Reception Home Learning – 1 March 2021

Good morning Reception parents and children,

I hope you’ve all had a great weekend in the sunshine.  Please continue to enjoy daily exercise and outdoor activities.  Enjoying outdoor activities not only benefits children’s emotional wellbeing but also encourages an active life style.

Please also feel reassured that doing the simple things as a family, such as preparing meals together, helping with the washing, sharing a book and having cinema time at home are just as important in terms of your child’s home learning.

This week we’re going to focus on ‘getting ready’ for school.  I have, therefore, reduced other home learning activities to allow parents and children time to relax and adjust in preparation for our return to school.

Personal, social and emotional development

There will be mixed emotions about our return to school next week.  Some children will be excited whilst others may feel a little apprehensive.  I am sure this is the case for parents too.  

Please feel free to contact me either via Tapestry or the School Office if you have any concerns about the return to school.  In particular, please let me know if you feel your child may require extra support or if there is anything that I should be aware of prior to our first day. It is important to me that all parents and children feel supported and our first week is a happy time for all. 

Happy box

Please create a ‘happy box’ with your child ready to bring into school on Monday, 8 March.  We will display the boxes in the classroom for the children to share with each other.  This activity is not only great for language skills but will provide a link with home that your child can revisit during the day at school.

You will need:

An empty food packet/any kind of box that can hold a few things.  No larger than a shoe box.

What to do:

  • Start by talking about being happy. What does happy look like? What does happy feel like? Make some happy faces together, maybe looking in a mirror. Draw a smiley face. When they smile or feel happy, do they feel it anywhere else in their body – warm tummy, tingly toes?
  • Explain that you are going to make a Happy Box – in it you will put 3 things that make you feel happy. You could model this by having your own Happy Box to show them. Talk about the things you put in it and why they make you feel happy.
  • Ask your child what makes them feel happy? What would they like to put in their box – e.g. a pebble, a photo of Nana, a special toy. Together, go in search of 3 things. Use lots of happy words – smile, laugh, giggle, warm, cosy, joy, cheerful. Chat about why they have chosen each thing.
  • Your child can put the things in their Happy Box. They might want to decorate the box first – you could talk about what colours make them happy and use felt tips/paint matching their happy colours.
  • You can refer to the box every so often. Perhaps if your child is feeling sad and needs cheering up, you could suggest you look in their Happy Box and choose one of the things to look at and talk about. Or if they find something else that makes them feel happy, they could add that to the box later.

Top tips

  • Don’t include any precious items just in case of loss or damage
  • Limit to 3/4 items
  • Box no larger than a shoe box
  • Name the box and items in the box

Maths

This activity will build on your child’s ability to subitise (recognise the amount of objects in a group at a glance without counting).  Your child will also to learn that a whole number can be created by combining small parts.

You will need:

A dice
Collection of objects eg. dinosaurs, buttons, bricks, pasta

What to do:

  • Show your child a familiar dot pattern, e.g. the five on a dice. Check they instantly recognise the value.

Ask your child to copy the pattern with objects. Initially use the same objects to make the pattern.

  • Ask your child ‘Do you see any familiar dot patterns within the dinosaurs?’  Your child may answer ‘Yes I can see a 2 on the top’ or ‘I can see 3 diagonally’ or ‘1 in the middle’.
  • Encourage your child to swap the objects for different ones to show the value they can see.

Extension and playing outside

Ask your child to collect natural objects around the outside area such as twigs, leaves and stones. Once they have a small collection, make little groups and explore how many there are by subitising where the group is small enough.

Note:  subitising is recognising a group of objects at a glance without counting.  The highest number that even adults will normally subitise to is 6.  Try it yourself.  Count a random collection of objects, say 10.  You will notice that you immediately notice the groups eg. you may see 3, 5 and 2 to quickly count the objects and know there are 10.

Zoom meeting

You will notice from my timetable that I plan to hold an extra Zoom meeting on Tuesday at 1.15 pm.  I will send the invitation to you all today.  Up until now, we have met in small groups.  However, I thought it would be nice to provide an opportunity for all the children to get together.  There probably won’t be a chance for everyone to talk to each other.  However, hopefully we will be able to share some news. 

If up until now your child has been reluctant to join one of my meetings, try turning the camera off to allow your child to watch.  Alternatively, your child could watch from a safe distance and nominate a soft toy to ‘stand in’ on the camera.

Enjoy your day.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 26.02.21

Happy Friday everyone!

Reading tricky words/Letters and Sounds

Let’s revisit our recent sounds and tricky words learnt so far.

Watch the video below with your child.  You may wish to pause the video at various points to discuss some word meanings, particularly the ‘ure’ words.  It also introduces the concept of double consonants ‘When we see a double consonant, we normally just say one phoneme’ eg. as in ‘letter’.  This will be a new idea for many children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob7bOrRtX3Q

For extra challenge:

  • Spot tricky words in your child’s story books.
  • Learn to spell the tricky words.

Write a sentence –  I can …..

Encourage your child to write a sentence.  

I can …….

To begin, talk to your child about things they can do.  For example, ‘I can brush my hair’, ‘I can jump’ or ‘I can run’.

Write your own sentence and model writing for your child. 

As usual, encourage your child to use their sound mat for support and write the sounds he or she can hear and knows.

 ‘I can run’ is a good sentence to start if you child requires a little encouragement.

This activity is to encourage your child’s independent writing, so celebrate their efforts and use of sounds even if not spelt correctly.  The idea is that the words spelt match the sounds they can hear and they can read back their writing.

Maths

One more, one less game

The video below demonstrates how to play this game:

Here are the written instructions:

Top tip:

Notice the mathematical vocabulary used in the video.  It is important to encourage your child to say out loud what they are doing eg. ‘I landed on one more, I’m on 15 now and 16 is one more than 15’.  There are a variety of ways your child could articulate their thinking.  Try to model many variations in your language so your child becomes familiar with them.

Here are all the different ways of saying one more or one less.

Religious Education/Understanding the world

Growing

May I begin with a little reminder to send me, via Tapestry, your child’s Lenten promise as mentioned in my blog on Monday, 22 February.  Ideally, ask your child to draw a picture to display at home.  This can act as a visual prompt to help your child during this season of Lent. 

Lent is a time to work at growing spiritually in preparation to celebrate the death of Jesus and his resurrection at Easter.  This process involves growing in many ways. It is not always easy.  When talking to your child about their Lenten promise, stress that it’s about growth rather than change.  We are growing inside in a special way; in goodness, kindness, caring and love.

Plant some cress or something similar that grows very quickly.  Focus on what is happening over time.   

Cress is one of the easiest things to grow and what’s more, you can grow this indoors – perfect for getting those green fingers ready for the spring.  It also goes lovely in those egg sandwiches that you can have all year round!  It is ok to use cotton wool to grow cress.  Talk to your child about how other plants normally need nutritious soil.  However, cress still needs water, sunlight and warmth and love to grow.  Just like we do!

On your daily exercise, have a quiet moment together to reflect on and appreciate the plants that are beginning to grow.  Again, reflect on the things which help to make things grow e.g. food, water, sunlight etc.

The following prayer may help your child to reflect on the meaning of Lent and remember their Lenten promise.

Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom.
Jesus you are so good. Help us to grow in goodness.
Jesus you are so kind. Help us to grow in kindness.
Jesus you are so caring. Help us to grow in caring.
Jesus you are so loving. Help us to grow in loving.

Invite your child to add their own words.

Help your child recognise the cross as something special to be venerated with love and respect.  Try placing a cross in a place of honour, enshrined with growing plants and flowers.

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 25.02.21

Good morning everyone,

Welcome to our home learning for today.

Religious Education

The Parish family gathers together at Mass

This is a little challenging to teach during our lockdown period.  However, hopefully many of you will have been able to access the parish live streams.

Here’s a reminder of parishes that offer this service:

Masses at Ss Alban and Stephen Catholic Church on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ49xqq4xbky9S9Aq859X1A

Online Masses at St Teresa’s Borehamwood – Fr Dominic McKenna

https://www.churchservices.tv/borehamwood

Online Masses at St Luke’s Pinner – Canon Robert Plourde

https://www.churchservices.tv/pinner

Online Masses at Westminster

http://www.churchservices.tv/westminster

Ask your child to look at the picture below:

Questions to ask

What do you see in the picture?

Who are the people in the picture?

What are the congregation doing? (singing a gather song)

What is happening? (Priest and altar servers processing in)

Discuss with your child about how we gather in church to welcome and listen to God’s word from the Bible.  Remind your child of the words used by the priest to welcome people ‘The Lord be with you…’.  And the people say ‘And with your spirit’. 

Link your discussions to personal experiences of attending Mass as a family. 

Talk about the special book called the Bible which tells us about God’s word.  You could select a story from your child’s Bible to read.

Letters and Sounds

This is an exciting moment!  Today’s sound is the last Phase 3 sound.  This completes the learning of one representation for 42 of the 44 sounds generally recognised as those of British Received Pronunciation.  Just one spelling is given for each sound because this is all that is required at this stage.  Children can now write most words using the sounds they have learnt.  Spellings represented by the sound they know is an equally good first choice as the correct spelling.  They will learn alternatives in Year 1 (e.g. ‘ay’ instead of ‘ai’ and ‘ie’ instead of ‘igh’).

Rest assured, once we’re back at school we will revisit all of the sounds learnt and consolidate your child’s knowledge of phonics. We will, of course, also teach correct spellings of tricky words and extend your child as appropriate.

Today’s new sound – ‘er’ (digraph two letters but one sound)

This video introduces the ‘er’ sound.

Show your child how to write ‘er’ using the correct letter formation.

Letter formation for ‘e’ and ‘r’ can be found in your child’s letters and sounds book.

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘er’ sound. 

For challenge

Only if your child is ready.  Write the following words:

For extra challenge

Write a sentence and draw a picture (a reminder from our Gingerbread Man story). 

Maths

Counting down and up game

You will need:

Numeral cards 0-10 (or 0-20 if your child is ready).

You could use the numeral cards posted on the Tapestry Memo section or just write your own.  Hopefully, you’ve still got the cards prepared for our previous activities.

An adapted dice with only 1 and 2 marked.  Do this by writing 1 and 2 on a small pieces of paper.  Sellotape over the 3, 4, 5 and 6 dots on the dice.

What to do:

Have a number your line ready.

Your child starts by placing a counter (stone, button, etc) on zero.

Roll the dice and ‘count on’ the number shown.  Note:  It is important that your child starts the count from the number they are on and counts on. For example: if they are on 7 and roll a two, they say, ‘I am on 7, I need to count on two places – 8, 9’.

Keep going until your child reaches the end of the number line. 

Repeat by starting on 10 to go backwards.

Adaptations:

Use a number line 0-20.

Ask your child to predict the number they will land on.  Encourage use of fingers.  For example, count on 2 from 15.  Hold up 2 fingers ‘I am on 15 … (count fingers) 16, 17’

Use higher numbers on the dice.

Play outside. Chalk a number line on the ground and play by jumping on the numbers.

Expressive Arts/Maths

Counting on song

Encourage your child to use their fingers to represent the numbers shown in these songs.

One Elephant went out to play

Counting down songs

10 fat sausages sizzling in a pan

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/nursery-rhymes-ten-fat-sausages/z6vh7nb

Have a great day!

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 24.02.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Welcome to today’s home learning.

Reading

Here’s a reminder two excellent websites which offer free reading activities.

https://phonicsplaycomics.co.uk/

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

The reading activities are delivered in phases.   Begin with Phase 2 and Phase 3 games.  However, some Phase 4 games will also be beneficial for children who are confident with all the Phase 2 and Phase 3 sounds (these are the sounds we’ve covered so far).

Try games such as ‘Buried Treasure’, ‘Picnic on Pluto’ or ‘Dragon’s Den’ and select the sounds we recently covered eg.’ ear’, ‘air’ or today’s sound ‘ure’.

Letters and Sounds

Today’s new sound – ‘ure’ (trigraph three letters but one sound)

This video introduces the ‘ure’ sound. This is probably one of the more difficult sounds to learn. It is also less frequent and your child may find it a little challenging to remember.

Show your child how to write ‘ure’ using the correct letter formation.

Letter formation for ‘u’ ‘r’ and ‘e’ can be found in your child’s letters and sounds book.

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘ure’ sound. 

For challenge:

Only if your child is ready.  Write the following words:

For extra challenge:

Write a sentence. 

Maths and Physical Development

Play hopscotch

What you need:

  • Chalk (outside) or masking tape (if playing inside).
  • Markers for each person playing – pebble, bottle cap, shell, button, etc.

What to do:

  • Use chalk to draw a hopscotch pattern on the ground or use masking tape on the floor.
  • Each player has a marker such as a stone, bottle cap, shell, button, etc.
  • The first player stands behind the starting line to toss his or her marker into hopscotch grid.
  • Hop to the end of the grid. All hopping is done on one foot unless the hopscotch design is such that two squares are side-by-side. Then two feet can be placed down with one in each square.
  • Once at the end of the gird, turn around and hop back again.  Pick up the marker on the way back.

Questions to ask:

What number did the stone land on?

How many hops and how many jumps will you need to take to land on that number?

Adaptations:

Ask your child to draw/find a collection of objects that matches each number and place it on the grid.

Rub out some of the numbers or write a number that doesn’t fit.  Ask your child to ‘spot the problem’ and correct it or fill in missing numbers within the squares.

Change the numbers on the hopscotch to 11-20.

Physical Development

Threading

This activity will help develop the small muscles in your child’s hands, wrists and fingers which are so important for holding a pen and writing.

You will need:

  • Kitchen roll tube with holes around it, made by the adult. Use a screw driver, bradawl or pen to do this. Or use a colander, sieve or any household object with multiple holes.
  • Spaghetti sticks, pipe cleaners, string or wool and a plastic child-friendly sewing needle, straws, cable ties.
  • Timer (egg timer or use a mobile phone).

What to do:

  • Invite your child to help you gather the resources you need e.g. spaghetti and a kitchen roll tube that the adult has made some holes in (see below).
  • Suggest that you are going to do some threading together. Show your child how you might push the spaghetti sticks through the tube carefully, so they come out the other side, making sure they don’t snap!
  • Encourage your child to do this independently.
  • Choose a range of materials to pass through the holes – string, pipe cleaners, straws, cable ties.
  • Talk to your child as they work, asking questions such as ‘Which objects went through easily? Which were harder to thread? How many objects have you threaded through altogether?’

Adaptations:

  • Try using objects with larger and smaller holes and talk about which are easier to thread? 
  • Make a chart to show which objects were easier to thread and which were harder. Talk about why this might be?
  • How many sticks/pipe cleaners can you thread through your object?
  • Introduce a timer to add challenge e.g. how quickly can your child thread 10 objects?
  • Invite your child to decorate the tube before or after the threading activity.

Wishing you all a wonderful day.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 23.02.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Many thanks for all your Tapestry entries and such a great start to the half term. I am super excited about our return to school. Next week we will concentrate on lots of activities to help prepare the children for the 8th March. Our focus will be on the children’s well-being and making sure they are confident and happy to come back to school. We will start back gently and concentrate on getting everyone ‘ready to learn’ for the first week or so.

Reading

Please take the time to read with your child.  This could be the reading materials provided in your child’s book bag eg. reading books, word strips or word bag.  However, if you’ve already exhausted those materials, please have a go at accessing the ebooks I sent via the Memo section of Tapestry.   Just a reminder, the links provided for your child are via the Oxford Owls website.  You will need to set up a log in.  However, this is fairly simple and you only have to do it once.

Here’s a link to the log in page of the Oxford Owls website: 

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/please-log-in?open_loginbox=true

Please encourage your child to read each book two to three times.  Perhaps over the course of this week. This will help develop fluency.   Short, frequent reading time is most effective. Once your child is ready for new books, post a Tapestry observation and I will select new books accordingly.  Thank you to those parents who are accessing the ebooks and keeping me informed.

Letters and Sounds

Today’s new sound – ‘air’ (trigraph three letters but one sound)

This video introduces the ‘air’ sound.

Here’s Geraldine the Giraffe:

Show your child how to write ‘air’ using the correct letter formation.

Letter formation for ‘a’ ‘i’ and ‘r’ can be found in your child’s letters and sounds book.

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘air’ sound. 

For challenge

Only if your child is ready.  Write the following words:

For extra challenge

Write a funny caption and draw a picture to accompany the caption. 

Maths

Don’t forget about zero

This may seem like a strange activity, but it will reinforce that although zero is nothing, nothing can be counted.   At various points during your daily routine, ask your child to collect you ‘zero’ of something. For example, “Can you pass me two apples and zero bananas please?”   You can do this whilst playing, putting the shopping away, organising the washing etc.

Hiccup game

This activity will help your child learn to develop fluency when counting up and down from different points on a number line.

You will need:

Numeral cards 0-10 (or 0-20 if your child is ready)

You could use the numeral cards posted on the Tapestry Memo section or just write your own.

What to do:

  • Place the cards in order on the floor or a table 0-10.
  • Start from different points on your number line.
  • Ask your child to start to count forwards whilst pointing at each number until you (parent) hiccups.
  • Ask your child to then go back to the previous number and continue to count down.
  • Repeat from a variety of start points.

For example 10, 9, 8, (hiccup) 9, 8, 7… or 3, 4, 5, (hiccup), 4, 5, 6…

Through regular rehearsal, your child will be saying one more and one less when counting but they will need to be able to state the numbers one more or one less than any given number.

For extra challenge:

Numbers 0-20

Ask your child to pick a number between 0 and 20, using the number line.

Ask your child to state one more and one less than the chosen number.

Grow your own vegetable tops

You will need:

Any root vegetable eg. parsnip, carrot
Plate
Water
Knife

What to do:

  • Cut the tops off a root vegetable.
  • Place on a saucer.
  • Add a small amount of water – the vegetable tops shouldn’t be swimming in it!
  • Place on a window sill or similar.
  • Top up water daily. You do not want the tops to dry out.  

After a few days, encourage your child to talk about what they notice.  Green sprouts should begin growing out of your vegetable top.  Encourage your child to look after the veg tops by changing the water each day until these have grown to about 10cm.  This edible new growth can be cut with safety knives or clean scissors and added to sandwiches, salads or soups.

Adaptations:

Your child may want to keep a ‘diary of your vegetable tops’, and record the changes daily.   This could be done with writing or through drawings.

Why not experiment with where your tops grow best? What happens if you don’t give any water to some of them? What happens if you leave some on a plate above a radiator?

Enjoy your day!

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 22.02.21

Dear parents and children,

I hope you all had a wonderful half term and managed to have a rest.  I appreciate that many of you are juggling family life with working and home schooling.   Hopefully, everyone is feeling ready to begin this week’s home learning.

Here are my plans for the week.

Religious Education – Lent

A promise for Lent

As you are aware, the church season of Lent began last week with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.  Remind your child it is purple time again in the church year; a time of getting ready for the celebration of Easter.

It is also a time to think about how we can change and grow inside to be more like Jesus.  We are growing not only physically but inside in goodness, kindness, caring and loving. Our learning will begin by thinking about what the term ‘growing’ may mean.  I have, therefore, included a couple of activities this week that observe the growth of plants. 

I am sure you will have discussed Lent with your child and may have taken the opportunity to attend St. Bartholomew Roman Catholic Church to receive the Ashes. I would really like to hear about your child’s Lenten promise.  If you haven’t already agreed upon a promise, please make a Lenten promise with your child to send to me. 

The cornerstones of Lent are praying, fasting and giving.  You may find the list of suggestions below useful ideas. 

Pray

Say grace at mealtimes
Say a please, sorry or thank you prayer at bedtime every day
Pray for a different person every day
Read a bible story every day

Fast      

Give up something you enjoy eg. only have sweets or treats at the weekend
Choose to look at a book instead of the television

Giving

Helping with a chore in the house
Playing with a brother or sister

Encourage your child to draw a picture.  Scribe your child’s promise on the picture and pin it up somewhere prominent to help your child remember this special time of the church year.

Letters and Sounds

Today’s new sound – ‘ear’ (trigraph three letters but one sound)

This video introduces the ‘ear’ sound.

Show your child how to write ‘ear’ using the correct letter formation.

Letter formation for ‘e’ ‘a’ and ‘r’ can be found in your child’s letters and sounds book.

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘ear’ sound. 

For challenge

Only if your child is ready.  Write the following words:

For extra challenge

Write a funny sentence and draw a picture to accompany the sentence. 

Maths

Number positions

This week in maths your child will be learning how to understand the position of numbers and their relationship to other numbers.  We will focus on numbers from 0-10.  However, the activities for the week can also be extended to 0-20, depending on your child’s confidence.  We will be working towards understanding 1 more and 1 less. 

Let’s begin with step 1:    Recognise that a count starts with nothing (zero) and increases equally by one each time

Make a number staircase

This activity will help your child to see that the difference between each number is equal and goes up in ones.  It involves creating a number line physically as a ‘staircase’.

You will need:

Ideally Duplo or Lego bricks to make towers.  However, you can use pasta shapes, buttons, beads and create number lines on the floor.

What to do:

  • Write numbers 0-10 on a separate pieces of paper.  You could use the numeral cards I previously sent through Tapestry.  I’ve resent them for today.
  • Give a number to your child.
  • Ask your child to make a tower of cubes to match the value on the card.
  • Ask your child to order the towers from smallest to largest labelling each tower/length with the number card.

The idea is for your child to increase the number of items used for their towers/lengths by 1 each time. 

Ask your child ‘What do you notice?’  Ideas you will be looking for:

Celebrating our Learning

The children really enjoyed learning about Chinese New Year.  Many thanks for all the wonderful photos and creative ideas.  I thought the children may like to share their photos with each other.

I look forward to hearing all about your learning through Tapestry and wish you all a great day.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 12.02.21

Good morning Reception children and parents,

Happy Friday!

Just a couple of reminders before we begin today’s home learning.

Today is the deadline for the Chaplaincy Team’s St. Adrian competition. Draw or create a poster about St. Adrian. Entries can be posted through Tapestry and I will pass them onto the Chaplaincy Team.

Please don’t forget to let me know when your child has read their Oxford Owl ebooks set on the Memo Section of Tapestry and is ready for a change. I will then be able to set new books for you.

Chinese New Year

Make a Chinese Dragon

Attached to the Memo section of Tapestry are instructions to make a Chinese Dragon.  However, as mentioned on yesterday’s blog, you can always provide various recycled materials and let your child’s imagination run wild.

To inspire your child, photos are also attached to the Memo section of Tapestry. This dragon dance video may help your child understand how the dragon features in the Chinese New Year celebrations:

I’ve also attached on the Memo section of Tapestry a Chinese New Year song.

Dress up in red for the day

Red is a popular colour in Chinese culture, symbolizing luck, joy and happiness.  It is also the colour often worn for celebrations such as Chinese New Year.  In addition, the Chinese flag is red.

Letters and Sounds

Alphabet Bingo

In phonics, letter names are needed when children start to learn two-letter and three-letter sounds (Phase Three).  The letter names provide the vocabulary to refer to the letters making up each two-letter or three-letter sound.

We explain alphabet names to children by thinking about the sounds animals make eg. ‘meow’, ‘woof’ or ‘moo’. However, the names of these animals are cat, dog or cow.  It’s the same with letters.  They have a sound and a name.

I have posted on the Memo section of Tapestry an alphabet poster.   Alternatively, you may have your own alphabet frieze, puzzle or poster for this game. 

Simply, call out a letter name and ask your child to tick the letter off on the poster. If you’re lucky enough to have large alphabet letters, you could ask your child to jump to each letter name called out.

Alphabet Song

Singing the alphabet song and pointing to letters of the alphabet is also a great way to learn letter names.  Again, you could use the alphabet poster on Tapestry or you may have your own alphabet frieze, puzzle or poster.

It is important that your child doesn’t bunch the letters together (eg. l, m, n, o, p) and clearly articulates each letter name.

Here’s a fun video by the Alphablocks that teaches letter names and the alphabet song.

British Values

Mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths

This is the final British value in our series of British values, mutual respect and tolerance.  We learn to treat others as we want to be treated. How to be part of a community, manage our feelings and behaviour; and form relationships with others.

Our learning about Chinese New Year this week has contributed to the children’s understanding of diversity and different cultures.   It helps children to recognise
and respect both similarities and differences in relation to others.

At home you can use stories or television programmes to take the opportunity to talk to your child about the importance of tolerant behaviours such as sharing and respecting other’s opinions.

Wishing you all a great half term.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 11.02.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Below are my home learning ideas for today. 

Chinese New Year

The year of the ox

Explain to your child that each new Chinese year has a different animal sign.  This means that each person born in the year is represented by one of twelve animals. The zodiac signs include the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

This year is the year of the ox.  The Ox is the second animal in the Chinese Animal Zodiac. It is second, because, during a legendary race the Ox was kind, and gave the Rat a lift on its back. Only then to be cheated of his win, by the Rat jumping off his back and ahead of the Ox in order to secure first place. A cunning Rat, and a trusting Ox.

 Watch this short video ‘Happy New Year 2021! Happy Chinese New Year of the Ox!’  It illustrates Chinese writing and Chinese music.

Your child may ask you ‘What is an ox?’  Here’s a little explanation:

Let’s get creative

Encourage your child to create an ox using recycled materials.  Using different types of recycled objects enables children to learn about the basic properties of everyday materials – such as plastic, paper, cardboard, metal and wood – through a hands-on approach.  Children are learning how materials work, how they fix together and how they can be used to fulfil ideas.  This is engineering and engineering thinking.

Be really creative and search around the house for unusual objects that you do not need any more.  Provide and variety of different resources to help your child fix items together, such as scissors, tape, glue, string, ribbon, and malleable materials such as clay or playdough. I usually turn boxes inside out; this allows the children to paint or decorate the box. 

Don’t expect your child’s model to be as picture perfect as the above examples.  The main purpose of the activity is to encourage your child to use their ideas and let their imagination run wild.

Alternatively, your child may wish to make a Happy Chinese New Year card and have a go at Chinese writing. 

Chinese cooking/food

I have posted on the Memo section of Tapestry a recipe card for Hup Toh Soh Chinese cookies you may enjoy making together.  However, you could also buy some Chinese food and enjoy the variety of tastes.

Letters and Sounds

I am good at …..

Encourage your child to write a sentence.  

I am good at …….

To begin, talk to your child about things they are good at.  For example, ‘I am good at art’, ‘I am good at jumping’ or ‘I am good at cooking’.

Model writing for your child.  Remind your child of ‘oo’ sound.  If your child wishes to write a word ending in ‘ing’, explain to your child to write ‘i’ and the ‘ng’ sound.

As usual, encourage your child to use their sound mat for support and write the sounds he or she can hear and knows. Also, remeber finger spaces.

This activity is to encourage your child’s independent writing, so celebrate their efforts and use of sounds even if not spelt correctly.  The idea is that the words spelt match the sounds they can hear and they can read back their writing.

Maths

Create your own map

Watch this Go Jetters tv programme which explains some features of a map.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0b529s2/go-jetters-series-2-29-go-jet-academy-map-readers

Ask your child to design a space; their ideal bedroom, a theme park etc.  Encourage your child to represent some of the items in the space as shapes of symbols, they could even try and add a key.

Your child may like to make their own treasure map.  A great idea shared by one of our children is to colour the map using a wet tea bag.  This gives the map a very authentic look.

I look forward to hearing all about your child’s home activities.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 10.02.21

Hello Reception parents and children,

It’s been heartening to hear how much the children are enjoying Chinese New Year.  Thank you for all your posts.  The school is gathering together copies of children’s work to memorise geography day at St. Adrian’s and all your photos will help to celebrate Reception’s contribution to the Asia theme.

Chinese New Year

A story about Chinese New Year

I’ve posted a story on the Memo section of Tapestry about Samantha and her family as they prepare for Chinese New Year.

Crayon etching fireworks picture

Here is a fun idea for an unusual fireworks picture using wax crayons. I’m sure your child will love to reveal the different colours as they scrape off the top black layer.

You will need:

Wax crayons (including black)
White card
Stick

What to do:

Ask your child to colour all over the card with different bright crayons. Make sure that the whole card is covered.

Now ask your child to colour over the top with black crayon. Make sure that to cover all the first layer of bright colours.

Ask your child to carefully use the stick to scrape away some of the black crayon in a swirly motion to reveal the colours below. Top tip:  Tell your child to be careful not to press too hard or the coloured crayon below will be scrape away!

Alternatively, your child could create a fireworks picture using paint, felt tip pens or PVA glue and glitter.

Letters and Sounds

Today’s new sound – ‘oi’ (digraph two letters but one sound)

This video introduces the ‘oi’ sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMdtke9HZVE

This video will support reading and writing ‘oi’ words.

Below is the action for the ‘oi’:

Show your child how to write ‘oi’ using the correct letter formation.

Letter formation for ‘o’ and ‘i’ can be found in your child’s letters and sounds book.

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘oi’’ sound. 

For challenge

Only if your child is ready.  Write the following words:

For extra challenge

Write a sentence and draw a picture to accompany the sentence. 

Maths

Create your own map

Ask your child to create a map of a familiar space: the living room, bedroom, garden etc. You may need to model this for your child by drawing your own map. 

Once the map is completed something could be hidden in the room, then ask your child to show on the map where it is hidden.

Encourage your child to use symbols to indicate the route to the hidden object.

Here are some symbols examples:

Enjoy your day.
Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 09.02.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Welcome to Tuesday’s home learning.

China and Chinese New Year

Let’s find out about China

Let’s find out about China’s animals

The video below is a fascinating insight into some China’s animals.  It also introduces difference landscapes in China and the concept of endangered species.

Let’s find out about Chinese New Year

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/chinese-new-year

After watching the videos with your child, discuss any similarities or differences.  For example, compare Chinese New Year to preparations at Christmas.

Expressive Arts and Design

As part of our Chinese New Year topic, make a lantern.  Template posted on the Memo Section of Tapestry.

Letters and Sounds

Today’s new sound – ‘ow’ (digraph two letters but one sound)

This video introduces the ‘ow’ sound – Geraldine’s back!

The following video supports blending and reading ‘ow’ sound words.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UQ_Mls4qa0

Show your child how to write ‘ow’ using the correct letter formation.

Letter formation for ‘o’ and ‘w’ can be found in your child’s letters and sounds book.

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘ow’’ sound. 

For challenge

Only if your child is ready.  Say the following words.  Ask your child to write the words.

For extra challenge

Write a sentence and draw a picture to accompany the sentence. 

Maths

Comparing routes

This activity will help your child use positional and directional language to describe journeys.  It will also provide an opportunity to rehearse the comparative language from yesterday.

  • Give your child a start and end point in your house or outside – somewhere familiar.
  • Ask your child to travel from the start point to the end point in two different ways.
  • Ask your child to explain their journeys using the correct positional language. Here’s a reminder:

up, down, forward, through, over, turn backwards,

under, turn around, turn towards

Example of the language you will be looking for:

Child:  Let’s turn towards the window and walk forwards to the table. Go between the table and the cupboard.   Pass under the pictures on the wall and walk next to the broom cupboard to the door.

You could also ask your child which route was the quickest/shorter journey.

Treasure hunt

This can be extended by playing a treasure hunt game.   Ask your child to hide a special toy and give you verbal instructions where to find it.

Internet Safety Day

Detective Digiduck – internet safety for 3-7 year olds

Childnet.com provide engaging online safety stories for young children aged 3-7.

The Digiduck® collection has been created to help parents and teachers educate children aged 3 – 7 about online safety.  The collection includes a ebooks, PDFs, a poster and an interactive app.

https://www.childnet.com/resources/digiduck-stories

Follow Digiduck® and his pals in this story of friendship, responsibility and critical thinking online (link below).

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/detective-digiduck-virtual-assembly-3-7s

Wishing you all a great day.

Nicola Palmer