Year 1 w/b 5th February 2024
Date: 9th Feb 2024 @ 4:05pm
In English this week we have continued to look closely at the letter written by Hermelin to Mrs Mattison. We have answered comprehension questions about Hermelin and highlighted our text identifying alliteration, conjunctions, expanded noun phrases and sequencing words. We have boxed up the letter into the three sections and looked at the language/layout features. Next, we started to plan our own letters written by Hermelin to someone else on Offley Street – why not ask us at home who we will be writing to? Finally, we worked in pairs to write book reviews of Hermelin.
In Maths explored doubles and near doubles so if we know 6+6 =12, 6+7 must be 1 more and 13. Later in the week we focused on subtraction. We have been working with numbers up to 20 and using different strategies to take away. We practiced counting back, for example if the question was 15-3 counting 15, 14, 13, 12 and using number lines to show this. We then moved on to finding the difference so if the question asked, ‘There are 9 children on the back row and 7 children on the front, how many less are on the front row?’ The children used number lines to count forwards or backwards between the numbers to see how many jumps they needed to do.
In phonics we have focussed on ear (hear with your ear) and ure (sure it is pure), these sounds will be reflected in next week’s spellings and the videos will be available on dojo for you to watch at home with your child. We have also started re assessing how many taught sounds the children can recall as pure sounds and in words both real and nonsense. This will help us determine who is ready to move to a new colour band / set of books and who still needs time to practice the sounds and their speedy reading on their current book colour.
In Design Technology we made smoothies this week. Having previously investigated what fruit and vegetables are, and explored them by looking, feeling, smelling, and tasting them, we designed our own smoothies. This week we carefully prepared all the fruit and vegetables using clean hands and the tunnel method of cutting. Having blended three types of smoothies we enjoyed tasting what we had made- some combinations of fruit and vegetables were certainly enjoyed more than others, but everyone tried what they had made.
Our ball skills session involved throwing a ball underarm or as a chest pass to a partner, starting a metre away from each other and gradually moving further apart. A dodgeball game enabled children to practise their skills of accurate throwing and was very much enjoyed.
In geography we have looked at the seasons and how they impact the farming calendar. We found out which farm tasks are completed in each season and made our own seasonal farming calendar. We are very much looking forward to our trip to the farm next Wednesday 14th February.
Safety internet activities allowed us first to explore how technology has changed over the space of the last 40 years, and the benefits and downfalls of such technology. Next, we watched 'Hatch up' where Mo and Jaz felt worried and anxious when they pressed something on their game that that should not have. They were tricked by a stranger into giving away their special animal they had won in an online game. We learned how to report and block people on a game, and we could understand we needed to tell a trusted adult if we did something online that made us worry.
For ‘Mental Health’ week we have focused on expressing yourself, having a voice and making yourself heard. We considered our proud moments at home, school and at clubs and finally we expressed how we felt when we were listened to and not listened to. We all have a right to be heard and at Brereton, a school built on respect, hope, wisdom and community, stopping and listening is an expectation.
As you can see it has been another busy and exciting week in Year 1 and we are really pleased to see the children working so hard and with determination.
Just a reminder that our Detective Day is Monday 12th February. Children can wear non uniform and dress as a detective. We shall be investigating mechanisms for making moving cards as part of our Design Technology unit.
Many thanks
Mrs Pulle and Mrs Lindersen
