Hi there!
How time has flown. It doesn’t seem like two minutes since I was waving goodbye to everyone to start my maternity leave. Well, the beginning of this term sees the beginning of a new site for all your information regarding your child’s learning.
We have decided to trial a ‘one-stop shop’ for all weekly information and curriculum support for both Foundation Stage and Year 1. This means that the only site that you need to check each week from now on, will be the new school website.
How do I access the new site?
Go to http://www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk/ and click on Year Foundation Stage. This is on a menu bar on the left hand side of the screen. If you scroll down on the homepage, you will find an outline of what we will be covering this week in class.
What about links to websites?
You will be able to access recommended websites, by click on the weblinks link on the Foundation Stage homepage. I have included a navigation guide on the homepage for where to find the websites to support learning linked to what we are doing this week.All of the links will be added to as time goes on and new topics are covered.
There are many other parts of the site to explore, but the only way to see everything that is available so far, is to go and look!
I have other children in other year groups – what about them?
The other year groups will also be rolling this out over the course of the Summer term. Until then, their blogs will continue as normal.
It has taken a great deal of time and effort to set up this site and new resources are being added all the time, but if there is anything you would like to see added, please do let us know and we will endeavour to accommodate any requests.
May we take this opportunity to thank you for all your support during this transition period and always.
Take care and have a good week!
The EYFS team. x
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
Easter Extravaganza!!
Hi there!
Where did that maternity leave go?
Well, it is the final week before Easter and the week will be spent assessing and reviewing th children’s learning. This will be Ms Sammon’s last week and I’d like to thank her and the amazing Foundation Stage team for their hard work this last term.
Easter celebrations
As we are in school for most of Holy Week, we shall be devoting our time to the important Easter celebrations. The children are VERY excited about the prospect of the Easter Bunny arriving, so they can eat copious amounts of chocolate, but we will be reminding them about the true meaning of Easter. They will be sequencing the Easter Story, using illustrations as prompts for their writing.
Some children do get a little upset when we talk about the death of Jesus, but I assure you, we do handle it very sensitively and the children do appreciate us not shying away from these issues.
There are a number of websites below to support you at home to help explain the story to your child, along with some lovely activities to try.
On the night before his death Jesus had a final meal with his friends. This meal was one of the festival meals for Passover. Before the meal Jesus did something which surprised his friends. He washed the feet of every person, a task which was normally done by a servant. By doing this he wanted to show his followers that they should love one another in humble ways.
We shall be re-enacting this with the children which is a lovely way of bringing some elements of the story to life for them.
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/easter/easter.htm - this is an illustrated version of the story, which will help the children when they come to write their own versions this week
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Easter/Easter.aspx - find out more about the traditions surrounding Easter. If you do some of the activities, then we would love to see them!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/b-dag/ngfl-container/re-unit2-en.html - some lovely activities on here. The think and discuss section is a great way of working on the children’s comprehension of the story, particularly developing their inference and deduction skills.
http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/resourcesjigsaws.shtml -online jigsaws for the children to do.
http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/colourbookeaster.shtml - printable Easter colouring activities.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=21 - a lovely website with lots of fantastic things to do.
Other Easter activities may be found on the Here I Am page on the school website. Click on Curriculum, then Here I Am and finally weblinks. There are also some Easter writing activities which can be accessed through the downloads section.
Easter Bonnets
On Thursday afternoon, we will be having our annual Easter bonnet parade. The prizes are awarded for originality AND evidence of the children’s own work. Please remember to label your child’s bonnet and we promise to take some lovely photos of the children, just to bring out on their 21st birthday!
Egg Rolling
This will take place on Wednesday afternoon. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that the eggs need to be hard – boiled, and, as they will break during the rolling of them, the children will not be able to bring them home.
Easter Service
The Easter Service will take place at 9am on Thursday in the hall. Space is very limited in the hall, but you are welcome to join us.
Fundraising afternoon
This Tuesday, sees the Year 5/6 children doing their annual fundraising event for the Nugent Care Society. The children will be allowed to purchase bric-a-brac items, as well as taking part in games and events. It would be helpful if the children could bring in their loose change in a sealed, named envelope or purse. Many thanks for this.
Website
I hope that you have found the school website useful and easy to navigate to the websites needed to support your child’s learning. We are hoping to use the school website as a 'one-stop-shop' for the information you receive on the blogs every week so if you have any suggestions please let us know what would be useful to you.
Good Luck
I am sure you will join us in wishing Mrs Morgan the best of luck as she begins her maternity leave on Thursday. More baby news will follow shortly.
All that is left to say, is to thank all of you for your support this term and to wish you all a very happy and holy Easter.
I will see you in person on the first day back!!!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Where did that maternity leave go?
Well, it is the final week before Easter and the week will be spent assessing and reviewing th children’s learning. This will be Ms Sammon’s last week and I’d like to thank her and the amazing Foundation Stage team for their hard work this last term.
Easter celebrations
As we are in school for most of Holy Week, we shall be devoting our time to the important Easter celebrations. The children are VERY excited about the prospect of the Easter Bunny arriving, so they can eat copious amounts of chocolate, but we will be reminding them about the true meaning of Easter. They will be sequencing the Easter Story, using illustrations as prompts for their writing.
Some children do get a little upset when we talk about the death of Jesus, but I assure you, we do handle it very sensitively and the children do appreciate us not shying away from these issues.
There are a number of websites below to support you at home to help explain the story to your child, along with some lovely activities to try.
On the night before his death Jesus had a final meal with his friends. This meal was one of the festival meals for Passover. Before the meal Jesus did something which surprised his friends. He washed the feet of every person, a task which was normally done by a servant. By doing this he wanted to show his followers that they should love one another in humble ways.
We shall be re-enacting this with the children which is a lovely way of bringing some elements of the story to life for them.
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/easter/easter.htm - this is an illustrated version of the story, which will help the children when they come to write their own versions this week
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Easter/Easter.aspx - find out more about the traditions surrounding Easter. If you do some of the activities, then we would love to see them!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/b-dag/ngfl-container/re-unit2-en.html - some lovely activities on here. The think and discuss section is a great way of working on the children’s comprehension of the story, particularly developing their inference and deduction skills.
http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/resourcesjigsaws.shtml -online jigsaws for the children to do.
http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/colourbookeaster.shtml - printable Easter colouring activities.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=21 - a lovely website with lots of fantastic things to do.
Other Easter activities may be found on the Here I Am page on the school website. Click on Curriculum, then Here I Am and finally weblinks. There are also some Easter writing activities which can be accessed through the downloads section.
Easter Bonnets
On Thursday afternoon, we will be having our annual Easter bonnet parade. The prizes are awarded for originality AND evidence of the children’s own work. Please remember to label your child’s bonnet and we promise to take some lovely photos of the children, just to bring out on their 21st birthday!
Egg Rolling
This will take place on Wednesday afternoon. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE remember that the eggs need to be hard – boiled, and, as they will break during the rolling of them, the children will not be able to bring them home.
Easter Service
The Easter Service will take place at 9am on Thursday in the hall. Space is very limited in the hall, but you are welcome to join us.
Fundraising afternoon
This Tuesday, sees the Year 5/6 children doing their annual fundraising event for the Nugent Care Society. The children will be allowed to purchase bric-a-brac items, as well as taking part in games and events. It would be helpful if the children could bring in their loose change in a sealed, named envelope or purse. Many thanks for this.
Website
I hope that you have found the school website useful and easy to navigate to the websites needed to support your child’s learning. We are hoping to use the school website as a 'one-stop-shop' for the information you receive on the blogs every week so if you have any suggestions please let us know what would be useful to you.
Good Luck
I am sure you will join us in wishing Mrs Morgan the best of luck as she begins her maternity leave on Thursday. More baby news will follow shortly.
All that is left to say, is to thank all of you for your support this term and to wish you all a very happy and holy Easter.
I will see you in person on the first day back!!!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Egg-cellent
Hi there
Well only a week and a bit until I have to get ready for my return and I can’t wait to see how much the children have come on. This week therefore will be used to consolidate the learning objectives from last weeks blog and assess the children’s learning ready for my return to ensure continuity and progression in their learning for the start of the Summer term.
Please refer back to the previous blogs from this half term and the last half term to see what the children will be assessed on.
Please also visit our school website www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and use the foundation stage tab on the left-hand tool bar to access weblinks linked to the children’s learning.
FOSV
Many thanks for your response to the Go 4 Gold scheme. The closing date has now been extended to 7th April to allow you to ask friends and grandparents if they have any 'old gold.'
The Friends have now organised the Bag 2 School scheme. You will have received a blue plastic bag on Friday, which we would like you to fill with clothing, bedding, curtains, soft toys, shoes, belts, handbags etc. Please could we ask that the bag DOES NOT contain any BRIC-A-BRAC. The bags then need to be returned to school ON WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL. As we have no storage space for these in school, please could we ask that they are not returned before this day. Many thanks for this.
STRIPES and SPOTS day
This Friday, we will be having a stripes and spots day, arranged by Mrs Walker. We are asking all the children to dress in STRIPES or SPOTS and for this, to donate £1. Mrs Walker is currently 'in training' for The Great North Run in September and she is raising money for the Arthritis Research Campaign and hopes that we can all support her in this cause. Ooh, the children might even support her running training this week in our PE lessons!
Some advance notice...
You will have received a letter a few weeks ago, informing you of our Easter celebrations. Just as a reminder –
EASTER BONNETS – the children will be having their annual Easter bonnet parade in the last week, so start getting creative now! Prizes will go the bonnets which display both creativity and evidence of the children’s own work.
EGG ROLLING – this too will take place in the last week, but please try to do this just one day in advance – 120 children – one hall – 120 hard-boiled eggs...mmm...need I say more!!
Yellow Woods AppealThe school is still collecting front covers of your old yellow pages. The closing date will be Thursday 9th April.Sainsbury's Vouchers/Tesco VouchersThe school is collecting both Sainsbury's and Tesco vouchers to try and extend it's range of resources. The collection boxes are in the Key Stage 1 area.
That's it for this week. See you all very soon
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Well only a week and a bit until I have to get ready for my return and I can’t wait to see how much the children have come on. This week therefore will be used to consolidate the learning objectives from last weeks blog and assess the children’s learning ready for my return to ensure continuity and progression in their learning for the start of the Summer term.
Please refer back to the previous blogs from this half term and the last half term to see what the children will be assessed on.
Please also visit our school website www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and use the foundation stage tab on the left-hand tool bar to access weblinks linked to the children’s learning.
FOSV
Many thanks for your response to the Go 4 Gold scheme. The closing date has now been extended to 7th April to allow you to ask friends and grandparents if they have any 'old gold.'
The Friends have now organised the Bag 2 School scheme. You will have received a blue plastic bag on Friday, which we would like you to fill with clothing, bedding, curtains, soft toys, shoes, belts, handbags etc. Please could we ask that the bag DOES NOT contain any BRIC-A-BRAC. The bags then need to be returned to school ON WEDNESDAY 29TH APRIL. As we have no storage space for these in school, please could we ask that they are not returned before this day. Many thanks for this.
STRIPES and SPOTS day
This Friday, we will be having a stripes and spots day, arranged by Mrs Walker. We are asking all the children to dress in STRIPES or SPOTS and for this, to donate £1. Mrs Walker is currently 'in training' for The Great North Run in September and she is raising money for the Arthritis Research Campaign and hopes that we can all support her in this cause. Ooh, the children might even support her running training this week in our PE lessons!
Some advance notice...
You will have received a letter a few weeks ago, informing you of our Easter celebrations. Just as a reminder –
EASTER BONNETS – the children will be having their annual Easter bonnet parade in the last week, so start getting creative now! Prizes will go the bonnets which display both creativity and evidence of the children’s own work.
EGG ROLLING – this too will take place in the last week, but please try to do this just one day in advance – 120 children – one hall – 120 hard-boiled eggs...mmm...need I say more!!
Yellow Woods AppealThe school is still collecting front covers of your old yellow pages. The closing date will be Thursday 9th April.Sainsbury's Vouchers/Tesco VouchersThe school is collecting both Sainsbury's and Tesco vouchers to try and extend it's range of resources. The collection boxes are in the Key Stage 1 area.
That's it for this week. See you all very soon
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Sunday, March 22, 2009
How is it growing?
Hi there!
As the end of the half term is approaching they have lots to do this week! So here goes...
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST – to consolidate all letters and sounds learnt so far and use the in writing CVC words
SHOULD - learn oi, ur and ear and incorporate these in their writing
COULD – learn oi, ur and ear and incorporate these when writing simple sentences.
How are you doing with the high frequency words? Remember not long until we finish for Easter and the children need to really have them under their belts if they are to achieve the Early learning Goals for Reading. Keeping going! I bought Faith some foam letters from the supermarket to practise spelling them in the bath. She’s more interested in them now and you get to save time.
The children will have the opportunity to apply their writing skills through the castle booklets and Giant’s menus in the writing area. They could also write an invitation to Sleeping Beauty.
Problem-Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
The children will be making their own snakes and ladders game and playing a fishing game to support their learning. This was planned for last week but time just flew away with us! By the end of the week, the children:
MUST - be able to combine two sets of objects and find out how many by counting
SHOULD – be able to take a smaller number away from a larger number and say how many are left
COULD – be able to take a smaller number away from a larger number and say how many are left up to 30
TOPIC
The children will consolidate the topic with the planting bulbs and seeds. They will observe daffodils and use junk materials to make a daffodil. They will continue to create the most beautiful Easter card you have ever received and decorate pots for their beans. Plus much much more…
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS –
Could we ask that if anyone has any ACTIMEL bottles at home, please send them in for an exciting project!
Also, the children are investigating the theme of Growing as part of their Here I Am lessons. We would be grateful if you would be willing to send in any baby clothes that you may have at home, or any baby photographs. The children should be able to build up a visual picture of just how much they have grown since their babygrow days!
I think that is all for now, except to say check out the school website
www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk. Click on the Foundation Stage Link and enjoy lots of activities to support your child’s learning.
Have a great week!The Foundation Stage Team xxx
As the end of the half term is approaching they have lots to do this week! So here goes...
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST – to consolidate all letters and sounds learnt so far and use the in writing CVC words
SHOULD - learn oi, ur and ear and incorporate these in their writing
COULD – learn oi, ur and ear and incorporate these when writing simple sentences.
How are you doing with the high frequency words? Remember not long until we finish for Easter and the children need to really have them under their belts if they are to achieve the Early learning Goals for Reading. Keeping going! I bought Faith some foam letters from the supermarket to practise spelling them in the bath. She’s more interested in them now and you get to save time.
The children will have the opportunity to apply their writing skills through the castle booklets and Giant’s menus in the writing area. They could also write an invitation to Sleeping Beauty.
Problem-Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
The children will be making their own snakes and ladders game and playing a fishing game to support their learning. This was planned for last week but time just flew away with us! By the end of the week, the children:
MUST - be able to combine two sets of objects and find out how many by counting
SHOULD – be able to take a smaller number away from a larger number and say how many are left
COULD – be able to take a smaller number away from a larger number and say how many are left up to 30
TOPIC
The children will consolidate the topic with the planting bulbs and seeds. They will observe daffodils and use junk materials to make a daffodil. They will continue to create the most beautiful Easter card you have ever received and decorate pots for their beans. Plus much much more…
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS –
Could we ask that if anyone has any ACTIMEL bottles at home, please send them in for an exciting project!
Also, the children are investigating the theme of Growing as part of their Here I Am lessons. We would be grateful if you would be willing to send in any baby clothes that you may have at home, or any baby photographs. The children should be able to build up a visual picture of just how much they have grown since their babygrow days!
I think that is all for now, except to say check out the school website
www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk. Click on the Foundation Stage Link and enjoy lots of activities to support your child’s learning.
Have a great week!The Foundation Stage Team xxx
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Hi there!
Well it is only a few more weeks until Easter and this week the children will start their new Here I Am topic of GROWING. This, as you know, has been a theme of their learning for the last few weeks. However, in Here I Am, the children will learn to:
RECOGNISE that people grow
REFLECT on the ways they have grown, and
RESPECT and appreciate how they have changed
You may wish to get out some old photographs and help the children see how they have changed and grown. Even better would be to get some photographs of yourself and the changes in your appearance as you have grown older. Better still get the children’s grandparents involved,
Spring Walk
To support this theme we will also be taking the children on a Spring Walk to look for signs of growth. There will be a label in your child’s diaries on Monday to give permission for the children to go on a walk around the local area. We would like to take the children out on Tuesday, so please sign it on Monday evening, as children cannot be taken out of school without permission. Could children please bring raincoats and wellies for our walk around the area – just in case!
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children continue with their phonics as we now move into pushing the children in their writing. By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise the letters and sounds learnt so far and to incorporate these into writing CVC words
SHOULD begin to recognise or, oa and ea, and begin to use them to create words
COULD know ar, oa, or and ow and to incorporate these into their writing
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of PHONICS websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
You will also notice that we have websites to support the learning of the high frequency words. Please make use of these websites as they are an interesting way to develop the acquisition of these very important words.
High Frequency Words
Talking of high frequency words, when the children have been assessed on their reading over the last few weeks, the staff have noticed that it is their ability to recognise the high frequency words on sight, that is the final hurdle to helping them move on. Just 5 minutes each day will really help to give your child a boost and could make all the difference! Many thanks in anticipation of your support in this. If you have misplaced the copies of the high frequency words given to you in December please call in and collect a fresh copy from a member of the team. Thanks.
Problem-Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
The children will be continuing with their understanding of calculations. By the end of the week, the children:
Well it is only a few more weeks until Easter and this week the children will start their new Here I Am topic of GROWING. This, as you know, has been a theme of their learning for the last few weeks. However, in Here I Am, the children will learn to:
RECOGNISE that people grow
REFLECT on the ways they have grown, and
RESPECT and appreciate how they have changed
You may wish to get out some old photographs and help the children see how they have changed and grown. Even better would be to get some photographs of yourself and the changes in your appearance as you have grown older. Better still get the children’s grandparents involved,
Spring Walk
To support this theme we will also be taking the children on a Spring Walk to look for signs of growth. There will be a label in your child’s diaries on Monday to give permission for the children to go on a walk around the local area. We would like to take the children out on Tuesday, so please sign it on Monday evening, as children cannot be taken out of school without permission. Could children please bring raincoats and wellies for our walk around the area – just in case!
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children continue with their phonics as we now move into pushing the children in their writing. By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise the letters and sounds learnt so far and to incorporate these into writing CVC words
SHOULD begin to recognise or, oa and ea, and begin to use them to create words
COULD know ar, oa, or and ow and to incorporate these into their writing
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of PHONICS websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
You will also notice that we have websites to support the learning of the high frequency words. Please make use of these websites as they are an interesting way to develop the acquisition of these very important words.
High Frequency Words
Talking of high frequency words, when the children have been assessed on their reading over the last few weeks, the staff have noticed that it is their ability to recognise the high frequency words on sight, that is the final hurdle to helping them move on. Just 5 minutes each day will really help to give your child a boost and could make all the difference! Many thanks in anticipation of your support in this. If you have misplaced the copies of the high frequency words given to you in December please call in and collect a fresh copy from a member of the team. Thanks.
Problem-Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
The children will be continuing with their understanding of calculations. By the end of the week, the children:
SHOULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to solve an addition equation
COULD begin to compare two sets of objects to solve subtraction problems
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally PROBLEM-SOLVING, REASONING AND NUMERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of ADDITION and SUBTRACTION websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
Role-Play
We are currently developing our role-play area into a flower shop. If you have any unwanted silk flowers you could donate to us that would be fantastic. Also, on my return I hope to develop a gardening area outside of our classroom. If you have any seeds, bulbs and planters you could donate to us that would be really appreciated.
Recommended reading
As part of our drive to raise standards in reading, particularly fostering a life-long love of reading for boys, we are currently compiling a list of recommended reads for each age phase. We aim to recommend many more titles, for when you are browsing in Borders at the weekend, but for our age group, we recommend this:
We’re off to look for Aliens by Colin McNaughton
A fantastic book! Faith loved this when we shared it so it’s a hit with the girls too. If you do read this with your child, please do let us know what you think by leaving a comment on this blog, or send us an e-mail through the Foundation Stage pages on http://www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk/
Friends of St. Vincent’s
Once again, the Friends are working hard to raise funds for some great new playground equipment for the benefit of our children, and so they are organising a GO 4 GOLD SCHEME. Any old/unwanted gold can help us to raise funds. On Friday, you should have received an envelope to put the gold in and we would ask that these are returned as soon as possible and no later than THURSDAY 26TH MARCH.
In order to prevent the children from just ‘helping themselves’ to your finest jewellery, we need you to sign the envelope and complete some information on the envelope. Unfortunately, we will not be able to accept the gold without it. If your child’s name and class is on the envelope too, their name will be entered into an Easter draw, to will a HUGE Easter Egg! I think this may have prompted the GOLD search on Friday evening! As an idea of the amount which could be raised, if every child in school brought just one small stud earring, school would raise approximately £1600!
There will also be an Easter raffle held, to win an Easter Egg and a cuddly toy. Tickets cost 50p per strip and are available from the school office. The draw for this, will take place on 9th April.
Mass
We will also be celebrating Mass in the hall this Thursday at 9.15am, on the theme on Reconciliation. You are most welcome to join us. If you would like to leave any pushchairs in the infant area during Mass, please feel free to do so.
Children in Year 5 will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time this Wednesday, in an Away Day at St. Joseph’s Church. I am sure you will join us, in remembering them in our thoughts and prayers this week.
That's all for this week!
Take care
The Foundation Stage Team xxx
Sunday, March 08, 2009
Let's Grow!!
Hi there!
Hope you are all well. Time is flying and very soon I will be getting ready for school myself on a Sunday evening. The children have lots to do this week so here goes!
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children continue with their phonics as we now move into pushing the children in their writing. By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise the letters and sounds learnt so far and to incorporate these into writing CVC words
SHOULD begin to recognise ar, oa, or and ow and use them to create words
COULD know ar, oa, or and ow and to incorporate these into their writing
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of PHONICS websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
You will also notice that we have websites to support the learning of the high frequency words. Please make use of these websites as they are an interesting way to develop the acquisition of these very important words.
Problem-Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
The children will be continuing with their understanding of calculations. By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to understand the concept of one more and one less
SHOULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to solve an addition equation
COULD begin to compare two sets of objects to solve subtraction problems
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally PROBLEM-SOLVING, REASONING AND NUMERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of ADDITION and SUBTRACTION websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
As the children will be creating something special to celebrate Mother’s Day, they will be consolidating what they have learned about patterns. By following the same path on the school website and scrolling down to PATTERN MAKING you can access lots of great websites on patterns.
It may be worth saving this as your favourites and we hope to use the school website as a tool for all making links with all areas of the learning.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
In this area of learning the children will learn about and identify some features of living things, objects and events they observe. They will focus on observing the plant growth of their beans, completing observational drawings and paintings of flowers, as well as looking at growth in the natural environment. You may wish to support this by growing some seeds of your own at home and letting your child observe them.
Here I am
By the end of the week, the children will understand that worshipping as a group in church can make both us and God happy.
And the rest…
· Sharing your child’s reading books with them is a very special time for you both. Please can you remember to comment on the experience and how your child responded. Thanks for your co-operation.
· Yellow Woods challenge. Thank you for your response so far, but keep sending them in. Please remember that we just need the front page and the rest of it can be recycled in your blue bin at home.
· Science week is coming up and the children will be taking part in a number of competitions and activities. We would to have any parents in school to give a talk to the children, so if your job involves any aspect of science, please do let any member of the team know. The Travelling Science Show will be coming to school on Friday 20th March and we will be investigating the topic of Light and Sound.
· The Methodist Church car park will have limited parking next week, as they will be beginning demolition work.
· The Friends of St Vincent’s Craft Fayre raised £300 last Sunday. Many thanks for your support.
· Easter is fast approaching and the children make Easter bonnets. I’d recommend that you get off to hobby craft as soon as possible before it all goes! Further details will be sent to you via a letter from school.
That’s all for this week.
Have a great one!!
Hope you are all well. Time is flying and very soon I will be getting ready for school myself on a Sunday evening. The children have lots to do this week so here goes!
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children continue with their phonics as we now move into pushing the children in their writing. By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise the letters and sounds learnt so far and to incorporate these into writing CVC words
SHOULD begin to recognise ar, oa, or and ow and use them to create words
COULD know ar, oa, or and ow and to incorporate these into their writing
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of PHONICS websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
You will also notice that we have websites to support the learning of the high frequency words. Please make use of these websites as they are an interesting way to develop the acquisition of these very important words.
Problem-Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
The children will be continuing with their understanding of calculations. By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to understand the concept of one more and one less
SHOULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to solve an addition equation
COULD begin to compare two sets of objects to solve subtraction problems
Click on www.stvincentsprimary.co.uk and then FOUNDATION, and then WEBLINKS and finally PROBLEM-SOLVING, REASONING AND NUMERACY on the navigation bar on the left. Scroll down and you will find lots of ADDITION and SUBTRACTION websites. Simply click on the links and you will be taken to the website of your choice.
As the children will be creating something special to celebrate Mother’s Day, they will be consolidating what they have learned about patterns. By following the same path on the school website and scrolling down to PATTERN MAKING you can access lots of great websites on patterns.
It may be worth saving this as your favourites and we hope to use the school website as a tool for all making links with all areas of the learning.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
In this area of learning the children will learn about and identify some features of living things, objects and events they observe. They will focus on observing the plant growth of their beans, completing observational drawings and paintings of flowers, as well as looking at growth in the natural environment. You may wish to support this by growing some seeds of your own at home and letting your child observe them.
Here I am
By the end of the week, the children will understand that worshipping as a group in church can make both us and God happy.
And the rest…
· Sharing your child’s reading books with them is a very special time for you both. Please can you remember to comment on the experience and how your child responded. Thanks for your co-operation.
· Yellow Woods challenge. Thank you for your response so far, but keep sending them in. Please remember that we just need the front page and the rest of it can be recycled in your blue bin at home.
· Science week is coming up and the children will be taking part in a number of competitions and activities. We would to have any parents in school to give a talk to the children, so if your job involves any aspect of science, please do let any member of the team know. The Travelling Science Show will be coming to school on Friday 20th March and we will be investigating the topic of Light and Sound.
· The Methodist Church car park will have limited parking next week, as they will be beginning demolition work.
· The Friends of St Vincent’s Craft Fayre raised £300 last Sunday. Many thanks for your support.
· Easter is fast approaching and the children make Easter bonnets. I’d recommend that you get off to hobby craft as soon as possible before it all goes! Further details will be sent to you via a letter from school.
That’s all for this week.
Have a great one!!
Sunday, March 01, 2009
TITCH!!
Hi there!
Welcome to this week’s blog.
PSRN
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to understand the concept of adding one more to a number
SHOULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to 5 and beyond
COULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to 10 and beyond
Over the years we have developed a way of supporting the children in their acquisition of the concept of addition by using a little mantra that goes like this:
COUNT, COUNT, TOGETHER, COUNT
The idea is that the children say the mantra to help them develop the sequence of counting out two sets, putting them together and then counting the totals.
Here are some websites you may wish to use to support your child:
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=8
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch1.shtml - remember to add this to your favourites then it can be used for subtraction also.
http://www.ictgames.com/10pipe.html - this is a good website for finding the magical pairs to 10
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/add1.html - put in a number and then add one more
CLL
MUST begin to use letters and sounds learnt so far to blend and segment simple CVC words
SHOULD begin to blend and segment using the phonemes ai, ee and igh
COULD incorporate words using phonemes learned so far when writing simple sentences
http://www.starfall.com/ - this is a great website. Perhaps make sure that your child focuses on the letters that they are working on for the week.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/load.htm?f - this has some of the different spelling patterns on.
Please remember to also practice those high frequency words and handwriting.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
The children will learn how to handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely with increasing control
· Parachute in PE games – co-ordination and gross motor skills
· Sewing – Easter cards
· Mother’s Day cards – painting
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
The children will develop their ability to work creatively on a large and small scale
· Easter card project will help improve fine motor skills (sewing)
KUW
The children will find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and events they observe.
· Reading ‘Titch’ the story
· Planting seeds and finding out what conditions they need for growth
· Looking at broad beans, spring blossom, hyacinth and crocus bulbs outside
Here I Am
The children will learn about what people do together in church. Perhaps you could visit St Joseph’s this week if you do not regularly attend already.
Additional information
· Tuesday is World Maths Day and the children will be doing lots of fun, practical activities to develop their maths skills.
· Please could you continue to support your child’s learning by helping them to write their full name in lower case? The children have been learning that although their name begins with a capital letter, the rest of their name is spelt in lower case. Thanks for your co-operation.
Mother’s Day Craft Fayre
Thank you for the contributions towards the Mother’s Day craft fayre at St.Joseph’s on Sunday from 11am-2pm. Many thanks for your generous donations from the non-uniform day yesterday.
Request
The children are more than half way through Foundation Stage now and are becoming gradually more independent. Could we ask that children come into school on their own in a morning, as we are getting quite a bit of congestion in the cloakrooms. This is resulting in a number of children being late for the register each morning and being unsettled for the start of the day.
Also, we have noticed a couple of polo shirts being worn. These are for the Summer term only, as are gingham dresses for the girls.
Could we also remind you, that bobbles, clips and hair bands should be black or blue. Visitors to our school always comment on the smartness of our children, so many thanks for your support with this.
I think that is all for this week!
Have a great one!
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Welcome to this week’s blog.
PSRN
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to understand the concept of adding one more to a number
SHOULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to 5 and beyond
COULD be able to combine 2 sets of objects to 10 and beyond
Over the years we have developed a way of supporting the children in their acquisition of the concept of addition by using a little mantra that goes like this:
COUNT, COUNT, TOGETHER, COUNT
The idea is that the children say the mantra to help them develop the sequence of counting out two sets, putting them together and then counting the totals.
Here are some websites you may wish to use to support your child:
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=8
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch1.shtml - remember to add this to your favourites then it can be used for subtraction also.
http://www.ictgames.com/10pipe.html - this is a good website for finding the magical pairs to 10
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/add1.html - put in a number and then add one more
CLL
MUST begin to use letters and sounds learnt so far to blend and segment simple CVC words
SHOULD begin to blend and segment using the phonemes ai, ee and igh
COULD incorporate words using phonemes learned so far when writing simple sentences
http://www.starfall.com/ - this is a great website. Perhaps make sure that your child focuses on the letters that they are working on for the week.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/load.htm?f - this has some of the different spelling patterns on.
Please remember to also practice those high frequency words and handwriting.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
The children will learn how to handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely with increasing control
· Parachute in PE games – co-ordination and gross motor skills
· Sewing – Easter cards
· Mother’s Day cards – painting
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
The children will develop their ability to work creatively on a large and small scale
· Easter card project will help improve fine motor skills (sewing)
KUW
The children will find out about and identify some features of living things, objects and events they observe.
· Reading ‘Titch’ the story
· Planting seeds and finding out what conditions they need for growth
· Looking at broad beans, spring blossom, hyacinth and crocus bulbs outside
Here I Am
The children will learn about what people do together in church. Perhaps you could visit St Joseph’s this week if you do not regularly attend already.
Additional information
· Tuesday is World Maths Day and the children will be doing lots of fun, practical activities to develop their maths skills.
· Please could you continue to support your child’s learning by helping them to write their full name in lower case? The children have been learning that although their name begins with a capital letter, the rest of their name is spelt in lower case. Thanks for your co-operation.
Mother’s Day Craft Fayre
Thank you for the contributions towards the Mother’s Day craft fayre at St.Joseph’s on Sunday from 11am-2pm. Many thanks for your generous donations from the non-uniform day yesterday.
Request
The children are more than half way through Foundation Stage now and are becoming gradually more independent. Could we ask that children come into school on their own in a morning, as we are getting quite a bit of congestion in the cloakrooms. This is resulting in a number of children being late for the register each morning and being unsettled for the start of the day.
Also, we have noticed a couple of polo shirts being worn. These are for the Summer term only, as are gingham dresses for the girls.
Could we also remind you, that bobbles, clips and hair bands should be black or blue. Visitors to our school always comment on the smartness of our children, so many thanks for your support with this.
I think that is all for this week!
Have a great one!
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Welcome back!
Hi there!
Well, I hope you have had a wonderful half term holiday and are raring to go for the last half term before I return. I can’t wait to see you all and have lots of fun activities up my sleeve.
Ash Wednesday
This week sees the start of Lent. We will be holding a short service in the hall to mark Ash Wednesday and the children will receive their ashes in the classrooms afterwards. Should you wish to receive ashes in school, please join us at 9am in the hall. As part of the Here I Am syllabus the children will be learning about LENT. We have a Good Shepherd box which we try to fill each year. The children can bring in little amounts of money they would usually spend on sweets to place in the box. This is then given to charity. To read about the traditions and customs of Ash Wednesday, go to http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/ashwednesday.htm
Of course this also means that we will be indulging in pancakes on Tuesday! Maybe the children could have a go at helping you make some on Tuesday evening and use their knowledge of how to write instructions to write the recipe down? http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/shrove.html has a great recipe on there for pancakes and also written instructions – how many of mine will stick to the pan I wonder?
So what else is going on this week?
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to know what a label and a diagram look like.
SHOULD be able to label a diagram
COULD be able to write out a caption to go with a diagram/photo.
This is an excellent opportunity to have a look in non-fiction books which boys in particular love to look at.
As always the children will be focussing on their phonics and I would ask that you look back at previous blogs for the different websites available to the children.
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to find one more than a no. to 6.
SHOULD be able to find one more than a no. to 10.
COULD be able to find one more than a no. to 10 and beyond.
Although the children have looked at this before, we aim to develop their mental recall of number facts. Perhaps you can also focus on one less as well and seeing how quickly they can recall the number.
Topic
The children will learn how to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. They will look at pancake mixture and how it changes at the different stages. The children will also be finishing off their rockets from last half term then they can adorn the ceiling of the classroom.
I think that is all for this week.
Have a good one!
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Teamxxx
Well, I hope you have had a wonderful half term holiday and are raring to go for the last half term before I return. I can’t wait to see you all and have lots of fun activities up my sleeve.
Ash Wednesday
This week sees the start of Lent. We will be holding a short service in the hall to mark Ash Wednesday and the children will receive their ashes in the classrooms afterwards. Should you wish to receive ashes in school, please join us at 9am in the hall. As part of the Here I Am syllabus the children will be learning about LENT. We have a Good Shepherd box which we try to fill each year. The children can bring in little amounts of money they would usually spend on sweets to place in the box. This is then given to charity. To read about the traditions and customs of Ash Wednesday, go to http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/ashwednesday.htm
Of course this also means that we will be indulging in pancakes on Tuesday! Maybe the children could have a go at helping you make some on Tuesday evening and use their knowledge of how to write instructions to write the recipe down? http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/shrove.html has a great recipe on there for pancakes and also written instructions – how many of mine will stick to the pan I wonder?
So what else is going on this week?
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to know what a label and a diagram look like.
SHOULD be able to label a diagram
COULD be able to write out a caption to go with a diagram/photo.
This is an excellent opportunity to have a look in non-fiction books which boys in particular love to look at.
As always the children will be focussing on their phonics and I would ask that you look back at previous blogs for the different websites available to the children.
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to find one more than a no. to 6.
SHOULD be able to find one more than a no. to 10.
COULD be able to find one more than a no. to 10 and beyond.
Although the children have looked at this before, we aim to develop their mental recall of number facts. Perhaps you can also focus on one less as well and seeing how quickly they can recall the number.
Topic
The children will learn how to ask questions about why things happen and how things work. They will look at pancake mixture and how it changes at the different stages. The children will also be finishing off their rockets from last half term then they can adorn the ceiling of the classroom.
I think that is all for this week.
Have a good one!
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Teamxxx
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Heavy or light?
Hi there!
Can you believe your child is half way through their first year in school?
I hope you all enjoyed the snowy weather. I was so excited for all the children when I thought of all the fun they could be having!! Ms Sammon said that it helped to reinforce the mathematical language related to weight as they were able to get out the sledge and do some practical activities outdoors. Fantastic!!
http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/snowman/load.htm?f&n=main - I found this the children may like to play on!
Can I also thank those of you who supported the book fair last week. I look forward to seeing the photographs of all the children dressed up. The fair raised over a thousand pounds, of which we receive 60% commission to purchase books for our school library. I am sure you join me in thanking the hard working staff who ran the book fair every night. Many thanks also for the generous donations to our class book area. I can’t wait to read them!
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
As the theme of weight was touched on last week, the children will continue to develop their understanding of this form of measurement this week. Therefore, by the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise objects which are heavy and light;
SHOULD be able to use and understand the mathematical language such as heavier and lighter when comparing two masses;
COULd be able to use and understand the mathematical language such as heavier and lighter when comparing three or more masses, ordering objects from heaviest to lightest.
This is a website you could use but nothing beats actually using household objects to measure weight. You will not have the pan balance we have but if you choose obviously heavy and light objects then holding one in each hand will give the children experience of heavy and light. I would suggest that you focus on the language as much as possible.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=fruitbalance3 - this is a great website. Click on the questions at the bottom and then use the scales to find the answer.
Communication, Language and Literacy
In this area of learning the children will be focussing on writing sentences. This does not happen easily for children and as a parent I would suggest you focus on ensuring your child always answers in a sentence. If you would like to support your child in writing a sentence then first of all get them to rehearse it orally aloud. I often use the mantra ‘THINK IT, SAY IT, WRITE IT’ as a means of helping the children to know the sequence for writing.
In phonics, by the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to say the name and sound of the letters they have been taught so far and identify them in words;
SHOULD be able to hear and recognise the diagraphs ‘sh’, ‘th’ and ‘ch’ and the ‘ng’ sound in words;
COULD be able to hear and recognise the diagraphs ‘sh’, ‘th’ and ‘ch’ and the ‘ng’ sound in words and use them in their writing.
http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/th/load.htm?f - this focuses on ‘th’
http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/sh/load.htm?f - this focuses on ‘sh’
http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/ch/load.htm?f - this focuses on ‘ch’
http://www.ictgames.com/phonemePopLS_v2.html - this is a great game. The children must fire at the phonemes ‘ch’, ‘th’ and ‘sh’. You can also go to the home page and select the letters your child needs to work on. My little girl, Faith, loved this and played for hours leaving time for me to do the ironing! Mmm…
http://www.ictgames.com/LettersSounds_bingo_cards.pdf - download the bingo cards and have a play with the words. This is great for developing blending skills.
High frequency words
After half term there will only 7 weeks until I finish my maternity leave! How fast it has flown. What I’d love to see on my return is the children doing really well with their high frequency words. Ideally I would love for the children to be able to read and spell the words from the term one and term two list at the least. I know children are at different rates so DO NOT panic if your child will not achieve this. However, little and often practice is best. Here are some websites that may make life easier.
http://www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html
http://www.ictgames.com/wordreader.html - there are some harder words for those children capable of reading more than the first two terms.
http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html - if you type in the key words you wish your child to focus on then it can be personalised to your child’s learning
Please be aware that as a parent of a reception child I too have the task of getting my child to learn the high frequency words. Sometimes it requires medication afterwards!! Please stick with it as the words are the foundations of your child’s reading development.
Handwriting Homework
Thank you to all the parents who support their child every week in the formation of the letters. This can often be a difficult task for the children to do and finding the right time to do it with them is equally as taxing. I would suggest one line per night rather than it all in one sitting. Perhaps practice on paper first or on an etcha-sketch if you have one. Please keep at it as this will help your child develop their writing skills. Imagine trying to write with your left hand if you are right handed. Have a go! A child who struggles with their pencil control encounters that frustration every time they write so it’s well worth the effort. Perhaps play with playdough or do some colouring to build the muscles to support pencil control.
Here I Am
We move onto the next topic of ‘COMMUNION’. This week the children will learn to:
Recognise that being together makes people happy.
Reflect on all that they do with others which makes them happy.
Respect Appreciate how many things they do with others, the happiness this brings them.
I think that is all for this week. Enjoy the last week of the half term.
Take care
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xx
Can you believe your child is half way through their first year in school?
I hope you all enjoyed the snowy weather. I was so excited for all the children when I thought of all the fun they could be having!! Ms Sammon said that it helped to reinforce the mathematical language related to weight as they were able to get out the sledge and do some practical activities outdoors. Fantastic!!
http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/snowman/load.htm?f&n=main - I found this the children may like to play on!
Can I also thank those of you who supported the book fair last week. I look forward to seeing the photographs of all the children dressed up. The fair raised over a thousand pounds, of which we receive 60% commission to purchase books for our school library. I am sure you join me in thanking the hard working staff who ran the book fair every night. Many thanks also for the generous donations to our class book area. I can’t wait to read them!
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
As the theme of weight was touched on last week, the children will continue to develop their understanding of this form of measurement this week. Therefore, by the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise objects which are heavy and light;
SHOULD be able to use and understand the mathematical language such as heavier and lighter when comparing two masses;
COULd be able to use and understand the mathematical language such as heavier and lighter when comparing three or more masses, ordering objects from heaviest to lightest.
This is a website you could use but nothing beats actually using household objects to measure weight. You will not have the pan balance we have but if you choose obviously heavy and light objects then holding one in each hand will give the children experience of heavy and light. I would suggest that you focus on the language as much as possible.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=fruitbalance3 - this is a great website. Click on the questions at the bottom and then use the scales to find the answer.
Communication, Language and Literacy
In this area of learning the children will be focussing on writing sentences. This does not happen easily for children and as a parent I would suggest you focus on ensuring your child always answers in a sentence. If you would like to support your child in writing a sentence then first of all get them to rehearse it orally aloud. I often use the mantra ‘THINK IT, SAY IT, WRITE IT’ as a means of helping the children to know the sequence for writing.
In phonics, by the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to say the name and sound of the letters they have been taught so far and identify them in words;
SHOULD be able to hear and recognise the diagraphs ‘sh’, ‘th’ and ‘ch’ and the ‘ng’ sound in words;
COULD be able to hear and recognise the diagraphs ‘sh’, ‘th’ and ‘ch’ and the ‘ng’ sound in words and use them in their writing.
http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/th/load.htm?f - this focuses on ‘th’
http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/sh/load.htm?f - this focuses on ‘sh’
http://www.starfall.com/n/skills/ch/load.htm?f - this focuses on ‘ch’
http://www.ictgames.com/phonemePopLS_v2.html - this is a great game. The children must fire at the phonemes ‘ch’, ‘th’ and ‘sh’. You can also go to the home page and select the letters your child needs to work on. My little girl, Faith, loved this and played for hours leaving time for me to do the ironing! Mmm…
http://www.ictgames.com/LettersSounds_bingo_cards.pdf - download the bingo cards and have a play with the words. This is great for developing blending skills.
High frequency words
After half term there will only 7 weeks until I finish my maternity leave! How fast it has flown. What I’d love to see on my return is the children doing really well with their high frequency words. Ideally I would love for the children to be able to read and spell the words from the term one and term two list at the least. I know children are at different rates so DO NOT panic if your child will not achieve this. However, little and often practice is best. Here are some websites that may make life easier.
http://www.ictgames.com/plankgameR.html
http://www.ictgames.com/wordreader.html - there are some harder words for those children capable of reading more than the first two terms.
http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html - if you type in the key words you wish your child to focus on then it can be personalised to your child’s learning
Please be aware that as a parent of a reception child I too have the task of getting my child to learn the high frequency words. Sometimes it requires medication afterwards!! Please stick with it as the words are the foundations of your child’s reading development.
Handwriting Homework
Thank you to all the parents who support their child every week in the formation of the letters. This can often be a difficult task for the children to do and finding the right time to do it with them is equally as taxing. I would suggest one line per night rather than it all in one sitting. Perhaps practice on paper first or on an etcha-sketch if you have one. Please keep at it as this will help your child develop their writing skills. Imagine trying to write with your left hand if you are right handed. Have a go! A child who struggles with their pencil control encounters that frustration every time they write so it’s well worth the effort. Perhaps play with playdough or do some colouring to build the muscles to support pencil control.
Here I Am
We move onto the next topic of ‘COMMUNION’. This week the children will learn to:
Recognise that being together makes people happy.
Reflect on all that they do with others which makes them happy.
Respect Appreciate how many things they do with others, the happiness this brings them.
I think that is all for this week. Enjoy the last week of the half term.
Take care
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xx
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Are we sitting comfortably...?
By the title of this week’s blog, you should be able to guess what is happening in school this week...yes, it’s Bookweek!
On Friday, the Book Fair arrived in school and the children had the opportunity to browse through the books which are available. I am sure they came out at home time with a long list of the books that they would love! By buying a book for your child at the Book fair, you could really give their enthusiasm for reading a boost. If they get to choose a book they can keep, they will try so hard with their reading skills. It may even encourage them to want to read even more, which would be fantastic!
The book fair will be open every evening during this week, from 3.00-3.45pm and there are plenty of books which are appropriate for our children. Why not choose a book together and use it as a bedtime story each night this week? For every book that is purchased at the fair, the school earns commission, enabling us to add to our school stocks.
Friday is a busy day this week, with lots to remember! We have asked that the whole school come dressed as a character from a book. The children do not have to wear uniform on that day, but please remember that they may need a warm jumper to put on over the top of their costumes for playtimes.
The costume needn't be complicated nor expensive. It would also support the development of your child’s fine motor skills, if they help you make some props for their costumes from any 'junk' materials that you may have at home...
· a cardboard tube - sword - how else can the handsome prince cut down the vines to rescue the princess?
· a cereal box - cut up, this could become a shield, a crown; a wand
· foil - this can cover any of the above props, to transform anyone into a fairy godmother
Also on Friday, the Friends of St Vincent’s are holding a cake sale at 3pm in the hall. This is a great opportunity to have a cake and browse the book fair! In order for this to be a success, they have asked for cake donations to be sent into school on Friday morning. If you do send in a container from, could we ask that you label it with your name so that it may be returned to you. Thanks.
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children will be listening to a different story every day this week as part of our book week activities. Why not try to be letter and sound detectives at home this week and play a game of ‘I spy’ with the letters and sounds in their home reader. The children will love the competitive nature of this and will want to beat your score! See if your child can show you the movement associated with each sound, which is taught in class.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to name and sound the letters learned so far
SHOULD be able to use all the letters taught so far to blend and segment when reading and writing.
COULD be able to read and write captions containing words with these letters.
NEW - http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/flags.html this is a brilliant game. Choose the vowel you want to have in the middle of the words and then put the flags on the sandcastles to make the word said by the computer.
NEW http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/teddybearPicnic_v2.html - a good website for matching lower case and upper case letters.
http://www.starfall.com/ - The children are doing well with their letter sound and name recognition so why not try out the vowels at the bottom of the page to help them use them in words.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
Problem-solving, reasoning and numeracy
The focus for this week will mainly be on the use of comparative language. When comparing size we use the language big and small. When specifically talking about height we use tall and short. Many children confuse tall and big. Any support you can give towards this is really appreciated. Thanks.
Maybe you could get your child to help to organise the kitchen cupboards after shopping this week. Ask them to put the tallest objects at the back and the shortest objects at the front. See if they can suggest a reason why they should do this.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to identify objects that are tall and short.
SHOULD be able to order up to three objects in order of height saying which is the tallest, which is taller and which is shorter/shortest.
COULD be able to compare the heights of a range of objects and use other language to compare and describe the size.
Here are some websites to support you:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/numeracy/numbers/index.shtml - This is a good website for reviewing addition and subtraction even though we are not working on it directly at the moment.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/big_small/eng/Introduction/default.htm - looks at big and small.
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/apple.html - a lovely website introducing small, medium and large’
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/docs/shortesttotallest.doc - print out and order at home.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/sizeordering.swfhttp://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=compare-order7 - fab!
Here I Am
We move on to our new topic of Communion this week with the children.
By the end of the week, they children will:
Recognise that being together makes people happy
Reflect on the things they do that makes other people happy
Respect and appreciate that being with others brings them happiness
Maybe you could have a look through any photographs which you have at home, of any family celebrations you have been to. Talk with your child about how they felt when they were there and maybe they can identify how the people there made them feel.
Well, it looks like another busy week in Foundation Stage! Look forward to seeing you at the bookfair !
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
On Friday, the Book Fair arrived in school and the children had the opportunity to browse through the books which are available. I am sure they came out at home time with a long list of the books that they would love! By buying a book for your child at the Book fair, you could really give their enthusiasm for reading a boost. If they get to choose a book they can keep, they will try so hard with their reading skills. It may even encourage them to want to read even more, which would be fantastic!
The book fair will be open every evening during this week, from 3.00-3.45pm and there are plenty of books which are appropriate for our children. Why not choose a book together and use it as a bedtime story each night this week? For every book that is purchased at the fair, the school earns commission, enabling us to add to our school stocks.
Friday is a busy day this week, with lots to remember! We have asked that the whole school come dressed as a character from a book. The children do not have to wear uniform on that day, but please remember that they may need a warm jumper to put on over the top of their costumes for playtimes.
The costume needn't be complicated nor expensive. It would also support the development of your child’s fine motor skills, if they help you make some props for their costumes from any 'junk' materials that you may have at home...
· a cardboard tube - sword - how else can the handsome prince cut down the vines to rescue the princess?
· a cereal box - cut up, this could become a shield, a crown; a wand
· foil - this can cover any of the above props, to transform anyone into a fairy godmother
Also on Friday, the Friends of St Vincent’s are holding a cake sale at 3pm in the hall. This is a great opportunity to have a cake and browse the book fair! In order for this to be a success, they have asked for cake donations to be sent into school on Friday morning. If you do send in a container from, could we ask that you label it with your name so that it may be returned to you. Thanks.
Communication, Language and Literacy
The children will be listening to a different story every day this week as part of our book week activities. Why not try to be letter and sound detectives at home this week and play a game of ‘I spy’ with the letters and sounds in their home reader. The children will love the competitive nature of this and will want to beat your score! See if your child can show you the movement associated with each sound, which is taught in class.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to name and sound the letters learned so far
SHOULD be able to use all the letters taught so far to blend and segment when reading and writing.
COULD be able to read and write captions containing words with these letters.
NEW - http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/flags.html this is a brilliant game. Choose the vowel you want to have in the middle of the words and then put the flags on the sandcastles to make the word said by the computer.
NEW http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/teddybearPicnic_v2.html - a good website for matching lower case and upper case letters.
http://www.starfall.com/ - The children are doing well with their letter sound and name recognition so why not try out the vowels at the bottom of the page to help them use them in words.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
Problem-solving, reasoning and numeracy
The focus for this week will mainly be on the use of comparative language. When comparing size we use the language big and small. When specifically talking about height we use tall and short. Many children confuse tall and big. Any support you can give towards this is really appreciated. Thanks.
Maybe you could get your child to help to organise the kitchen cupboards after shopping this week. Ask them to put the tallest objects at the back and the shortest objects at the front. See if they can suggest a reason why they should do this.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to identify objects that are tall and short.
SHOULD be able to order up to three objects in order of height saying which is the tallest, which is taller and which is shorter/shortest.
COULD be able to compare the heights of a range of objects and use other language to compare and describe the size.
Here are some websites to support you:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/numeracy/numbers/index.shtml - This is a good website for reviewing addition and subtraction even though we are not working on it directly at the moment.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/big_small/eng/Introduction/default.htm - looks at big and small.
http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/apple.html - a lovely website introducing small, medium and large’
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/docs/shortesttotallest.doc - print out and order at home.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/sizeordering.swfhttp://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=compare-order7 - fab!
Here I Am
We move on to our new topic of Communion this week with the children.
By the end of the week, they children will:
Recognise that being together makes people happy
Reflect on the things they do that makes other people happy
Respect and appreciate that being with others brings them happiness
Maybe you could have a look through any photographs which you have at home, of any family celebrations you have been to. Talk with your child about how they felt when they were there and maybe they can identify how the people there made them feel.
Well, it looks like another busy week in Foundation Stage! Look forward to seeing you at the bookfair !
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Friday, January 23, 2009
Whatever Next!!!
Hi there!
I am sure the children had a wonderful time finding out all about the celebrations surrounding the Chinese New Year. I am really sad to have missed it, as I love doing the theme every year. Never mind. I’m sure Mrs Higgins and Mrs Latham cooked up a wonderful feast for everyone.
So what is in store for this week?
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to name and sound all the letters they have been taught so far.
SHOULD be able to name and sound the letters Qq, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy and Zz, being able to segment them when writing words containing them, and blend them when reading words.
COULD be able to use all the letters taught so far to blend and segment when reading and writing.
In order to support your child with these objectives I would suggest a browse back over previous blog spots and select websites focussing on the letters in question. The sheet I stuck in your child’s diary before I went on maternity leave should be of some use to you here. Any websites involving blending sounds and segmenting sounds should be a real focus now. I’d recommend this website!
http://www.ictgames.com/ladybird_v2.html - this can be extended to up to four sounds in words.
To link in with the topic of JOURNEYS and of course, the wonderful rockets that are being made, the children will be creating zig-zag books linked to the story of Whatever Next by Jill Murphy.
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise objects that are bigger, smaller, longer and shorter in practical everyday situations;
SHOULD be able to use and understand the language such as longer and shorter when comparing to set of up to three objects;
COULD be able to choose and explain their own criteria for sorting, and use comparative language in doing so.
Here are some great websites that you could use to support your child at home.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=3
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsE1.htm - you need to select the activities from the menu
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=compare-order7
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/big_small/eng/Introduction/default.htm
Perhaps at home you could compare the lengths of different everyday household items.
Physical Development
This week the children will develop their ability to handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control. In class the children will be doing sponge printing, continuing to make their model rockets and creating a city plan for vehicles. In addition to this, and to support them in their handwriting skills, the children will complete a range of fine motor skills activities. Please continue to practice the handwriting and colouring with your child.
Many thanks for the junk materials. We have plenty now but would like to thank you for all the recycling. I know what a mess it creates in your kitchens!
Creative Development
The children will use their imagination in art, design, music, dance, imaginative and role play. They will be using the text Rosie’s Walk to retell the story in PE. The role play areas will become a school room and a Chinese restaurant in order for them to consolidate their learning about the Chinese new year.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
The children will find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology, and use ICT and programmable toys to support their learning. In doing so, they will be using the Beebot robot to work out how far to a certain place, and the Roamer to develop their understanding of distance and directions.
Here I Am
The children will learn to reflect on the journeys that they and others make.
I think that’s all for this week.
Have a good one!
Miss you all very much but I will be calling in on Tuesday with Ellen for the children to see.
Take care
Jayne Narraway xx
I am sure the children had a wonderful time finding out all about the celebrations surrounding the Chinese New Year. I am really sad to have missed it, as I love doing the theme every year. Never mind. I’m sure Mrs Higgins and Mrs Latham cooked up a wonderful feast for everyone.
So what is in store for this week?
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to name and sound all the letters they have been taught so far.
SHOULD be able to name and sound the letters Qq, Vv, Ww, Xx, Yy and Zz, being able to segment them when writing words containing them, and blend them when reading words.
COULD be able to use all the letters taught so far to blend and segment when reading and writing.
In order to support your child with these objectives I would suggest a browse back over previous blog spots and select websites focussing on the letters in question. The sheet I stuck in your child’s diary before I went on maternity leave should be of some use to you here. Any websites involving blending sounds and segmenting sounds should be a real focus now. I’d recommend this website!
http://www.ictgames.com/ladybird_v2.html - this can be extended to up to four sounds in words.
To link in with the topic of JOURNEYS and of course, the wonderful rockets that are being made, the children will be creating zig-zag books linked to the story of Whatever Next by Jill Murphy.
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise objects that are bigger, smaller, longer and shorter in practical everyday situations;
SHOULD be able to use and understand the language such as longer and shorter when comparing to set of up to three objects;
COULD be able to choose and explain their own criteria for sorting, and use comparative language in doing so.
Here are some great websites that you could use to support your child at home.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=3
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsE1.htm - you need to select the activities from the menu
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=compare-order7
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/big_small/eng/Introduction/default.htm
Perhaps at home you could compare the lengths of different everyday household items.
Physical Development
This week the children will develop their ability to handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control. In class the children will be doing sponge printing, continuing to make their model rockets and creating a city plan for vehicles. In addition to this, and to support them in their handwriting skills, the children will complete a range of fine motor skills activities. Please continue to practice the handwriting and colouring with your child.
Many thanks for the junk materials. We have plenty now but would like to thank you for all the recycling. I know what a mess it creates in your kitchens!
Creative Development
The children will use their imagination in art, design, music, dance, imaginative and role play. They will be using the text Rosie’s Walk to retell the story in PE. The role play areas will become a school room and a Chinese restaurant in order for them to consolidate their learning about the Chinese new year.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
The children will find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology, and use ICT and programmable toys to support their learning. In doing so, they will be using the Beebot robot to work out how far to a certain place, and the Roamer to develop their understanding of distance and directions.
Here I Am
The children will learn to reflect on the journeys that they and others make.
I think that’s all for this week.
Have a good one!
Miss you all very much but I will be calling in on Tuesday with Ellen for the children to see.
Take care
Jayne Narraway xx
Monday, January 19, 2009
Kung Hey Fat Choy!!
Kung Hey Fat Choy!
Yes, this week the children will be learning about the traditions of the Chinese culture and in particular the Chinese New Year. We look forward to this week every year as it provides us with the opportunity to cover all areas of the curriculum in a really integrated and fun way.They will experience Chinese cuisine, even prepare and cook some for the rest of the class to share. On Thursday, we hope to invite the year 1 and 2 children into our classroom, which will have been set up like a restaurant, and serve them with some Chinese food.
The children will learn a poem by Meg Jones that goes to the tune of ‘Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross’.
Chinese New Year
The house must be clean,
The food all made ready
For a happy New Year.
With bangs and firecrackers
And lions that dance,
With dragons all fiery
To China we dance.
The children will use the poem as a stimulus to finding out about the Chinese dragon dances, the firecrackers and the tradition of cleaning houses and giving money. They will learn about how the years were named after the different animals.
Creative and Physical Development
The children will have the opportunity to listen to and respond to Chinese music. In dance they will learn how to keep to a beat alongside a drum in preparation for our very own dragon dance on the playground during Golden Time. They will be creating Chinese lanterns, dragon masks and many other creative artefacts linked to the Chinese New Year.
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
Must be able to recognise by name and sound h, b, f and l
Should be able to recognise all letters by name and sound learned so far, to blend and segment
Could be able to recognise (Set 6 letters) and use them to blend and segment new words.
The websites from last week’s blog should support these objectives.
High frequency words
In addition to the phonics, could we ask that you now concentrate more on the spelling of the high frequency words as well as the reading of them. Now that the children know more letters they should find them much easier to learn. These will be tested on alternate weeks with their reading. Please can I also remind you to make at least one comment per week in your child’s diary? Thanks in anticipation of your support in this.
PSRN
Must be able to sort 2D shapes according to colour, shape and size
Should be able to sort similarities and differences between 2D shapes, using correct mathematical vocabulary
Could demonstrate and understanding of 3D shapes through construction activities and be able to identify them in their own environment by name
Again the websites from last week’s blog will support many of these objectives.
Presto Music
The children had a great music show on Thursday and they should have received an invitation for a free music taster session on Friday. Should you wish to take advantage of this, please complete the form and return to school by Tuesday. Unfortunately any forms returned after this time, will not be eligible for the free session, but details will still be passed onto Presto.
I think that is all for this week.
Have a good one!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Yes, this week the children will be learning about the traditions of the Chinese culture and in particular the Chinese New Year. We look forward to this week every year as it provides us with the opportunity to cover all areas of the curriculum in a really integrated and fun way.They will experience Chinese cuisine, even prepare and cook some for the rest of the class to share. On Thursday, we hope to invite the year 1 and 2 children into our classroom, which will have been set up like a restaurant, and serve them with some Chinese food.
The children will learn a poem by Meg Jones that goes to the tune of ‘Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross’.
Chinese New Year
The house must be clean,
The food all made ready
For a happy New Year.
With bangs and firecrackers
And lions that dance,
With dragons all fiery
To China we dance.
The children will use the poem as a stimulus to finding out about the Chinese dragon dances, the firecrackers and the tradition of cleaning houses and giving money. They will learn about how the years were named after the different animals.
Creative and Physical Development
The children will have the opportunity to listen to and respond to Chinese music. In dance they will learn how to keep to a beat alongside a drum in preparation for our very own dragon dance on the playground during Golden Time. They will be creating Chinese lanterns, dragon masks and many other creative artefacts linked to the Chinese New Year.
Communication, Language and Literacy
By the end of the week, the children:
Must be able to recognise by name and sound h, b, f and l
Should be able to recognise all letters by name and sound learned so far, to blend and segment
Could be able to recognise (Set 6 letters) and use them to blend and segment new words.
The websites from last week’s blog should support these objectives.
High frequency words
In addition to the phonics, could we ask that you now concentrate more on the spelling of the high frequency words as well as the reading of them. Now that the children know more letters they should find them much easier to learn. These will be tested on alternate weeks with their reading. Please can I also remind you to make at least one comment per week in your child’s diary? Thanks in anticipation of your support in this.
PSRN
Must be able to sort 2D shapes according to colour, shape and size
Should be able to sort similarities and differences between 2D shapes, using correct mathematical vocabulary
Could demonstrate and understanding of 3D shapes through construction activities and be able to identify them in their own environment by name
Again the websites from last week’s blog will support many of these objectives.
Presto Music
The children had a great music show on Thursday and they should have received an invitation for a free music taster session on Friday. Should you wish to take advantage of this, please complete the form and return to school by Tuesday. Unfortunately any forms returned after this time, will not be eligible for the free session, but details will still be passed onto Presto.
I think that is all for this week.
Have a good one!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Where have you been?
Hi there everyone!
The children had a great time at the pantomime on Friday. Many thanks to you for your generous contributions to make such events possible. The children begin their topic on JOURNEYS this week.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
To observe, find out about and identify features in the place they live and the natural world
Well, as we all went on a journey on Friday to the Pantomime, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use this to help the children plan their own journey. They will be using the digital photographs taken to sequence the events of the journey and then using the small world table, to re-enact a journey they have taken.
The children will be also making model rockets in the coming weeks. So…yes, it’s time to clutter up your kitchen again with boxes and yoghurt pots for our model making. Cheers!
Phonics
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise the sound and name for h and b
SHOULD be able to recognise the sound and name for f, ff l, ll and ss
COULD be able to use the letters they have learned to segment and blend words when reading and writing.
Here are some websites to have a go at.
http://www.starfall.com/ - this is a great website. Perhaps make sure that your child focuses on the letters that they are working on for the week.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/phaseTwoAs1_v2.html this is a great site for supporting the blending of the letters learned so far. The children are familiar with using sound buttons in class.
Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
This is the second week of our three week block on shape. As time ran away with us last week due to it being a short week, we shall be consolidating the children’s knowledge of 2D shapes and their properties before moving on to 3D shape. If your child already knows the 2d shapes then please concentrate on the language used to describe the shapes.
By the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to select the correct 2D shape from a given set;
SHOULD be able to sort all the 2D shapes using own criteria;
COULD be able to name similarities and differences between the properties of any 2D shape, using correct mathematical vocabulary
Here are some good websites also.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase2delivery/Wales/Artanddesign/Keystage1/Making/Shapepictures/Introduction/ - the children review their recognition of 2d shapes and then look for them in pictures. The children also get the opportunity to create their own shape picture on the computer.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/build_it/eng/Introduction/default.htm - a good website for seeing how models are make up of 3D shapes.
http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/rats1.htm?rats_shapes - a great website. The children must catch the given shape but no others.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/simpleshapesort.swf - shape sorting activity according to properties.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shape/shapes.htm - a good website to help the children match, find, build and discover the properties of the 2D shapes.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=2 - the children can copy shape pictures by clicking and dragging them. They can then go on to create their own.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y1shape.html - parts of a shape are shown and the children have to guess the shape.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/memory.html - this is a fantastic game to help the children develop their visual memory techniques.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/shapereveal.swf the children have to guess the shape as it is revealed. They can chose to use 2d or 3d shapes.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/MatchingPairs3Dshape.swf - 3D shape matching game.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/longshape3d.html - a good website. The children have to identify the shape that is partially hidden in sand and then click on the correct labelled picture.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/castle_shapes/eng/Introduction/default.htm - identifying 2D and 3D shapes.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y2shape.html - guess the 3D shape.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ -by clicking on the shapes label you will be able to make patterns with 2D shapes. If you also click on the space row under 3D and 2D shapes you will have to sort different shapes according to the given criteria.
Alternatively, you could go on a shape walk around the house or local area and see what shapes you can find.
Physical Development
The children will be using the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ to develop their understanding of the use of movement to depict a story. They will listen to the patterned language and create movements to support the retelling of this amazing book.
The children had a great time at the pantomime on Friday. Many thanks to you for your generous contributions to make such events possible. The children begin their topic on JOURNEYS this week.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
To observe, find out about and identify features in the place they live and the natural world
Well, as we all went on a journey on Friday to the Pantomime, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use this to help the children plan their own journey. They will be using the digital photographs taken to sequence the events of the journey and then using the small world table, to re-enact a journey they have taken.
The children will be also making model rockets in the coming weeks. So…yes, it’s time to clutter up your kitchen again with boxes and yoghurt pots for our model making. Cheers!
Phonics
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise the sound and name for h and b
SHOULD be able to recognise the sound and name for f, ff l, ll and ss
COULD be able to use the letters they have learned to segment and blend words when reading and writing.
Here are some websites to have a go at.
http://www.starfall.com/ - this is a great website. Perhaps make sure that your child focuses on the letters that they are working on for the week.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/phaseTwoAs1_v2.html this is a great site for supporting the blending of the letters learned so far. The children are familiar with using sound buttons in class.
Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
This is the second week of our three week block on shape. As time ran away with us last week due to it being a short week, we shall be consolidating the children’s knowledge of 2D shapes and their properties before moving on to 3D shape. If your child already knows the 2d shapes then please concentrate on the language used to describe the shapes.
By the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to select the correct 2D shape from a given set;
SHOULD be able to sort all the 2D shapes using own criteria;
COULD be able to name similarities and differences between the properties of any 2D shape, using correct mathematical vocabulary
Here are some good websites also.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase2delivery/Wales/Artanddesign/Keystage1/Making/Shapepictures/Introduction/ - the children review their recognition of 2d shapes and then look for them in pictures. The children also get the opportunity to create their own shape picture on the computer.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/build_it/eng/Introduction/default.htm - a good website for seeing how models are make up of 3D shapes.
http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/rats1.htm?rats_shapes - a great website. The children must catch the given shape but no others.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/simpleshapesort.swf - shape sorting activity according to properties.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shape/shapes.htm - a good website to help the children match, find, build and discover the properties of the 2D shapes.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=2 - the children can copy shape pictures by clicking and dragging them. They can then go on to create their own.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y1shape.html - parts of a shape are shown and the children have to guess the shape.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/memory.html - this is a fantastic game to help the children develop their visual memory techniques.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/shapereveal.swf the children have to guess the shape as it is revealed. They can chose to use 2d or 3d shapes.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/MatchingPairs3Dshape.swf - 3D shape matching game.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/longshape3d.html - a good website. The children have to identify the shape that is partially hidden in sand and then click on the correct labelled picture.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/castle_shapes/eng/Introduction/default.htm - identifying 2D and 3D shapes.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y2shape.html - guess the 3D shape.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ -by clicking on the shapes label you will be able to make patterns with 2D shapes. If you also click on the space row under 3D and 2D shapes you will have to sort different shapes according to the given criteria.
Alternatively, you could go on a shape walk around the house or local area and see what shapes you can find.
Physical Development
The children will be using the story ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ to develop their understanding of the use of movement to depict a story. They will listen to the patterned language and create movements to support the retelling of this amazing book.
Fine motor skills
The development of the children’s fine motor skills are paramount at this stage as their phonic skills are developing rapidly and, in some cases, their ability to record their understanding is becoming difficult due to poor fine motor skills. Please could we ask that you do complete your child’s handwriting homework with them each week and return it on a Friday to be prepared for the following Monday. In addition to this, you could do the following things at home to promote the development of the fine motor skills:
Doing buttons and trying to beat their time on each go.
Colouring – this is one of the best ways of support the skills for writing. Make sure that the side of your child’s hand is on the table at all times to maximise control.
Playdough. Aagh!! I hear some of you call as it does get stuck in the carpet. However a good solution to this is to use a large tray to work on rather than the plastic mats.
Baking – this one is a real winner as you get to enjoy the final product!
And finally…
Please could we remind everyone about being in school on time. In order to get a prompt start to the day, get the registers done and then get into assembly on time, the children need to be sorted and on the carpet by 8.50 at the latest. Your support in this would be really appreciated. Thanks.
Have a fantastic week everyone!
Take care
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team x
Monday, January 05, 2009
It's a girl!!
Hi there
Well finally, after a lot of waiting I finally gave birth to a little girl, 6 pounds and 12 ounces, called Ellen Rose on 27th December. She is a beauty and once I can drive again I’ll be in to school to show the children as promised.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are now raring to go for the New Year. Before I begin with the curriculum, here are a few domestics…
Friday is a day we are all looking forward to - the Panto! As I am sure you can appreciate, getting the whole school onto buses at the same time requires almost military timing, so could we please ask that you ensure your child arrives on time every day, but particularly this Friday. We shall be bringing the children in at 8.40am, but could we ask that the children keep their coats on to make things run a little more smoothly. The children will not need a snack on Friday, as one is provided for them at the Parr Hall. Also, please bear in mind, that as they are out of school, they will not be able to buy toast. Many thanks for your co-operation with this.
So onto the curriculum…
Phonics
MUST be able to recognise the letters s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d, g, o, c, k, ck, e, u and r by sound or name.
SHOULD be able to recognise the sound and name for h b f, ff l, ll ss
COULD be able to use the letters they have learned to segment and blend words when reading and writing.
http://www.starfall.com/ - this is a great website. Perhaps make sure that your child focuses on the letters that they are working on for the week.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
This week, we will begin our three week block of work looking at shapes and their properties. Your child’s existing knowledge of shapes will determine whether they will be working on 2D shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, star) or 3D shapes (cuboid, cube, sphere, cone and cylinder). A good idea is to take a shape walk around your house our local area and see how the world is made up of their shapes.
By the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to name and identify a 2D shape when shown
SHOULD be able to sort all the 2D shapes when given set criteria ;
COULD be able to name, describe and identify any 2D from its description and sort using their own criteria
Here are some good websites also.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase2delivery/Wales/Artanddesign/Keystage1/Making/Shapepictures/Introduction/ - the children review their recognition of 2d shapes and then look for them in pictures. The children also get the opportunity to create their own shape picture on the computer.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/build_it/eng/Introduction/default.htm - a good website for seeing how models are make up of 3D shapes.
http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/rats1.htm?rats_shapes - a great website. The children must catch the given shape but no others.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/simpleshapesort.swf - shape sorting activity according to properties.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shape/shapes.htm - a good website to help the children match, find, build and discover the properties of the 2D shapes.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=2 - the children can copy shape pictures by clicking and dragging them. They can then go on to create their own.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y1shape.html - parts of a shape are shown and the children have to guess the shape.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/memory.html - this is a fantastic game to help the children develop their visual memory techniques.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/shapereveal.swf the children have to guess the shape as it is revealed. They can chose to use 2d or 3d shapes.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/MatchingPairs3Dshape.swf - 3D shape matching game.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/longshape3d.html - a good website. The children have to identify the shape that is partially hidden in sand and then click on the correct labelled picture.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/castle_shapes/eng/Introduction/default.htm - identifying 2D and 3D shapes.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y2shape.html - guess the 3D shape.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ -by clicking on the shapes label you will be able to make patterns with 2D shapes. If you also click on the space row under 3D and 2D shapes you will have to sort different shapes according to the given criteria.
Alternatively, you could go on a shape walk around the house or local area and see what shapes you can find.
CHALLENGE! Why not write some clues about a shape and see if the class can guess what shape it is?
Here I Am
The children will begin their new topic on JOURNEYS. They will learn to:
RECOGNISE that a journey is to travel from one place to another;
REFLECT on journeys the children have made themselves;
RESPECT and appreciate that they make many journeys.
As you can see this ties in really well with the overall theme of JOURNEYS. Maybe you could start to plan that Summer holiday now with your child? Talk about how they might get there and how they will get from one place to another when they are there. You could also look at previous holiday photographs and talk about the journey that you made as a family to get there – were there any problems and how did you overcome them?
Well, we are well are truly back to work now! Here's to a great 2009!
Have a great week everyone!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
Well finally, after a lot of waiting I finally gave birth to a little girl, 6 pounds and 12 ounces, called Ellen Rose on 27th December. She is a beauty and once I can drive again I’ll be in to school to show the children as promised.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are now raring to go for the New Year. Before I begin with the curriculum, here are a few domestics…
Friday is a day we are all looking forward to - the Panto! As I am sure you can appreciate, getting the whole school onto buses at the same time requires almost military timing, so could we please ask that you ensure your child arrives on time every day, but particularly this Friday. We shall be bringing the children in at 8.40am, but could we ask that the children keep their coats on to make things run a little more smoothly. The children will not need a snack on Friday, as one is provided for them at the Parr Hall. Also, please bear in mind, that as they are out of school, they will not be able to buy toast. Many thanks for your co-operation with this.
So onto the curriculum…
Phonics
MUST be able to recognise the letters s, a, t, p, i, n, m, d, g, o, c, k, ck, e, u and r by sound or name.
SHOULD be able to recognise the sound and name for h b f, ff l, ll ss
COULD be able to use the letters they have learned to segment and blend words when reading and writing.
http://www.starfall.com/ - this is a great website. Perhaps make sure that your child focuses on the letters that they are working on for the week.
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html - this game is great for helping your child to blend sounds together. You can select the pattern (choose those with the letters we have been working on) and then the children have to read the word and click on the tick if it is a real word.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=cvcmaker - This again is a great website for blending three letter words together.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/learn_y4/main.asp?lesson_path=year_4/word_machine_c-v-c/&lesson_file=lesson.swf&language=eng - This helps the children see how three letter words are made up of a consonant, a vowel and then a consonant.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/crank/game.shtml - If your child is experiencing difficulties listening to the middle sound then this is a great game for them.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine - a great site for blending again. Look at the picture in the machine and click on the correct word to match it.
Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
This week, we will begin our three week block of work looking at shapes and their properties. Your child’s existing knowledge of shapes will determine whether they will be working on 2D shapes (circle, square, rectangle, triangle, star) or 3D shapes (cuboid, cube, sphere, cone and cylinder). A good idea is to take a shape walk around your house our local area and see how the world is made up of their shapes.
By the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to name and identify a 2D shape when shown
SHOULD be able to sort all the 2D shapes when given set criteria ;
COULD be able to name, describe and identify any 2D from its description and sort using their own criteria
Here are some good websites also.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase2delivery/Wales/Artanddesign/Keystage1/Making/Shapepictures/Introduction/ - the children review their recognition of 2d shapes and then look for them in pictures. The children also get the opportunity to create their own shape picture on the computer.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/build_it/eng/Introduction/default.htm - a good website for seeing how models are make up of 3D shapes.
http://www.learningplanet.com/act/rats/rats1.htm?rats_shapes - a great website. The children must catch the given shape but no others.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/simpleshapesort.swf - shape sorting activity according to properties.
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/kidsonly/findout/shape/shapes.htm - a good website to help the children match, find, build and discover the properties of the 2D shapes.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=2 - the children can copy shape pictures by clicking and dragging them. They can then go on to create their own.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y1shape.html - parts of a shape are shown and the children have to guess the shape.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/memory.html - this is a fantastic game to help the children develop their visual memory techniques.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/shapereveal.swf the children have to guess the shape as it is revealed. They can chose to use 2d or 3d shapes.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/MatchingPairs3Dshape.swf - 3D shape matching game.
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/longshape3d.html - a good website. The children have to identify the shape that is partially hidden in sand and then click on the correct labelled picture.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/castle_shapes/eng/Introduction/default.htm - identifying 2D and 3D shapes.
http://www.ictgames.com/Y2shape.html - guess the 3D shape.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ -by clicking on the shapes label you will be able to make patterns with 2D shapes. If you also click on the space row under 3D and 2D shapes you will have to sort different shapes according to the given criteria.
Alternatively, you could go on a shape walk around the house or local area and see what shapes you can find.
CHALLENGE! Why not write some clues about a shape and see if the class can guess what shape it is?
Here I Am
The children will begin their new topic on JOURNEYS. They will learn to:
RECOGNISE that a journey is to travel from one place to another;
REFLECT on journeys the children have made themselves;
RESPECT and appreciate that they make many journeys.
As you can see this ties in really well with the overall theme of JOURNEYS. Maybe you could start to plan that Summer holiday now with your child? Talk about how they might get there and how they will get from one place to another when they are there. You could also look at previous holiday photographs and talk about the journey that you made as a family to get there – were there any problems and how did you overcome them?
Well, we are well are truly back to work now! Here's to a great 2009!
Have a great week everyone!
Best wishes
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxx
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