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.
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