Before we begin this week's blog, a big thank you to all who attended the numeracy workshop last night. We hope that you found it useful and informative. As promised, here are the list of websites which can be accessed by just clicking on the link, rather than just typing them in.
Number Bonds
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ a favourite of mine! Click on level B or C and then any of the number activities
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/units120.html how many questions can you answer in 2 minutes?
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html click on any of the timed activities to help with number bonds knowledge.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf select the number bonds activity and then make 10 or 20. How many can you get right before the clock runs out?
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/make10.html%20make%2010
http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html make 20 - the dance will really make you giggle!
http://www.ictgames.com/brilliant_beadstring.html move the beadstring to make patterns to 10 and 20
http://www.ictgames.com/save_the_whale_v4.html match the pipes to make the number bonds to 10
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/numberbond.html make up your own number bond games
http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html for each question you get right, it colours in a part of the picture!
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
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch3.shtml a very simple site, but why not see if you can build up your speed using this, for addition and subtraction?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/test.shtml addition and subtraction problems to work out on screen. Watch what happens to the toad!
http://www.freewebtown.com/weddell/mw/add_sub/9%20and%2011.swf use their knowledge of a number square to add and subtract 9 and 11
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/gameshoweasy.html practice in solving number problems using a game show!
http://www.ictgames.com/submarinenopad2.html add 10 to the target number
http://www.ictgames.com/ufo.html add by counting on
http://www.ictgames.com/funny_fingers_v2.html use this to demonstrate adding to 10 using fingers – very useful!
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/y2d2a3.html this site is great for developing understanding of mathematical vocabulary through problem solving
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/add/add.html drag the number to the correct place on the addition square
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mw/swfs/rockhopper_grade2.html adding single digit numbers
http://www.mathsyear2000.org/games/map-numbers/splash/ try not to move the counter off the end!
http://www.ictgames.com/safecracker.html can you crack the code and break the safe?
http://www.ictgames.com/technowithflock.html this is guaranteed to make you giggle! Addition of 2 two digit numbers
http://www.ictgames.com/flight_for_fuel.html fill the pods to make them take flight
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/games/dartboard.shtml play the dartboard game
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.
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.
Online Tools
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/numberlines.html every number line you could ever need!
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/853/numberlinev2.swf use for practising missing numbers from a number line
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/850/counterv1.swf practice counting aloud in various steps. This will be useful all the way through the school.
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/countersquare.html useful for investigating number patterns
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/SplatSquares/splatsq99.html splat the correct numbers to complete the pattern
http://www.metacalc.com/ online calculator
http://www.teachers.ash.org.au/jeather/rainforestmaths/RFMB/RFMB.html a great site with lots of activities to support all areas of numeracy
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1numeracy.html scroll down for the toolkit, including an online calculator.
This week’s numeracy
We have assessed the children’s progress in numeracy and all we can say is WOW! They have truly amazed us with just how quickly they are progressing. Over the next couple weeks, as time is limited, we will be reviewing some of the topics which the children found difficult.
This week, we will be focussing on Place Value. The children will be able to answer questions such as ‘How many tens are there in 42?’ ‘How many hundreds are there in 569?’
The key question for this week will be ‘How can we PARTITION this number?’
Partition is a key piece of vocabulary, which the children will encounter over and over again. It means splitting a number up into how many hundreds, tend and units it is made from.
For those parents who came along to the numeracy workshops, then there are numerous activities in the pack to practice place value. Also, these websites may help to consolidate the children’s understanding:
http://enlvm.usu.edu/ma/nav/activity.jsp?sid=nlvm&cid=1_1&lid=154 this does take a little while to download, but is well worth it. The children need to solve the problem using the Base 10 apparatus that we use in school. The instructions on the right hand side are really easy to follow.
http://www.innovationslearning.co.uk/subjects/maths/activities/year3/dienes_addition/question.asp again this uses the same equipment, but the numbers involved are a little more challenging, as they include hundreds.
http://www.ictgames.com/woodseasy.html click once to partition the number and then choose the correct number to double it. Remember the rhyme...Double the tens and double the units.
http://www.ictgames.com/woodcards.html again, the same activity, but a bit more challenging as the numbers involve bridging through 10 and 100.
http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/numbersense/index.html this game does take a while to get the hang of, but once you figure out you have to generate a larger number than the machine, you’ll fly ahead.
http://www.ictgames.com/sharknumbers.html be careful you don’t get eaten by the shark! Look at the green number blocks on the surf board and then choose the correct number in the bubbles. Get one wrong, and the shark takes a bite of the board!
http://home.freeuk.com/elloughton13/math81.htm we will be using this in class to show the children how numbers are made up of hundreds, tens and units.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/maths/placethepenguin.shtml very appropriate for the chilly weather! Place the penguin on the right space to partition the numbers.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/853/PlaceValueChartv4.swf another one we will be using in school to help the children with their understanding of place value. The children will be given a target number and they will have to make it using the correct number of hundreds, tens and units.
Here I Am
We will be continuing with our Relate section this week, by reading different versions of the Christmas story and then sequencing them.
· Gabriel’s message for Mary
· Elizabeth rejoices at Jesus’ coming
· Luke’s story of Jesus coming
· Luke’s story of the shepherds’ welcome
· Matthew’s story of the visitors from the East
The links from last week’s blog have some lovely versions of the story to read with your children.
Our Christmas Carol Service will take place on the last day of term, but this year, we have had a change of venue! We will be walking up to St.Joseph’s Church and performing our Carol Service there, at 10am on the last day of term before Christmas. You are most welcome to join us, in what should be a beautiful start to the Christmas celebrations. Details will be sent out shortly, so please do keep an eye on the diaries.
Musical talent!
http://www.singup.org/parents_and_carers/First_Steps_to_Singing_at_Home.jsp I have just come across this site and it’s fabulous! With all of the singing going on recently, we have spotted some really talented singers in our midst and this site gives you some great ideas of how to nurture that special talent. Go on...I know you are desperate to get up on that stage yourselves!
Here’s a short extract of games which can be played in the car. You could also adapt them to play in the house, whilst the rain is pouring down the windows!
‘How do I keep my children happy and occupied on car journeys?’ is one of the strange parenting mysteries of life, alongside ‘who teaches toddlers to arch their backs to delay getting in the pushchair?’, and ‘who teaches a child the infamous words “Are we nearly there yet?”’ And why are they never spoken 5 mins from your destination? The addition of Sat Nav to our cars has an added bonus of enabling our fellow passengers to be even more knowledgeable and irritating back seat drivers – resulting in “you’ve gone the wrong way”, “that’s added 3 minutes onto our arrival time” and “I’ve chosen an alternative route!”.The following music activities promise that all travelling minds will be awake, active and stimulated, all mouths will be singing, talking and laughing and all bodies will be moving, grooving and clapping (please – no high speed clapping whilst driving!).
· Adapt them according to the variety of ages and abilities in the car
· Use a huge variety of songs of every style and genre
· Oh, and remember to have some times of quiet too – let the world go by and give your voices, ears and minds a rest!
Syllable Ping Pong!
· Take turns to sing one syllable and one note at a time – the quest is to get the song as smooth as possible and not so jerky
· Try Jin- gle – bells –jin- gle – bells – jin- gle- all – the – way!
I Sing With My Little Voice, Something Beginning With…
· Musical ‘I spy’- simply hum or la a line from a well-known song!
Medley Madness!
· Choose any topic and come up with a long list of songs/lyrics which match the topic in any weird and wonderful way! Any topic such as colours, weather, love or girls (e.g. ‘Girl put your records on’, ‘Girls just want to have fun’).
Throw Me A Line
· Sing a well-known song, but take turns in singing a line each around the car!
· Challenge each other by changing the pitch (higher or lower) and tempo (speed)!
DJ Intro Wizard
· Play a well-known song from a CD and do a cheesy voiceover introduction to the song – making sure you time your words just right before the singing starts!
Beat The Wipers!
· On a rainy day when the wipers are on intermittent, see who can sing the longest line from any song whilst the wipers are down. As soon as they lift, you stop. ‘One potato, two potato, three potato, four…’ works well.
Tap The Rhythm
· Tap the rhythm of a line from a song on the back, palm or on an area of the car (not the driver!)
Morse Mayhem!
· Using the morse code list tap secret words to each other (3-letter words to start) this really helps in memorising rhythms!
I Downloaded A Track And Got…
· A musical version of the shopping game. Each player adds a new sung phrase to the list, and repeats everyone’s choices as the list grows…
Sing The Gap!
· Everyone sings along with the CD – at the beginning of the chorus turn the volume down and carry on singing – turn volume up after a while and see how close you are to getting it in tune and in the right place!
Lost Lyrics
· If you have the CD inlay this makes life easier. Or choose very well-known songs. One person sings or says the lyric and everyone has to sing or say the lyrics which come after.
Old Favourites With A Twist!
· Try changing very familiar songs and make them your own! Perhaps singing them faster and higher, slower and lower, operatic, jazzy, posh, punk etc.
Copy Cat
· Sing a simple phrase or tap/clap a rhythm for the other person to copy! Make the phrases longer and longer until they make a mistake.
Making Your Own Up!
· Write your own words to a familiar tune or make up different lines within the framework of the song.
· E.g. ‘Row row row the boat’ could change to ‘Run, run, run away, from a hairy goat. If you dare to stand that close, it will eat your coat!’
Old And New
· Take turns to teach each other songs from your childhood and then let them teach you a new one!
· You may even discover familiar territory.
· Perhaps make a collection of your favourites and explain your reasons.
Can I Be Simon Cowell?
· Each chooses to be a TV judge from a talent competition (ooo, I wonder what that could be?!) Listen to the radio and when a song ends turn it down and take turns to make comments and give marks!
Glitter and Snowflakes!
As I am sure the children will be extremely tired this week, we will be taking the opportunity to get creative with our Christmas Cards, Advent Calendar and Wreaths. Make sure you keep pride of place free on the mantelpiece for your child’s decoration!
Housekeeping
With all the extra activities going on, the children’s and teacher’s routines are hectic, as I am sure you can appreciate! As we are all busy with our preparations for the festive season, here are just a few reminders:
· Jack and the Beanstalk – reply slips need to be in school as soon as possible
· Christmas Lunch is this Thursday for the children. Please remember that there will be no toast available at morning break, so the children will need to bring a mid-morning snack
· The Christmas party letter has gone out last week. In order for Santa to but all his presents, we would be grateful if a £2.50 donation could be sent in to school by Wednesday. (His elves need to wrap over 120 presents, so they need as much time as possible!)
· Quite a few reading diaries seem to have been misplaced over the last few weeks. A tip is to make sure that the diary is always placed back into the book bag whenever you have read with your child. I know I too have a frantic search for the diary on Monday mornings, so this may make things a little easier!
Non-Uniform Day
There will be a non-uniform day THIS FRIDAY and we would like all the children to bring in a contribution for the TOMBOLA for the Christmas Fayre which takes place next Saturday, 8th December.
And finally...
The dress rehearsal for Santa’s Christmas Circus Extravaganza was FANTASTIC!!! You will truly amazed by the standard of singing, acting and dancing. Please remember to bring along your tickets to each performance, as we cannot admit anyone without one. After the Thursday evening performance, the children will be able to take their costumes home with them – including all the tinsel and glitter which had adored the carpets this week!
May we take this opportunity to thank you for all the time and effort you have put into preparing your children’s costumes. They all look fantastic on the stage and are a real credit to you.
Have a great week!
Year 1/2 team
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Friday, 23 November 2007
Doesn't time fly...?
Well where did last week go? I am sure that someone shortened the week and didn’t tell the Year 1/2 teachers! We were very ambitious at trying to fit everything in last week, so a few things will be carried over to this week, including our very last week of rehearsals for the Christmas production...yes we really do only have one more week left!
On the subject of the Christmas production, it would be great if you could ensure that your child’s costume is in school on MONDAY 26th November. This is to ensure that any last minute alterations can be done and also to make sure that the children are comfortable with their poms-poms, glitter and tinsel! The songs are fantastic and certainly have all the teachers’ toes tapping...I think most of the customers in Tesco heard me humming it last weekend!
The Year 2 children have worked extremely hard in learning their lines and now they are working on putting the expression and actions together, to form an Oscar winning performance. One idea that we have suggested to the children to help them learn how to project their voices, is to stand at the top of the stairs, and shout their lines to you. If you can hear them clearly, then they will be loud enough on the stage.
You should have all received you tickets a couple of weeks ago. Please do keep them in a safe place, as we cannot re-issue tickets. Each family has been allocated one ticket for each performance. This has been the case for a number of years, in order to help us comply with Health and Safety regulations. It can also be really daunting for the children to see a sea of faces when they are on the stage, so restricting the numbers, is for the benefit of all our children.
Assessments
Over the next week or so, your child may come home telling you they have done some ‘tests’. We need to see how much the children have progressed since September and also form judgements about how we can move our planning forward in the new year. The way the assessments are delivered, means that any anxiety is kept to a minimum, as they will be done as part of normal classroom activities.
By the end of this term, you should expect:
· Any remaining high frequency words to be updated and new lists stuck into the front of the diaries
· Your child’s reading level to be checked and, where appropriate, given a new colour book band
· Updated maths targets based on the assessments completed in school.
Numeracy Workshop
Many of you have asked for the addresses of the websites which we use in school on the interactive whiteboard. They have been placed on this blog before, but in order to have them all together, I have put them all together on this ‘Numeracy’ blog. So, have a play about on them, and then bookmark some as your favourites (see if your child can remember which ‘star’ to click to do this!)
Number Bonds
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ a favourite of mine! Click on level B or C and then any of the number activitieshttp://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/units120.html how many questions can you answer in 2 minutes?
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html click on any of the timed activities to help with number bonds knowledge.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf select the number bonds activity and then make 10 or 20. How many can you get right before the clock runs out?
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/make10.html%20make%2010
http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html make 20 - the dance will really make you giggle!
http://www.ictgames.com/brilliant_beadstring.html move the beadstring to make patterns to 10 and 20
http://www.ictgames.com/save_the_whale_v4.html match the pipes to make the number bonds to 10
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/numberbond.html make up your own number bond games
http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html for each question you get right, it colours in a part of the picture!
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 numberKnowledge 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.
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 and we will try out some of those at the workshops on Thursday . It will be very useful I’m sure!
Literacy
We will continue our theme of Instructions. This week’s question will be HOW CAN WE TELL SOMEONE ELSE TO MAKE THIS?
The children will have to work in their co-operative learning teams, in order to explain how to make something. The other people in the team, will then have to write down the instructions and then pass them to another team to make. The children will find out just how successful they have been, when they see what the other teams have made.
This normally produces much giggling and laughter, but the children do appreciate just how vital it is for instructions to be accurate and clear.
Next week, we will be moving onto writing our set of instructions independently. In order for the children to check whether they have included all the necessary ‘ingredients’, they will be using something called a ‘Marking Ladder.’ They have used these in the past and found them fantastic, as they got to ‘tick’ their own work before a teacher!
I used a ‘How to’ heading
I used an introduction to hook the reader
I used a ‘You will need’ subheading
I gave two lists: equipment and materials
I used numbered instructions in the right order
I used a ‘bossy’ verb in the present tense to begin each instruction
I used an impersonal tone
(no ‘you’ or ‘I’)
I linked diagrams to instructions
I used labels, arrows, lines and keys
I included a short conclusion to suggest the next action
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/lists_and_instructions/eng/Introduction/default.htm this is a great site! Drag and drop each of the sentences to put them in the right order.
http://ro.zrsss.si/~viljenka/maketea.htm another way of showing how to put the instructions to make a cup of tea, in the correct order.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=teaseq
Here I Am
We continue our topic of Visitors this week, looking at the RELATE section. The children will:Learn that the children’s own exploration of VISITORS is enriched by learning about preparations made during the four weeks of Advent to welcome Jesus at Christmas.
We will be asking the children to sequence the events of the Christmas Story in order and retell the story in their own words.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/b-dag/ngfl-container/re-unit1-en.html
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/christianity/nativity/index.htm
http://www.refuel.org.uk/curric/infant_topics/christmas/christmas.html
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/nativity/nativity.html
http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/nativity.htm
http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/xmas/word/cross2.gif
http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/millionxmas.html I loved this one! A Who wants to be a millionaire Christmas quiz!
Homework
This week’s homework will be the last for two weeks, as we don’t usually send homework home during the week of the productions. It would be helpful if you could ensure that homework is set back into school on MONDAYS, so that it can be marked and returned on TUESDAYS. Also, thank you to those parents who have remembered to complete the traffic lights at the end of the numeracy homework. Please do feel free to add any comments that you feel may support your child’s learning and understanding.
I think that’s all for this week!
Year 1/2 team.
Friday, 16 November 2007
Reach for the Stars...
As the title of this week’s blog suggests, we are most definitely reaching for the stars this week. With the rehearsals for the production well underway and a packed curriculum to fit into the week, we will need to shoe-horn it all into the limited time we have!!
So, here goes...
Literacy
This week’s question - HOW DOES THIS WORK?
We will be starting a new topic this week of Instructions. Sounds uninspiring? Not at all! This is a great topic to get the children’s creative juices really flowing. We will start by playing some games, which the children will have to follow the instructions to. Then, make sure they remember to bring their dancing shoes, as they will have to follow the instructions to a new dance (mmm...might bring in my High School Musical CD for this one!)
We will also have lots of fun, by asking the children to make something – but they will told the instructions in the wrong order. When we have done this in the past, it has made us giggle, but the children learn how important it is to read and write instructions in the correct sequence.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to follow a simple set of oral instructions
SHOULD be able to give oral instructions in the correct sequence
COULD be able to write labels on equipment to instruct someone how to use it
This will definitely be a Green Hat week!
How can you help at home?
Could your child programme the DVD player to record your favourite programme before you? If that sounds familiar, then you are not alone! Children are fantastic at working things out, but they learn through experience...pressing the buttons to see which one works! See if they can explain to you how to program the recorder, by giving you step by step instructions. Then, say them back to your child in the WRONG order. See if they notice the mistake!
Another really good way to help children understand instructions, is to bake with them. You could make cakes from scratch, (which would also help to develop the children’s measuring skills), or you could buy one of the cake mix packets when you do your weekend shop. Green’s cake mixes have some really clear instructions on the back, that are presented with diagrams and simple sentences, plus the cartoon characters help to make it memorable!
http://www.popandco.com/archive/moab/ this is strangely fascinating! It shows how a Lego brick is made, giving step by step instructions from granules to the bricks we know and love (and end up under the sofa!) If you have Lego bricks at home, maybe you could get your child to write the instructions to build a scene from a Fairy Tale.
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=12§ionId=47&contentId=122 these are some great recipe sheets for you to download, which are great for showing how useful instructions are
http://www.hitentertainment.com/artattack/artattacks.html ooh I can just see the glitter and pom-poms! The children will have seen the programme Art Attack and this site has the instruction sheets for all the activities that have been broadcast from this series.
http://www.makersgallery.com/joanirvine/howto.html very simple instructions on how to make a pop-up book. This is also a great idea if you feel like making some of your Christmas cards this year.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=teaseq can you make Gran the perfect cup of tea?
And this will all fit in with...
Science
...where the children will use all their knowledge of circuits from last week, to write the instructions of how to make the bulb light up.
This week’s science questions will therefore be HOW CAN WE MAKE THE BULB LIGHT UP AND THEN SWITCH OFF AGAIN? and HOW CAN WE MAKE THE BULB BRIGHTER?
The children will also begin to draw their own circuits, using symbols for a battery and a bulb. The links from last week’s blog are really good for practising this.
They will find out that breaking a circuit means that no electricity flows, and no appliances in the circuit work; about making contacts between wires and components and that a switch is a device which breaks and makes contacts.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to name the equipment necessary to make a circuit
SHOULD be able to use the equipment to make a circuit in which the bulb lights up
COULD be able to use a switch in the circuit to turn the bulb on and off
http://www.topicbox.co.uk/browse.php?item_ID=5926&subject=Science&topic=Physics%20-%20Electricity just click on the Electricity Powerpoint link and download a great information resource about Electricity
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase3delivery/Wales/Science/Keystage1/Physicalprocess/Electricalcircu/Introduction/default.htm drag and drop the correct components onto the correct place on the circuit.
http://www.hyperstaffs.info/work/physics/child/index.html this is a great website, full of lots of fun activities to help explain electricity. It does say that it is aimed at Key Stage 2, but many of the children will be able to access it fairly easily.
http://www.constructionawards.co.uk/index.php?mode=stuact&t=f&w=584&h=438&n=2&f=ks1act2pre.swf another useful site when constructing circuits. The clipart makes this site really easy to use.
Numeracy
You will have received today in the diaries, an orange sheet with information about our new Number Bond challenge award. We have to send our apologies, as the timings have been altered slightly. They should now read as follows:
Year 1
GOLD to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 10 in 5 minutes
SILVER to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 10 in 6 minutes
BRONZE to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 10 in 7 minutes
Year 2
GOLD to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 20 in 5 minutes
SILVER to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 20 in 6 minutes
BRONZE to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 20 in 7 minutes
Although 100 questions sounds a lot to cope with at this age, the children are very capable and it is a maths ‘challenge’ after all! We aim for ALL children in year 1 and 2 to gain an individual award by the end of the year, but the emphasis will also be on a collective effort to gain the CLASS CHALLENGE CUP! Who will be the first class to win the cup?
In order to help us to explain further how you can help support your child’s numeracy, we have arranged two Maths workshops for THIS THURSDAY – one at 3.15-4.15, where a crèche will be provided and one from 6.15-7.15pm. Thursday also sees the infant disco, so you can just settle your child in the hall and then come along to the workshop. The workshops will be very practical and hands on (although we promise not to test your times tables, as some people have already asked!) You will also have received this letter tonight in your diaries, so we would be grateful if you could return the reply slip by Monday, so that resources may be prepared.
Here I Am
We begin our run up to Christmas this week, with our new topic of Visitors. The children will:
RECOGNISE some ways of preparing a welcome for a visitor.
REFLECT on the different ways in which they have prepared to welcome a visitor.
RESPECT and appreciate that preparing to welcome visitors shows love and care.
http://www.request.org.uk/infants/festivals/christmas/story/story01.htm a lovely re-telling of the Christmas Story.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/b-dag/ngfl-container/re-unit1-en.html some interactive activities to support the Christmas story
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/nativity/nativity.html this is a great site for children to use to help them to orally retell the nativity story
http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/cdrag0.htm This is a lovely site, which tells the Christmas Story in sequence. If you click on the little characters on the right of the screen, it plays a Christmas Carol to really get you in the mood!
http://www.refuel.org.uk/curric/infant_topics/christmas/christmas.html another example of the Christmas story.
Notices
As the weather is now very much colder, please ensure that your child comes to school every day with a coat, as they are outside for quite a long time during the day. Gloves, hats and scarves are also a good idea, but please could you check that ALL items are labelled. It would be helpful if you could remind your child to put these items inside their bookbags, to make sure they don’t go astray!
Thursday is the Infant disco and also the Maths Workshop. Tickets for the disco can be bought on the door on the evening. The children will also need plenty of change for hotdogs, drinks and goodies!
Many of the children have been fantastic at developing their independence skills, but maybe a little reminder may be helpful to help the children remember to change their books on TUESDAYS and FRIDAYS. If your child has forgotten to change their book on these days, please do make a note in their diaries. Also, a few books have fallen out in the cloakrooms as children have been hanging their coats up every morning. Again, please remind your child to ensure that when the diary is placed in the class book boxes, their reading book needs to be placed inside.
Many thanks for your support so far this year and we look forward to seeing some of you at the numeracy workshops on Thursday.
Here’s to a busy week!
Year 1/2 team.
So, here goes...
Literacy
This week’s question - HOW DOES THIS WORK?
We will be starting a new topic this week of Instructions. Sounds uninspiring? Not at all! This is a great topic to get the children’s creative juices really flowing. We will start by playing some games, which the children will have to follow the instructions to. Then, make sure they remember to bring their dancing shoes, as they will have to follow the instructions to a new dance (mmm...might bring in my High School Musical CD for this one!)
We will also have lots of fun, by asking the children to make something – but they will told the instructions in the wrong order. When we have done this in the past, it has made us giggle, but the children learn how important it is to read and write instructions in the correct sequence.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to follow a simple set of oral instructions
SHOULD be able to give oral instructions in the correct sequence
COULD be able to write labels on equipment to instruct someone how to use it
This will definitely be a Green Hat week!
How can you help at home?
Could your child programme the DVD player to record your favourite programme before you? If that sounds familiar, then you are not alone! Children are fantastic at working things out, but they learn through experience...pressing the buttons to see which one works! See if they can explain to you how to program the recorder, by giving you step by step instructions. Then, say them back to your child in the WRONG order. See if they notice the mistake!
Another really good way to help children understand instructions, is to bake with them. You could make cakes from scratch, (which would also help to develop the children’s measuring skills), or you could buy one of the cake mix packets when you do your weekend shop. Green’s cake mixes have some really clear instructions on the back, that are presented with diagrams and simple sentences, plus the cartoon characters help to make it memorable!
http://www.popandco.com/archive/moab/ this is strangely fascinating! It shows how a Lego brick is made, giving step by step instructions from granules to the bricks we know and love (and end up under the sofa!) If you have Lego bricks at home, maybe you could get your child to write the instructions to build a scene from a Fairy Tale.
http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=12§ionId=47&contentId=122 these are some great recipe sheets for you to download, which are great for showing how useful instructions are
http://www.hitentertainment.com/artattack/artattacks.html ooh I can just see the glitter and pom-poms! The children will have seen the programme Art Attack and this site has the instruction sheets for all the activities that have been broadcast from this series.
http://www.makersgallery.com/joanirvine/howto.html very simple instructions on how to make a pop-up book. This is also a great idea if you feel like making some of your Christmas cards this year.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=teaseq can you make Gran the perfect cup of tea?
And this will all fit in with...
Science
...where the children will use all their knowledge of circuits from last week, to write the instructions of how to make the bulb light up.
This week’s science questions will therefore be HOW CAN WE MAKE THE BULB LIGHT UP AND THEN SWITCH OFF AGAIN? and HOW CAN WE MAKE THE BULB BRIGHTER?
The children will also begin to draw their own circuits, using symbols for a battery and a bulb. The links from last week’s blog are really good for practising this.
They will find out that breaking a circuit means that no electricity flows, and no appliances in the circuit work; about making contacts between wires and components and that a switch is a device which breaks and makes contacts.
By the end of the week, the children:
MUST be able to name the equipment necessary to make a circuit
SHOULD be able to use the equipment to make a circuit in which the bulb lights up
COULD be able to use a switch in the circuit to turn the bulb on and off
http://www.topicbox.co.uk/browse.php?item_ID=5926&subject=Science&topic=Physics%20-%20Electricity just click on the Electricity Powerpoint link and download a great information resource about Electricity
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/Phase3delivery/Wales/Science/Keystage1/Physicalprocess/Electricalcircu/Introduction/default.htm drag and drop the correct components onto the correct place on the circuit.
http://www.hyperstaffs.info/work/physics/child/index.html this is a great website, full of lots of fun activities to help explain electricity. It does say that it is aimed at Key Stage 2, but many of the children will be able to access it fairly easily.
http://www.constructionawards.co.uk/index.php?mode=stuact&t=f&w=584&h=438&n=2&f=ks1act2pre.swf another useful site when constructing circuits. The clipart makes this site really easy to use.
Numeracy
You will have received today in the diaries, an orange sheet with information about our new Number Bond challenge award. We have to send our apologies, as the timings have been altered slightly. They should now read as follows:
Year 1
GOLD to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 10 in 5 minutes
SILVER to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 10 in 6 minutes
BRONZE to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 10 in 7 minutes
Year 2
GOLD to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 20 in 5 minutes
SILVER to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 20 in 6 minutes
BRONZE to be able to complete 100 number bonds to 20 in 7 minutes
Although 100 questions sounds a lot to cope with at this age, the children are very capable and it is a maths ‘challenge’ after all! We aim for ALL children in year 1 and 2 to gain an individual award by the end of the year, but the emphasis will also be on a collective effort to gain the CLASS CHALLENGE CUP! Who will be the first class to win the cup?
In order to help us to explain further how you can help support your child’s numeracy, we have arranged two Maths workshops for THIS THURSDAY – one at 3.15-4.15, where a crèche will be provided and one from 6.15-7.15pm. Thursday also sees the infant disco, so you can just settle your child in the hall and then come along to the workshop. The workshops will be very practical and hands on (although we promise not to test your times tables, as some people have already asked!) You will also have received this letter tonight in your diaries, so we would be grateful if you could return the reply slip by Monday, so that resources may be prepared.
Here I Am
We begin our run up to Christmas this week, with our new topic of Visitors. The children will:
RECOGNISE some ways of preparing a welcome for a visitor.
REFLECT on the different ways in which they have prepared to welcome a visitor.
RESPECT and appreciate that preparing to welcome visitors shows love and care.
http://www.request.org.uk/infants/festivals/christmas/story/story01.htm a lovely re-telling of the Christmas Story.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/b-dag/ngfl-container/re-unit1-en.html some interactive activities to support the Christmas story
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/christmas/nativity/nativity.html this is a great site for children to use to help them to orally retell the nativity story
http://www.snaithprimary.eril.net/cdrag0.htm This is a lovely site, which tells the Christmas Story in sequence. If you click on the little characters on the right of the screen, it plays a Christmas Carol to really get you in the mood!
http://www.refuel.org.uk/curric/infant_topics/christmas/christmas.html another example of the Christmas story.
Notices
As the weather is now very much colder, please ensure that your child comes to school every day with a coat, as they are outside for quite a long time during the day. Gloves, hats and scarves are also a good idea, but please could you check that ALL items are labelled. It would be helpful if you could remind your child to put these items inside their bookbags, to make sure they don’t go astray!
Thursday is the Infant disco and also the Maths Workshop. Tickets for the disco can be bought on the door on the evening. The children will also need plenty of change for hotdogs, drinks and goodies!
Many of the children have been fantastic at developing their independence skills, but maybe a little reminder may be helpful to help the children remember to change their books on TUESDAYS and FRIDAYS. If your child has forgotten to change their book on these days, please do make a note in their diaries. Also, a few books have fallen out in the cloakrooms as children have been hanging their coats up every morning. Again, please remind your child to ensure that when the diary is placed in the class book boxes, their reading book needs to be placed inside.
Many thanks for your support so far this year and we look forward to seeing some of you at the numeracy workshops on Thursday.
Here’s to a busy week!
Year 1/2 team.
Tuesday, 6 November 2007
Lights, Camera, Action!
Well what a great start the children have made to the first week of rehearsals for the Christmas Production! I hope you are singing along to the songs at home? Mmmm...maybe we should have song sheets for a bit of audience participation during the performances?? A huge thank you to all the parents who have been helping their child learn the words for the play. We are amazed at just how quickly things are coming together this year – we have definitely discovered the actors of the future...just remember the teachers when they are rich and famous!
Because of the rehearsals, which are a great opportunity to develop the children’s speaking and listening skills, routines will be slightly different for the next few weeks, as I’m sure you can appreciate just how much is involved in preparing over 120 children to get on the stage.
Curriculum will still be taught throughout the rehearsal times, but maybe some sessions may be moved to the afternoon, where ordinarily, they happen in the mornings. This may be unsettling for a few children, but most will be able to adapt easily. Also, it is the run up to a VERY busy time of year and some children do tend to get tired very easily, so a few earlier nights may help to combat this. The end product is most definitely the ‘extravaganza’ it is billed to be and you will be thrilled, amazed and astounded by our new ‘equity-card’ holders!
Literacy
The children worked really hard last week during their guided writing sessions and can’t wait to start showing off their new found skills. The children ALL can tell us the rhyme for onomatopoeia (just ask them and see what happens!) and they came up with some great WHIZZ, BANG, POP lines to include in their poems.
As well as developing the children’s writing skills, we will be developing the children’s comprehension skills. Many of the children are now getting to grips with the ability to ‘decode’ the words, by using the spelling patterns, which is great. To improve their reading even further, the children now need to develop their comprehension skills.
When listening to your child read at home, try asking them some of these questions, in order to help with their comprehension:
· Where does the story take place?
· When did the story take place?
· What did he/she look like?
· Who was he/she?
· Where did he/she live?
· Who are the characters in the book?
· Where in the book would you find?
· What do you think is happening here?
· What happened in the story?
· What might this mean?
· Through whose eyes is the story told?
· Which part of the story best describes the setting?
· What words and/or phrases do this?
· What part of the story do you like best?
There are lots of other ways to support your child’s reading, but why not try some of these ideas?
· Make your new book into a caption or concertina book
· Play a game using text from the book
· Re-order chopped up sentences or word from the book
· Write your own story based on the book and illustrate
· Re-tell the story with finger puppets
· Re-read familiar texts with the same high frequency words
· Paint a picture of a favourite character, part of the story, etc
We will also be updating the children’s high frequency words this week in the diaries, so if you haven’t practised them for a few days, this weekend is a chance to have a little refresher. Even if your child knows all of their target words, try going back over some of the ones which have been ticked – can they still spell them?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/patch.shtml can you put the sentence in the right order?
http://www.pet-educationresources.co.uk/item.asp?item=Year+1 some good ideas for comprehension activities for Year 1’s to support you at home. Click on the left hand side for the Year 2 ideas.
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/literacy/lit_site/lit_sites/alpha_drag/widepage.htm add capital letters and full stops to these sentences
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/lug.shtml capital letters practice using the Magic Key site
Have a look back through previous posts to see sites which are useful for high frequency word practice.
Numeracy
As you know, we sent home a number bonds game over the holidays to help develop the children’s number bonds to 10 knowledge. We can tell that many of you have been playing it, as the children are getting faster and faster in their ability to ‘rapidly recall’ those facts. If they are able to know the bonds to 10, then they will be able to easily calculate the bonds to 100 or even 1000.
The children have been working on the Must, Should and Could targets for our number bonds for a few weeks now...where is your child? Let’s go for the challenge!
MUST
I know all my number pairs to 10.
I can tell you the addition stories to 5 at least.
SHOULD
I know all the + and – number stories to at least 10.
COULD
I know all the number pairs to 20.
I know all the pairs of multiples of 10 up to 100.
This week, we will be reviewing our work on number bonds and beginning to apply their knowledge of number to problem solving.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ a favourite of mine! Click on level B or C and then any of the number activities
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/units120.html how many questions can you answer in 2 minutes?
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html click on any of the timed activities to help with number bonds knowledge.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf select the number bonds activity and then make 10 or 20. How many can you get right before the clock runs out?
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/make10.html make 10
http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html make 20 - the dance will really make you giggle!
http://www.ictgames.com/brilliant_beadstring.html move the beadstring to make patterns to 10 and 20
http://www.ictgames.com/save_the_whale_v4.html match the pipes to make the number bonds to 10
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/numberbond.html make up your own number bond games
http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html for each question you get right, it colours in a part of the picture!
Here I Am
This week, we are looking at the Hindu festival of Diwali, the festival of lights. The children will be making a traditional wall hanging, which is given as a present from one family to another. Why not have a go at making one yourselves at home, particularly as the weather seems to realised that we are most definitely in Autumn! You could also try making some traditional Barfi sweets. There are lots of simple recipes, none of which require any cooking and the children will love the finished product!
One recipe to try goes something like this...
Barfi is a popular Indian sweet, which is always made for Hindu Festivals. It is usually made by boiling sugar and milk together. This recipe is much easier to make and it is just as delicious!
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20 pieces
Ingredients: 120g honey
120g peanut butter
80g dates, finely chopped
85g milk powder
130g dessicated coconut
70ml rose water
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Greaseproof paper
Cutting knife
Sweet tin
Mix the honey, peanut butter, dates and milk powder in a bowl using your hands. Make the sticky mixture into a non-sticky dough by kneading it.
Roll the dough into a log about 50cm long. Now wash you hands and dry them as well.
Into the small mixing bowl, mix the coconut and the rose water.
Spread out the coconut and the rose water mixture onto the greaseproof paper.
Cut the log in half and roll each half in the coconut so that it covers the log.
Cut each log into 10 pieces and store in the sweet tin. It will keep for a week in the fridge.
It tastes best if you take it out of the fridge about an hour before eating it.
You could even design a little box to give it as a present!
http://www.senteacher.org/wk/3dshape.php print of this net of a shape, design your pattern, pop your sweets inside and you have a lovely Diwali gift for your friends and family.
http://www.indexo.pionexnet.co.uk/elloughton13/dday.htm lots of information on the festival of lights
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/hinduism/hindui.html this site has a very simple way of explaining some of the ideas and customs behind the festival
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/hinduism/hindui.html the story of Rama and Sita
http://www.hindukids.org/festivals/diwali_mm/index.html I loved this animated story of Diwali. The text is quite difficult to follow, but the animations make it really easy for the children to follow if you sit with them.
New Adventure Playground
You will have noticed as you drop your child off, our brand new adventure playground at the front of school. The children were able to use it for the first time last week and to say they were thrilled is an understatement! A huge thanks go to The Friends of St. Vincent's who, as always, work tirelessly to raise the funds to enable these kinds of things to happen for the benefit of your children. The 'outdoor stage' on the field will be completed very soon too!
Christmas Production
Also, you will have received your tickets for each of the three productions. Because of Fire regulations and the children's health and safety, each family has been allocated ONE TICKET per performance. This has been the case for a number of years and entrance will be strictly by ticket only. Many thanks for your co-operation and understanding with this.
Homework
This week, you will notice a new item on the numeracy homework sheets. It is a traffic light system, that the children use in school, to help them to 'self-assess' the work that they have been doing. From this week, we would like them to do the same for their homework.
The 'traffic light system' is really easy to get to grips with:
RED - I found this hard
YELLOW - I understand how to do this
GREEN - I thought this was easy
Just ask your child to colour in the level that they think they are at. It might be worth mentioning to them, that no one else sees their homework and so they can be completely honest!
We would also like you, as parents to complete your own traffic light for how you think your child got on with their homework. We would also love you to add some other comments to your child's work. It may be that they knew the answers straight away, but were unable to explain how they got there; they got the wrong answers, but worked systematically through the problems using the correct strategies.
Notices
We pride ourselves on our smart school uniform and many visitors to our school very often comment on how fantastic the children look. There are a few items of non-uniform starting to appear in school, so please do check that your child is wearing the correct uniform. We would also ask that girls wear blue, black or white plain bobbles and clips. Also, a few names are beginning to 'wash off' jumpers and ties. We would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to check over this weekend - it could save many more minutes searching for the a lost jumper or tie?
The children are doing a great job in becoming independent and we would like to thank you for your help with this. In order to further support our efforts, we would welcome your support in a few reminders for the children:
Year 1/2 team
Because of the rehearsals, which are a great opportunity to develop the children’s speaking and listening skills, routines will be slightly different for the next few weeks, as I’m sure you can appreciate just how much is involved in preparing over 120 children to get on the stage.
Curriculum will still be taught throughout the rehearsal times, but maybe some sessions may be moved to the afternoon, where ordinarily, they happen in the mornings. This may be unsettling for a few children, but most will be able to adapt easily. Also, it is the run up to a VERY busy time of year and some children do tend to get tired very easily, so a few earlier nights may help to combat this. The end product is most definitely the ‘extravaganza’ it is billed to be and you will be thrilled, amazed and astounded by our new ‘equity-card’ holders!
Literacy
The children worked really hard last week during their guided writing sessions and can’t wait to start showing off their new found skills. The children ALL can tell us the rhyme for onomatopoeia (just ask them and see what happens!) and they came up with some great WHIZZ, BANG, POP lines to include in their poems.
As well as developing the children’s writing skills, we will be developing the children’s comprehension skills. Many of the children are now getting to grips with the ability to ‘decode’ the words, by using the spelling patterns, which is great. To improve their reading even further, the children now need to develop their comprehension skills.
When listening to your child read at home, try asking them some of these questions, in order to help with their comprehension:
· Where does the story take place?
· When did the story take place?
· What did he/she look like?
· Who was he/she?
· Where did he/she live?
· Who are the characters in the book?
· Where in the book would you find?
· What do you think is happening here?
· What happened in the story?
· What might this mean?
· Through whose eyes is the story told?
· Which part of the story best describes the setting?
· What words and/or phrases do this?
· What part of the story do you like best?
There are lots of other ways to support your child’s reading, but why not try some of these ideas?
· Make your new book into a caption or concertina book
· Play a game using text from the book
· Re-order chopped up sentences or word from the book
· Write your own story based on the book and illustrate
· Re-tell the story with finger puppets
· Re-read familiar texts with the same high frequency words
· Paint a picture of a favourite character, part of the story, etc
We will also be updating the children’s high frequency words this week in the diaries, so if you haven’t practised them for a few days, this weekend is a chance to have a little refresher. Even if your child knows all of their target words, try going back over some of the ones which have been ticked – can they still spell them?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/patch.shtml can you put the sentence in the right order?
http://www.pet-educationresources.co.uk/item.asp?item=Year+1 some good ideas for comprehension activities for Year 1’s to support you at home. Click on the left hand side for the Year 2 ideas.
http://www.lancsngfl.ac.uk/curriculum/literacy/lit_site/lit_sites/alpha_drag/widepage.htm add capital letters and full stops to these sentences
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/lug.shtml capital letters practice using the Magic Key site
Have a look back through previous posts to see sites which are useful for high frequency word practice.
Numeracy
As you know, we sent home a number bonds game over the holidays to help develop the children’s number bonds to 10 knowledge. We can tell that many of you have been playing it, as the children are getting faster and faster in their ability to ‘rapidly recall’ those facts. If they are able to know the bonds to 10, then they will be able to easily calculate the bonds to 100 or even 1000.
The children have been working on the Must, Should and Could targets for our number bonds for a few weeks now...where is your child? Let’s go for the challenge!
MUST
I know all my number pairs to 10.
I can tell you the addition stories to 5 at least.
SHOULD
I know all the + and – number stories to at least 10.
COULD
I know all the number pairs to 20.
I know all the pairs of multiples of 10 up to 100.
This week, we will be reviewing our work on number bonds and beginning to apply their knowledge of number to problem solving.
http://www.rainforestmaths.com/ a favourite of mine! Click on level B or C and then any of the number activities
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/units120.html how many questions can you answer in 2 minutes?
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html click on any of the timed activities to help with number bonds knowledge.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf select the number bonds activity and then make 10 or 20. How many can you get right before the clock runs out?
http://nwlg.org/pages/resources/ma_num/swf/make10.html make 10
http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html make 20 - the dance will really make you giggle!
http://www.ictgames.com/brilliant_beadstring.html move the beadstring to make patterns to 10 and 20
http://www.ictgames.com/save_the_whale_v4.html match the pipes to make the number bonds to 10
http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/numberbond.html make up your own number bond games
http://www.interactivestuff.org/sums4fun/colquiz.html for each question you get right, it colours in a part of the picture!
Here I Am
This week, we are looking at the Hindu festival of Diwali, the festival of lights. The children will be making a traditional wall hanging, which is given as a present from one family to another. Why not have a go at making one yourselves at home, particularly as the weather seems to realised that we are most definitely in Autumn! You could also try making some traditional Barfi sweets. There are lots of simple recipes, none of which require any cooking and the children will love the finished product!
One recipe to try goes something like this...
Barfi is a popular Indian sweet, which is always made for Hindu Festivals. It is usually made by boiling sugar and milk together. This recipe is much easier to make and it is just as delicious!
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20 pieces
Ingredients: 120g honey
120g peanut butter
80g dates, finely chopped
85g milk powder
130g dessicated coconut
70ml rose water
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Greaseproof paper
Cutting knife
Sweet tin
Mix the honey, peanut butter, dates and milk powder in a bowl using your hands. Make the sticky mixture into a non-sticky dough by kneading it.
Roll the dough into a log about 50cm long. Now wash you hands and dry them as well.
Into the small mixing bowl, mix the coconut and the rose water.
Spread out the coconut and the rose water mixture onto the greaseproof paper.
Cut the log in half and roll each half in the coconut so that it covers the log.
Cut each log into 10 pieces and store in the sweet tin. It will keep for a week in the fridge.
It tastes best if you take it out of the fridge about an hour before eating it.
You could even design a little box to give it as a present!
http://www.senteacher.org/wk/3dshape.php print of this net of a shape, design your pattern, pop your sweets inside and you have a lovely Diwali gift for your friends and family.
http://www.indexo.pionexnet.co.uk/elloughton13/dday.htm lots of information on the festival of lights
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/hinduism/hindui.html this site has a very simple way of explaining some of the ideas and customs behind the festival
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/carolrb/hinduism/hindui.html the story of Rama and Sita
http://www.hindukids.org/festivals/diwali_mm/index.html I loved this animated story of Diwali. The text is quite difficult to follow, but the animations make it really easy for the children to follow if you sit with them.
New Adventure Playground
You will have noticed as you drop your child off, our brand new adventure playground at the front of school. The children were able to use it for the first time last week and to say they were thrilled is an understatement! A huge thanks go to The Friends of St. Vincent's who, as always, work tirelessly to raise the funds to enable these kinds of things to happen for the benefit of your children. The 'outdoor stage' on the field will be completed very soon too!
Christmas Production
The rehearsals are well underway for our Christmas production and the children are very excited to show off their singing and acting skills to you. As always, the children in Year 2 have been allocated speaking parts and the Year 1 children will each perform as part of a dance group. They are eagerly watching their peers and suggesting what parts they will take next year! Costumes should be brought into school by the 26th November, so if any adjustments need to be made, they can be organised that week.
Also, you will have received your tickets for each of the three productions. Because of Fire regulations and the children's health and safety, each family has been allocated ONE TICKET per performance. This has been the case for a number of years and entrance will be strictly by ticket only. Many thanks for your co-operation and understanding with this.
Homework
This week, you will notice a new item on the numeracy homework sheets. It is a traffic light system, that the children use in school, to help them to 'self-assess' the work that they have been doing. From this week, we would like them to do the same for their homework.
The 'traffic light system' is really easy to get to grips with:
RED - I found this hard
YELLOW - I understand how to do this
GREEN - I thought this was easy
Just ask your child to colour in the level that they think they are at. It might be worth mentioning to them, that no one else sees their homework and so they can be completely honest!
We would also like you, as parents to complete your own traffic light for how you think your child got on with their homework. We would also love you to add some other comments to your child's work. It may be that they knew the answers straight away, but were unable to explain how they got there; they got the wrong answers, but worked systematically through the problems using the correct strategies.
Notices
We pride ourselves on our smart school uniform and many visitors to our school very often comment on how fantastic the children look. There are a few items of non-uniform starting to appear in school, so please do check that your child is wearing the correct uniform. We would also ask that girls wear blue, black or white plain bobbles and clips. Also, a few names are beginning to 'wash off' jumpers and ties. We would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to check over this weekend - it could save many more minutes searching for the a lost jumper or tie?
The children are doing a great job in becoming independent and we would like to thank you for your help with this. In order to further support our efforts, we would welcome your support in a few reminders for the children:
- children should come to school with a water bottle each day, even though water is available from the water fountain in school. Please encourage your child to drink as much as possible during the school day and remind them that they can refill their bottles during breaks and lunchtimes
- EVERYTHING which your child brings into school, needs their name written on it, in a prominent place. There are around 120 children in Key Stage 1 and so if someone has lost a jumper, it is much easier to reunite them with if their name is written on it.
- diaries should be brought into school EVERY day and placed in the book boxes outside each of the classrooms. Please remind your child to ensure their reading book is placed INSIDE the diary, as we have had a few instances where the wrong colour book has gone home, due to books falling out.
- many of the children have the school book bags and these are more than large enough to hold the equipment which the children need in Years 1 and 2. A few children are bringing in quite large rucksack style bags, which can be quite difficult to store in school. If you are considering buying a new bag for your child, please do consider purchasing a book bag for them.
Year 1/2 team
Sunday, 4 November 2007
WHIZZ! BANG! POP!
Ooo sparkles, fireworks, bonfire toffee and toffee apples...and that was just this weekend! The children have been so excited about the 5th November, that we just have to include it as a slant on our work this week. I can’t wait, so here goes...
Literacy
We begin the second week of poetry using the senses this week. Some of the poetry which was written was amazing and they even managed to get to grips with ONOMATAOPOEIA (hence the title of this week’s blog!)
This week, we will think about all the sounds, smells and sights that are associated with Bonfire Night. Maybe you have been to a display this weekend, or had a few fireworks and nibbles at home. If you have taken some photographs of the events, go back over them and see if your child is able to describe them in term of the senses. Some children did struggle with this last week and described the senses as EYES instead of SIGHT; EARS instead of HEARING, so if you could review this at home, it would really help them to move forward this week.
The format of the poem this week, will be...
The children MUST be able to write a sentence about something they like the taste, smell of:
I like the taste of...chocolate on my tongue
I like the sound of...laughter in my ears
This will then move onto, the addition of an adjective, or describing word...
I like the taste of... silky chocolate on my tongue
I like the sound of...roaring laughter in my ears
Then they SHOULD be able to add a verb to the sentence...
I like the taste of... silky chocolate melting on my tongue
I like the sound of...roaring laughter ringing in my ears
Then, they COULD add an adverb to the sentence...
I like the taste of... silky chocolate melting slowly on my tongue
I like the sound of...roaring laughter ringing loudly in my ears
Last week, you will have noticed a label placed in the diaries with the letter patterns we are working on. The children will be moving through these patterns at a rapid pace, but there will be lots of opportunities for consolidation. Magnetic letters are great for this, so don’t feel that they need to be consigned to the cupboard or top shelf now that they are in Year 1 or 2. Try placing the pattern on floor, or the centre of a magnetic board if you have one. Encourage your child to think of as many words as possible that contain that sound and then get them to add the first and last sound using the magnetic letters. You could write them down for them and keep a track of how many words they get right. The patterns for last week were ai, igh, ee and oa. Keep an eye on the diaries for this week’s patterns.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/phonemeChecker.html click on the vowel digraph tab at the bottom of the page and use the cards to drag to the centre of the screen. The patterns that we have been learning in school are all there to use. By clicking on them, you will also be able to hear the sound that each pattern makes.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/sound_buttons_v14.html this is one which we will be using in class and can seem quite complicated at first. The children are used to using the sound buttons in order to be able blend the sounds that they can hear. By the end of the week, many of the children should be able to show you how to use this to help them with their phonics work.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/wordTree.html enter the high frequency words which your child is working on onto the tree. The next time you open this, the words that you entered will have been saved to use.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/index.shtml more word games
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/phonics/index.shtml listen to the sounds and then choose the correct smoke signal to spell the word.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/caerphilly/larry_the_lion/larry_the_lion_files/fullscreen.htm we have used this site before, but it will help the children to work on adjectives
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/monmouthshire/choose_adj_monmouthshire.html although this is aimed at Key Stage 2, I think that many of the children will be able to choose a suitable adjective to fit in the gaps. Why not read the words and the text to your child if they find the reading difficult...I bet they could still tell you a suitable adjective!
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/guy/history.htm Why not let your child find out the history behind Bonfire Night for themselves, with this information site. Let them explore some of the other links on this page too!
Numeracy
We were a little too ambitious in our planning last week, so we will be working on money again this week. The children were quite good at recognising the coins, but had some difficulty in putting them in order. Try the links from last week to help with this, but by far the best way to do this, is with real coins. Try giving them a 10p coin instead of a 50p for their pocket money – you’ll be amazed at just how quickly they will catch on!
Science
The children’s knowledge of electricity in the home is very good and many were able to talk confidently about the difference between mains electricity and battery-operated items.
This week, we will be learning:
· about batteries as suppliers of electricity;
· about parts of a battery: the positive and negative poles;
· that electricity flows from one battery pole to the other;
· that connecting a device to both poles of a battery makes it work;
that electricity flows through metal.
They should also be able to connect a bulb to a battery to make it light up. They will be presented with a battery, a bulb and some wires and will have to work in their teams in order to get the bulb to light up. Please try to resist giving them the answer, as they will remember much more if they find the answer out for themselves!
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/Science/electricity.htm there are some great online games here to help develop an understanding of electricity. Again, although they are aimed at Key Stage 2, many of the children are more than capable of understanding these sites.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/electricity.shtml this is a great site for allowing the children to ‘experiment’ with materials which conduct electricity and also, how to construct a circuit.
http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources/siliconspies/flash/concepts/electricity.htm get the children to test themselves about what they know about Electricity in our lives. This site even ‘marks’ it for them as they work through it!
http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources/siliconspies/flash/tests/questions/simplecircuits.htm by the end of this week, the children should be able to have a really good attempt at this – can they see why some of the bulbs won’t light up?
http://www.deltamicro.co.uk/primary_online/circuits.html a really simple site to help the children practice making a simple circuit
Here I Am
We complete our topic of signs and symbols this week by recording what we have learned so far. The children learned lots about the signs and symbols we see in church and we would like to thank Father Richard for taking the time to talk to the children last week. He was amazed at the level of questions that the children asked him and is sure that we have some delving theologians in our school!
It’s that time again....!
On Friday, you should have received a list of the costume your child will need to have for the Christmas production. They were all placed in your child’s diary, so please do have a look! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to come and see any member of the Foundation or Key Stage 1 team. Thanks to Mrs Narraway, the costumes are all quite simple this year, as I too have to organise one!
Your child will come home this week singing the songs from the production, as we only have 25 days (including weekends!) until our dress rehearsal. Homework will continue as normal throughout this term, until the last week, where we will let our hair down with the Christmas Party!
Just a quick reminder that homework is sent home on TUESDAYS to be returned on MONDAYS. This is to enable the staff to mark the work and return it to you. Many thanks.
Here’s to making the week go with a WHIZZ, BANG and a POP!
Year ½ team.
Literacy
We begin the second week of poetry using the senses this week. Some of the poetry which was written was amazing and they even managed to get to grips with ONOMATAOPOEIA (hence the title of this week’s blog!)
This week, we will think about all the sounds, smells and sights that are associated with Bonfire Night. Maybe you have been to a display this weekend, or had a few fireworks and nibbles at home. If you have taken some photographs of the events, go back over them and see if your child is able to describe them in term of the senses. Some children did struggle with this last week and described the senses as EYES instead of SIGHT; EARS instead of HEARING, so if you could review this at home, it would really help them to move forward this week.
The format of the poem this week, will be...
The children MUST be able to write a sentence about something they like the taste, smell of:
I like the taste of...chocolate on my tongue
I like the sound of...laughter in my ears
This will then move onto, the addition of an adjective, or describing word...
I like the taste of... silky chocolate on my tongue
I like the sound of...roaring laughter in my ears
Then they SHOULD be able to add a verb to the sentence...
I like the taste of... silky chocolate melting on my tongue
I like the sound of...roaring laughter ringing in my ears
Then, they COULD add an adverb to the sentence...
I like the taste of... silky chocolate melting slowly on my tongue
I like the sound of...roaring laughter ringing loudly in my ears
Last week, you will have noticed a label placed in the diaries with the letter patterns we are working on. The children will be moving through these patterns at a rapid pace, but there will be lots of opportunities for consolidation. Magnetic letters are great for this, so don’t feel that they need to be consigned to the cupboard or top shelf now that they are in Year 1 or 2. Try placing the pattern on floor, or the centre of a magnetic board if you have one. Encourage your child to think of as many words as possible that contain that sound and then get them to add the first and last sound using the magnetic letters. You could write them down for them and keep a track of how many words they get right. The patterns for last week were ai, igh, ee and oa. Keep an eye on the diaries for this week’s patterns.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/phonemeChecker.html click on the vowel digraph tab at the bottom of the page and use the cards to drag to the centre of the screen. The patterns that we have been learning in school are all there to use. By clicking on them, you will also be able to hear the sound that each pattern makes.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/sound_buttons_v14.html this is one which we will be using in class and can seem quite complicated at first. The children are used to using the sound buttons in order to be able blend the sounds that they can hear. By the end of the week, many of the children should be able to show you how to use this to help them with their phonics work.
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/wordTree.html enter the high frequency words which your child is working on onto the tree. The next time you open this, the words that you entered will have been saved to use.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/index.shtml more word games
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/phonics/index.shtml listen to the sounds and then choose the correct smoke signal to spell the word.
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/caerphilly/larry_the_lion/larry_the_lion_files/fullscreen.htm we have used this site before, but it will help the children to work on adjectives
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/monmouthshire/choose_adj_monmouthshire.html although this is aimed at Key Stage 2, I think that many of the children will be able to choose a suitable adjective to fit in the gaps. Why not read the words and the text to your child if they find the reading difficult...I bet they could still tell you a suitable adjective!
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/guy/history.htm Why not let your child find out the history behind Bonfire Night for themselves, with this information site. Let them explore some of the other links on this page too!
Numeracy
We were a little too ambitious in our planning last week, so we will be working on money again this week. The children were quite good at recognising the coins, but had some difficulty in putting them in order. Try the links from last week to help with this, but by far the best way to do this, is with real coins. Try giving them a 10p coin instead of a 50p for their pocket money – you’ll be amazed at just how quickly they will catch on!
Science
The children’s knowledge of electricity in the home is very good and many were able to talk confidently about the difference between mains electricity and battery-operated items.
This week, we will be learning:
· about batteries as suppliers of electricity;
· about parts of a battery: the positive and negative poles;
· that electricity flows from one battery pole to the other;
· that connecting a device to both poles of a battery makes it work;
that electricity flows through metal.
They should also be able to connect a bulb to a battery to make it light up. They will be presented with a battery, a bulb and some wires and will have to work in their teams in order to get the bulb to light up. Please try to resist giving them the answer, as they will remember much more if they find the answer out for themselves!
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/Science/electricity.htm there are some great online games here to help develop an understanding of electricity. Again, although they are aimed at Key Stage 2, many of the children are more than capable of understanding these sites.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/electricity.shtml this is a great site for allowing the children to ‘experiment’ with materials which conduct electricity and also, how to construct a circuit.
http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources/siliconspies/flash/concepts/electricity.htm get the children to test themselves about what they know about Electricity in our lives. This site even ‘marks’ it for them as they work through it!
http://www.engineeringinteract.org/resources/siliconspies/flash/tests/questions/simplecircuits.htm by the end of this week, the children should be able to have a really good attempt at this – can they see why some of the bulbs won’t light up?
http://www.deltamicro.co.uk/primary_online/circuits.html a really simple site to help the children practice making a simple circuit
Here I Am
We complete our topic of signs and symbols this week by recording what we have learned so far. The children learned lots about the signs and symbols we see in church and we would like to thank Father Richard for taking the time to talk to the children last week. He was amazed at the level of questions that the children asked him and is sure that we have some delving theologians in our school!
It’s that time again....!
On Friday, you should have received a list of the costume your child will need to have for the Christmas production. They were all placed in your child’s diary, so please do have a look! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to come and see any member of the Foundation or Key Stage 1 team. Thanks to Mrs Narraway, the costumes are all quite simple this year, as I too have to organise one!
Your child will come home this week singing the songs from the production, as we only have 25 days (including weekends!) until our dress rehearsal. Homework will continue as normal throughout this term, until the last week, where we will let our hair down with the Christmas Party!
Just a quick reminder that homework is sent home on TUESDAYS to be returned on MONDAYS. This is to enable the staff to mark the work and return it to you. Many thanks.
Here’s to making the week go with a WHIZZ, BANG and a POP!
Year ½ team.
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