Reception Home Learning – 03.02.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Thank you for your feedback regarding the ebooks I shared on the Memo Section of Tapestry yesterday.  If you have not accessed your child’s ebook yet, please note you will need to register to get onto the website, Oxford Owls. However, it’s free to subscribe and a fairly straight forward process!

Mental Health Week – Personal, Social and Emotional development

“Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” read by author Carol McCloud

This heartwarming book encourages positive behaviour as children see how rewarding it is to express daily kindness, appreciation, and love.  The book is based upon an ‘invisible’ bucket to help children understand the effects of our actions and words on the well being of others and ourselves.

I thought it would be nice for the children to see a ‘real life’ author and hear Carol McCloud read her own book.

As a visual reminder, parents could use a small bucket/bowl and cotton buds, beads or a similar small object.  Each time your child shows an act of kindness, pop a cotton bud into the bucket to recognise their thoughtfullness.  You could also encourage your child to do the same for you!

Letters and Sounds/Literacy

Let’s go shopping!

This is an idea that I hope will inspire your child to write for fun.  Set up a shop – this could be any shop that your child chooses eg. sweet shop, shoe shop, fruit shop, ice cream shop. Search around the house for resources that could represent the various items, a box for the till, upside down box covered with a cloth to display items, paper and pens.

Writing ideas your child could contribute:  shop sign, open and closed signs, shopping list, labels for the items, price tags. Can you child write some rules around the shop? For example, wear a face mask, keep your distance – No Kids Allowed! (From our Jack and the Beanstalk story.)

Remember, encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing. Promote independent writing and confidence in writing skills. Encourage your child to ‘sound out’ words and use their sound mat to find the sounds they can hear. Celebrate emergent writing, your child may just begin by only writing some of the sounds they can hear.

Maths ideas: writing numerals for the price tags, counting the correct amount of items requested by the customer, deciding upon open/closed times. Perhaps you could add some real money (1p, 2p or 5p coins) or decide upon something to represent the money eg. beads.

Maths

Roll a dice and balance game

You can use the ‘beanstalk in the clouds’ suggested yesterday for this game.  Or just use a cardboard tube standing upright and balance a paper plate on top. 

What to do:

  • Gather together a collection of small objects eg. small bricks, miniature toys, pieces of pasta.
  • Roll a dice – how many dots can you see?
  • Balance this amount of objects on the plate.
  • The challenge is to balance the objects without the plate falling off the tube.
  • Keep going until the plate falls.
  • How many objects did you manage to balance?

Recognising a small number of (a group of items) at a glance without counting is a key mathematical skill.  Playing games with dice really helps develop this skill.  If you have any board games, these are an excellent resource to support the development of maths.

You could extend your child by using two dice and encourage addition.

Celebrating our learning

Thank you to those parents who responded to my email regarding home photos.  I’ve decided to delay this week’s learning celebration until I have gathered together the responses. Watch this space!

Have a wonderful day

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 02.02.21

Good morning Reception children and parents,

Before we begin today’s home learning, I would like to direct you to the Memo Section of Tapestry.  I have set an ebook home reading task aimed at your child’s reading level.  Please read with your child at home and post a record of your child’s home reading on Tapestry. 

Children’s Mental Health Week

I’d like to draw your attention to the following links:

Wellbeing helpful links and tips:
https://stadrians.herts.sch.uk/2020/05/wellbeing-helpful-links-and-tips/

Five ways for home schooling family wellbeing:
https://f1y.6e6.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Five-Ways-for-Homeschooling-Family-Wellbeing.pdf

Today’s activity is to dance to a song that makes you happy!

Communication and Language/Literacy

Jack and the Beanstalk

Try some substitutions to the Jack and the Beanstalk story.  As mentioned before, the easiest substitutions to make are places, characters or names.   A simple substitution for Jack and the Beanstalk might start like this:

Once upon a time there was a very busy boy/girl called (your child’s name) ………

Then continue the story but use your child’s name throughout instead of Jack.

Once your child gets the idea, here are some other suggestions:

•             Change the name of The Giant
•             Change the beanstalk eg. ladder, stairs
•             Change the castle eg. spaceship

Perhaps your child could draw a new story map for their new story.

Letters and Sounds

Flipping Phonics!

You will need:

Word bag
New high frequency words/sounds to add to your child’s word bag are posted on the Memo section of Tapestry.
Frying pan
Fish slice or spatula

What to do:

  • Place a selection of words in the pan facing upwards.
  • Your child chooses a word by reading it.
  • Your child flips the word with the fish slice/spatula and says the word.


To challenge your child:

  • Place words face down one at a time (choose just a small selection).
  • Ask your child to write the word.
  • Your child flips the word to check their spelling.

Maths

Bank the difference game

This game will help your child use counting to compare and find a numerical difference.

Watch the following video – how to play bank the difference:

Expressive Arts and Design

Make a beanstalk in the clouds

You will need:

  • Kitchen roll or toilet roll
  • Paper (ideally green)
  • Scissors
  • Paper plate
  • Cotton Wool
  • PVA glue

What to do:

  • Draw simple leaf shapes on the paper
  • Ask your child to cut out the leaf shapes
  • If you have paint, paint the tube green
  • Stick the leaf shapes onto the green tube
  • Stick cotton wool onto the paper plate (to represent clouds)
  • Your child may also wish to draw a simple castle to add to the plate
  • Balance the plate onto the tube

This activity will help develop your child’s scissor skills.  We focus on scissor skills frequently in Reception in preparation for Year 1 activities. 

Balancing the plate requires some problem solving skills.  Your child will discover that the plate needs to be balanced in a certain way to stay on top of the tube.  Do not stick the paper plate on at this stage because tomorrow we will use our beanstalk in the clouds for a maths activity that involves balancing.

I look forward to hearing all about your children’s learning on Tapestry.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 01.02.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.  This week we will be celebrating Children’s Mental Health Week, playing letters and sounds games and begin a new RE topic – Eucharist: Relating.  We will also spend one more week exploring The Jack and the Beanstalk story.

Please find below my plan for the week. You will need to collect an empty kitchen roll, paper plate, cotton wood and pva glue for making our castle on Tuesday.  On Thursday will be using jelly beans for our maths game.

Children’s Mental Health Week – 1- 7th February 2021  

At St Adrian’s, we are committed to promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to all students, their families and members of staff and governors.  We are proud to support Children’s Mental Health Week and the theme this year is ‘express yourself’. 

Expressing yourself is about finding ways to share feelings, thoughts, or ideas, through creativity.  This could be through art, music, writing and poetry, dance and drama, photography and film, and doing activities that make you feel good.           

Every child in each class are being asked to complete an assignment linked to Children’s Mental Health week and post a photograph to celebrate their home learning from the week.  You will notice from my plan that I will set an activity each day.  Please choose at least one activity to post on Tapestry during the week.

Today’s activity is linked to PE.  Take a picture of your child doing something outside or inside.  For example, a nature walk or taking part in exercise.   Below are some suggestions for indoor movement:

Yoga: https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

BBC Boogie Beebies:   https://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=Boogie%20Beebies

Runner Bean Game

This is a game we play during PE – it’s a good ‘warm up’ game.  Your child should be familiar with the game.

What to do:

  • Ask your child to move around (walk, run, hop, jump etc) until you shout ‘stop’
  • Ask your child to do a funny position with their body to match a bean name.
  • Ask your child to move around again until you shout ‘stop’ again.
  • Ask your child to do a funny move to match a different bean name.
  • Continue ……

This game works best outside.  Each time you ask your child to move around, change the instruction eg. walk, jump, hop

Here are the different bean positions:

1. Runner Beans: Run on the spot
2. Broad Beans: Do a big, broad star shape
3. Baked Beans: Lie on the floor, curled up in a ball
4. Kidney Beans: Make a curvy C-shape with your body
5. Butter Beans: Pretend the floor is slippery
6. Jumping Beans: Jump up and down
7. String Beans: Stretch up tall like a pencil
8. Beans on Toast: Lay on the floor with arms and legs stretched out wide

Letters and Sounds

Wanted Poster

Ask your child to write a ‘Wanted Poster’ for either Jack or The Giant.  If you have printing facilities, I have added a template that you may wish to use.  Otherwise, just ask your child to draw the poster.

  • Talk to your child about what they could write.  Here are some suggestions which support phonics:

The Giant

He is big.

He is tall.

He has long legs.

He took the hen.

Jack

He is small.

He can run.

He can chop.

  • Remind your child of tricky word ‘all’ when writing ‘tall’ and ‘small’.
  • Encourage your child to use capital letters and full stops.
  • Encourage your child to use their sound mat to support their writing. 

Maths

I spy game – making comparisons

Play a ‘I spy’ game where you ask your child to spot objects and make comparisons. 

  • Look for real objects around the house eg. “I spy with my little eye 6 cushions and 4 chairs”.  Ask your child how many more cushions? 
  • Gather together a collection of toys “I spy with my little eye 2 dolls and 4 animals” How many more animals?

To support your child, you could line the objects up next to each other to show the comparison.

Take turns playing the game with your child. 

For Challenge

Perhaps your child could add the object together.   How many altogether?

Use larger numbers to extend your child. 

Maybe pretend to see some objects from Jack and the Beanstalk story “I spy 2 golden eggs and 8 magic beans”.  Perhaps use bricks or pieces of pasta to represent the eggs and beans.

Religious Education

Eucharist: relating

This week we are beginning a new RE Topic – Eucharist: relating.  Please see our Foundation Stage RE blog for details. Here is the link:

https://stadrians.herts.sch.uk/2021/01/foundation-stage-religious-education/

Today we will explore how and why people gather together. 

Talk to your child about activities that are better done together eg. playing a game.   Why is it more fun together?

Talk to your child about things we can do alone.  How does it feel to be alone?

Of course, being on your own can be something we prefer.  For example, praying is a very special time we may do alone.  However, the idea of this discussion is to help your child understand the collaborative nature of this topic.   Draw your child’s attention to times when the parish family gather together in church eg. wedding, baptism, Christmas and Easter celebrations.

Scribe your child’s ideas. 

  • Make a chart of ‘All that we do together’ as a family at home.
  • Make a chart of ‘All that we do together’ as a parish family in church.

Have a great day.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 29.01.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Happy Friday!  Hope you enjoy today’s learning.

Communication and Language

Understanding question words using stories

We played this ‘asking questions’ game when we were learning The Gingerbread Man story.  We’ve already explored the Jack and the Beanstalk story with lots of reflective questions.  I’ve compiled some more specific questions relating to our Jack and the Beanstalk story which will deepen your child’s learning.

  • What did Jack’s mother ask him to do at the market?
  • Where did Jack meet the lady who gave him the beans?
  • What did Jack give to the lady he met?
  • When Jack got home with the beans what did his mother do?
  • When Jack got up in the morning what did he see?
  • How did Jack get into the castle?
  • What did Jack do with the gold coins?
  • How did Jack get away from The Giant?
  • What happened to The Giant?
  • What did Jack and his mother do after The Giant fell on their house?

Literacy

Retell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk

Have a go at using your story map and begin encouraging your child to retell the story independently. 

Here’s a reminder of how you can develop your child’s story telling skills.  Begin by telling the story together.  Point to the story map as you retell the story.  Once your child seems confident, you can start to withdraw from saying the words.  Maybe you can just mouth the words or just keep prompting with the actions.  If your child falters in their telling, you can always leap in and keep the story going.  Tell your child ‘When I stop, you carry on’.    The aim is to move from you being the dominant teller to becoming a listener.  Your child moves from being the listener to becoming the teller.

I have sent a transcript of the story through Tapestry under Memos. 

Find an audience for the story

As mentioned previously, try encouraging your child to tell the story to someone else.  Maybe your child could tell their story to a collection of toys, telephone or Zoom a family member, record the story on your phone (with supervision) or set up a theatre performance. 

Letters and Sounds

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

This video introduces the ‘or’ sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXB3b8Sk6OU

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

Below is the action for the ‘or’ sound.

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

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

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘or’ 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

Build a tall beanstalk

This is a fairly simple game.  Use whatever construction toy you have at home.  Play together ‘Who can build the tallest beanstalk?’

Make comparisons between your beanstalk and your child’s. 

  • Whose beanstalk is the tallest?
  • Whose beanstalk is the shortest?
  • How many more bricks is the tallest beanstalk?
  • If you add bricks to the shortest tower, how many more bricks would you need to make the beanstalks equal?
  • If you took bricks away from the tallest tower, how many bricks would you need to take away to make them equal?

You could also talk about doubling or add the bricks in each beanstalk together.

British Values

Democracy within the early years is all about teaching children that their opinions are important and that each child’s thoughts and feelings should be listened to and valued. Democracy is also about teaching children that sometimes we are given the power to choose and make decisions as individuals and as a group. Turn taking and sharing all come under democracy, much of democracy is promoted through personal, social and emotional development within your child’s curriculum.

Although this appears to be a fairly difficult concept for children to understand, it is very easy to promote and much of this is done during daily practice at home.  Here are some ideas:

Polling station – the family vote for their favourite film to watch, story to hear or snack choice.

Turn taking – play games that involve taking turns, listening to others.

Emotions – help your child identify their emotions and talk about reasons for these emotions. Many emotions will be displayed by children in times when group decisions are being made.  Identifying emotions is an important step in children being able to manage their emotions.

Thank you for reading my blog and please don’t hesitate to comment or make suggestions about the blogs through Tapestry.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 28.01.21

Good morning Reception class,

I hope you are all keeping safe and healthy at home and enjoying learning with your family.

Here is today’s home learning.

Communication and Language

Word webs

Let’s do another word web to continue to build upon your child’s vocabulary. I think there are many words we can explore in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.  For example,

poor, market, crossroads, magic, amazement, potty, supper, colossal, humungous, greedily, dodged, slithered, axe, toppling

Reminder of what to do

  • Choose a word to start a discussion.  
  • Write the word in the middle of a piece of paper eg. ‘magic’.
  • Ask your child what he/she knows about ‘magic’.
  • If your child hesitates, look at a book or Google together and start the discussion from there.
  • Encourage your child to lead the conversation and write down his or her ideas.  Perhaps your child could draw some pictures.
  • This is a nice activity for you to model writing ‘scribing’.  However, you could just sit and chat about your word.

Talking about new words in this way helps your child remember the new words. 

Letters and Sounds

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

This video introduces the ‘ar’ sound.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKLYNjkR0BI

Below is a short game – identify the long ‘oo’ or ‘ar’ sound.

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

Below is the action for the long ‘ar’ – pretend you’re at the dentist, open mouth wide and say ‘ar’.

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

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

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

Literacy

Story Map – Jack and the Beanstalk

Watch my Jack and the Beanstalk video first.  See yesterday and Monday’s blog. 

Once your child has listened to the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, draw a story map together. 

Below is my Jack and the Beanstalk story map.

Display the story map in a prominent position where it can be seen.  It can then be used as a visual reminder for your child when retelling the story. 

Maths

One small step for Jack, one giant step outside!  

What to do:

  • You may wish to prepare this activity for tomorrow to surprise your child.
  • Make a giant footprint ideally outside in some mud or sand.  If you do not have a garden just cut out a large footprint from a piece of paper and leave it by the door – or the old Santa trick in flour or talcum powder.  Try to make the footprint as large as it can possibly be.
  • Write a letter from the giant:
  • Pretend to find the letter from The Giant and read it to your child.
  • Ask your child to look for the evidence.
  • Once the footprint is discovered, talk about it eg.  ‘How long is the footprint?’ ‘How wide is the footprint?’ ‘How big do you think The Giant actually is?’ ‘Show me how long a toe might be!’
  • Ask your child to wonder how tall The Giant might be if this is his footprint.  Encourage your child to visualise The Giant’s height by comparing it to buildings near your home.
  • A good opportunity for you to model mathematical words such as wide, long, height.
  • Encourage your child to measure the footprint.  At this stage, children begin measuring using non-standards units such as forks, bricks, sticks etc.
  • Your child could use their measuring object to measure other items around the house.  For example, ‘The Giant’s footprint is 6 forks long, the table is 10 forks long’.  ‘I wonder which is the longest?’ ‘How do you know?’

Make a story chair/story area

Create a specially decorated chair or story area with your child. This then becomes a special place for your child to tell all sorts of stories.  All you need to do is choose a chair and drape different fabrics over it or your child may wish to make some decorations for the chair.  Maybe add dressing up clothes, fairy lights, some writing materials etc.  Of course, you could also use the castle (den) suggested in my blog yesterday.

I look forward to hearing all about your child’s home learning on Tapestry.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 27.01.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Today our home learning will also celebrate the fantastic learning you have been doing at home.  I have been overwhelmed by your enthusiasm and energy.  Not only have you embraced my home learning, but posted additional learning activities some of which I’d like to share for extra inspiration.

Communication and Language

Making predictions

You will recall this activity posted previously.  However, I thought I’d repeat it because it is so important in terms of your child’s reading skills.

  • Read a story together.  This could be a story book or maybe your child’s reading book.
  • Read a few pages to introduce the characters.
  • At key places, stop and before you turn the page ask ‘What do you think might happen next?’
  • When you read the next page ask ‘Was your prediction right?’

If your child needs a little support, ask more direct questions eg. Goldilocks and The Three Bears – ‘Whose house do you think she will find?’ or offer alternatives for your child to choose from.

Literacy

Jack and the Beanstalk – joining in

We explored this activity during our Gingerbread Man story telling activities. Hopefully, your child will be growing in confidence and, with daily repetition, can begin to join in with the story.  Watch the story of Jack and the Beanstalk again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00BbNDgeBtg&t=52s

Talk about the story and ask questions to make sure your child fully understands the story.  Here are some example questions:

  • What do you like best about the story?
  • Was there anything you didn’t like about the story?
  • Did you notice any patterns (repetition) in the story eg. ‘Jack opened his eyes wide in amazement’?
  • Was there anything in the story that you’re not sure about?
  • What would you have done if you were …. Jack’s mum, Jack, the Giant?
  • How would you have felt if you were ….  Jack’s mum, Jack, the Giant?
  • If you could change one thing in the story, what would it be?

If you have a different version of Jack and the Beanstalk, talk about the differences – which ending does your child prefer?

Letters and Sounds

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

There are two types of ‘oo’.  A long ‘oo’ (boot) and a short ‘oo’ (look).  We are going to learn the short ‘oo’ today.

This video introduces the short ‘oo’ sound.

Below is the action for the long and short ‘oo’:

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

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

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

The following video brings together both the long ‘oo’ and short ‘oo’.

Maths

Golden eggs game

Our version of the story doesn’t include golden eggs or a harp. This is for simplicity at this initial stage of becoming familiar with the story.  Next week, I will be encouraging your child to adapt the story.  Perhaps you could explain to your child about different versions of a traditional tale. 

This game will help your child explore addition and subtraction.

You will need some ‘golden eggs’ – don’t worry about looking for a beanstalk to climb!  These could be boiled eggs, crumpled up pieces of paper, potatoes, beads, pieces of pasta, Lego bricks – children are very good at suspending belief and letting their imagination running wild.

What to do:

  • Place 10 eggs in a container (basket).
  • Tell your child that the goose has laid these eggs for the giant.
  • Tell your child that Jack takes two eggs and count the eggs as they are taken out.
  • Ask your child ‘How many eggs are in the giant’s basket now?’
  • Encourage your child to explain why they think there are 8 eggs left.
  • Model your own mathematical thinking if your child needs support to explain.  Use your fingers to show your child.
  • Check your child’s answer.
  •  Continue the activity by placing eggs into the basket or removing some.

Perhaps pretend to be Jack creeping up to take the eggs.  Maybe your child could cover their eyes, count how many eggs are left and work out how many eggs Jack took.

You may wish to ask your child to challenge you or make suggestions about the number of eggs that the goose lays or Jack steals. 

Vary the amount of eggs depending on your child’s understanding.

To help your child visualise the numbers in a context that may be more familiar to them, use an egg carton to hold the eggs instead of a basket.   

For support

Begin with 5 eggs in the basket.

Expressive Arts

Make a castle for the giant or Jack’s house

Acting out stories really helps children become familiar with story sequences.  It also enables children to put themselves into particular characters’ shoes and imagine how things would look from that point of view. Through drama and role-play children can imagine characters’ body language, behaviour and tones of voice in ways that they can draw on later when they write.

Encourage your child to create a castle in a similar way they may make a den.  Maybe you could also make Jack’s house.  Act out the story together.

If you have a bunk bed or a cabin bed, you’ve got a ready-made den structure just waiting to be transformed.

Seats can become walls.  Get a few dining room chairs or two sofas? Simply arrange them back-to-back with space in between for your castle/house. Then all you need is a big sheet or blanket to drape over the top as a ceiling and you’ve got the beginnings of a castle/house.

Tables act as all-in-one walls and ceilings, meaning you won’t need as many sheets and blankets to finish off the main structure. You can also join up lots of different tables to make quick den extensions – just add blanket walls and you’re done!

Of course, once a den is made I’m sure your child will have lots of other play ideas.  Reading a book in a cosy den is a lovely activity.  In school we sometimes leave some books in a den which really encourages the children to read.

Celebrating our learning

Subtraction game. Set out two teams with a flag at each end.  Each player rolls a dice.  The highest number wins each turn.  Subtract the lower number from the higher number.  The resulting figure is how many soldiers get knocked down.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 26.01.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Welcome to today’s home learning.

Fun writing idea

Plan a party

Inspire your child to write in a fun way by planning a tea party together.  As mentioned yesterday, celebrate any marks that your child makes to represent their writing; many children are still at the ‘emergent’ writing stage and only just beginning to gain confidence in their writing.  Therefore, letter shapes or symbols are just as important.  Of course, you can always write together and scribe your child’s ideas.

Plan a tea party together and invite either family members or a collection of toys.  Encourage your child to get involved in the writing.

  • Prepare invites (where, when, who).
  • What will you need for the party?  Music, games, plates, cups, table cloth, chairs etc.
  • Signs to display the location of the party. 
  • List of food to serve at the party.  Go on a shopping trip with your list.
  • Name places or your child could create some place mats. 

Literacy/Communication and Language

Today we will begin learning the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.  The activities over the next two weeks will help your child learn to retell the story and begin to remember key words and phrases such as ‘once upon a time’ ‘early one morning’ ‘unfortunately’, ‘luckily’.  Children learn to use these words in speech so that they have the words in their heads for when they’re ready to write stories.  In class, we would tell the story orally with actions each day.  In time, children begin to remember the actions and join in.  Listen to my story of Jack and the Beanstalk together first – hope your child enjoys it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00BbNDgeBtg&feature=youtu.be

Letters and Sounds

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

There are two types of ‘oo’.  A long ‘oo’ (boot) and a short ‘oo’ (look).  We are going to learn the long ‘oo’ first.

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

Below is the action for the long ‘oo’:

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

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

Encourage your child to ‘have a go’ at writing the ‘oo’ 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.  Maybe your tea party could be on the moon!

Maths

Climb the beanstalk

This game will help your child learn the Jack and the Beanstalk story.  It also develops children’s ability to visualise length and distance and explores perspective.  Children begin to learn the impact that distance has on objects that are a long way away.  Before starting the game, you could explore this concept when on your next daily exercise or look at images on the computer.  Artists often use perspective in pictures.

What to do:

  • Together with your child pretend to be Jack climbing the beanstalk.
  • Wave goodbye to Mum and start climbing the imaginary stalk. 
  • As you start, look at the house behind Mum.  Ask ‘What size is it?’ (big).
  • After a short time, ask ‘Who is getting tired?’  Show your child that you are tired.  Perhaps you could wipe your brow with one arm then then hold onto the beanstalk again quickly for fear of falling.  Explain your arms are aching and your legs are tired.
  • Talk with your child about how you have climbed a long, long way up the beanstalk and that you are nearly at the giant’s house.
  • Ask ‘What was that noise?’  Explain you heard the giant and you all need to get home.
  • Look down.  ‘Can you see your house?’ ‘How big is it from all the way up here?’ (It is very small; almost so small it cannot be seen!)
  • Encourage your child to think of an item that is about the same size, for example a mouse.
  • Climb down the beanstalk.  Look down again.  ‘What can you see now?’ ‘How big is your house now?’ As you climb down the imaginary beanstalk continue to ask your child to look down and explain how big their house looks now.  Depending on answers, you could comment on how close to the ground your child is.  Maybe say, you must have climbed down faster than me!

A variation could be to look up as you climb or descend to visualise or imagine the giant’s castle.

Understanding the World

Grow your own beanstalk

If you can obtain a packet of bean seeds, this is a great activity.   Top tip: broad beans are stronger.

What to do:

  • Wet a large handful of cotton balls and place them in a clear container. The cotton should be wet, but not dripping, and no water should pool in the glass.  I have also used a plastic food bag for this activity.
  • Wedge dried beans between the cotton balls and the side of the jar. Use at least two beans so that if there is something wrong with one of them, the other will grow.
  • Make predictions about what will happen and observe your beans twice a day. Add a few drops of water to the cotton balls each day to keep them moist. You should start seeing changes after just a single day!
  • After the skin splits, look for the roots to emerge. They will grow downward to help anchor the plant in the soil (or in this case, the cotton balls). A young shoot will appear, and then the first leaves will appear. Now the young plant is able to make its own food from sunlight.  You could introduce the word for this process – photosynthesis.
  • Leave your beanstalk in the jar to continue making observations, or transplant it into a soil pot.
  • With proper care and a little bit of luck, your beanstalk with grow tall and might even reward you with a fresh crop of beans to enjoy!

Enjoy your day.

Nicola Palmer

RE learning – Listening and Sharing

Being thoughtful for life, for people and gifts, is a vital part of our relationships with one another.  When praise and appreciation are experienced, we are enabled to relate on a deeper level.

Word of God

Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am there among them. 

(Matthew: 18:20)

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Believers who respond to God’s word and become members of Christ’s Body become intimately united with him: “In that body the life of Christ is communicated to those who believe, and who, through the sacraments, are united in a hidden and real way to Christ in his Passion and glorification.”  This is especially true of Baptism, which unites us to Christ’s death and Resurrection, and the Eucharist, by which “really sharing in the body of the Lord, … we are taken up into communion with him and with one another.” (CCC790)

The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it. Each name evokes certain aspects of it.  It is called:

Eucharist, (Thanksgiving) because it is an action of thanksgiving to God.

The Lord’s Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his Passion.

The Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this Rite, part of a Jewish meal, when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, above all at the Last Supper.  It is by this action that his disciples will recognise him after his Resurrection.

The memorial of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection.

The Holy Sacrifice, because it makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Saviour and includes the Church’s offering.

Holy Communion, because by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ who makes us sharers in his Body and Blood to form a single body.

Holy Mass, (Missa) because the liturgy concludes with the sending forth (missio) of the faithful, so that they may fulfil God’s will in their daily lives. (cf 1328-1332)

Prayer and Reflection

Lord Jesus Christ,
in you we know the love of God.
When we gather together in your name
we experience the marvel of your loving presence 
which challenges us to live for one another.
Help us to follow your example
so that we may never become complacent. 
Help us to listen to your constant call to us 
to continue the work you began,
you who lived and died for us.
Grant this through your Spirit of Love. 
Amen.
(Prayer for Unity of Christians)

Reception Home Learning – 25.01.21

Good morning Reception children and parents,

I hope you all enjoyed the snow day yesterday.  If you’re outside making the most of the snow this morning, below is a link to fun snowy day activities. 

Enjoy the precious time together in the snow if you wish!  I don’t expect you to complete all the activities below as well!  Perhaps use the suggested activities on a different day. Once you’re cosy and warm inside, your child could watch the videos for our new sound ‘oa’ today.

Here is my plan for this week’s posts.  I’m going to focus on the story of Jack and The Beanstalk for a couple of weeks.  This was the second most popular story from the favourite story poll. If you are able to obtain some beanstalk seeds that would be great.  However, this is not essential.  Little tip, broad beans have a stronger stalk.

Fun writing idea

Home cinema

Here are some ideas of how to create your cinema experience at home:

  • Choose your film.
  • Create tickets for your chosen film – don’t forget about how much your ticket will be;are there different prices for different aged people?
  • Create advertisements, for example recorded radio adverts, or posters for your chosen film – when is it going to be shown, where will it be shown?
  • Write a shopping list for your film snacks and go shopping for your film snacks.
  • Create a shop for your customers to buy their tickets and film snacks – add prices and use money to buy the item.

Letters and Sounds

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

This video to supports blending for reading ‘oa’ words. 

This video introduces ‘oa’ word sentences. 

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

Below is the action for ‘oa’

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

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

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

For challenge

Only if your child is ready.

For extra challenge

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

Game to help reinforce our new tricky words: they, are, all, was, her, you

Maths

Playing cards are a great maths resource.  Below are some ideas of games you could play.  The link is to a memory ‘matching pairs’ game.  I suggest you reduce the amount of cards to simplify this game.

https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+play+matching+pairs+with+playing+cards&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GB&oq=how+to+play+matching+pairs+with+playing+cards&aqs=chrome..69i57.10070j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_A8ANYM7rM4XFxgPqkaLQDg13

Wishing you all a fun day.

Nicola Palmer

Reception Home Learning – 22.01.21

Good morning Reception parents and children,

Welcome to today’s home learning.

Communication and Language/Literacy

Tell a funny story – pass the story

I thought this game may provide an opportunity for your child to use all the imaginative skills we have been learning recently.  You can either use The Gingerbread Man story for the underlying plot or make up an alternative story.  This is a fun game to play together – it works for just two people or the whole family.

What You Need:

A soft, large ball.  Inflatable beach balls are ideal.   Or you just use a soft toy or cushion etc.

How to Play:

The person with the ball starts by speaking those magical words, “Once upon a time…”.  The first person will then roll the ball to the next person who continues the story.  After the next person has added one sentence or a few sentences, he/she rolls the ball to the next person.  A cliff-hanger for the next person who catches the ball would add to the fun – I expect you will probably have to provide these.  Continue taking turns as the story evolves and until you’re ready to finish the story with an ending.

Letters and Sounds

Play countdown

This game will help your child consolidate their quick recall of sounds/words, especially those digraphs (two letters/one sound).  It’s also a great way to help your child understand the concept of time and begin to talk about minutes and seconds – literacy and maths in one!

  • Use the list of words below – today we are going to focus on ‘ai’ and ‘ee’.  Write the words onto individual pieces of paper.  Remember to keep modelling cursive ‘whoosh’ writing – perhaps this is something you are learning together.
  • Use a timer – either kitchen timer or your phone.
  • Explain to your child that the object of this game is to read as many words as possible before the timer signals ‘stop’.  I suggest perhaps 1 or 2 minutes.
  • Repeat the game, the objective is for your child to beat their last score.

For support

Play the game using the words in your child’s word bag.

For challenge

Ask your child to write as many words as they can in a given time.  You could change roles, your child can be the teacher and reads the words for you to write.  Talk about the words and meaning.  Can your child say a sentence to include some of the words?

Maths

Classifying and sorting

Sorting & Counting with Nature | Black Rock Forest Consortium

This is a fairly simple game to play and you can use a variety of objects.

•          Gather together a collection of objects.  
•          Experiment with different ways of sorting the objects.

Examples:

A collection of toys.  Sort them into the type of toy eg. cars, bricks, dolls, animals.  Or the type of material they are made from, colour, size etc.

A collection of items collected on a walk.  You could sort them into things from natural or manmade items.  Or perhaps sort a collection of stones by colour or size.

Beads or buttons.  Perhaps sort them into shape, size, colour.

For challenge

To extend your child’s learning it can be fun to play ‘guess the category’:

•          Gather together a collection of objects.
•          Take turns to sort the objects into a category.
•          Can your child guess what your category is?
•          Can you guess your child’s category?

For example, I played this game with a collection of buttons.  We began with an easy category when my partner sorted the buttons into size.  However, at one point, my partner sorted the buttons into the amount of holes in each button which took me some time to guess!  This is a fun game once your child has really grasped the concept.

British Values

The Rule of Law

The fundamental British values of rule of law, democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance for those with different faiths and beliefs are already implicitly embedded in your child’s curriculum.  We are going to focus on one value each week beginning with the rule of law.

The rule of law in the early years is all about children understanding their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences.  They are also learning to distinguish right from wrong.

Children enjoy participating in creating rules. If they are involved in making reasonable rules, they will know what is expected of them and others. Their participation will help ensure their willingness to maintain the rules and help develop self-control. 

  • Talk to your child about the rules you have in the house.
  • Discuss why the rules are important, for example, to keep them safe.
  • Discuss what could happen if the rules are broken.
  • Explore different rules you could adopt in the house. 

Ideas to explore rules:

  • Make up a few funny rules eg. stay up all night and act out being too sleepy to play.
  • Your child could be a ‘rule superhero’.  Pretend to break the rules and your child saves the day eg. leave all the toys out and trip over them.
  • Make a poster together to display the rules.  This could be useful to refer to when the opportunity arises.

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend.

Nicola Palmer