Uncategorised

Welcome back!

Happy 2022!

We hope you all had a very restful and healthy Christmas. It’s lovely to have all the children back in school again.

Year 5 and 6 have started a new science unit this half term all about evolution and inheritance. They have a new set of vocabulary that they will be getting their heads around!

• evolution: change in living things over time
• inherited: the way that a trait or characteristic is passed to offspring from parents
• trait: a quality or characteristic belonging to something
• adaptation: a small change that a living thing goes through
• natural selection: a process in which living things adapt themselves in order to survive, that they don’t have any control over
• prehistoric: the time classed is ‘before history’ as it was so long ago it hasn’t been recorded or written
• variety: differences between things as part of a whole group
• fossil: the prehistoric remains of a plant or animal

Could you help your child learn these words at home? You could create some flashcards with images on that might help jog their memory, you could create a poster of the words. Could you describe one of the words and your child has to guess which word from the list it is? Be creative and have fun!

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.

Musical words video

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.

Week beginning 13 December 2021

Hi everyone

We hope you’re feeling happy and healthy at home. We miss having you in school but we want you to know that you’re still very much part of our school community. Enjoy your home learning for this week.

Maths

Follow this sequence of maths learning which is linked to multiplication and division.

• Lesson 1: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 2: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 3: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 4: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 5: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 6: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 7: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 8: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 9: video, worksheet, answers

  Lesson 10: video, worksheet, answers

You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.

Practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too. If your child is in Y3, we’re concentrating on the 8 times table. If your child is in Y4, we’re concentrating on all times tables up to and including 12 x 12. Email the class teacher if you need your child’s login and password details.

(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)

Spelling

Look on the homework page to find this week’s spellings. They should choose some past spellings that they feel less confident with. Your child should complete one task each day.

• Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our science topic of Living Things and their Habitat.
• Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
• Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
• Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
• Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.

(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)

Reading fluency

This is the text we’re using in class this week to build up fluency skills.

In school, we generally follow this sequence:

• Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
• Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
• Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
• Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
• Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.

(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)

Reading comprehension

We’ll be using this RIC text in class to practise comprehension skills. RIC stands for:

• Retrieve: finding information in a text
• Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
• Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read

Follow these lessons from Oak National Academy. There’s a whole series of lessons, but start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing one (or maybe even two) each day. (If you’re self-isolating in your second week, stick with the series of lessons you’ve already started and aim to complete the full series.)

(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)

Writing

Follow these lessons from Oak National Academy. There’s a whole series of lessons, but start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing one (or maybe even two) each day. (If you’re self-isolating in your second week, stick with the series of lessons you’ve already started and aim to complete the full series.)

(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes for each)

Topic

Our topic this half-term is about art.

Follow these lessons from Oak National Academy. There’s a whole series of lessons, but start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing one (or maybe even two) each day. (If you’re self-isolating in your second week, stick with the series of lessons you’ve already started and aim to complete the full series.)

(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes)

Science   

Our focus this half-term is about light.

These six lessons from Oak National Academy link closely to what we’ve been doing in class. Start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing two or three in the week. If you’ve previously completed on of these lessons, have a go at the ones you haven’t completed yet.

If Science really motivates your child, you could also use look at these lessons all about practical Science.

(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)

PE

Don’t forget to do some daily exercise!

Do two or three of these Five Minute Moves from Joe Wicks each day – spread them across the day as if they were playtimes, maybe!

Try working through this series of 25 lessons from the Association for Physical Education – do two or three in the week.

(Suggested time: 5 minutes daily, plus 30 minutes for the longer PE lessons)

Extra stuff…

As an extra (or as an alternative, if this helps to motivate your child)…

Fancy learning about a new religion? You don’t have to be religious to learn about, and appreciate, religions from all around the world. Check out this set of lessons from Oak National Academy – you could choose to focus on one religion or dip into each set for an overview.

What about some Living and Learning? While you’re away from school, you could check out these lessons on keeping safe!

Living and Learning – I make healthy choices.

Our Living and Learning statement this week is – I can make healthy choices. Do you know what choices we can make?

In Year 3/4 we know what it means to make healthy choices!

We talked today about what choices we can make to keep us healthy. We asked ourselves these questions:

• What do we eat?
• When do we eat?
• How much sleep do we get?
• How much exercise do we get?
• Do we laugh enough?

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.

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.

What a Half Term

It has been a fabulous half term in both Sunshine and Rainbow class.   We are so proud of how well all the children have settled in and have begun their learning journey in reception.

This week, we have particularly enjoyed: dressing up in costumes, making patterns with pumpkins and scooping seeds out of pumpkins.

In phonics, we have learnt the new sounds – o, c, k, ck. We have been using our new segmenting and blending skills to write words.

In Maths, we have continued to deepen our understanding of the numbers one, two and three. We created our own number stories.

In PE, we enjoyed using the equipment to climb, balance and hang. This is all great for our core strength.

We have loved using dough to strengthen our fingers. Check out our different moves.

pat

ball

squeeze

roll

two finger dancing

Have a lovely half term break!

Autumn days are glorious days.

This week the weather has been very kind to us. Our Autumn walks have seemed rather magical with crystal blue skies and sunshine. The children have been so impressive observing the world around them and making links to their existing knowledge.  We saw aeroplanes, tractors, buses, sheep, horses and much more. We collected conkers, sticks, leaves and stones. The children enjoyed using their maps to locate local landmarks. Our learning has been endless and joyful.

Here are a few quotes from the children:

 Keep holding hands-Esmé

Stay with the grown-ups -Ella F

Up there is Chippy’s Pond – Bea

That’s to remember the soldiers – Reuben

Three aeroplanes! WOW! – Raife

I live there!- Stanley

In Literacy, we have focused on ‘The Everywhere Bear’ by Julia Donaldson. Each child planned their own story of where the bear could go. Our children have been most kind and taken the bear to the seaside, a castle, the zoo, soft play, a hospital or a park.

In Maths, the children have been working on subitising numbers 0-3. This is where we show children a number of items e.g. 3 conkers and they can instantly tell you that there are 3 (without counting them).

In phonics we have introduced the new phonemes m, d, g and the Tricky Word ‘and‘. Please find the new sound strip in your child’s bookbag and add it to the treasury tag of sounds.

Home-Link

Can you find the Tricky Word ‘and’ in your books, home, shops or out and about? If you do so,  please send a photograph to our email address: scholesreception@spherefederation.org Thankyou.

Diary Dates

Monday 18 October- Parent Teacher Meetings.

Wednesday 20 October- Harvest donation collections.

Wednesday 20 October- Parent Teacher Meetings.

Thursday 21 October– School closes for half term

Where I Live

This week the children have been exploring and discussing where they live.  We have been discussing the different rooms in our homes and how each home is different. We also learnt the poem – Home by Nancy VandenBerge. We created actions to help remember the words.

Can your child recite it for you?

In Maths, we have explored matching. The children have been finding matching objects which are the same. They enjoyed making matching models, matching objects to the shadows and finding matching pairs.

In Literacy , we have been using our new phonics knowledge to add initial sounds to our pictures.

Check out what else has been happening this week.

Home link

Take a walk around your local area. Can your child spot local landmarks or features. You may choose to make a map of your journey, a bird’s-eyed view of your street or make a model to represent your local area.

24 September 2021