Blog 11 - 2nd December

Hello Apples, 

 It was a wet and windy start to our week but seems to be brightening up now. Please keep safe and wrap up warm! 

 

We have had a real focus upon shape this week and the children have enjoyed making shape monsters, spotting shapes in the environment and making shapes with loose parts. The key vocabulary that you can reinforce at home is: 

square, triangle, circle, oblong, oval and semi circle 

We wonder if you can find any of these shapes in your home or when you're out and about?

 

Following on from our Gruffalo focus last week, this week we have been learning about the story Stick Man by Julia Donaldson. This is another favourite in Apple class and some of us already recognised the story at the beginning of the week. Every day we read the story but with a different focus. It is so important to read stories over and over again as it allows children to take in the story properly and to join in with the story telling - especially the repeated refrains. It also allows you to have a different focus each time you read. For example, rhyming words, filling in the missing words, rhythm, story recall, talking about characters or the setting and asking questions. Understanding the story is the most important part when children cannot read for themselves. When you read at home, ask your child questions about characters, the story setting, what they think might happen next. 

 

 Last week some of us found story recall a little tricky so we decided to revisit this, this week through drawing. The children enjoyed thinking carefully about what Stick Man is used for in the story and showing this through drawing. Most of us could remember at least one thing that Stick Man is used for which is great. They then used coloured pencils and pens to draw their own pictures and talk about what they could remember from the book. Excellent mark making everyone! 

 

 In our mathematical work, we had a go at ordering sticks by size. We used the vocabulary long, short, longest, shortest. If you're out for a walk over the weekend, maybe you could find some sticks and compare their lengths using the correct vocabulary above. I'd love to see some pictures of your child measuring sticks!

 

Outside, we have spent lots of time on the adventure playground this week. The children are becoming much more confident with climbing, jumping and moving in different ways. However, lots of us still struggle to dress ourselves for the outdoors, especially putting on our own coats and zipping them up! Please encourage your child to do this themselves! They need to practise this daily at home and in school.

 

 Christmas has well and truly begun in Apple Class.! We have our tree up and we are learning some songs that we can't wait to share with you during our "Christmas songs around the tree" session. We know you're going to love them!  We began introducing some key Christmas vocabulary that the children will need over the next week weeks. It would be great if you could reinforce this at home: 

Bauble, bells, Christmas tree, tinsel, angel, Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Santa Claus, elf

 

We have lots of fabulous festive activity planned for next week. In the meantime, we hope that everyone has a lovely weekend. 

Best wishes, 

Mrs Farrar and Mrs Grimes