Weekly update
This week we will be having our annual Sport's Day. If the weather is fine then it will go ahead as planned on the Tuesday afternoon. If it pours down we will have it on the Wednesday afternoon. If it rains on the Wednesday I have no idea what we will do so fingers crossed! Please make sure your child has suncream, a hat and a water bottle.
Communication, Language and Literacy
I bet you've all heard about our beanstalk?! Well if you didn't here is a brief explanation of what happened last week... The children were told that I had been on the internet over the weekend and that I had seen a 'Grow Your Own Beanstalk Kit' and that I had ordered it and it was to arrive on Tuesday. Well, Tuesday came and still the kit had not arrived. So I pretended to email the company and they 'promised' it would be there on Wednesday. However, this did not happen so I pretended to telephone them! On Thursday the kit was 'delivered' to rapturous applause and cheers. We proceeded to follow the instructions carefully but something was wrong!!!! The kit included paper, a pot, glitter and a tin of baked beans!!! Surely that wasn't right!
Anyway, we followed the instructions which involved kissing the baked beans before planting them, sprinkling then with glitter and then making a wish. We left it overnight to see if it would grow. Can you believe it? By the next morning the beanstalk had grown a few leaves!!!
The children left for the weekend with the question, What will the beanstalk be like on Monday? Yes, you've guessed it! It will have grown through the ceiling, but where will it take them? This is going to be the link in with Jack and the Beanstalk and provide opportunities for the children to develop their writing skills. This week in Communication, Language and Literacy, the children will receive a letter from the Giant. They must respond to the giant.
What happens when something falls from the beanstalk? Could it be that someone else has climbed it without us knowing? There will be a Gingerbread Man hanging from the beanstalk in the classroom. This will link into the following week's work on The Gingerbread Man story.
We will also be working on our phonics as usual but we will be developing the children's understanding of alphabetical order. Check out these websites for great activities:
www.kidstime.com/games/alph_soup.htm
www.learningplanet.com/act/abcorder.asp
www.primaryonline.co.uk/sitetour/pol/alpha1.html - the children select the missing letter out of a sequence of five letters.
www.little-g.com/shockwave/library.html - the children must place the books in the correct place on the shelf in the library.
Mathematical Development
This week we are focusing on learning to tell the time. We will initially start with learning how to read 'o'clock' and then move onto 'half past' if we can. Here are some websites you may wish to visit but nothing beats a watch or clock at home.
www.bbc.co.uk/education/dynamo/den/clock/index.htm - the children must set the clock to the time given.
www.harcourtschool.com/activity/willy/willy.html - this is a game for two players.
www.learningplanet.com/act/tw/index.asp
We are continuing to practice the formation of the numerals.
Everything else
The children are continuing to work on the topic of transport. They are painting pictures of modes of transport on the computer. They are also going to draw my car and I've promised them they can sit in it too. We will be doing some art work inspired by 'The Two Cyclists, Mother and Child' by Fernand Leger, and completing our keepsake.
Reports
You will receive your child's end of year report on Friday. Included in the envelope will be the name of the teacher your child will have next year. All the Foundation Stage team have been involved in the decision regarding the distribution of the children and it was done with careful consideration based on a year long observation of your child. There is also a parental response to the report and how you feel your child has done this year. These are great to receive after a year of working with the children so we would appreciate it if you would just make a little response.
I think that is all for now.
Pray for good weather!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Friday, June 30, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
26th June 2006
Weekly update
Art exhibition
Last week the children created a piece of art each. These have been sent away to be framed and there will be an art exhibition in the school hall on Wednesday after school and in the evening. Look out for the posters on classroom windows for further details. I think you will be amazed at the quality of the children's art work. We are thrilled with our budding artists!
Non-unform day
Friday is non-uniform day. The children do not have to come in their uniform. All we ask is that they bring in a tombola prize as 'payment' for not wearing their uniform. The tombola will be held at the Sport's Day next week.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we will be continuing with our work on traditional stories. The children will work on a book called 'Jasper's Beanstalk' which they will compare with 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. They will have the opportunity to create their own land at the top of the beanstalk and talk about the characters they would meet in their land. Who knows we could be growing our very own beanstalk in the classroom!!! Jasper's Beanstalk has strong links with the days of the week so a review of these will be facilitated. The usual phonics and reading work will continue.
To look at more traditional stories visit:
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/storycircle/fairystories/jackandbeanstalk/jack_s.shtml?cbeebies - from this page you can access other fairy stories.
Mathematical Development
We will be continuing to count in tens to 100 and backwards. We will also be counting in twos to 20 and hopefully beyond. We will be reinforcing the formation of the numerals and working on estimation. Counting reliably will be used using the LINE, TOUCH, COUNT method, as well as exploring the different ways that magic number 10 can be made e.g 4+6, 5+5, 7+3, etc. We will be developing the strategy of counting on from one number to find the missing number in a number sentence e.g 4 + ? = 6 the children count on from 4 until they reach 6 and see how many they had to add.
Websites you may wish to look at:
www.ictgames.com/safecracker.html
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch1.shmtl - this site has different levels. Select level 1 for basic addition practice and level 2 for missing number addition.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/monkeymaths.html
www.primarygames.com/add_up/start.html
www.ictgames.com/save_the_whale_v4.html
www.ictgames.com/fairyfog2s_v2.html
www.ictgames.com/beaver.html
Everything else?
The children will be practicing the various skills for our Sport's Day next week, so our PE times will be taken up with getting our atheletes into prime condition. In Knowledge and Understanding of the World, the children will be exploring and sorting different modes of transport.
In creative development they will be making something very special as a keepsake of their time with us.
And now it is time to feel sad! The wonderful work the children have produced and are displayed on our walls must come down. However, do not feel too sad as we have put a selection of work into a Year Book for every child as an additional keepsake.
Finally, please can you remember to send in a water bottle for your child. Thanks
Bye for now
Jayne Narraway x
Art exhibition
Last week the children created a piece of art each. These have been sent away to be framed and there will be an art exhibition in the school hall on Wednesday after school and in the evening. Look out for the posters on classroom windows for further details. I think you will be amazed at the quality of the children's art work. We are thrilled with our budding artists!
Non-unform day
Friday is non-uniform day. The children do not have to come in their uniform. All we ask is that they bring in a tombola prize as 'payment' for not wearing their uniform. The tombola will be held at the Sport's Day next week.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we will be continuing with our work on traditional stories. The children will work on a book called 'Jasper's Beanstalk' which they will compare with 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. They will have the opportunity to create their own land at the top of the beanstalk and talk about the characters they would meet in their land. Who knows we could be growing our very own beanstalk in the classroom!!! Jasper's Beanstalk has strong links with the days of the week so a review of these will be facilitated. The usual phonics and reading work will continue.
To look at more traditional stories visit:
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/storycircle/fairystories/jackandbeanstalk/jack_s.shtml?cbeebies - from this page you can access other fairy stories.
Mathematical Development
We will be continuing to count in tens to 100 and backwards. We will also be counting in twos to 20 and hopefully beyond. We will be reinforcing the formation of the numerals and working on estimation. Counting reliably will be used using the LINE, TOUCH, COUNT method, as well as exploring the different ways that magic number 10 can be made e.g 4+6, 5+5, 7+3, etc. We will be developing the strategy of counting on from one number to find the missing number in a number sentence e.g 4 + ? = 6 the children count on from 4 until they reach 6 and see how many they had to add.
Websites you may wish to look at:
www.ictgames.com/safecracker.html
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch1.shmtl - this site has different levels. Select level 1 for basic addition practice and level 2 for missing number addition.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/monkeymaths.html
www.primarygames.com/add_up/start.html
www.ictgames.com/save_the_whale_v4.html
www.ictgames.com/fairyfog2s_v2.html
www.ictgames.com/beaver.html
Everything else?
The children will be practicing the various skills for our Sport's Day next week, so our PE times will be taken up with getting our atheletes into prime condition. In Knowledge and Understanding of the World, the children will be exploring and sorting different modes of transport.
In creative development they will be making something very special as a keepsake of their time with us.
And now it is time to feel sad! The wonderful work the children have produced and are displayed on our walls must come down. However, do not feel too sad as we have put a selection of work into a Year Book for every child as an additional keepsake.
Finally, please can you remember to send in a water bottle for your child. Thanks
Bye for now
Jayne Narraway x
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Weekly update 19th June 2006
Week beginning 19th June 2006
Thank you to all the children for being so sensible and caring when our children for September came in last week. It was a real success and we are really proud of them all. The Year 1 teachers were thrilled at how well behaved and hard working the children were. Thank you.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we are beginning to look at traditional stories. We are going to begin this week with Jack and the Beanstalk. Traditional stories are fantastic and I am sure you remember them being read to you as a child. Sadly, more and more children are not having experience of these stories early on in their lives. Therefore, we are on a mission! You could support your child by reading as many traditional stories as possible with them. The stories do have common themes: the triump of good over evil/bad, a goodie and a baddie, the significance of the number 3, in the original versions(not disney) Cinderella goes to the ball three times. When sharing the stories with your child perhaps you could talk about these features.
The children will be sequencing pictures of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, matching captions to the pictures to support their reading, and some children will be retelling the story using the pictures as a guide both orally and in their writing. Drama will feature strongly over the next few weeks as the traditional stories often lead to some amusing role-plays, with most children wanting to be the baddie!
If you would like to have a look at some traditional stories on the internet, try the following websites:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/stories/gingerbread1.htm
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/story_telling/index.htm
However, nothing can beat a visit to the local library.
Mathematical Development
In Mathematical Development we are continuing with 2d and 3d shapes as we didn't manage to complete the plans from last week. Therefore, please refer to last week's blogspot for websites to support your child. The main focus though for this week is the mathematical langauge used to describe the properties of the shapes e.g sides, corners, curved and straight, etc.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
The children will be completing a number of review tasks linked to the topics that have already been taught. This is to enable us to collect more evidence of the children's attainment in this area of learning before submitting the results to the Local Education Authourity. We will be mainly focusing on exploring differences and similarities between materials and living things, identifying likes and dislikes about the natural environment, asking questions about why things happen and how things work, and identifying uses of technology in everyday life as well as learning how to programme an electronic toy. Sounds fab!!
Creative development
You may have noticed but this is my favourite area of learning! This week we are preparing our artists for their exhibition on the 28th June. The children will be creating a piece of art that will be framed and on sale for you to purchase. On 28th June, in the school hall, every child in the school will have their art work displayed in the hall. You can purchase them at a reasonable rate and the best bit is that a small percentage of the profits are given to school. Just another excuse to get the paint and glitter out but I like it!!
Physical Development
We will be preparing for Sports day this week. The children perform a running race, a balancing race and a skipping race. We have a great time! Please ensure that your child has their PE kit in school, complete with pumps that fit. The children will need a sunhat, suncream and a drinks bottle for their own protection and safety.
Just in case you may need to book off work, or you have misplaced the holiday list, the Sports day for the infants is on Tuesday 4th July in the afternoon. If it should rain on this day then it will the next day at the same time.
Class Target
In preparation for the children going into Year 1 we are having a real push on the children learning to write their full name. Some children can do this but lets aim for 100%.
I think that that is it for this week!
Take care and I'll see you soon
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Thank you to all the children for being so sensible and caring when our children for September came in last week. It was a real success and we are really proud of them all. The Year 1 teachers were thrilled at how well behaved and hard working the children were. Thank you.
Communication, Language and Literacy
This week we are beginning to look at traditional stories. We are going to begin this week with Jack and the Beanstalk. Traditional stories are fantastic and I am sure you remember them being read to you as a child. Sadly, more and more children are not having experience of these stories early on in their lives. Therefore, we are on a mission! You could support your child by reading as many traditional stories as possible with them. The stories do have common themes: the triump of good over evil/bad, a goodie and a baddie, the significance of the number 3, in the original versions(not disney) Cinderella goes to the ball three times. When sharing the stories with your child perhaps you could talk about these features.
The children will be sequencing pictures of the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, matching captions to the pictures to support their reading, and some children will be retelling the story using the pictures as a guide both orally and in their writing. Drama will feature strongly over the next few weeks as the traditional stories often lead to some amusing role-plays, with most children wanting to be the baddie!
If you would like to have a look at some traditional stories on the internet, try the following websites:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/stories/gingerbread1.htm
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/english/story_telling/index.htm
However, nothing can beat a visit to the local library.
Mathematical Development
In Mathematical Development we are continuing with 2d and 3d shapes as we didn't manage to complete the plans from last week. Therefore, please refer to last week's blogspot for websites to support your child. The main focus though for this week is the mathematical langauge used to describe the properties of the shapes e.g sides, corners, curved and straight, etc.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
The children will be completing a number of review tasks linked to the topics that have already been taught. This is to enable us to collect more evidence of the children's attainment in this area of learning before submitting the results to the Local Education Authourity. We will be mainly focusing on exploring differences and similarities between materials and living things, identifying likes and dislikes about the natural environment, asking questions about why things happen and how things work, and identifying uses of technology in everyday life as well as learning how to programme an electronic toy. Sounds fab!!
Creative development
You may have noticed but this is my favourite area of learning! This week we are preparing our artists for their exhibition on the 28th June. The children will be creating a piece of art that will be framed and on sale for you to purchase. On 28th June, in the school hall, every child in the school will have their art work displayed in the hall. You can purchase them at a reasonable rate and the best bit is that a small percentage of the profits are given to school. Just another excuse to get the paint and glitter out but I like it!!
Physical Development
We will be preparing for Sports day this week. The children perform a running race, a balancing race and a skipping race. We have a great time! Please ensure that your child has their PE kit in school, complete with pumps that fit. The children will need a sunhat, suncream and a drinks bottle for their own protection and safety.
Just in case you may need to book off work, or you have misplaced the holiday list, the Sports day for the infants is on Tuesday 4th July in the afternoon. If it should rain on this day then it will the next day at the same time.
Class Target
In preparation for the children going into Year 1 we are having a real push on the children learning to write their full name. Some children can do this but lets aim for 100%.
I think that that is it for this week!
Take care and I'll see you soon
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Weekly update 12th June 2006
Weekly update
Welcome back everyone! I trust that you have all had a sunshine filled half term!
With the sunshine in mind, please ensure that you provide your child with a sunhat with their name in. If you wish your child to apply suncream please place it in their bag with their name clearly written on the front.
New Starters
We have yet another fun packed and exciting half term planned for the children. However, this week will see our New Starters for September visiting Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon, and therefore, the children will spend sometime mixing with the present Year One children prior to the classes being finalised for next year. This may be a unsettled start to the half term for some children. However, having the visits all in one week enables us to get back to business the following week.
Mathematical Development
This week we will be reviewing the children's understanding of shapes. Please help your child to notice shapes in the environment and describe their properties. I have listed below a few websites you may wish to visit. I will also be using some of these in class.
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/maths/maerdy_2d/e_index.html - this site asks the question 'What am I?'. It gives the children a description of the properties of a shape and the children have to guess what it is. It does include pentagon and hexagon which we have not covered yet and the children will be introduced to it this week.
www.ictgames.com/YRshape.html - click on the star or the circle and move your cursor around the screen. Can you work out the shape? All these shapes are 2d shapes like circle, square, rectangle and triangles.
www.ictgames.com/Y2shape.html - this is just like the above web page but used 3d shapes like cone, sphere, cylinder, cuboid and prism.
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase2delivery/Wales/Artanddesign/Keystage1/Making/Shapepictures/Introduction - if you select the interactive whiteboard activity and the children can make a picture using shapes and then make a print out of it. Perhaps they could bring it into school to show everyone.
www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/Curriculum/Foundation%20Stage.htm - this site gives you clues and you have to guess the name of the shape from the clues given.
www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shape/shapes.htm - this made me laugh!
www.bbc.co.ul/cbeebies/artbox/playit/shapes/shapes.html
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/funandgames/flash/pictureperfect/pictureperfect.html - do you remember first getting a computer and playing solitaire and once you started you couldn't stop? Well this game is just as addictive yet frustrating. Let's see if the children can beat the clock!
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children will be consolidating their phonic skills this week. I will be introducing new sounds such as 'sh', 'ch', 'th', some blends and some long vowel sounds.
The following websites will support your child in their learning.
www.saintambrosebarlow.wigan.sch.uk/ShorCh.htm - this shows a selection of pictures and the children must decide if they include sh or ch in them.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/Flash%20Studio/cflit/WW1/ww.html - this has a word wheel that the children must stop to match the pictures.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/Flash%20Studio/cflit/WW2/ww2.html
Everything else?
The children will be completing their minibeast models this week. The finished products will be photographed and be used to support their writing next week. In music they will be encouraged to make body sounds (that should be interesting!!!) getting louder and softer and then progressing to create a musical pattern with their partners. By the end of next week, it is hoped that the children will be able to create a composition that reflects the story of Jack and the beanstalk.
Of course there are other things going on yet too many to mention.
Take care and I look forward to seing you all on Monday.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
In dance the children will be responding to music through movement and gesture. In PE they will be creating sequences of movement.
Welcome back everyone! I trust that you have all had a sunshine filled half term!
With the sunshine in mind, please ensure that you provide your child with a sunhat with their name in. If you wish your child to apply suncream please place it in their bag with their name clearly written on the front.
New Starters
We have yet another fun packed and exciting half term planned for the children. However, this week will see our New Starters for September visiting Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon, and therefore, the children will spend sometime mixing with the present Year One children prior to the classes being finalised for next year. This may be a unsettled start to the half term for some children. However, having the visits all in one week enables us to get back to business the following week.
Mathematical Development
This week we will be reviewing the children's understanding of shapes. Please help your child to notice shapes in the environment and describe their properties. I have listed below a few websites you may wish to visit. I will also be using some of these in class.
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/maths/maerdy_2d/e_index.html - this site asks the question 'What am I?'. It gives the children a description of the properties of a shape and the children have to guess what it is. It does include pentagon and hexagon which we have not covered yet and the children will be introduced to it this week.
www.ictgames.com/YRshape.html - click on the star or the circle and move your cursor around the screen. Can you work out the shape? All these shapes are 2d shapes like circle, square, rectangle and triangles.
www.ictgames.com/Y2shape.html - this is just like the above web page but used 3d shapes like cone, sphere, cylinder, cuboid and prism.
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase2delivery/Wales/Artanddesign/Keystage1/Making/Shapepictures/Introduction - if you select the interactive whiteboard activity and the children can make a picture using shapes and then make a print out of it. Perhaps they could bring it into school to show everyone.
www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/Curriculum/Foundation%20Stage.htm - this site gives you clues and you have to guess the name of the shape from the clues given.
www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shape/shapes.htm - this made me laugh!
www.bbc.co.ul/cbeebies/artbox/playit/shapes/shapes.html
www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/funandgames/flash/pictureperfect/pictureperfect.html - do you remember first getting a computer and playing solitaire and once you started you couldn't stop? Well this game is just as addictive yet frustrating. Let's see if the children can beat the clock!
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children will be consolidating their phonic skills this week. I will be introducing new sounds such as 'sh', 'ch', 'th', some blends and some long vowel sounds.
The following websites will support your child in their learning.
www.saintambrosebarlow.wigan.sch.uk/ShorCh.htm - this shows a selection of pictures and the children must decide if they include sh or ch in them.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/Flash%20Studio/cflit/WW1/ww.html - this has a word wheel that the children must stop to match the pictures.
www.crick.northants.sch.uk/Flash%20Studio/cflit/WW2/ww2.html
Everything else?
The children will be completing their minibeast models this week. The finished products will be photographed and be used to support their writing next week. In music they will be encouraged to make body sounds (that should be interesting!!!) getting louder and softer and then progressing to create a musical pattern with their partners. By the end of next week, it is hoped that the children will be able to create a composition that reflects the story of Jack and the beanstalk.
Of course there are other things going on yet too many to mention.
Take care and I look forward to seing you all on Monday.
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
In dance the children will be responding to music through movement and gesture. In PE they will be creating sequences of movement.
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Weekly update
Weekly update
You didn't think you'd get away with a holiday did you?
I thought I'd just post a few good websites that could be used to get those brain cells working before we go back to school.
Type in the URL address below.
www.ictgames.com/resources.html
Then select any of the following games which would be suitable for the children
3 letter house
Spelling ship
Word reader
Cluster Buster
Look, Cover, Write, Check - remember you can put in your own high frequency words by clicking on the boxes and typing them in.
Phonic fighter
www.ictgames.com/machine.html is also very good for the blending of three letter words.
REMEMBER! www.starfall.com for those last few letter sounds and names, plus lots of stories for the children to read themselves.
To support their mathematical development:
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/rabbit2.html - this works on comparative langauge and number recognition beyond 20.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/postletter.html - this supports number recognition to 20.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/robindoubles.html - this helps the children develop their doubling skills.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/targettakeaway.html - this provides a numberline to count back on.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/monkeymaths.html - this asks the children to find the missing number to make the given total.
Hope you are having a fun holiday. I've just got back off mine and look forward to sharing your adventures over the half term.
Keep safe!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
You didn't think you'd get away with a holiday did you?
I thought I'd just post a few good websites that could be used to get those brain cells working before we go back to school.
Type in the URL address below.
www.ictgames.com/resources.html
Then select any of the following games which would be suitable for the children
3 letter house
Spelling ship
Word reader
Cluster Buster
Look, Cover, Write, Check - remember you can put in your own high frequency words by clicking on the boxes and typing them in.
Phonic fighter
www.ictgames.com/machine.html is also very good for the blending of three letter words.
REMEMBER! www.starfall.com for those last few letter sounds and names, plus lots of stories for the children to read themselves.
To support their mathematical development:
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/rabbit2.html - this works on comparative langauge and number recognition beyond 20.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/postletter.html - this supports number recognition to 20.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/robindoubles.html - this helps the children develop their doubling skills.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/targettakeaway.html - this provides a numberline to count back on.
www.atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/monkeymaths.html - this asks the children to find the missing number to make the given total.
Hope you are having a fun holiday. I've just got back off mine and look forward to sharing your adventures over the half term.
Keep safe!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway x
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