Hey All, we hope you have all had a nice half term week. This week’s blog will kick off our new topic for this half term. We hope your child will find it exciting and engaging.
Literacy
The teachers have had a lovely time, however we have all been doing a little gardening and we have all found something a little strange…take a look…
(Grown ups – Dinosaurs are our theme for the half term so each week there will be a little something else to continue to learn)
Task 1: Look carefully at what the teachers have found whilst gardening and discuss ideas of what it could be. Write down your ideas in sentences and draw a picture to match. Why do you think it could be that?
Sentence starter – I think it is… because…
Remember to use your phonics to sound out your words and have a go at spelling them by yourself.
Task 2: The teachers have asked for some outside help about their discoveries and they have asked an archaeologist. It turns out we have all found a fossil/some type of bone. A fossil of what though??? A bone from what??
Can you find out what an archaeologist is and what they do? Use google. (Type into google archaeologist for children – it will give a more child friendly explanation)
Can you find out what a fossil is? (Again type into google what is a fossil for kids)
If it is a fossil – what do you think the fossil could be of? Write a list of ideas.
– Try making some of your own fossils or find some fossils – some ideas
1. Use playdough – roll out some playdough and press different things into it and see the shapes and patterns they make. Can you take it in turns to find different things to press in and can your adult guess what it is from its impression in the playdough?
2. Use porridge oats and hide small toys/objects inside – use a dry paint brush, magnifying glass or tweezers to search through the oats and find the objects. How many can you find?
3. Use clay or salt dough to make impressions using different items and let them dry.
https://www.littlepassports.com/blog/craft-diy/make-dinosaur-fossils-using-salt-dough/
4. Hide small items in sand or kinetic sand to find
Draw and write about what you have found.
Task 3: Could it be a dinosaur fossil!! Could it be a dinosaur bone!!! Wow!!! Talk to your child about dinosaurs – what do they know already? What do they want to know? (Anything goes!) Please share these with us. We may need an expert to help us. Could you find out about the job of a dinosaur expert? How could they help us?
Listen to our story this week Dinosaur Roar! Talk about the descriptions used in the story. Which is your favourite page? Why? Can the children read any of the words independently?
Task 4: Something crafty – Can you make your favourite dinosaur from the story? – use a paper plate, paint, crayons, junk modelling anything goes – Can you write the caption to go with it like the book ‘Dinosaur…’ please post on Tapestry
Task 5: Go back through the book and look at the opposites mentioned. Can you think of some opposites and list them.
Up – down
High – low
In – out
Fast – slow
Above – below
Draw 2 pictures of dinosaurs with opposites like a page in the book.
Maths (Reception)
We will be consolidating our work on counting on and back. To help us we will be practising using a numberline to count on and back. This can help children to learn to count on while removing the need for physical objects. (Your child can still practise counting on using physical objects if needed)
Give your child a numberline. Please find a selection from twinkl below.
Show them a number sentence e.g 7+5=.
Ask your child to place their finger on 7 and do 5 jumps. Make sure they jump off 7 as they do their first jump. We use the phrase Ow! Jump off like it is hot!
When they complete the 5 jumps their finger will be on the correct answer. You can use objects to confirm this. Repeat with other number sentences.
They can also use their number line for subtraction. This time jumping backwards.
To help your child to jump off practise using games such as snakes and ladders.
Challenge
Give a mixture of addition and subtraction sentences. Can your child recognise which way they have to jump. Try solving word problems using your number line.
Topic
Dinosaurs lived in the past. Can we think of what the past means to us?When is the past? Long ago, last week, yesterday, this morning. Its time gone by.
Look at some photos of you in the past – baby or toddler pictures. Talk about what you couldn’t do then, that you can do now. Can you talk to any family members about what things were like for them in the past.
The teachers have shared photos of themselves. Can you work out who is Mrs Nelson, Mrs Ward, Mrs Jones, Mrs Watson and Ms Turner? (Answers shared in next weeks blog) Can you talk about how we have changed?
Teacher 1
Teacher 2
Teacher 3
Teacher 4
Teacher 5
Task: Draw 3 pictures of yourself, now and 2 from the past – write sentences – When I was a baby I … When I was _years old I …. Now, I can…
Feelings
Read The Worrysaurus – Discuss the butterfly feeling and anytime we might feel like we have butterflies in our tummies?
Can you draw a time you felt happy and a time you felt worried/anxious?
Preparation for next week
Start collecting tubes – toilet roll tubes, kitchen roll tubes.
