Blog 10 - 24th Nov

Happy Friday everyone!!
 
We have been really busy learning all about the story of The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson. This story is a class favourite and the children know it quite well. Many of you will have a copy of the Gruffalo at home and if you do - see if your child can tell you the story by remembering lots of the key phrases and refrains. If you haven't, we've attached a version from Youtube that you can watch together. 

 

As well as listening to the story, the children have really enjoyed creating their own Gruffalo paintings and Gruffalo pictures, which are on display in our classroom.  We decided to revisit the skills of scrunching and ripping tissue to make pictures as some children needed support with this last week. The aims of these activities were not only to develop our fine motor skills, but to develop vocabulary. Before making their pictures the children had to describe the Gruffalo and select the appropriate materials and colours. For example, he has ORANGE eyes, a black tongue and PURPLE prickles. Most children could remember the key features of the Gruffalo but some needed to look closely at the soft toy as a prompt. Vocabulary is so important for making meaning clear to others and so developing vocabulary is something we do continuously in Nursery and the children will have lots of opportunity to develop this in the year.

 

Outside, the children had a really good go at developing their phonic skills. We went on a Gruffalo hunt, whereby the children had to search for the Gruffalo characters around the garden and tell me what initial sound it began with. For example, "g for gruffalo, m for mouse, f for fox." They then had to match the character with the letter sound on their worksheet. This was quite a tricky activity. Only some children could hear the initial sounds in the words. Some children were able to tell me the sound the animal made instead. We will continue to do lots of phase 1 early phonic work to support hearing initial sounds.

 

In our number work we have continued to play the "gruffalo game" to develop our counting and subitizing skills.

 

A Gruffalo inspired story telling area was a hit with most children this week. This is where children were able to make their own Gruffalo stories. There was a ‘log pile house,’ a ‘tree top house’ and even a lake! We used the wooden Gruffalo characters to help us get into character! 

 

 To go alongside making their own stories, many children have been using the characters as props in almost all areas of the classroom! Again, this is a great way to develop a good understanding of the story and build upon their communication and language skills. 

 

We had a very busy day on Wednesday, there was great fun outside of the classroom as well as inside... we took our first trip down to the Alnwick Playhouse for our Library visit. There we met Jodi from the library team who arranged story, song and rhyme time for us.

Back in the classroom we made real Gruffalo crumble' and enjoyed eating it too. What were the ingredients?  Well, you'll have to ask us to find out!

 

Wrap up warm this weekend everybody and take care, 

 

Mrs Farrar 

Using descriptive language to paint a Gruffalo 
Who fancies some Gruffalo Crumble...?
 
"I loved the Gruffalo Crumble Mrs Farrar, I've got none left, look!" Eddie. 
 
"It just tasted like apples" Penelope.  
 
"I loved it all" Helena. 
 
"I liked the top bit" Harmony. 
 
"I love the apples, they are yummy" Ayla - Grace.
 
"I liked the sugar" Sid. 
 
"I've ate all mine up because it was tasty" Matilda. 
 
"I like it. I got it at my house" Joshua. 
 
"I like it because it gives me energy" George. 
Our first trip, this academic year, to The Alnwick Library which is now within The Alnwick Playhouse, for Story, Song and Rhyme time with Jodi!