Well, we hope you all had a good rest over the half term break and are ready and raring to go on the run up to Christmas...(I won’t tell you how many shopping days are left as I heard on the radio over the holidays!!)
The last week of the half term was Assessment and Review week, where the children were assessed on how much they had learned since the start of the new school year. There are still a few remaining checks to be done for children who were absent, but these will be completed by Wednesday.
Diary
On Thursday of this week, we shall be having Mass at 9am in the hall for All Saints Day. You are most welcome to attend, although please do remember, as always, space will be at a premium!
Literacy
We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to develop the children’s poetry skills this week, with Halloween and the approach of Bonfire Night, but they will be looking at it through their senses.
Why not try some of these questions in preparation for the week ahead:
What are your senses?
What would happen if you couldn’t smell anything? (Try doing a taste test for this with lots of the children’s favourite foods, but get them to hold their nose whilst they swallow it...talk about what happens!)
What are the colours, smells and sounds associated with Halloween/Bonfire Night?
Ultimately, by the end of the week, the children should have written a poem, which goes something like this:
Green is .... the colour of spring.
Green is .... renewal.
Green is .... the colour of envy.
Green is .... a new crayon.
Green tastes like .... a crisp apple.
Green smells like .... fresh cut grass.
Green sounds like .... a croaking frog.
Green feels like .... soft, velvety moss.
Green looks like .... shiny emeralds.
Green is .... my favourite colour.
Have a go with other colours. If you do have a go at home, please do bring them in for us to see. You could even practice the children’s keyboard skills, by getting them to produce it on the computer!
The children will be encouraged to check for the following in their writing:
I used adjectives to add detail
I used alliteration (gooey green gloop!)
I used onomatopoeia (BANG! VROOM! FIZZ! CRACK!)
I used capitalisation for effect
My writing makes sense
I used capital letters at the beginning of each line
To gather inspiration (and some are just for fun!) have a look through some of these sites:
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/literacy/lit_site/html/fiction/my_monster/index.htm try writing your very own monster poem
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/20050415/English/Keystage1/Rhymingwords/Canyourhymeit/Introduction/default.htm if the children want to make their poem rhyme, this activity has got some good ideas
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/english/spacespins.shtml the children have used the spaceship before, but this helps with alliteration
http://www.whiteheadm.co.uk/html/poem_index.htm#menu lots of poems to read and enjoy. There are even some examples for colours!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/rhyme/index.shtml activities for rhyming practice
http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryfun/poetryfun.html I love this site!
http://www.theoworlds.com/halloween/ carve your very own pumpkin!
Numeracy
How did the number bonds games go over the holidays? Please do let us know if you need any more copies of the game or the rhyme, as it really does form the basis of lots of number work as the children move through the school.
For example, if they know that 8 + 2 = 10, then they can apply this to know that:
80 + 20 = 100
800 + 200 = 1000
Can they see the pattern?
This week is one of my favourites, where we introduce money to the children. They will become financial experts and will definitely be able to calculate the value of their pocket money by the end of this topic!
Particularly in these days of ‘plastic money’, it is more important than ever, that children are given the opportunity to explore money through experience. Why not set up a shop in your kitchen for them to use? Give them a sheet of sticky labels and allocate prices for all the items in your cupboard, up to the value of £1. Then ‘buy’ 1, 2 or 3 items and ask them to calculate the total. For older children, ask them to find the total AND give you the change from the money you give them. Why not start saving all your own change in a money jar for your child?
The children:
MUST be able to recognise all coins and be able to put them in order
SHOULD be able to exchange coins for their equivalent in 10p and 1p coins.
COULD Find the total of 2 or 3 sets of coins and be able to pay an exact amount for totals up to £2
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=14# although this is an evaluation copy, you can still get the idea. Click on the coins icon and press start.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/numeracy/money/index.shtml choose the right coins to play for items in the shop.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/maths/counting_with_money/index.htm counting to 10p. This is easy for the children, but good for confidence building in recognising coins
http://www.ictgames.com/moneypayer.html pay for the items on the trolley with the coins available
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=MMATCH match coins to the values and calculate the correct change
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/clickon/virtualshop/shop1.htm use this as a virtual shop. The instructions on the site will enable you to try a different method of introducing money.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/working_with_coins/eng/Introduction/default.htm
http://www.ictgames.com/moneypayer50p.html adding coins to 50p
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/dynamo/den/snap/index.htm play snap with money
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/lets_party/eng/Introduction/default.htm this is a real challenge and aimed more towards Year 3/4 but I think some children could rise to the challenge! Become party planners...I shall say no more!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/dynamo/den/shopping/index.htm drag the correct coins to the till to pay for the items on the conveyor belt. Will they pay for it in time?
http://www.origami-club.com/en/halloween/index.htm fancy using some of those newly developed scissor skills? Why not try making some of these origami pictures?
Here I Am
We continue our theme of Signs and Symbols, with the Relate section. The children will learn about the signs and symbols associated with Baptism. Father Richard will be working with the children after Mass on Thursday, to talk about the importance of all the symbolism in Baptism. Maybe this could be a great chance to look back on the Christening photographs, bring down the Christening robe and maybe have a meal with your child’s Godparents.
Science
We begin our new topic of ‘Using Electricity’ this week.
The children will learn about how many appliances use electricity and that electricity is carried by wires and cables. They will find out where electricity comes from and some of the dangers associated with mains electricity.
You could help at home, by talking about the difference between mains-powered appliances and battery-powered items, such as toys.
Why not have a go at these:
Find out which room in your house has the greatest number of mains-powered appliances?
Find out where electricity comes from?
Why do all the lights go off in the house when one bulb ‘pops’?
Design a poster warning children of the dangers of using water near electricity.
http://www.ictgames.com/electricity.html click on which items use electricity
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/using_electricity/eng/Introduction/default.htm can they identify which items use electricity in the home and which do not.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/electricity.shtml experiment with which materials will complete the circuit or not.
http://www.edfenergy.com/powerup/ although this is aimed at Key Stage 2, the information in Cedric’s house is very relevant.
http://www.angliacampus.com/tour/pri/science/elecsafe/index.htm electrical safety in the home
Homework
The children should be used to handing homework in on a Monday by now, but as we come back on a Tuesday this week, children will need to had it in then. We will endeavour to turn the homework around as quickly as possible, but it will be sent out on WEDNESDAY this week.
Finally, many we take this opportunity to thank all of you who attended the parent’s evenings in the last week of term. We hope that you found the information you received useful and that you were given ideas of how to work towards those targets. This blog goes a long way to helping us work together to achieve those targets and also, as many of you pointed out, ensures that we are both ‘teaching it the same way!’ Updated targets and ideas are also written into your child’s diary, so please check those too on a regular basis. It would also be helpful, if you could indicate when you have worked with your child at home, by signing the diary. Many thanks for your co-operation with this.
Here’s to a great week!
Year 1/2 team
Thursday, 25 October 2007
Tuesday, 9 October 2007
15th October 2007
Well can you believe that we have been in school for a whole half term already? The children have worked extremely hard and are looking forward to their week off. This week is known as ‘Assess and Review’ week, where we see how much the children are able to recall and understand about the work we have covered so far. Please do not think your child will have to complete lots of written tests and assessments! There will be lots of practical activities and observations to help us check for their understanding, particularly for numeracy.
This week’s blog is part of that review. It would be fantastic, if you could spend some time this week, working with your child on some of the links and activities that we have included. Just count how many times you hear the phrase, ‘Oh yes...I remember that!’ You will be amazed at just how much they have managed to get through!
Parent’s Evening
On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, we hold the first of our parent’s evenings for the year. It is a chance for us to meet with you to discuss how your child has settled into their new year group and the progress they have made so far. You will receive a list of targets for reading, writing, numeracy and science. Although this may seem a lot, please remember that these are the targets they will be working on until after Christmas, so there is plenty of time to get through them.
For parents of children who are new to Year 1, the parents meetings are slightly different those in Foundation Stage. They are held in the hall, with appointments being made at 5 minute intervals. As you can appreciate, this is a very short amount of time. It can be a good idea for you to write down any questions you may have to ask us, prior to the appointment, as 5 minutes can go very quickly. We are very good at sharing the information in the allocated time, but please be aware that we may need to make a further appointment with you, to avoid other parent’s running over their time slot.
Literacy
The children will complete a piece of writing this week, based on their own experience. The children will be asked to ‘check’ their own work, seeing if they have included the following:
Year One -
I used a capital letter for the word ‘I’
I used a capital letter at the beginning of each sentence
I used a full stop at the end of each sentence
My work makes sense
I wrote as if ‘telling the story’ of what happened
Year Two –
I used verbs in the past tense
I wrote a description of . . .
I wrote about a character in the third person
I began sentences with time phrases to move the story on: ‘Sometimes’, ‘Now and again’.
I used powerful verbs to show how characters were acting
I used the phrases . . .
I used exciting verbs
I used exclamation marks after exciting sentences
I tried to use . . .
I included a change of setting
The children will also be tested to see if they are ready to move onto the next book-band level. This includes seeing how well they can decode the words (match the letters to the sounds they make) and how well they have understood the story (comprehension). Although it may appear that texts are easy for your child, it may be that they need more practice in their comprehension of what is happening in the text. It is a combination of BOTH of these factors which determines their readiness to move on. Why not try asking your child to retell the events of the story either to you, or to a younger sibling. Also, get them to make up alternative endings for the story, by using sock puppets...a great use for those single socks that we all have in our cupboards!
High Frequency Word checklists will be updated this week in the front of the diaries. As agreed at the induction meeting at the beginning of the year, the children have been working on the words in school and at home. We have been assessing the children’s ability to transfer these words into their independent writing and have been really pleased with what we have seen so far. It is vitally important that children are given daily practice in the reading and spelling of these words, as they are the ‘glue’ that holds all text together. Children who practice these words regularly at school AND home, make significant progress!
These sites will help to support the reading and spelling of these words:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/hfwords/index.shtml a great site, where you have to match the shape of the HFW
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/index.shtml choose any of these activities to help with CVC words (cat, hat, mat etc)http://www.ictgames.com/dinosaurwordsrepeat.html you need to turn the volume up for this one! Click on the dinosaur egg to hear the word and then click on the written word that matches it.http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html I love this one! You can either choose from the lists of prepared words, or you can type in the words that your child is working on. You need to click on start to begin ‘look, say, cover, write, check’.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=stickyl drag and drop the letters on the green letter rack at the top of the page and then click on the ‘Send’ button to send it to the word bank
http://www.ictgames.com/wordreader.html listen to the word and then click on the matching flower
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/airport_xray.html this may bring back memories of your holidays (doesn’t it seem a long time ago?!) Scan the suitcase to find the high frequency words
Numeracy
We have been really pleased with how well the children are working numeracy and know that many of the children are going to fly through the assessments this week!
Number knowledge – can they match the correct digit to the correct number of objects?
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/850/calcbalancev3.swf click on the number names in the middle of the scale to match the number name to the digit. This will be a really useful site to bookmark, as we will be using it regularly throughout the year.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/ngfl-flash/numbers_eng/numbers_e.html this site is useful for practicing the formation of each of the numbers. The first slide is VERY fast, so click on the green arrow on the bottom right-hand side to practice the numbers individually.
http://www.numbernut.com/basic/activities/number_mem20_1-10words.shtml play a memory game and match the number names to the digits at the same time!http://www.sums.co.uk/playground/n2a/playground.htm click on the ‘continue’ button to start the activity. This activity looks at the number names up to 100, so give it a go if you fancy a challenge!
http://www.primaryonline.co.uk/sitetour/pol/blastoff1.html a lovely game in which you have to launch 5 spaceships! Remember that the number name won’t always match a spaceship, so you have to click on ‘next’ until you get a match. This game is most suitable for Year 1, as it covers numbers up to 20.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=washindex For those children working or ordering numbers to 20
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/ngfl-flash/place_value/place_value.html a great way of explaining place value. Select Level 1 for Year 1 children and for a challenge, why not have a go at level 2? Even more of a challenge is Level 3, when it asks you to order 1000's!http://www.ictgames.com/dinoplacevalue.html can you 'partition' the numbers into tens and units?
http://www.ictgames.com/postletter.html fancy a challenge? Listen to the number and post the letter in the correct letterbox.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/bgfn/number.cfm Choose how many tens and how many units make up the target number. If you click on 'check' it will even mark it for you!
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=Toolkit index2a The children are used to using a 100 square in school, so this will be a big help at home, particularly when doing numeracy homework.
http://www.ictgames.com/football2.html kick the ball that shows 10 less than a given number
Knowledge of 2D and 3D shapes
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/maths/maerdy_2d/e_index.html guess the name of the 2D shape by listening to the properties
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/build_it/eng/Introduction/default.htm what can you build using these shapes and blocks? Encourge the children to describe the properties of the 3D shapes too!
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsE3.htm you will need to be selective from these ideas, but there are lots of sheets, activities and powerpoints for you to use at home to support your child with both 2D and 3D shapes. Be aware, that some of them are for Key Stage 2, but give them a go if you fancy a challenge!http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=MatchingPairs3Dshape why not try a memory game with 3D shapes. Some of these shapes are quite difficult to name, but you could ask your child to describe the properties them - how many faces/edges do they each have? Remember to click on start a new game to begin the activity.
We are also keen to develop the children’s scissor skills this week, so any help at home, cutting out shapes etc. would be a big help!
Measurement
http://www.edukate.net/special_files/ruler.swf use this site to practice measuring the ‘red bar’. If you can though, measuring objects around the house is a much more practical way of measuring in centimetres.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/measures/index.htm click on Reading Length.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=ntrack ordering numbers on a number track. Can your child recognise the numbers? Are they able to order them? Can they locate the missing number?http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/ruler/ruler_cm_easy.swf measure the length of the lines using the on screen ruler
http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/ruler/ruler_cm.swf move the ruler to the line to measure it in centimetres
http://www.counton.org/games/circus/ just as a bit of a continuation of the circus theme...choose the Pole Climber, Maths Pairs or Shapes and Numbers activities. With the Pole climber activity, start on level one and then see how high you can go – subtraction begins at Level 3!
http://www.numeracyworld.com/addition%20worksheets.html I have been really pleased with the number of children who have been printing off some of the activities from the websites on the blog, so this is should be a big help! It has lots of printable sheets for you to print off and practice at home for all areas of numeracy. Some are more difficult than others, but have a look through for the topic we are covering this week for some extra practice.
There are lots of practical activities that you can do at home to support all of these areas. Have a look through previous blogs to revisit some of the ideas that were suggested.
Here I Am
Last week, we began our new topic of Signs and Symbols. The children:
Recognised some signs and symbols.
Reflected on signs and symbols they use and experience.
Respected how much they need and use signs and symbols.
We move on this week to the Relate part of the topic, where we will talk with the children about the signs and symbols associated with their Baptism. Maybe you could share some photographs of your child’s Baptism with them. Do they know who their Godparents are? If any of you would be willing to share a video of your child’s Baptism, then please see any member of the team.
Spanish
We have been extremely fortunate to a have a foreign language specialist in school and she is now working with the children every Thursday to help develop their Spanish language knowledge. You may have heard lots of songs and phases coming home – ask them to sing you the counting song...un sardina...!!!
For those of us who are learning alongside the children (and I DO include myself in this!) I have included a couple of links below which will help with pronunciation etc.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/ this is a site for adults who are new to the language. You can download lots of mp3’s for your iPod and then amaze your child by asking them some questions in Spanish (before they ask you!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryspanish/ a great site for the children to use. There are also lots of downloadable activities, again for practising those scissor skills!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/spanish_songs_ks2 I loved these! There are some great Karaoke songs to download, along with some matching activities for the children.
http://gamequarium.com/spanish.htm a great site for help with pronunciation!
http://www.studystack.com/menu-21283 again this is another site for adults, but the matching game is a great one for testing yourself! It does take quite a while to load, so you need to be patient before hitting the back button!
Finally, a thank you from all the staff for encouraging your children to come into school independently this week. It really has reduced the congestion in the area and the children are getting into their classrooms a lot quicker, ready to start work. We would also encourage children NOT to play on the patio area before school in the mornings. The children cannot be easily supervised there and so the children should remain on the playground until staff collect them at 8.45am.
Remember that MONDAY 29TH OCTOBER is an INSET DAY and so the children return on Tuesday 30th October at 8.45am. Have a happy and safe half term!
1/2 team.
This week’s blog is part of that review. It would be fantastic, if you could spend some time this week, working with your child on some of the links and activities that we have included. Just count how many times you hear the phrase, ‘Oh yes...I remember that!’ You will be amazed at just how much they have managed to get through!
Parent’s Evening
On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, we hold the first of our parent’s evenings for the year. It is a chance for us to meet with you to discuss how your child has settled into their new year group and the progress they have made so far. You will receive a list of targets for reading, writing, numeracy and science. Although this may seem a lot, please remember that these are the targets they will be working on until after Christmas, so there is plenty of time to get through them.
For parents of children who are new to Year 1, the parents meetings are slightly different those in Foundation Stage. They are held in the hall, with appointments being made at 5 minute intervals. As you can appreciate, this is a very short amount of time. It can be a good idea for you to write down any questions you may have to ask us, prior to the appointment, as 5 minutes can go very quickly. We are very good at sharing the information in the allocated time, but please be aware that we may need to make a further appointment with you, to avoid other parent’s running over their time slot.
Literacy
The children will complete a piece of writing this week, based on their own experience. The children will be asked to ‘check’ their own work, seeing if they have included the following:
Year One -
I used a capital letter for the word ‘I’
I used a capital letter at the beginning of each sentence
I used a full stop at the end of each sentence
My work makes sense
I wrote as if ‘telling the story’ of what happened
Year Two –
I used verbs in the past tense
I wrote a description of . . .
I wrote about a character in the third person
I began sentences with time phrases to move the story on: ‘Sometimes’, ‘Now and again’.
I used powerful verbs to show how characters were acting
I used the phrases . . .
I used exciting verbs
I used exclamation marks after exciting sentences
I tried to use . . .
I included a change of setting
The children will also be tested to see if they are ready to move onto the next book-band level. This includes seeing how well they can decode the words (match the letters to the sounds they make) and how well they have understood the story (comprehension). Although it may appear that texts are easy for your child, it may be that they need more practice in their comprehension of what is happening in the text. It is a combination of BOTH of these factors which determines their readiness to move on. Why not try asking your child to retell the events of the story either to you, or to a younger sibling. Also, get them to make up alternative endings for the story, by using sock puppets...a great use for those single socks that we all have in our cupboards!
High Frequency Word checklists will be updated this week in the front of the diaries. As agreed at the induction meeting at the beginning of the year, the children have been working on the words in school and at home. We have been assessing the children’s ability to transfer these words into their independent writing and have been really pleased with what we have seen so far. It is vitally important that children are given daily practice in the reading and spelling of these words, as they are the ‘glue’ that holds all text together. Children who practice these words regularly at school AND home, make significant progress!
These sites will help to support the reading and spelling of these words:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/hfwords/index.shtml a great site, where you have to match the shape of the HFW
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/cvc/index.shtml choose any of these activities to help with CVC words (cat, hat, mat etc)http://www.ictgames.com/dinosaurwordsrepeat.html you need to turn the volume up for this one! Click on the dinosaur egg to hear the word and then click on the written word that matches it.http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html I love this one! You can either choose from the lists of prepared words, or you can type in the words that your child is working on. You need to click on start to begin ‘look, say, cover, write, check’.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=stickyl drag and drop the letters on the green letter rack at the top of the page and then click on the ‘Send’ button to send it to the word bank
http://www.ictgames.com/wordreader.html listen to the word and then click on the matching flower
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/airport_xray.html this may bring back memories of your holidays (doesn’t it seem a long time ago?!) Scan the suitcase to find the high frequency words
Numeracy
We have been really pleased with how well the children are working numeracy and know that many of the children are going to fly through the assessments this week!
Number knowledge – can they match the correct digit to the correct number of objects?
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/850/calcbalancev3.swf click on the number names in the middle of the scale to match the number name to the digit. This will be a really useful site to bookmark, as we will be using it regularly throughout the year.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/ngfl-flash/numbers_eng/numbers_e.html this site is useful for practicing the formation of each of the numbers. The first slide is VERY fast, so click on the green arrow on the bottom right-hand side to practice the numbers individually.
http://www.numbernut.com/basic/activities/number_mem20_1-10words.shtml play a memory game and match the number names to the digits at the same time!http://www.sums.co.uk/playground/n2a/playground.htm click on the ‘continue’ button to start the activity. This activity looks at the number names up to 100, so give it a go if you fancy a challenge!
http://www.primaryonline.co.uk/sitetour/pol/blastoff1.html a lovely game in which you have to launch 5 spaceships! Remember that the number name won’t always match a spaceship, so you have to click on ‘next’ until you get a match. This game is most suitable for Year 1, as it covers numbers up to 20.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=washindex For those children working or ordering numbers to 20
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/ngfl-flash/place_value/place_value.html a great way of explaining place value. Select Level 1 for Year 1 children and for a challenge, why not have a go at level 2? Even more of a challenge is Level 3, when it asks you to order 1000's!http://www.ictgames.com/dinoplacevalue.html can you 'partition' the numbers into tens and units?
http://www.ictgames.com/postletter.html fancy a challenge? Listen to the number and post the letter in the correct letterbox.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/bgfn/number.cfm Choose how many tens and how many units make up the target number. If you click on 'check' it will even mark it for you!
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=Toolkit index2a The children are used to using a 100 square in school, so this will be a big help at home, particularly when doing numeracy homework.
http://www.ictgames.com/football2.html kick the ball that shows 10 less than a given number
Knowledge of 2D and 3D shapes
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/maths/maerdy_2d/e_index.html guess the name of the 2D shape by listening to the properties
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/build_it/eng/Introduction/default.htm what can you build using these shapes and blocks? Encourge the children to describe the properties of the 3D shapes too!
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsE3.htm you will need to be selective from these ideas, but there are lots of sheets, activities and powerpoints for you to use at home to support your child with both 2D and 3D shapes. Be aware, that some of them are for Key Stage 2, but give them a go if you fancy a challenge!http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=MatchingPairs3Dshape why not try a memory game with 3D shapes. Some of these shapes are quite difficult to name, but you could ask your child to describe the properties them - how many faces/edges do they each have? Remember to click on start a new game to begin the activity.
We are also keen to develop the children’s scissor skills this week, so any help at home, cutting out shapes etc. would be a big help!
Measurement
http://www.edukate.net/special_files/ruler.swf use this site to practice measuring the ‘red bar’. If you can though, measuring objects around the house is a much more practical way of measuring in centimetres.
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/measures/index.htm click on Reading Length.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=ntrack ordering numbers on a number track. Can your child recognise the numbers? Are they able to order them? Can they locate the missing number?http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/ruler/ruler_cm_easy.swf measure the length of the lines using the on screen ruler
http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/ruler/ruler_cm.swf move the ruler to the line to measure it in centimetres
http://www.counton.org/games/circus/ just as a bit of a continuation of the circus theme...choose the Pole Climber, Maths Pairs or Shapes and Numbers activities. With the Pole climber activity, start on level one and then see how high you can go – subtraction begins at Level 3!
http://www.numeracyworld.com/addition%20worksheets.html I have been really pleased with the number of children who have been printing off some of the activities from the websites on the blog, so this is should be a big help! It has lots of printable sheets for you to print off and practice at home for all areas of numeracy. Some are more difficult than others, but have a look through for the topic we are covering this week for some extra practice.
There are lots of practical activities that you can do at home to support all of these areas. Have a look through previous blogs to revisit some of the ideas that were suggested.
Here I Am
Last week, we began our new topic of Signs and Symbols. The children:
Recognised some signs and symbols.
Reflected on signs and symbols they use and experience.
Respected how much they need and use signs and symbols.
We move on this week to the Relate part of the topic, where we will talk with the children about the signs and symbols associated with their Baptism. Maybe you could share some photographs of your child’s Baptism with them. Do they know who their Godparents are? If any of you would be willing to share a video of your child’s Baptism, then please see any member of the team.
Spanish
We have been extremely fortunate to a have a foreign language specialist in school and she is now working with the children every Thursday to help develop their Spanish language knowledge. You may have heard lots of songs and phases coming home – ask them to sing you the counting song...un sardina...!!!
For those of us who are learning alongside the children (and I DO include myself in this!) I have included a couple of links below which will help with pronunciation etc.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/ this is a site for adults who are new to the language. You can download lots of mp3’s for your iPod and then amaze your child by asking them some questions in Spanish (before they ask you!)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryspanish/ a great site for the children to use. There are also lots of downloadable activities, again for practising those scissor skills!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/spanish_songs_ks2 I loved these! There are some great Karaoke songs to download, along with some matching activities for the children.
http://gamequarium.com/spanish.htm a great site for help with pronunciation!
http://www.studystack.com/menu-21283 again this is another site for adults, but the matching game is a great one for testing yourself! It does take quite a while to load, so you need to be patient before hitting the back button!
Finally, a thank you from all the staff for encouraging your children to come into school independently this week. It really has reduced the congestion in the area and the children are getting into their classrooms a lot quicker, ready to start work. We would also encourage children NOT to play on the patio area before school in the mornings. The children cannot be easily supervised there and so the children should remain on the playground until staff collect them at 8.45am.
Remember that MONDAY 29TH OCTOBER is an INSET DAY and so the children return on Tuesday 30th October at 8.45am. Have a happy and safe half term!
1/2 team.
Friday, 5 October 2007
8th October 2007
The children have really settled in to the swing of things now and have got used to the new routines. Many children have really risen to the challenge of being independent but there are just a few who need some gentle reminders. It would be a huge help to all staff, if you could encourage your child to come into school on their own from now on, as we do seem to getting a bit of traffic jam at the moment in the area! Also, as the weather is now getting cooler, the children do need a coat in school every day for the playground.
Diary
Monday and Tuesday are as normal, but there are a number of changes to the rest of the week. Mrs Malone will be out on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, with her class being taken by Ms Jennifer Wright. Mrs Worrall will be out on Thursday, with her class being taken by Ms Ruth Owens. Please be assured, that because all staff plan together, then the provision for your child in each of the three classes is exactly the same.
Topic
We will be having a fun-filled week of art work...glitter – glue – clay – paper – more glitter – feathers – even more glitter...the children will be given the task of making our classroom and the area more aesthetically pleasing! They will be looking at the work of famous artists and trying to emulate some of their work. Each of the teachers will focus on a particular piece of art and show the children how to develop their artistic skills by using different media.
Some of the following websites are lovely and will fuel the children’s ideas for when we start with gusto on Monday. If you fancy an afternoon out, then the Lowry is very child-friendly and has lots of hands-on activities for them to try while you walk around the exhibits!
http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/preload.htm what a lovely site! Click on the Victorians and select the ‘Investigate a picture’. There are some lovely activities for you to print off and use too!
http://www.museumnetworkuk.org/landscapes/themes/themesindex.htm looking at Landscapes - if you click on the materials section on the site, it shows how artists select the different materials they use to create landscape pictures
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/landscape1/index.html I love this! The cartoon character guides you through various artists’ interpretations of landscapes. There is even a section on how to make your very own canvas painting!
http://www.museumeducation.bedford.gov.uk/bedfordbytes/nature/making_patterns.htm a lovely site to make patterns in nature to make a personalised piece of artwork. Maybe some of the children could print them off at home and bring them in to show!
Literacy
This week, we are focussing on writing, based on the work we have been covering on Stories with a familiar setting. The children have read lots of stories, but they will be asked to write a story based on an experience of when they couldn’t get to sleep...(maybe a bit early to start talking Christmas!)
They have been talking about the ‘Story Mountain’ and have been looking at sequencing the main ideas in a story:
1. The beginning
2. Something happens
3. The exciting bit
4. Events to sort it out
5. The ending
There are even some actions to go with these headings, so see if they can remember them when you are next reading your bedtime story!
BY the end of the week, the children:
Must be able to write three simple sentences to retell events based on personal experience.
Should be able to use an opener to begin each sentence.
Could write a story based on personal experience using openers and more adventurous vocabulary
The children have been working really hard on their spelling homework and we can see that some of it is being transferred into their independent writing. A few children have been completing homework in biro. Please could you ensure that any written work is completed in pencil.
High Frequency words
The children will be assessed on the High Frequency words they have been working on this half term and the checklists at the front of their diaries will be updated. A big thank you to the parents who have been working with their children at home on their words . There are lots of links on previous blog posts, for you to support your child.
http://www.longman.co.uk/books/contents.htm some lovely online books for you to share at home with your child
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/english/games/story_plant/small_no_sound/standard2.shtml I put this link on a couple of weeks ago and it proved so popular, I have included it again! We would love to read some of the stories that come out of this site!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/patch.shtml click on the game to practice ordering a sentence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/index.shtml choose any of these ‘adventures’ to help with lots of areas of literacy
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/literacy/lit_site/html/fiction/bigbooks/groovyg/index2.html a lovely book, which does read the text for you. We will run the risk of spoiling your fun and say that we discover there are red apples in a 'groovy garden', which some animals like the look of. Make a note of the animals when they appear as you can't click back to them. However when said animals come to eat the apples, they find there are none left. What could have happened? Over to you...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/colour/ourhouse.shtml Print out the pictures and write your own story about being at home.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/jackanory/create/picture_story.shtml ooh, remember 5 o’clock in front of the television, before your tea for Jackanory?? Well, here is the son of Jackanory – Jackanory Junior! There are some lovely stories to share on here, but why not have a go at creating your own picture story?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/drilldown/stories/2/2/1/ As we are looking at stories with familiar settings, these links give you some great ideas for writing about everyday life.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=16 for those children working on writing their own sentences, a good place to start is this site, using a wordbank to help.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/phonics/index.shtml I have used ‘Bitesize’ in Key Stage 2 for a number of years and now the BBC have produced a Key Stage 1 version! There are lots of fabulous games to practice both Literacy and Numeracy. There is also a sheet that can be downloaded, to check how much your child has retained!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/caerphilly/adjectives/index.htm This is a really good site to illustrate to the children just how important adjectives are when writing an interesting story.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/caerphilly/larry_the_lion/index.htm another site which uses ‘Larry the Lion’ (wasn’t he Larry the Lamb??) to help the children learn describing words.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=aroundyourhome play a quiz and see if you can match objects around your home to their description
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-writing-storymaker.htm choose any type of story to help you get started on your writing
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-stories-short.htm fancy reading some short stories? There are some lovely ones here, all with follow up activities to support comprehension
Numeracy
This week’s focus will be on number, particularly looking at number pairs to total 10. We will also be working on finding missing numbers in a number sentence.
Why not try the following activity to help with ‘number bonds’:
Have 10 red counters and 10 blue counters. Choose 4 red counters and place them on the table. Ask your child to choose some blue counters to make 10 counters all together. Then, write down the number sentence underneath 4 + 6 = 10. You could then repeat this for all the pairs to 10. See if your child is able to spot the patterns when they see the numbers written down.
By the end of the week, the children:
Must: be able to know addition and subtraction facts to 6.
Should: be able to know addition and subtraction facts to 10.
Could: be able to know addition and subtraction facts to 10 and can relate the number bonds to corresponding facts, for example 16+4=20
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=fmach the doubling machine! Enter a number into the boxes and try to guess the number that the machine will give out!
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/games/magic-gopher-central.swf How do they do it?? I promise you, you will keep trying this one, just to see if you can beat the gopher!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch3.shtml some of these activities are quite simple, but the missing number questions are a really good place to start for this week’s activities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/test.shtml the children are used to using jumping frogs, but how will they feel about the Toad?!
http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/add_sub/9%20and%2011.swf can you fill in the gaps in the 100 square?
http://www.ictgames.com/submarinenopad2.html add 10 to the target number
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/y2d2a3.html a good site to help children understand mathematical vocabulary
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/add/add.html you will need to sit with your child for this, but once they see the pattern, it should become easier
http://www.ictgames.com/safecracker.html use Z and X and the arrow keys, to move the numbers to make the number sentence correct and crack the safe!
http://www.ictgames.com/flight_for_fuel.html add three or more numbers together to make a total
http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html
http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html add the numbers to colour the pictures
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf choose ‘Number Bonds’, then bonds to 10 or 20 and select Digit. This is really good on the interactive whiteboard – it might be a good idea to remind your children that your monitor at home is NOT interactive and therefore they should remember to use the mouse when they are at home!
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/num%20menu.html click on the number machine you want to work with
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/working_with_coins/eng/Introduction/default.htm see if your child can see any number bond patterns when adding these coins together
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/maths/guess_my_number_10/index.htm# try to guess the number up to ten by following the instructions on the screen
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/guess_my_number_100/index.htm the same as the above site, but this site goes up to 100
And finally...
You should have received a parents evening letter this week for next Tuesday and Wednesday’s appointments. We liaise with the rest of the staff, in order to provide you with a time which is convenient for yourselves and fits in with siblings.
For parents of children who are new to Year 1, the parents meetings are slightly different than in Foundation Stage. They are held in the hall, with appointments being made at 5 minute intervals. As you can appreciate, this is a very short amount of time and you should receive the targets which your child needs to work on, along with how they have settled into their new Year group. It can be a good idea for you to write down any questions you may have to ask us, prior to the appointment, as 5 minutes can go very quickly. We are very good at sharing the information in the allocated time, but please be aware that we may need to make a further appointment with you, to avoid other parent’s running over their time slot.
Have a good week!
Year 1/2 team.
Diary
Monday and Tuesday are as normal, but there are a number of changes to the rest of the week. Mrs Malone will be out on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, with her class being taken by Ms Jennifer Wright. Mrs Worrall will be out on Thursday, with her class being taken by Ms Ruth Owens. Please be assured, that because all staff plan together, then the provision for your child in each of the three classes is exactly the same.
Topic
We will be having a fun-filled week of art work...glitter – glue – clay – paper – more glitter – feathers – even more glitter...the children will be given the task of making our classroom and the area more aesthetically pleasing! They will be looking at the work of famous artists and trying to emulate some of their work. Each of the teachers will focus on a particular piece of art and show the children how to develop their artistic skills by using different media.
Some of the following websites are lovely and will fuel the children’s ideas for when we start with gusto on Monday. If you fancy an afternoon out, then the Lowry is very child-friendly and has lots of hands-on activities for them to try while you walk around the exhibits!
http://www.schoolsliaison.org.uk/kids/preload.htm what a lovely site! Click on the Victorians and select the ‘Investigate a picture’. There are some lovely activities for you to print off and use too!
http://www.museumnetworkuk.org/landscapes/themes/themesindex.htm looking at Landscapes - if you click on the materials section on the site, it shows how artists select the different materials they use to create landscape pictures
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/landscape1/index.html I love this! The cartoon character guides you through various artists’ interpretations of landscapes. There is even a section on how to make your very own canvas painting!
http://www.museumeducation.bedford.gov.uk/bedfordbytes/nature/making_patterns.htm a lovely site to make patterns in nature to make a personalised piece of artwork. Maybe some of the children could print them off at home and bring them in to show!
Literacy
This week, we are focussing on writing, based on the work we have been covering on Stories with a familiar setting. The children have read lots of stories, but they will be asked to write a story based on an experience of when they couldn’t get to sleep...(maybe a bit early to start talking Christmas!)
They have been talking about the ‘Story Mountain’ and have been looking at sequencing the main ideas in a story:
1. The beginning
2. Something happens
3. The exciting bit
4. Events to sort it out
5. The ending
There are even some actions to go with these headings, so see if they can remember them when you are next reading your bedtime story!
BY the end of the week, the children:
Must be able to write three simple sentences to retell events based on personal experience.
Should be able to use an opener to begin each sentence.
Could write a story based on personal experience using openers and more adventurous vocabulary
The children have been working really hard on their spelling homework and we can see that some of it is being transferred into their independent writing. A few children have been completing homework in biro. Please could you ensure that any written work is completed in pencil.
High Frequency words
The children will be assessed on the High Frequency words they have been working on this half term and the checklists at the front of their diaries will be updated. A big thank you to the parents who have been working with their children at home on their words . There are lots of links on previous blog posts, for you to support your child.
http://www.longman.co.uk/books/contents.htm some lovely online books for you to share at home with your child
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/english/games/story_plant/small_no_sound/standard2.shtml I put this link on a couple of weeks ago and it proved so popular, I have included it again! We would love to read some of the stories that come out of this site!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/patch.shtml click on the game to practice ordering a sentence.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/index.shtml choose any of these ‘adventures’ to help with lots of areas of literacy
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/literacy/lit_site/html/fiction/bigbooks/groovyg/index2.html a lovely book, which does read the text for you. We will run the risk of spoiling your fun and say that we discover there are red apples in a 'groovy garden', which some animals like the look of. Make a note of the animals when they appear as you can't click back to them. However when said animals come to eat the apples, they find there are none left. What could have happened? Over to you...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/stories/colour/ourhouse.shtml Print out the pictures and write your own story about being at home.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/jackanory/create/picture_story.shtml ooh, remember 5 o’clock in front of the television, before your tea for Jackanory?? Well, here is the son of Jackanory – Jackanory Junior! There are some lovely stories to share on here, but why not have a go at creating your own picture story?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/drilldown/stories/2/2/1/ As we are looking at stories with familiar settings, these links give you some great ideas for writing about everyday life.
http://demo.iboard.co.uk/screens/thread_home.htm?thread_id=16 for those children working on writing their own sentences, a good place to start is this site, using a wordbank to help.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/phonics/index.shtml I have used ‘Bitesize’ in Key Stage 2 for a number of years and now the BBC have produced a Key Stage 1 version! There are lots of fabulous games to practice both Literacy and Numeracy. There is also a sheet that can be downloaded, to check how much your child has retained!
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/caerphilly/adjectives/index.htm This is a really good site to illustrate to the children just how important adjectives are when writing an interesting story.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/caerphilly/larry_the_lion/index.htm another site which uses ‘Larry the Lion’ (wasn’t he Larry the Lamb??) to help the children learn describing words.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=aroundyourhome play a quiz and see if you can match objects around your home to their description
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-writing-storymaker.htm choose any type of story to help you get started on your writing
http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-stories-short.htm fancy reading some short stories? There are some lovely ones here, all with follow up activities to support comprehension
Numeracy
This week’s focus will be on number, particularly looking at number pairs to total 10. We will also be working on finding missing numbers in a number sentence.
Why not try the following activity to help with ‘number bonds’:
Have 10 red counters and 10 blue counters. Choose 4 red counters and place them on the table. Ask your child to choose some blue counters to make 10 counters all together. Then, write down the number sentence underneath 4 + 6 = 10. You could then repeat this for all the pairs to 10. See if your child is able to spot the patterns when they see the numbers written down.
By the end of the week, the children:
Must: be able to know addition and subtraction facts to 6.
Should: be able to know addition and subtraction facts to 10.
Could: be able to know addition and subtraction facts to 10 and can relate the number bonds to corresponding facts, for example 16+4=20
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=fmach the doubling machine! Enter a number into the boxes and try to guess the number that the machine will give out!
http://www.learnenglish.org.uk/games/magic-gopher-central.swf How do they do it?? I promise you, you will keep trying this one, just to see if you can beat the gopher!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch3.shtml some of these activities are quite simple, but the missing number questions are a really good place to start for this week’s activities
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/test.shtml the children are used to using jumping frogs, but how will they feel about the Toad?!
http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/add_sub/9%20and%2011.swf can you fill in the gaps in the 100 square?
http://www.ictgames.com/submarinenopad2.html add 10 to the target number
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/y2d2a3.html a good site to help children understand mathematical vocabulary
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/add/add.html you will need to sit with your child for this, but once they see the pattern, it should become easier
http://www.ictgames.com/safecracker.html use Z and X and the arrow keys, to move the numbers to make the number sentence correct and crack the safe!
http://www.ictgames.com/flight_for_fuel.html add three or more numbers together to make a total
http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html
http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html add the numbers to colour the pictures
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf choose ‘Number Bonds’, then bonds to 10 or 20 and select Digit. This is really good on the interactive whiteboard – it might be a good idea to remind your children that your monitor at home is NOT interactive and therefore they should remember to use the mouse when they are at home!
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/maths/num%20machine/num%20menu.html click on the number machine you want to work with
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/working_with_coins/eng/Introduction/default.htm see if your child can see any number bond patterns when adding these coins together
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/maths/guess_my_number_10/index.htm# try to guess the number up to ten by following the instructions on the screen
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/guess_my_number_100/index.htm the same as the above site, but this site goes up to 100
And finally...
You should have received a parents evening letter this week for next Tuesday and Wednesday’s appointments. We liaise with the rest of the staff, in order to provide you with a time which is convenient for yourselves and fits in with siblings.
For parents of children who are new to Year 1, the parents meetings are slightly different than in Foundation Stage. They are held in the hall, with appointments being made at 5 minute intervals. As you can appreciate, this is a very short amount of time and you should receive the targets which your child needs to work on, along with how they have settled into their new Year group. It can be a good idea for you to write down any questions you may have to ask us, prior to the appointment, as 5 minutes can go very quickly. We are very good at sharing the information in the allocated time, but please be aware that we may need to make a further appointment with you, to avoid other parent’s running over their time slot.
Have a good week!
Year 1/2 team.
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