We hope you all had a lovely, restful Easter and are now refreshed and ready for the Summer term!
This term our topics will be ‘Wild Thing’ and then ‘Kenya’.
We have kick-started the summer term by transforming our classrooms into ‘Rainforest settings’ and we have already planted sunflower, tomato and been seeds. This has hooked the children straight away into their new learning context.
We have six busy weeks planned of planting and rearing a mixture of flowers, vegetables and fruit. We will be using the wooden planters in the Mary Garden.
RE
We will be focussing on Easter and the story of The Resurrection. We will finish the year learning about Pentecost and Mission and how the disciples went out and proclaimed the good news.
Literacy
In Literacy we will be applying ‘Instruction’ writing skills when planting sunflower seeds. We will also be teaching a unit on ‘Stories with fantasy settings, where children will learn to use powerful description. If you have any excellent examples of stories with exciting settings your child could share with our class, please bring in a named copy or speak to teacher if you would like to come and read a story to the children.
After half term we will be teaching an extended unit on ‘Stories with from other cultures’ looking at patterned language and rhyme. We will finish the year with a piece of extended story writing.
As you may well already know there is a ‘Phonics Screening Check’ taking place in all Year One classes across the country during the week beginning 16th June so reading daily with your child, practising decoding the sounds in words and blending is essential to help them show what they can do.
Numeracy
We have just completed a week on ‘Telling the Time’ which all children experienced some success in. Please continue to encourage your child to use time-related language and practice reading o’clock, half past and quarter past times.
This term in numeracy we will be starting to explore place value in two-digit numbers and partitioning for addition and subtraction. We will be using the fractions half and quarters in the context of numbers and shapes; mentally using number bonds and doubling facts to add and subtract; standard units for measuring including use of rulers and weighing scales.
Science
We found out what the children already knew about plants and have planned the ‘Wild Thing’ topic using the children’s own enquiry questions. After half-term we will be learning about ‘Light and Sound’.
PE
The children are continuing to learn basic throwing, catching and ball-control skills in outdoor multi-skills with Mr Mortimer. After half-term they will be learning other skills in preparation for sports day.
Foundation
Through the ‘Kenya’ topic we will explore African drumming, singing and dancing. We are hoping to try some Kenyan cuisine.
If you are an expert on anything ‘African’ and would like to come and talk to the year group about your experiences or share your knowledge, please get in touch.
ICT
Thank you for the continuing support of our parent helpers.
If you are interested in supporting year one during the summer term, even if you only have an hour to spare to hear readers, please speak to your child’s class teacher.
As the weather improves children may need to bring in named sun-hats and named bottles of sun cream. We suggest children apply a layer of sun-cream at home before school and then they need only re-apply if necessary.