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Class 1 Newsletter
April 2009
Dear Parents and children
Welcome to the Summer Term in Class 1.
Last term we had a great time in Class
1 learning about the Jungle, and I would like to thank everyone who
contributed to making the topic a success. This half term we are very
excited as we will be looking at minibeasts.
As with all our work in
Class 1, the topic will continue to develop the early learning goals
through a practical approach to the curriculum. However, some more
formal elements of the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies will be
introduced in order to ease the transition from the Foundation Stage
into Key Stage 1.
Communication,
Language & Literacy
Our topic will provide the children with the opportunity to ask
questions and to talk about their investigations and experiences in both
small and larger groups. We will be extending the children’s vocabulary
and encouraging them to use talk to organise and clarify their thinking
as they investigate, make predictions and find out about minibeasts and
their environment. We will be playing games and using puppets to develop
the children’s listening and concentration skills. We will use a range
of fiction, poetry and information books relating to the topic,
including making Big Books and Story Sacks to promote
interest, reading and book handling skills. Writing in a variety of
forms will be demonstrated, including lists, sentences, stories and
labels. The children will have the opportunity to draw, write
independently or have their ideas and suggestions written for them as
they communicate in different situations, including role play in a
minibeast world. In Class 1 we will begin to encourage the children to
use capital letters and full stops in their writing. We will continue to
develop the children’s ability to recognise letter sounds in words using
Sounds Write.
Personal, Social & Emotional
Development
We will continue to develop
the children’s independence and encourage them to persevere with a task;
to concentrate and maintain attention in an environment where they feel
safe, valued and motivated. We will be encouraging the children to show
care and concern for living things, each other and their surroundings.
Creative Development
The children will be using
paints, pastels, sticky paper, felt, tissue paper and a variety of other
fun materials to create pictures of minibeasts. They will be using found
materials to make minibeast habitats. The children will have the
opportunity to learn new songs and to listen and respond to music, while
exploring changes in pace and rhythm using the instruments. Puppets will
be used to create stories and the children will be encouraged to respond
imaginatively to music.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World
The children will be talking
about similarities and differences between minibeasts. We will be
investigating and discussing their habitats. The children’s design and
making skills will also be developed as they use a variety of tools and
equipment including junk materials to make minibeasts and minibeast
homes. The children will have the opportunity to use computers where
they will learn how to ‘log on’ and ‘off ‘and explore a variety of
programs to develop their mouse control skills. We will be exploring a
database to find out about minibeasts. They will be given opportunities
to develop their awareness of alphabetical order. We will also be
introducing the children to a computer word bank that will help them to
write simple sentences. The children will be using a maths program to
develop counting skills.
Numeracy
The topic will involve the
children in sorting, and counting. We will use counting and action
rhymes to encourage number recognition. We will be counting in 10’s and
begin identifying ’doubles’ up to 10. We will continue to develop the
children’s ability to order numbers to 10 and 20 and to relate addition
to counting on. We will relate subtraction to ‘taking away’ and the
children will explore how they can record their number problems. We will
be using money in role play and sorting 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2
coins.
Physical Development
The children will have the
opportunity to use our large toys and equipment to enhance
co-ordination, strength and control. Our P.E. lessons will focus on
travelling and turning and we will begin to develop throwing and
catching skills. The children will use scissors, a variety of pencils,
chalks, paints, glue and threading activities to develop their hand and
eye co-ordination and fine motor skills.
If
you have any questions about our work in Class 1 or would like to come
and help in Class 1 please do not hesitate to speak to either myself or
Mrs Abbey.
Thank you
Mrs Spearing, Mrs Abbey, Mrs Templeman
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