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

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

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.


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