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Living and Learning

‘I know how to respect the similarities and differences of people.’

In Living and Learning sessions this week, KS1 have been discussing the similarities and differences between themselves and others around them.

We talked about some differences between boys and girls and spoke in detail about a how a lot of these differences are actually opinion rather than fact. For example that only boys can play football and that only girls can wear makeup.

One child in 2C said, ‘Girls and boys have different histories because in the past, boys had more rights.’

The children were very respectful towards one another, listened politely and shared their own ideas with care.

Where in the World?

Can you believe we are in the last half term of the school year? We have lots of great things coming up in Summer 2. This half term’s theme is ‘Where in the World?’ We’ll be exploring maps to identify which country and city we live in, thinking about coastal habitats and sealife and preparing to move into year one.

As we prepare the children for their transition, you may hear them talking more about ‘getting ready’ for year one. Thank you to parents and carers who’ve already started to support with this, by encouraging children to come into school and complete their morning jobs independently.

One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab

We’ve been reading One is a Snail, Ten is a Crab by April Sayre and Jeff Sayre.

This book, which is set on a beach, has a maths link. It describes how many legs you can see when combining different animals, insects and humans!

In our writing, we’ve used images from the book and described what we can see.

The book has also inspired lots of talk around seaside locations we have visited before.

Help at home- To continue our discussions around seaside locations, it would be lovely to have some pictures up around the classroom of the children visiting a beach. Please email these over to the usual address below:

Geography- Where do we live?

In our non-fiction reading, we’ve been looking at maps of the United Kingdom. Country is our word of the week. We’ve learnt that there are many countries across the world and that our country is called England.

The children enjoyed looking at a map of the United Kingdom, locating Leeds and having a go at reading other town and city names on the map. We’ve also been creating our own maps by copying images and place names or using our imaginations. We focused on adding a coastline to show which areas are land and which are sea.

Help at home- Next week, we’ll be focusing on our city; Leeds. Please have a chat with your child about their favourite places to visit in the city, as we’ll be asking about this in class. 

Maths; counting and arrangement of shapes

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be revisiting mathematical skills learnt across the year. This week, we’ve been counting collections of objects from larger sets.

We made collections of 20 and shared some great maths reasoning when talking about ways to group our objects to make it easier to see there is 20:

“we put one Numicon peg on each finger and did it twice… we did that because we know that 10 add 10 makes 20!”

“put one counter under each finger of one hand…we need 4 groups of 5”

“we made 2 groups of 10”

“we made a tower of 20 with multilink cubes because they are easier to count in a row than when they are spread out”

In provision, we’ve been using Tangram pictures to match position, orientation and arrangement of shapes.

Art; Observational drawing and Artist focus

We’ve been making observational drawings of real-life objects that have washed up on beaches.

We also began a project based on our focus artist; Alexander Calder. We’ve been cutting shapes from card, which will be used over the next few weeks to make mobile sculptures based on Calder’s work.

Phonics

Summer 2 week 1 has focused on phase 4 words with long vowel sounds.

In provision, we’ve been having a go at ‘sentence substitution’; reading a sentence and replacing one word with a different word, making sure the sentence still makes sense.

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 Thunderstorm

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 below to watch Reception recite this week’s poem!

Thunderstorm

Pictures of outdoor learning this week…

 Reminders and Dates

Swimming

Rainbow- 7 June, 21 June, 5 July, 19 July

Sunshine- 14 June, 28 June, 12 July

My body

We have finished our topic ‘Life on Earth’ by exploring human bodies.

Using Non Fiction books, we were able to share our known facts as well as learn new ones.

In writing, we wrote our facts.

Science

This week, we have explored how to keep our teeth healthy by using eggs and different liquids we might drink.

We started by putting toothpaste on half of each egg and then putting them in milk, water, cola, and fresh orange juice. When looking at the sugar content, the children were able to make sensible predictions as to which drink might be the healthiest for our teeth.

It’s stained. (cola) Jack

On one side it’s dark and one side it’s light. (cola) Alyzah

It had too much sugar. (orange juice) Zachary

We also discussed the benefits of some of these drink for our whole body.

Milk is good for your bones and teeth. Ellie

Milk has calcium. Keira

Maths

We have continued to develop our subitising skills using familiar images and objects while introducing a new piece of equipment (Rekenrek) that allows us to explore the structure of small numbers and deepen our number sense.

Butterflies

Everyone was very excited to see the newly hatched butterflies on Monday morning. Throughout the week, the children have observed them closely and looked at the details on their wings and bodies.

On Thursday, it was time to release them outside. It was wonderful to watch them fly around our garden and even on one of the children!

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 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.

PE; Foot-Tech Academy 

A big thank you to Food-Tech Academy for the donation of new balls. We can’t wait to use them to develop our skills next half term!

Click here to see Rainbow class enjoying using the new balls.

Reminders

Sun cream – Now that it’s hot, please remember to bring in a labelled sun cream.  As your child will need to independently apply their sunscreen, please practise this at home.

Swimming

Rainbow -7 June, 21 June, 5 July, 19 July

Sunshine – 14 June, 28 June, 12 July

Topic-Heroes

Our topic this half term has been heroes. We have been looking at two in particular-Nelson Mandela and Leonora Cohen.

The children have learnt about their lives and beliefs.

They have been using vocabularly such as apartheid and suffragette to describe what these two historic people stood up for and the difference they made to others.

The children have enjoyed dressing up as real life heroes and sharing why they are real life heroes.

Maths – fractions

This week in 2C we have been securing our knowledge of fractions.  We have been looking at fractions of shapes and of amounts including one and two-digit numbers.

The fractions we have been learning about are halves (two equal parts), thirds (three equal parts) and quarters (four equal parts).

In order to find fractions of a number, we used paper plates and counters and divided them up into equal parts.

Help at home: think about where you can find fractions in the home. Why not use pizza or cake and cut them into slices to find fractions?

Rumble in the Jungle

This week our focus book has been Rumble in the Jungle.

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.

The letters are slithering like a snake.

They match the shape of a snake.

That’s how a snake moves.

Maths

In maths this week, we have 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.

Help at home

Use the language – First, then and now to create a number story to match the picture.

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 and 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

Our poem this week was A Little Shell.

Other learning

Reminders and Dates

Monday 15 May- School Closed: Training Day

Friday 19 May – Mini Bug Ball: Please don’t go to the expense of buying anything new – creative adaptations of something you’ve already got will be fantastic.  Outfits need to be suitable for school, safe and warm enough to be worn all day.

SWIMMING DATES- Summer 1

Swimming in cancelled on Wednesday 17 May. Therefore, Rainbow will swim on the final week of the half-term Wednesday 24 May.

12 May 2023

This week we have been learning words that contain unusual spelling patterns. Learn these words for a test on Friday 19th May.

committee

community

disastrous

language

lightning

marvellous

unnecessary

thorough

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This week, we have been reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Using story props and sequencing cards, we have been able to retell the story.

In our writing, we have been composing sentences to retell main events of the story.

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.

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.

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 Under a Stone.

Other learning areas

The children have loved creating their own bug houses in the model area as well as building a bug hotel outside for real minibeasts.

The children have been amazed at the rapid growth of the caterpillars. Each day, we have observed how they have changed and recorded what we noticed.

They have got bigger!

One has a white stripe now.

They look spiky.

Reminders and Dates

Friday 5 May – Non-uniform day with everyone invited to dress in red, white and blue to mark the coronation of King Charles.

Friday 19 May – Mini Bug Ball

Please don’t go to the expense of buying anything new – creative adaptations of something you’ve already got will be fantastic.  Outfits need to be suitable for school, safe and warm enough to be worn all day.

SWIMMING DATES- Summer 1

Rainbow Class- 19 Apr, 3 May, 17 May

Sunshine Class- 26 Apr, 10 May, 24 May

We know that Rainbow class missed a swimming session in Spring 2 due to the pool closure. This should be made up in Summer 2, which is a 7 week term.

Maths-shape

Over the last two weeks we have been looking at 2D and 3D shapes.

We have been identifying their features  (including edges, faces and verticies), naming the shapes and sorting them.

The children were also able to sort the shapes in a variety of ways.

They also enjoyed  creating patterns using both 2D and 3D shapes.

Help at home by looking for shapes in the local environment.

Summer 1- The fun has begun!

The sun is shining and so are we! 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, farm animals and the human body.

The Bad-Tempered Ladybird

This week, we’ve been reading The Bad-Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle.

There was lots to explore in this story; feelings and appropriate behaviours, clocks/time and the comparative sizes of animals.

Frustrated is our ‘word of the week’. In our writing, we’ve been wondering what went wrong in the ladybird’s week, to make it behave so badly!

Art; clay modelling

We’ve been using clay to make minibeasts. We looked at pictures and photos of minibeasts, before making our models. We had spiky caterpillars, wiggly worms and crawly spiders to name just a few. Clay is great for our fine motor skills. We have to work hard to mold, pull, press and shape.  We’ve also been making ladybirds out of dough.

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.

You can put them in another pile after you’ve counted them- Grace

You can line them up so it’s easier to count- Alfie

We’ve also been counting things that cannot be moved, or things that cannot be seen (such as sounds/actions)

In provision, we re-visited the doubling ladybirds and recorded our doubles.

Help at home- Challenge your child to count more than ten objects. Can they count the pegs on the washing line? Can they count toys in their toy box? Can they count books on a book shelf? Don’t forget to send in photos of counting at home!

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.

click below to watch us recite this week’s poem!

Pitter Patter

More pictures of our learning this week…

Reminders and Dates

SWIMMING DATES- Summer 1

Rainbow Class- 19 Apr, 3 May, 17 May

Sunshine Class- 26 Apr, 10 May, 24 May

We know that Rainbow class missed a swimming session in Spring 2 due to the pool closure. This should be made up in Summer 2, which is a 7 week term.