What’s your favourite rhyme?
We always sing lots of rhymes in Nursery, but as it was World Nursery Rhyme Week, we sang even more than usual! Nursery rhymes are a great way to increase children’s awareness of rhyming, which is a key part of phonological awareness.
Research has shown that children who learn nursery rhymes go on to become better readers. This is only true when they learn these rhymes with an adult – please avoid only letting your child watch nursery rhymes on screens as it doesn’t have the same impact.
This week, lots of our areas of provision were linked to popular rhymes. We used our fine motor skills to Wind the Bobbin Up. Incy Wincy Spider was washed down the spout in the water tray and we created our own spiders remembering to count their legs carefully.
Currant buns with cherries on the top were on the menu in the playdough area.
Outside we made lots of cups of tea, pouring carefully so that we didn’t spill any tea. We enjoyed using lots of different sized teapots.
As always in Nursery we follow children’s interests. Fire engines and fire fighters has been an interest that started after Bonfire Night. We have found out about firefighters using our small world area. This week we helped to put out some “fires” of our own using water sprays. It was great fun and also helped to strengthen the muscles in our fingers. This finger exercise develops the muscles needed to hold a pencil.
Help at home
Here’s a link to lots of popular Nursery Rhymes – pick your favourite to sing along at home, or find a new one to learn together.
Top tip -Leave gaps at the end of the line for the children to complete the rhyme, for example ” Hickory, Hickory dock, the mouse ran up the ……..”
What’s your child’s favourite rhyme?
Send us an email to let us know and we’ll make sure we sing it in Nursery. scholesnursery@spherefederation.org
Reminders
Don’t forget to book an appointment for our Parent Teacher Consultations, you will have received a message about this. On this occasion it is via zoom, next time it will be in person.
Next week, we’re going to read ‘Peace at Last’ by Jill Murphy. In the story Mr Bear hears lots of sounds in his house and he can’t get to sleep. We’ll continue with our Phase 1 phonics learning, listening for environmental sounds around us and we’ll talk about ‘night time’.
Nursery rhyme of the week – Hickory Dickory Dock
Sound of the week – Tt – tiger
Open your lips; put the tip of your
tongue behind your teeth and press
t t t
World Nursery Rhyme Week
This week is World Nursery Rhyme Week. Here are some reasons why nursery rhymes are so valued in early years education.
Across the classroom, children have focused on a range of different nursery rhymes and we have been singing them (even more!) at carpet times.
Each Peach Pear Plum
Linked to World Nursery Rhyme Week, we’ve been reading this classic book by Jane and Allan Ahlberg. The children loved listening carefully for the rhyming words and spotting familiar characters on each page.
Our word of the week is: rhyme
History; Household objects from the past
The pictures in our focus story inspired discussions about household objects from the past and we learnt about some objects we had never seen before. We then compared these to objects we might have at home, in the present.
In addition to pictures, we looked carefully at some old household artefacts and had a go at sorting past and present objects.
Ask your child which objects from the past they can spot in the story picture below. Can they remember what they are called and what they are used for?
Odd Socks
I know how to STOP bullying is our school living and learning statement this week. On Tuesday, we wore odd socks to signify our differences and share the message that we are all different in some way. We discussed how important it is to celebrate our differences and respect everyone.
Stay and Learn; Maths 1
On Wednesday, we had a wonderful morning exploring maths with our adults.
Thank you to all of the parents and carers that were able to join us in the classroom to watch a short lesson, partake in some activities and listen to a teacher presentation.
As always, any feedback on the session is much appreciated to help us know what we are doing well and consider what we might adapt to make our sessions even better in the future. Please use the QR code below to provide your feedback.
If you’d like to access the teacher presentation, please click the link below:
Parent copy SE Maths Mastery presentation stay and learn 2024
Children in Need
Thank you for joining in with non-uniform day, to raise money for Children in Need.
Phonics
This week, we focused on the new GPCs (Grapheme-phoneme correspondence) v, w, x, y.
We’ve also learnt the tricky words; and, has, his, her
Tricky words are words that should be read by sight. We start by identifying which part of the word is ‘tricky’.
Please continue to revisit this week’s sounds, by using the learn at home sheets. Thank you.
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 Basket of Apples.
click here to watch Reception recite this week’s poem!
Classroom snapshots
Here are some more snapshots of our learning this week…
Swimming
Children in Need
Today we are celebrating Children in Need. This morning, each teacher has spoken to their class about Children in Need including what it is, what the charity is for and how we can raise money.
Each child has come into school wearing their own clothes and we have raised lots of money as a school which will be donated to Children in Need.
Here are most of our reception and KS1 children after dancing to 2 songs during WUSU.
Maths : ‘1 Minute Maths’ app
We often use the White Rose 1 Minute Maths app in school. It has 1 minute challenges to help children develop their quick recall of maths facts. It’s free to download on tablets or desktop devices.
Class News – Gymnastics and Art
This week in gymnastics, the children explored different ways of jumping and performed a sequence of jumps to the rest of the class.
In Art, we have started our Architecture topic. The children created collages using photographs of buildings designed by famous architects Christopher Wren and Zaha Hadid.
Help at home by listening to your child read regularly and providing opportunities to go on Times Tables Rock Stars.
PE – Gymnastics
All Year 1 and 2 classes are focusing on gymnastics in our PE lessons this half term. We have learnt that it is just another way of moving and balancing, which can keep us fit and healthy.
We have worked on low and high movements, balances and jumps so far. We are looking forward to getting the large apparatus out next week!
3,4 Class News – Topic
This half-term, our art topic is focused on architecture! We have learnt that architecture is about the design of buildings and will be focusing on two architects in particular: Sir Christopher Wren and Dame Zaha Hadid.
We have started the topic by looking at features of different buildings and using these to help us put them in chronological order. We are also going to be using different practical art skills throughout the half-term, starting with collage.
Help at home by talking with your child about different buildings they see when out and about. What do they notice?
KS1 Michael Rosen Day
This week we were lucky enough to connect with other schools all over the country to meet with Michael Rosen online. This was to celebrate Michael Rosen Day. He performed some of his poetry for us all and he talked about where some of his inspiration comes from. His main inspiration comes from memories from his childhood and many of his poems feature family members.
Help at home: You could share some of Michael Rosen’s books or poetry with your child. There are hundreds to choose from and so many of them are easily found online. I wonder which will be your favourite?
Reading: Michael Rosen
This week, Year 5/6 had an exciting virtual session with the amazing Michael Rosen! He shared some brilliant tips on how to write poems and even invited us to join in as he read some of his funniest ones.
Help at home: You can try writing a poem too! Michael suggested a few fun topics to help get you started, like family, school, food, or even silly rhyming jokes, like the one below!
Odd socks day!
Today is Odd Socks Day. We do this as part of anti-bullying week. As a school, we define bullying as hurting somebody physically or emotionally (including online) several times on purpose. This spells STOP.
We drew our own odd socks and discussed why we wear odd socks. The odd socks represent everybody being different. We should never treat others in an unkind way, because they are different to us.
We also made some posters that could be used in school to stop bullying.
