
Design and Technology; using a tool
We’ve continued working on the parts we are going to use for our ‘bug hotel’. We’ve been carefully using hand drills to create holes in wood, holding the tool firmly in place and using our strength to wind the handle.
We kept safe by wearing our safety goggles.
Maths; composing 5
In Maths, we’ve been composing 5 and using the song ‘5 little kittens’ to explore the parts that make the whole number. These are also called number bonds.
We’ve been using full sentences to explain what we can see on our fingers, as we move through the song:
“There are three kittens on the bed, there are two kittens under the bed, there are five kittens altogether”
In our partner work, the children had 5 counters. Taking turns, they hid some of the counters behind their back and their partner had to guess how many it was by looking at how many they could see!
Help at home– Can you play this game at home?
Encourage your child to repeat the below phrases.
5 is made of ____ and ____.
____ and ____ make 5.
Please email us a quote from your child or a photo when playing the game.
Phonics
Summer 1 week 3 has focused on phase 4 words with short vowels and longer words. We’ve learnt the tricky words; were, here, little, says
Help at home- Please continue to work through the weekly learn at home phonics sheets. We’ll continue to send these home each Friday.
Poetry Picnic
One week in every half term, we focus on a traditional nursery rhyme. This week we’ve been reciting Sing a song of sixpence.
Watch us sing the nursery rhyme here!
Art; using and representing nature
We’ve worked on collaborative and independent art pieces this week.
We used large leaves to print a large-scale jungle scene, before adding our jungle animal drawings.
We used fine paintbrushes and watercolours to create some observational paintings of plants.
Reminders and Dates
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Literacy
This week, we enjoyed reading a story that many of the children already know and love — The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Because the story is so familiar, it allowed children to join in with re-telling it, using the language and repeated refrains from the book. It was great to hear them confidently recalling key events and phrases, building their storytelling and early literacy skills along the way.
As a class, we then explored how we could change the story to create our own versions. Together, we came up with new character ideas — including The Very Hungry Bee! The children had great fun thinking of alternative foods that their character might eat, from strawberries and cake to honey and flower petals.
Maths
This week, we have continued to develop our subitising skills (see the quantity without counting) in complex arrangements.
We have explored creating arrangements of 6. The children explained how they could see 6.
I can see 3 and 3. I know that double 3 is 6.
There are 4 spots there and 2 there. 4 and 2 make 6.
That’s not six because there are 6 counters here and I can see one more.
Phonics
This week, we have continued to learn phase 4 words such as frog, shift, chimp and drum.
We’ve also learnt more phase 4 tricky words; some, come, love and do
Help at home- Please continue to work through the weekly learn at home phonics sheets, throughout the Summer term. We’ll continue to send these home each Friday.
Remember, there are lots of ‘tricky word games’ that we’ve shared in the past (see previous Class News posts) to help your child learn and remember these words. Thank you for your continued support — regular short practice sessions really help children consolidate their learning.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we learn a new poem and we recite this poem every 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 Under a Stone. Watch here.
Creative
Children have also enjoyed being creative with clay as part of their Expressive Arts and Design (EAD) learning. Inspired by our ongoing topic on minibeasts, they explored the shapes and features of tiny creatures like ladybirds, caterpillars and spiders. They rolled, pinched and shaped the clay to create their very own minibeast models.
More pictures of our learning this week…
The Bug Collector
We’re excited to be back together for a happy and healthy Summer term!
This half term is called Life on Earth. We’ll be exploring minibeasts, wild animals and the human body.
This week, we’ve been reading The Bug Collector by Alex Griffiths.
This book follows George as he visits a wildlife museum and discovers the fascinating world of bugs. After his visit, he collects all the minibeasts from his garden and puts them in jars, but they don’t seem very happy.
After reading the book, the children enjoyed being minibeast explorers in our own garden. However, they made sure to return the creatures safely to their natural habitat.
In our writing, we shared the key message from the story and explored different ways we can care for bugs.
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been counting beyond ten- to twenty. We’ve been suggesting ways to make counting easier, when we are faced with a lot of objects to count.
We’ve also been counting things that cannot be moved, or things that cannot be seen such as sounds/actions.
Phonics
Summer 1 week 1 has been an introduction to reading phase 4 words. We’ve also learnt our first phase 4 tricky words; said, so, have, like
Help at home- Please continue to work through the weekly learn at home phonics sheets, throughout the Summer term. We’ll continue to send these home each Friday.
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 Pitter Patter.
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.
PE
This half term, we are focusing on developing netball skills such as throwing and catching. The children especially enjoyed challenging themselves to throw the ball, tap their heads, and then catch it again.
More pictures of our learning this week…
Reminders and Dates
SWIMMING DATES- Summer 1
Rainbow Class- 7 May, 21 May
Sunshine Class- 30 Apr, 14 May
Rabbits don’t lay eggs
We’ve been building up to the Easter half-term break with some egg-streamly egg-citing activities!
Rabbits Don’t Lay Eggs
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.
We also spotted some other adventurous words in the story:
Giggled to laugh lightly and repeatedly (a lot) in a silly way.
Glumly to look unhappy and disappointed.
In our writing, we transcribed the sentence Chicks are born on a farm. We also had a go at creating our own sentences, with spring pictures to inspire us!
Understanding the World; Easter
Through our literacy and RE learning, we’ve been discussing how we celebrate Easter and where our traditions come from.
We learnt that Easter is a Christian celebration and listened to the Easter story.
In provision, we’ve been exploring lots of Easter themed activities- we’ve loved going on egg hunts in the garden!
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been identifying the same and different attributes of various objects – e.g. colour, size, shape. We’ve been choosing ways to sort the objects.
We have also re-visited ways to identify ‘odd’ and ‘even’ numbers- we noticed that all of our even numbers are doubles!
In provision, we’ve been exploring doubles by putting the same number of eggs into 2 baskets and finding the total amount, we’ve been making repeating patterns using Easter objects and we’ve been playing a subtising/counting game! What a lot of maths skills!
Farmer Luke
On Thursday, we caught up with Farmer Luke via Zoom.
He started by showing us the tractor he uses to plant seeds and showed the children that these special tractors have tracks, not wheels, to protect the soil.
Luke showed us the different parts of the cultivator that work together to plant the grass seeds.
He asked the children to guess one of the plants- well done to Jenson, who knew it was a blackberry bush! Luke sends blackberries off in June/July to be turned into Ribena- yum!
Luke then answered some of our questions. We learnt lots, such as how long it takes for the grass to grow, where the tractors are kept and which jobs happened on the farm over winter.
We found out that winter is “less busy”. Lots of small jobs happen, such as pruning, farming the chickens, trimming edges and chopping up wood from fallen trees. Luke said “now it’s spring and things are growing, there’s lots more jobs to do!”
Bean Plants
Before we sent our bean plants home this week, we looked closely at the changes and how they had started to grow. If you decide to plant your bean at home, we’d love to see!
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 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
click here to watch Reception recite this week’s poem!
Egg rolling competition!
We finished the week with our egg rolling competition. We saw super- creative decorated eggs- thank you for your amazing efforts. Well done to our winners, whose eggs rolled their way to victory!
Home learning
Can you write a 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.
Final message and getting ready for year one!
On your return to school on the 22 April, we’ll be entering the final full term of Reception. The first step of the transition towards year one, is getting the children ready to come into school independently.
To support us with this, we are asking that children enter the classroom/cloakroom on their own from 22 April. We know a few children have started to do this already, which is great to see!
We encourage you to wave goodbye at the waving window and our door is always open for you to continue to pop in for a chat, if needed.
Thank you for your support.
We wish you all a lovely half-term break- see you in 2 weeks!
Reminders and Dates
SWIMMING DATES- Summer 1
The 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, snails 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 learn a new poem and recite it every day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk 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!
Jack and the Beanstalk
It has been another fun-filled 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 retold many times and some versions of the story are different. Just by looking at two front covers, we could spot similarities and differences.
In my book, Jack had a magical harp.
It has a beanstalk on the front.
The giant is in that one but not the other one.
This week, our word of the week was gigantic.
Observational drawing
This week, we have focused on drawing daffodils.
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!
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been exploring the composition of numbers by investigating the numbers within 6 and 7 e.g. seeing that 7 can be made of 5 and 2.
On Tuesday, we were joined by adults for a stay and learn session. We engaged in different activities based on composing 6, 7 and 8.
Phonics
This week, we have continued to read longer words with the chunking method.
We have also begun to read root words that make up compound words and discussing how the two root words create a new word with a new meaning.
Can your child show you the chunking method to read these words?
fantastic helmet zooming winking
Read these root words, then combine to make a compound word.
roof top farm yard car park
In provision, we’ve been making beanstalks by reading tricky words!
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.
The 100 Decker Bus
The Hundred Decker Bus
This week, we’ve been reading another ‘Hundred Decker’ story by Mike Smith. The Hundred Decker Bus.
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.
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 and discussing the similarities and differences. Countryside is our ‘word of the week’.
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 learn a new poem and recite this poem every day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to 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.
Reading reminder
Children should be reading fluently by the time their book is issued on-line at the end of the week. 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 and to showcase what they have learnt during the week. It’s a great way 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
‘Number’ Stay and learn – Tuesday 18 March 9:00am
Our Stay and Learn sessions are a chance to find out more about your child’s journey through Reception. You can observe some teaching and learning, and pick up some tips to support your child at home. This session is all about Number.
Railways, Reading and Rockets!
The National Railway Museum
On Monday, the children had a fantastic time at The National Railway Museum. They were very excited to go on their first ever school trip – especially travelling there by coach! We were super impressed with 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 especially enjoyed sitting on the Japanese Bullet train.
To end our wonderful visit, we drew our favourite train of the day!
Literacy
We’ve been reading The Hundred Decker Rocket, by Mike Smith.
This story is about a girl called Ivy who sets off on an expedition to space- expedition is our word of the week! On the way, she meets some very messy aliens. When her rocket breaks down, the aliens help to fix it and make their own deck.
The story inspired lots of discussion around keeping our planet clean and why this is important.
In our writing, we designed our very own rocket deck that we will be making next week- this is where we need your help…
Please send your child into school with an empty shoebox next week. The children will be creating their very own deck, based on their designs.
Computing; Beebots
We’ve continued exploring Beebots. Beebots are a fun, early coding resource. We program the bee using directional buttons. The children had to pre-plan the algorithm they needed to enter, to successfully get the bee to its intended location (for example, a specific spot on the carpet)
Living and learning; Celebrating differences
Our living and learning statement this week is: I know we’re all the same and we’re all different.
On Wednesday, were were visited by Lindsey from Diversity Role Models.
The children listened to the story Mixed by Arree Chung
a charming and thought-provoking picture book with characterful illustrations and humour. Follow the colours as they overcome their differences in this sweet tale of acceptance and celebrating difference.
The children loved the story and it introduced us to some new, important vocabulary; diversity, harmony, vibrant.
The children had some thoughtful answers to Lindsey’s questions:
Why is being different good? “’cause we all like different things”-Lola
What would happen if we were all the same? “it would be confusing”- Robyn, “it would be boring”-Delilah
World Book Day
Thank you to the parents and carers who were able to join us for our stay and read session on Thursday, for World Book Day.
As part of our celebrations, the children enjoyed talking about their favourite books from home.
Another highlight of the day was when our friends from years 5/6 came to class to read with us!
On Tuesday, the children took part in a live story and draw-along with the author (Swapna Haddow) and illustrator (Aditi Kakade Beaufrand) of The Night Before Holi
As well as an opportunity to enjoy a new story, the children learnt about this Hindu festival, which welcomes the arrival of springtime.
Phonics
This week, the children have reviewed air, er and longer words that contain double letters.
Help at home; phonics challenge
Write these words on paper and ask your child to underline the double letters before reading them.
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 practise 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 learn a new poem and we recite this poem every 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 was Pancakes by Christina Rossetti
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?
We hope you enjoyed watching the children recite this week’s poem aloud, in LIVE ACTION during our stay and read on World Book Day!
Dates for your diary
Reception’s Class Assembly- Thursday 13 March, 2.45pm
Stay and learn: Number Session 2- Tuesday 18 March, 9-10am This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child learning in school. This session is our second with a focus on maths.
These dates are also stuck to your child’s classroom door or window to view whenever needed.