I hope you all received a letter regarding our visit to The Blue Planet Aquarium next Monday. We are so excited and have already learned so much about the different sea creatures we will see there. Why not try asking your child these questions?
How many rows of teeth does a shark have?
Why is a catfish called a catfish?
What happens if you chop off the leg of a starfish?
How many eyes does a starfish have and where are they?
What can a piranha fish bite through?
I think you will be amazed at their eagerness to share the information they have obtained through the reading of our non-fiction book.
Parent helpers
If any parents can accompany us to the Blue Planet on Monday that would be fabulous. Please call in and see a member of the team and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You do not have to pay for the visit as the cost is already covered. We do need quite a few parents to allow for a small adult to child ratio, and to ensure the children get a rich experience from the visit. Even Mr Barker has got in on the act!
Communication, language and literacy
This week we are continuing to read our information book in preparation for the visit to the Blue Planet Aquarium. The children have really begun to understand the features of this genre. However, some children are struggling with the function of the contents page. If you have the chance a look at a non-fiction book with a contents page would be a good idea. We encourage the children to ask a question and then use the contents page to find the page which will give them the answer.
In addition to this, we are focusing on the children phonics again this week and their ability to read and spell the high frequency words. Please be aware that we only test the spelling of the children’s spelling of the high frequency words when they can read them without hesitation. These websites may be of use to you. There are a few old favourites in there!
http://www.ictgames.com/phonic_fighter4.html
http://www.ictgames.com/letterlifter.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dgi.shtml - this is a great website for identifying the sounds at the beginning, middle and end of words.
http://www.starfall.com/ - the old favourite.
http://www.crick.northants.sch.uk/assets/Flash%20Studio/cfslit/CVC%20Maker/cvcmaker.html - this website asks you to see how many words you can make
http://www.ictgames.com/cvc_machine.html
http://www.ictgames.com/plankgame.html - this focuses on high frequency words
http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html - this concentrates on the spelling of the high frequency words. You can simply type in the high frequency words that your child needs to work on for them to play the game with.
http://www.ictgames.com/machine.html - great for blending sounds together.
http://www.ictgames.com/blending_dragon.html
http://www.ictgames.com/cluster.html
Mathematical Development
Well…did you manage to find a 3p coin? Each year the children struggle to understand that there is no such thing a s a 3p coin. So…if your child came home and asked for, or looked for a 3p coin…don’t worry! It was all part of the Narraway Master Plan! I racked my brained for an idea and yippee it worked. So too did the idea of teaching the children the coins to the value of 10p before they start to work with them. We are now able to start teaching at a different level than we would have done otherwise. Onwards and upwards that’s my motto! So, by the end of this week, the children:
MUST be able to recognise a 1p coin and use 1p coins to pay for items in our class shop;
SHOULD be able to recognise all the coins to £2;
COULD be able to add the price of two items together and pay for them with 1p.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/maths/counting_with_money/index.htm - a great website to start with. The children must count the number of 1p coins and then match it to the price on a ticket. However, nothing beats getting the real coins out and asking the children to count the one penny coins.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/dynamo/den/snap/index.htm - a great, yet addictive snap game to help the children recognise the coins.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/dynamo/den/shopping/index.htm - the children must make the price of the item on the tag with a mixture of coins. This is great at the children can start on 1p coins and then begin to introduce 2op coins.
http://www.ictgames.com/moneysplat.html - this is for when the week goes on and the children learn how to count totals of up to 10p using a range of 1p, 2p and 5p coins. Worth a practice though.
http://www.ictgames.com/moneypayer.html - a little advanced for some children but definitely worth a look towards the end of the week when the children learn how to combine coins to make values.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ - great to help your child to review their understanding of subtraction. Remember to use the vocabulary – subtract, minus and take away. If you want to be really impressive you could do it in Spanish.
4 – 2 = 2
This would be : quarto menos dos son dos
Menos - minus
Son – equals
The children actually did their subtraction lesson in Spanish one day last week! Perfecto!
Here I Am
Last week we looked at what energy is. This lot have it in abundance! Wish I had half of it!! Anyway, Mrs Latham did a fantastic job in PE linking their understanding of energy to exercise, as well as linking it in to the Healthy Lifestyle topic before the Easter holidays.
We move on in our topic to helping the children to learn about the energy the Holy Spirit gives; and Pentecost, a day to celebrate this.
http://www.request.org.uk/infants/festivals/pentecost/pentecost00.htm
Creative Development
I bet you were all wondering what the children needed a clear, plastic bottle for? Go on I bet you were! Well… the children will be making FABULOUS FISH from them. They are going to design a fish friend for the Rainbow fish, a fantastic story. They can add glitter, sequins, feathers etc. In fact, the more they look like a costume Dame Edna Everage would wear the better.
Physical Development
Last week the children started to weave with paper and tried very hard. However, this is a very hard skill to master. Therefore, the children are going to work with Mrs Higgins to create a wall hanging with an under the water theme. They will use different shades of material in blues, greens, browns etc to create the effect, weaving onto plastic, green garden mesh. We are a bit like Steptoe and Son, can make anything out of other people’s rubbish! If you have any old pieces of material in these colours then we would really appreciate them. Also, any old buttons you have would be great too.
The children are also practicing their sewing skills following the success of their Easter crosses. Weren’t they gorgeous? The children will be decorating felt fish with sequins and beads, then stuffing them to learn to over stitch. These will then be added to the weaving Mrs Higgins is doing with the children. All in all, it should look fantabulous!!!
Knowledge and understanding of the world
The children will look at the ways in which water is used in the home, school, farming etc. They will also set up an investigation to answer the question: How does a flower/plant feed? Why not have a go at home?
What to do:
Get a vase, a carnation flower or a daffodil, water and coloured food dye (red works best).
Place the water and food dye in a vase and place the flowers in.
Observe what happens!!
Spanish
Well this week, we will be teaching the children the days of the week. Please find in your child's homework folder the pronunciation.
By the way... have you asked your child to say:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
in spanish? If you haven't... then ask them. It's amazing!
I think that is all for now. This blogspot is getting longer and longer each week.
Have a fab week!
Take Care
Jayne Narraway and the Foundation Stage Team xxxxxx
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