Dear Parents/Carers,
We hope you had a nice week. It was lovely to meet you all at parents evenings. If there is anything that you would like to follow up, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Important information
- Loose parts on Wednesday 9th October.
- As you might know part of my school remit is PEF ( Pupil Equity Fund). Therefore there will be some days I will be at school but not teaching in class. On Wednesday 9th October Mrs Graham will be teaching the children for this reason.
- As requested reading books will now go home on Thursdays to allow families more time to work on this at home.
- Please ensure your child brings a jacket/coat every day to school.
- Thank you for your support in emptying the purple folders each day.
- A reminder to name all items of clothing and shoes, and to check names on items brought home in case your child accidentally acquires a jumper belonging to someone else.
- We would appreciate donations of any unwanted empty or partially used notebooks or diaries (used pages can be removed). Also, any enticing writing implements (i.e., glittery pencils/gel pens/ pencils with feathers etc – anything other than standard school issue type pencils/pens). The children enjoy choosing resources from the table to use in their independent learning.
- We are looking for small pieces of ‘junk’ for modelling e.g., toothpaste boxes, tea bag boxes, snack bar boxes. The more interesting shapes the better.
Summary of our learning
Literacy
This week we have been working on the vowel diagraphs oo and ew: as in tooth and chew. We loved making jewels.
This is the symbol that we have used to remember the sounds:
In handwriting we have been working on the cursive letters x and z.
At writing we did our final set of instructions. Now that we are approaching Halloween we have written: How to cast a spell.
Our tricky words this week are: why, find and kind. These are the final words of block 3. We will revise them next week.
Numeracy
We have started to work on subtraction ( from 10, 30, 100). We are using different strategies :
- we have worked on using our knowledge on number bonds to 10 for subtraction within 20. In P1, children subtracted within 10 by counting back and using number lines. They now subtract within 20 using their knowledge of number bonds. For example, if they know the number bond 7 – 5 = 2, then they know that 17 – 5 = 12.
- Using a number line. The children are familiar with this strategy and they are using it confidently.
PE
We have started to work on pre- rugby skills. We have worked on “pop- passing”. We have also done games to work on following instructions.
STEM
At our loose parts session we had very interesting discussions when building swings: height, weight, strength of branches,…It was great to see their team work!
IDL
We have continue to work on our Sun, Moon and Stars topic. We have learned about the moon phases and how this happens. We are really enjoying this topic!
Ideas for learning at home
Literacy
Spelling:
- Your child took yesterday a spelling ideas sheet with the reading book home. As you now know in which spelling block your child is working on, use these ideas to work on the words.
- Another idea is to play snap. Use 2 sets of cards with the words. Lay out a large piece of paper and a pen in the middle of the table. When the words match, rather than saying the word to win the cards, you have to grab the pen and write the word to win the cards.
Phonics:
- Find words that have the oo and ew sound.
- Ask your child to make a book with the words: food, hoof, soon, tool, book, cook, shoot, hook, mood, cool, new, few, pew, chew, dew.
- Revise all the diagraphs that we have worked on so far: sh, ch, th, wh, ai, ay, ee, ea, igh, y, oa, ow, oo, ew. Write each sound in a post it /card, uncover the sound and the first person who says a word with that sound wins the card; the winner of the game is the person who gets most cards.
Reading:
- Ask your child to read the reading book to you. Read the book to them afterwards to practice full stops, question marks, etc.
- Ask questions about the book: Who? When? Why do you think…? What would have happened if…?
- Read a story a day with your child if you can.
Handwriting
- Practice the letters that we have worked on so far: l, i, t, x and z
- https://teachhandwriting.co.uk/continuous-cursive-beginners-choice-3.html
Numeracy
- If you wish continue to use your Sumdog account. This is a tool for learning but please be mindful of screen time.
- Practice addition and subtraction to 10, 30, 100.
- Practise forming the digits 2,3,4,5 and 6 in particular. You could use chalk, coloured pens, paint, anything to keep this fun! This is the correct formation:
Other areas
- Observe the moon every night ( or at least twice a week) and record the phase of the moon. Ask your child to draw a picture and ask them which phase of the moon they think it is and why.
Independent learning: in this section you will be able to see how the children are exploring different skills in an independent way ( no adult is interfering: the adults support and extend their play). The children are able to transfer skills that they have learned at different times ( in school and at home) to their play and they are able to show skills that we wouldn’t be able to see otherwise.
Have a lovely weekend!
Mrs de Bonrostro
Buckstone Primary School 