We’ve whizzed into Autumn 2, with a super busy week! We’ve been learning about Diwali, Guy Fawkes; The Gunpowder Plot (linked to Bonfire Night) and fire safety.
Diwali
During half term, there was a very special celebration- Diwali! We watched a video of children celebrating the Hindu ‘Festival of Lights’ and read the story Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar, which tells the story of a child sharing the celebration with her class.
We’ve been exploring the Diwali interest table, making Rangoli patterns, designing and painting Mehndi on a friend’s hand and making diya lamps at the dough table.
What can your child tell you about the festival of Diwali?
Phonics
This week, the children have learnt the digraphs (two letters that make one sound) ff, ll, ss and the phoneme j. They’ve also been practising writing the graphemes (the written letters)
Can your child tell you where you would find these digraphs (ff, ll, ss); the beginning, middle or end of a word?
You could challenge your child to write these words, by supporting them to segment the sounds that they can hear:
Maths
This week, we’ve been composing 5. We often use our fingers to represent numbers and to practise our subitising skills. Using a ‘high five’ hand, the children were introduced to an easy way to represent the number. We used hand images to make collections of 5, placing an object on each finger. We also used five frames, die frames and objects of different colours to explore which numbers can be added together to make 5.
“I have three green pom poms and two blue pom poms… that makes five!”
Light and shadows
We’ve been exploring how light can be used to create shadows! We made large models and projected a light across them, observing the shadows made on the whiteboard. Next week, we’ll be looking at light again, as we explore the differences between day and night.
Fire safety
On Thursday, we met some real life superheroes! As part of our whole school ‘Me and my community’ week, local firefighters came to talk to Reception. We were lucky enough to take a look at the fire appliance and the firefighters equipment and we even got to use the powerful hose (with a little help from the firefighters, of course!)
The children were keen to share their knowledge:
“I know about fire alarms…the smoke goes in them and it sets off an alarm for the fire”- Keira
“You save people in the water!”- Daniel
“Those are called ‘jaws of life’”- Jack
And they asked some questions about things they’d like to know:
“Have you got a mask for breathing?”- Alyzah
“Do you have a life boat?”- Bethany
“How do you get people out of water?”- Olivia S
The firefighters spoke to the children about fire alarms. We learnt that they should be tested every month.
We also spoke about fire safety on Bonfire Night. Can your child talk about some of the ways to keep safe?
You can find out more about how to keep safe this Bonfire Night, here
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 Pointy Hat
Ask your child to tell you the poem at home! Can they remember it by heart?
Learn at home phonics sheet
Today, your child has come home with a ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics and will be sent home each Friday. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home.
Home-link challenge
Following on from our maths learning this week, please support your child to make a collection of 5 at home.
Discuss what you can see- is it 5 of the same object? If not, how many are the same/ how many are different? Your collection of 5 could be made from objects of two different colours. What does your collection tell you about the numbers we can add together, to make 5?
Reminders
Early Maths- Supporting your child to become a confident mathematician 14.11.22, 6.00pm
Attendance via Zoom- a link will be sent next week.
Maths Stay and Play 17.11.22, 9.00-9.30am
Join your child in the classroom and explore some maths activities together.
Swimming Dates
Please send swimming kits on the following dates:
Rainbow Class- 2 Nov, 16 Nov, 30 Nov
Sunshine Class- 9 Nov, 23 Nov, 7 Dec