P2MD Mrs McFarlane and Miss Davidson

P2MN Blog 4.11.22

Staff..226

It was lovely to see so many of you at our drop in session this morning. I hope that you enjoyed spending time with the class.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

There is an update to PE days for P2. From Monday 7th November, the days will be as follows:

P2D Monday and Tuesday

P2M Wednesday and Friday

Here is a summary of our learning this week.

Literacy

In literacy we have been learning the digraph sounds ou (found, loud, count) and ow (cow, owl, howl). We have used the following image to help us to remember the sound.

We particularly enjoyed making owls to link to both our IDL topic and the ow sound in phonics.

In writing we wrote about the story of Jonah and the whale. Our focus was on the beginning, middle and end structure of a story.

Ideas for learning at home:

  • Your child should continue to work on the word wall related to the stage they are reading. They should become confident in reading these words.  Remember that they should recognise these words by sight. 
  • An idea to practise spelling words with ou and ow is to play hangman.
  • Handwriting. Here is a useful website which has animations to show how to correctly form each letter. Please note that the f and z that we use are in the ‘alternative / non scheme letters’ section.

Continuous Cursive letter choice 1 beginners (teachhandwriting.co.uk)

  • Continue to practise reading and spelling the tricky words.  An 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.  

Maths

We have been counting in 2s and 10s as well as developing our addition skills.

Here are two games to reinforce these skills.

Duck Shoot – tablet friendly (ictgames.com)

Hit the Button – Quick fire maths practise for 6-11 year olds (topmarks.co.uk) (Select number bonds and then the range most appropriate.)

We have also been learning about symmetry. You may find this game useful to use at home.

Symmetry Sorting Game – Sort symmetrical and non-symmetrical images (topmarks.co.uk)

You could also practise making symmetrical models with lego or other building bricks. Or even making symmetrical pictures of funny faces or patterns using small objects from around the house.

Other Curricular Areas

  • We have been learning about whales and owls and how both are specially adapted to living in their habitat.
  • In RME we learned about the story of Jonah and the whale.
  • Our PE lessons focussed on a range of skills: underarm throw, speed and agility and dribbling a football. We also incorporated number work into our stations!

Here are a selection of photos from this week.

Have a lovely weekend,

Mrs McFarlane

P2D- Mrs DeBonrostro

P2D Reflective Friday 4.11.22

Staff..114

It was lovely to see so many of you at our drop in session this morning. I hope that you enjoyed spending time with the class.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

There is an update to PE days for P2. From Monday 7th November, the days will be as follows:

P2D Monday and Tuesday

P2M Wednesday and Friday

Here is a summary of our learning this week.

Literacy

In literacy we have been learning the digraph sounds ou (found, loud, count) and ow (cow, owl, howl). We have used the following image to help us to remember the sound.

We particularly enjoyed making owls to link to both our IDL topic and the ow sound in phonics.

In writing we wrote about the story of Jonah and the whale. Our focus was on the beginning, middle and end structure of a story.

Ideas for learning at home:

  • Your child should continue to work on the word wall related to the stage they are reading. They should become confident in reading these words.  Remember that they should recognise these words by sight. 
  • An idea to practise spelling words with ou and ow is to play hangman.
  • Handwriting. Here is a useful website which has animations to show how to correctly form each letter. Please note that the f and z that we use are in the ‘alternative / non scheme letters’ section.

Continuous Cursive letter choice 1 beginners (teachhandwriting.co.uk)

  • Continue to practise reading and spelling the tricky words.  An 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.  

Maths

We have been counting in 2s and 10s as well as developing our addition skills.

Here are two games to reinforce these skills.

Duck Shoot – tablet friendly (ictgames.com)

Hit the Button – Quick fire maths practise for 6-11 year olds (topmarks.co.uk) (Select number bonds and then the range most appropriate.)

We have also been learning about symmetry. You may find this game useful to use at home.

Symmetry Sorting Game – Sort symmetrical and non-symmetrical images (topmarks.co.uk)

You could also practise making symmetrical models with lego or other building bricks. Or even making symmetrical pictures of funny faces or patterns using small objects from around the house.

Other Curricular Areas

  • We have been learning about whales and owls and how both are specially adapted to living in their habitat.
  • In RME we learned about the story of Jonah and the whale.
  • Our PE lessons focussed on a range of skills: throws, speed and agility . We also have worked on listening and team work skills.

Here are a selection of photos of our independent learning from this week (we took our own photos!).

Have a lovely weekend,

Mrs de Bonrostro

P1 Pandas

P1W reflective Friday 4.11.22

Staff...685

Independent learning

The children have been developing a wide range of skills through independent learning opportunities in class. Here is a selection of photographs of what they have been doing this week ( and some from last week).

This week we have introduced the letter sounds d and o as well as the ‘tricky’ words to and he.

Tricky words are words which we cannot sound out phonetically so we need to learn them by heart. We would like the children to learn to write these words from memory as well as being able to recognise and read them by sight. Use the” Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check” strategy ( this should be self explanatory, but if you have any questions about this approach, please ask)

Our writing/storytelling prompt this week was all about our walk in the woods.

Numeracy and Maths

Along with the SEAL core numeracy skills, we have been investigating, identifying and categorising single digit numbers, teen numbers and tens numbers. We have looked at the patterns they make on a 100 square. Vocabulary used includes –

  • digits
  • teens
  • tens
  • columns
  • rows

Our Core numeracy skills this week were

  • writing the numerals 0 – 5 correctly
  • counting backwards from 10 (or 20 for some pupils).
  • naming the next number in an isolated short backwards number sequence. ie. I say, 10, 9, 8 (they say 7)
  • establishing a collection (give me 9 counters/raisins/etc)
  • counting a collecting with accurate 1-1 correspondence
  • recognising numerals
  • sequencing a short selection of numerals ( e.g. 5,6,7,8)
  • making instant finger patterns (show me 6 fingers without counting them)
  • recognising dice patterns and clapping the amount of dots on the dice

Our challenge numeracy skills were.

  • adding two collections with the second one screened ( e.g. here are 8 counters, there are 5 more hiding under this pot, how many altogether?)
  • sequencing numerals within the range 0-100
  • naming the number after a given number (0-30)
  • counting backwards from 30, starting and stopping at different points
  • investigating which equal groups can be made from a given number ( e.g. can I make 2 equal groups/3 equal groups/4 equal groups/5 equal groups from 12 counters? What about if I have 16 counters, or 18 etc)

Looking ahead to next week.

As part of our RHSP programme in school, we would like to celebrate the breadth of languages and cultures represented within our class community.

As part of this, we would like to give every child an opportunity to share with the class something about the languages they speak or the country or countries that members of the family come from ( including Scotland) . For example – they may wish to draw or print a flag from a country that is represented in their home; teach the class how to say a phrase in a language that is spoken at home; bring/wear an item of traditional dress or souvenir; or simply talk to the class with no ‘props’

If your child would like to bring or share something, please send it in to school any day over the next fortnight and we will use these to enhance our discussions.

There is no obligation to share anything, only if your child would like to do so.

Other areas of the curriculum

  • As part of Black History month we learned about Rosa Parks and how she helped to make things fairer
  • We found out facts about dragonflies.
  • We had a great walk to the woods, and were lucky to be back in school before the really stormy afternoon.
  • Lots of technology and scientific discoveries at loose parts.
  • We have been learning to use the camera on the ipad to make a record our own learning.
  • In music we sang songs and played games designed to develop skills of keeping a steady beat. We also explored using our voices in different ways.
  • A block building prompted discussion about towers. We found out about the Scott Monument, Nelson’s column and the Eiffel Tower. We compared the heights of the towers. Which one is tallest ?
  • In Outdoor and Indoor PE we have been focusing on jumping in a hopscotch pattern , and also developing our skills using an underarm throw, throwing to a target, and throwing and catching a quoit.

This week’s homework and other information

  • learn to read and write this week’s tricky words.
  • write the numerals 1 – 5 using correct number formation ( refer to this video if you wish
  • use the blue letter cards to practice building and blending words

t-l-9026-letter-formation-tracing-alphabet-strips-_ver_2Download

A reminder to please 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.

Buckstone Primary School, P1 Koalas, Primary 1

PRIMARY 1M REFLECTIVE FRIDAY 4.11.22

Staff..469

Hello everyone, this is what we have been learning this week:

NUMERACY

In our groups we have been learning to: say forwards and backwards number sequences, recognise numerals, identify numbers as dot patterns, count items in a collection, use our fingers to show a number and to count a number of movements or sounds.

We practised forming the numbers 1 and 2.

LITERACY

This week we introduced the sounds d and o. We thought of words beginning with those sounds and learned songs and actions to help us remember them. In small groups we used magnetic letters to try to blend sounds together to read and build words.

Our two new tricky words were he and to .

FOUNDATIONS OF WRITING

We discussed wearing our wellies and splashing in puddles.

We told the teacher our stories about splashing in puddles, drew detailed pictures and wrote the word I.

THINGS TO DO AT HOME

Please use the blue letter cards you have collected so far to practise blending and building words. Please help your child to read and write the tricky words.

Here is a selection of photos showing our learning in literacy.

PE

We are learning to throw and catch a ball. We practised rolling the ball against the wall, throwing the ball in the air from a sitting position, throwing the ball in the air standing up, throwing the ball to a partner.

DRAMA

We listened to some of Handel’s music for fireworks and spoke about the different kinds of fireworks and what they look like. We used our bodies to move like  fireworks and were an audience for each other as we performed our fireworks dance.

OUTDOOR LEARNING/ LOOSE PARTS

We enjoyed problem solving, building, and creating with the whole Primary One stage during our loose parts play.

We had a lovely walk to the woods where we learnt about making sure we kept to the boundaries, keeping ourselves safe in the woods and playing with our friends from the other P1 classes.

It was lovely to welcome parents into the classroom today, thank you for coming.

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

P2MD Mrs McFarlane and Miss Davidson

P2 Reflective Friday 28.10.22 

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Dear Parents, 

We hope you all had a lovely break. 

This week has been a short one for the children however we have been very busy. 

Our learning this week: 

Literacy 

We have focused on sentence structure and what to look for when writing a sentence. 

Our writing theme was ‘My magic spell’ 

 At home   

  • We haven’t sent reading books home this week. Please return any books your child has at home.   
  • Your child should continue to work on the word wall related to the stage they are reading. They should become confident in reading these words.  Remember that they should recognise these words by sight. 
  • Handwriting, children could continue to practise writing their first and surname in cursive script.   
  • Continue to practise reading and spelling the tricky words.  An idea is to play faster finger: have all the tricky words written or on cards you say a word and the first person to find it wins the card (or a point). Then hide the card and ask your child to write it (double points for this). 

Maths 

We have been learning to count in twos. We read the book ‘How many seeds in a pumpkin’ and estimated how many seeds they were inside the four pumpkins we had at school. We carved them and counted the seeds in twos! 

At home: 

  • Continue to practice on number formation. 
  • We have used this 100 square website to help us to count in twos and to see the number patterns when counting in twos: 

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/paint-the-squares

  • Continue to work on addition skills: 

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/mental-maths-train

Other areas 

As part of the school focus on Black History Month we have been learning about Rosa Parks: her life, why it was important what she did, etc. We discussed about on fair/unfair rules and about being all equal no matter our skin colour.  

Here is a video of the book we read at school. 

We made a fantastic display at school! 

PE we have worked on listening, team work, balance and eye-hand coordination skills. 

As part of our outdoor learning we did an Autumn scavenger hunt. 

Other information    
  
   

  • Loose parts on Wednesday 2nd November. 
  • Next Friday Drop-in of the session. The school will be open for half an hour from 8.55am until 9.25am and parents are invited to visit their child’s classroom during this time. This an opportunity to see your child’s learning at school.. 
  • Please ensure your child brings a jacket 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!    
     
P2D- Mrs DeBonrostro

P2D Reflective Friday 28.10.22

Staff..114

Dear Parents,

We hope you all had a lovely break.

This week has been a short one for the children however we have been very busy.

Our learning this week:

Literacy

We have focused on sentence structure and what to look for when writing a sentence.

Our writing theme was ‘My magic spell’.

 At home  

  • We haven’t sent reading books home this week. Please return any books your child has at home.  
  • Your child should continue to work on the word wall related to the stage they are reading. They should become confident in reading these words.  Remember that they should recognise these words by sight.
  • Handwriting, children could continue to practise writing their first and surname in cursive script.  
  • Continue to practise reading and spelling the tricky words.  An idea is to play faster finger: have all the tricky words written or on cards you say a word and the first person to find it wins the card (or a point). Then hide the card and ask your child to write it (double points for this).

Maths

We have been learning to count in twos. We read the book ‘How many seeds in a pumpkin’ and estimated how many seeds they were inside the four pumpkins we had at school. We carved them and counted the seeds in twos!

At home:

Continue to practice on number formation.

We have used this 100 square website to help us to count in twos and to see the number patterns when counting in twos:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/paint-the-squares

  • Continue to work on addition skills:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/mental-maths-train

Other areas

As part of the school focus on Black History Month we have been learning about Rosa Parks: her life, why it was important what she did, etc. We discussed about on fair/unfair rules and about being all equal no matter our skin colour.

Here is a video of the book we read at school.

We made a fantastic display at school!

PE we have worked on listening, team work, balance and eye-hand coordination skills.

As part of our outdoor learning we did an Autumn scavenger hunt.

Other information   
 
  

  • Loose parts on Wednesday 2nd November.
  • Next Friday Drop-in of the session. The school will be open for half an hour from 8.55am until 9.25am and parents are invited to visit their child’s classroom during this time. This an opportunity to see your child’s learning at school..
  • Please ensure your child brings a jacket 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!   

Have a lovely weekend (Remember we have an extra hour!)

Mrs de Bonrostro

P1 Koalas, P1 Pandas, Primary 1

P1 28.10.22

fionacroal

Welcome back P1! We hope you had a lovely holiday.

Just a few bits of information at the end of this short week!

  • P1 have Loose Parts (messy play) on Tuesday afternoon next week.
  • On Wednesday morning, we are going to visit the woods next to the school. Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately (wellies, walking boots etc). This is a great space for Outdoor Learning and we are really keen for the children to have the chance to explore the area.
  • As part of our Health and Wellbeing learning, we are going to be thinking about People Who Help Us. In the past, some P1 parents who are in key worker roles (eg emergency services, NHS, postal workers) have chatted to the classes about their job and how they help us. If this could be you, please speak to one of us at the door or email the office. We would love to hear from you!
  • Please keep bringing recycling for our junk modelling as we are running low.

Have a great weekend,

The P1 Team

Buckstone Primary School

P1B Reflective Friday 14.10.22

fionacroal

Happy holidays, P1B! Well done on all your hard work over your first 9 weeks of school!

Literacy

This week, we introduced the e and h sounds.  We used our craft and cutting skills to make elephants, and also completed the elephant drawing. On Wednesday, we made hedgehogs and on Thursday we learned all about Miss Croal’s harp! Some of us wanted a shot of playing it. We found out that it is a clarsach which is Gaelic for ‘small harp’. When we say the ‘h’ sound, we should be able to feel our breath on our hand. 

As well as focussing on 2 more sounds, we also learned 2 tricky words: I and the. Tricky words are those that you can’t sound out – they are tricky but common so we have to know them by sight! At the teaching table, we worked with our letterboards for blending and building, as well as practising our letter formations.

For writing this week, our prompt was “I am waving to…”. We had a go at filling in “I am”. We came up with some very imaginative drawings!

Maths and numeracy

This week, we learned about shapes and objects. For 2D shapes, we focussed on a circle, square, rectangle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon and octagon and how many sides they have. For 3D objects, we learned about cubes, cuboids, cylinders, spheres and pyramids. If I put it on the palm of my hand and it sticks up then it’s a 3D object and not a flat shape. We managed to all find lots of real-life examples around the classroom! On Friday, we had unifex CUBES and some of the Bright Sparks made a huge cube train!

https://videopress.com/v/fj5Svoxs?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true

Health and Wellbeing

In PE this week, we worked on movement whilst also practising listening for the initial sound. If the word began with ‘a’ we had to run, if the word began with ‘i’ we had to jump. Our listening and focus was so great that we ended up with 7 different movements for 7 different sounds! We also did some yoga in the classroom to help us stretch and relax.

This week, we read the book I Feel Sad. The book helped us see how to Look on the Bright Side. If our tower gets knocked down, we now have a challenge to build a bigger one! If we feel sad or down, it is important to try and keep busy and distract ourselves.

Other Areas

This week, there were impressive structures with the small bricks, team work with the marble run, more dress designing in the area and a great outdoor loose parts session!

General information:

I will be teaching Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the week we come back to school.

I am looking for some additional furniture and items for our classroom. If anybody has any small tables (IKEA LACK size), small chairs or rugs that are unwanted we would really appreciate any donations! 

Have a great October break and thank you for all your support this half-term,

Miss Croal