Henri’s Scissors
Henri’s Scissors
What a busy and fun filled week we have had! We have been learning about the artist Henri Matisse using the book Henri’s Scissors. Our word of the week was ‘artist’ we did a fantastic job telling other adults that ‘an artist is someone who paints or draws’. Great work everyone!
We have also spent some time making our own pieces of artwork in the style of Matisse’s The Snail, we talked about the different shapes and colours we could see.
On Tuesday afternoon we spent time with Jamie Knight, who showed us his amazing football skills! We had a great time and discovered we have some super football skills ourselves!
Phonics
This week the children have learnt the phonemes (the sound a letter makes) h, f, b and l. The children have been listening to and saying words that begin with these phonemes (the sound a letter makes). They have also been practicing writing the graphemes (the written letter). We have also learnt our new tricky word ‘the’ the tricky bits in this word is the ‘th’ and the ‘e’.
We also loved our grown ups coming to watch us on Thursday, it was so much fun sharing our learning with them.
Poetry Picnic
Each week we will be learning a new poem. We will recite the poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line.
This week or poem was Leaves are Falling
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my nose.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my toes.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
One fell on my head.
Leaves are falling, leaves are falling,
Yellow, Orange, Red.
Maths
This week we have been building on our Subitising skills, when we can say the number without counting the objects. We also have continued working on our skills to say the number of sounds that we can hear when somebody claps or drums a beat, without needing to count.
Finally, we have looked closely at small quantities of up to 4 cubes and talked about how the quantity is still 4 even if we put the cubes together in different ways. Great work everyone!
Help at home phonics sheet
Today, your child has come home with a new ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics and will be sent home each Friday. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home.
Help at home
We are developing our model making area and will be re-launching it as a ‘Waste Innovation’ area so the children can show off their creative side. To make this area work we would really like the usual donations of cereal boxes, yoghurt pots, tubes (no toilet roll tubes please), bottles, bottle tops. But to enhance it further we would also love any old keys, beads (from broken necklaces), buttons, wool, corks or fabric. Anything that the children might find interesting. All donations throughout the year would be greatly appreciated, and just think of the wonderful models the children can bring home!
Next week our book of the week is Leaf Man, please can we ask for some donations of leaves. We are going to be creating our own leaf pictures and making leaf rubbings, so the more leaves we get the better!
Reminders
We will be doing PE on Monday, so please send your child to school wearing their PE kit and trainers. They will stay in this all day.
Stay and Learn Sessions
This is an opportunity for you to come into school to find out about the Early Years Curriculum and watch your child Learning in school.
Maths- 15.11.23 2.20pm-3.00pm
Phonics Phase 3- 16.1.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
Early Writing- 05.02.24 2.20pm-3.00pm
World Book Day 07.03.24 -8.50am-9.20am
Learning Journey Drop In’s
An opportunity to “drop into” school and share your child’ learning journal with them.
Times- 8.45am-9.15am and 3.15pm-3.45pm (Tuesday and Thursday)
Week beginning 11.12.23
Week beginning 25.03.24
Week beginning 08.07.24
Don’t forget to email your pictures from home stjameseyfs@spherefederation.org thank you, have a lovely weekend!
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon and Miss. Feldman
Football Skills with Jamie Knight
On Tuesday, we enjoyed an assembly from the freestyle footballer Jamie Knight and we had a workshop with him where he taught us how to do some of his football skills. Have a look at some of the fun we got up to!
L&L Identity: self-respect
This week, during our Living and Learning session we thought about how we are similar and different from each other.
There are things that are the same or different that are immediately obvious (physical features) as well as things you cannot see such as things you like doing. We worked with our partner to think of an example of each.
“We are the same because we have blue eyes and we both like playing football.”
“We are different because we have different coloured hair but we are the same because we both like gymnastics.”
We had a chat about how there are lots of things the same about us all but everyone is different too – nobody is exactly the same, everyone is unique. No-one is good at everything but everyone is good at something.
Help at home: Draw a picture of your friend, making sure you draw something that makes them special or unique. This could be a physical attribute or something they do. Bring your drawing in to share with us.
Maths: Less than, greater than, equal to
Today, the children have been introduced to the greater than (>) and less than (<) symbols when comparing numbers.
The class have moved on from describing whether there are “fewer”, “more” or the “same” number of objects to comparing numerical values using the vocabulary “less than”, “greater than” or “equal to” alongside the symbols <, > and =.
Top tip
The open end of the symbol always has the largest number next to it.
Using the images below, the class added the correct symbol accordingly.
Next, using conkers and lolly sticks, the class made up their own statements and recorded them in their books.
Help at home
Children may want to use the word “bigger” rather than “greater”. For consistency of language, encourage children to use the word “greater”. “Bigger” often refers to the size of an object rather than a number, for example a bigger teddy or a bigger slide.
Children may get the symbols mixed up. Using cubes and straws to physically make the symbols can help children to understand them.
Mindfulness Matters
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Living and Learning: I respect others
Our Living and Learning statement last week was…
I respect others
Year 5 and 6 have been learning about equality and discrimination. We have looked at many scenarios where an individual (or group) was being discriminated against. We discussed what these reasons might be and what we would do to change the world if we could.
Then, we had a look at the Equality Act (2010) and our protected characteristics that we can’t be discriminated against. Pupils were mature, engaged and active in this learning, which resulted in some fantastic discussions and advice for others.
Here are the nine protected characteristics:
- sex
- sexual orientation
- gender reassignment
- disability
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- religion or belief
- race
- age
We will continue to focus and test ourselves on these characteristics throughout the year.
Help at home:
Have regular conversations with your child about the nine protected characteristics. Ensure the children fully understand what discrimination could look like, and who they could talk to for help/advice.
A forest, a dark gloomy forest…
We took a visit to the forest this week in search of a bear!
Our focus story for the next 2 weeks is ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ by Michael Rosen. The children having really enjoyed how engaging this story is, using repeated refrains throughout the book. We particularly enjoyed being able to join in with Michael Rosen himself re-telling the story.
Help at home: Enjoy reading ‘we’re going on a bear hunt’ at home and see what else you might find on your journey. What else could you see in the forest? What sounds might you hear? If you don’t have access to this book at home here is the re-aloud the children have enjoyed this week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iou5LV9dRP0
(This is a YouTube link. Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip)
Have lovely weekend and we will see you next week for more bear hunt adventures!
Miss Ward
Forest School
The children have been enjoying their Forest School sessions on a Friday.
So far, they have enjoyed den building, peeling a stick and decorating using coloured wool and using flint and steel to start a fire on a cotton wool bud.
Help at home: Talk with your child about how to keep safe while at Forest School. For example listen to the adult instructions, only light fires with a flint under adult supervision.
We are geographers
Year 1 have been learning about the countries that make up the United Kingdom and their capital cities.
Help at home
Quiz your child on their knowledge of capital cities. Can they tell you the four capital cities of the countries in the United Kingdom?
Today, the children have been locating and naming the seas that surround the United Kingdom.
Help at home
Using the images below, ask your child to match the body of water to the correct location. The children have really enjoyed using Google Earth to explore scale and size of different locations. Why not go on an exploration at home? By zooming in on planet Earth slowly, the class were amazed by the amount of water there is on our planet.
Finally, we spent some time looking at an atlas. Some of the children were able to locate the UK and the surrounding seas.
Spellings for the first half term
Below are the 40 spellings for this half term. Please continue to learn these at home. There will be a test every Friday on 8 random words from the list. If your child is finding it difficult to learn the words, have a look at our Super Spelling Strategy document on the school website – it’s got some great ideas!
