Reception w/b 30th September
Date: 4th Oct 2024 @ 5:35pm
A busy week indeed but, as it draws to a close, we are feeling ever so proud of each and every child! There is such a lot to celebrate as detailed in the blog below.
With a visit to church this week, we have only introduced to three new sounds. The children were ever so disappointed to not have revealed the next sound on our chart! They can’t wait to find out on Monday and what a true delight it is to observe this thirst for knowledge. Fred the Frog introduced us to the sounds: g, o, c. We noticed a pattern when forming these letters as they all begin in the same way. We used the following handwriting phrases:
g – round the girl’s face, down her hair and give her a curl
o – all around the orange
c – curl around the caterpillar
We are also regularly showing the sound cards to children throughout the day e.g. when sending them to wash their hands. These repeated, ‘quick-fire’ opportunities help children to practise and embed their sound knowledge. This would also be great to practise at home. For example, writing the known sounds on a post-it note each and sticking them around the house. How many can children recognise? ‘Word time’ with magnetic tiles continued, spelling CVC words with more recently taught sounds. This meant that there were more sounds to choose from on our board, a good opportunity to practise hearing the sounds and recognising how they are written. The children have impressed us with their speedy blending!
In maths this week, our focus on counting continued and therefore, Counting Croc returned. We taught Counting Croc:
That the last number in the count tells us ‘how many’
To say one number for each object that he touched
You don’t need to see something to count it – for example, we counted sounds!
How to use a ‘counting wand’ to count larger objects that couldn’t be moved.
Of course, much of our week has been dedicated to learning all about harvest. We have looked at how a variety of foods are harvested and have been especially fascinated with windmills and the process of grains becoming flour! We continued to practise retelling ‘The Little Red Hen’ and this has extended to children’s role play and small world play in the provision. It was wonderful to celebrate our Harvest festival with you in Church on Thursday. We were exceptionally proud of all of the children after their very joyful singing, signing, and beautiful prayer. At this time of harvest, we think carefully about our hard-working farming community and, of course, the very important work of Chance Changing Lives and the Brereton Food Pantry.
On Wednesday, we were most excited to make bread, just like the Little Red Hen. We first looked at the recipe, noticing that it had a title, a photograph, a list of ingredients and then step-by-step instructions. In small groups, we then mixed the ingredients together. We talked about the necessity of warm water and adding the salt in a different spot to the yeast. We were especially fascinated by the yeast and how its job is to make the bread rise. Once all ingredients were incorporated, it was time to knead the dough. We each worked hard to knead our dough until it was smooth and stretchy; this was great for our fine motor skills and hand/arm strength! We then needed to leave the dough over lunchtime, in a warm space and covered over. After lunch, we were amazed by how much our dough had increased in size and noticed the bubbles and how the cling film had fogged up. The yeast was working! In the afternoon, we each shaped our bread rolls. We were then able to use the oven after school to bake the bread; all of the teachers felt very hungry as the scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the corridors! Today, it was time to eat the bread. We enjoyed adding some margarine, jam or honey to our bread roll before giving it a taste. According to the children, it was delicious! Such a lovely Friday afternoon treat to have an extra snack and chat with our friends.
In Forest School, Mr Simmons first made links to our understanding of harvest time, talking to us about hedgerow harvests and the ways in which the berries/seeds/nuts on the hedgerow bushes and trees provide food for the wildlife and will fall onto the earth and grow again next spring. When the rain started to fall more heavily, we felt very grateful to have the cosy Forest School hut to shelter in until the shower passed. During this game, Mr Simmons challenged us to use our phonics skills to think of an animal beginning with the same sound as our name.
On Monday, we thoroughly enjoyed our PE lesson. First, we warmed up with our ‘Starry Starry Night’ game and then recapped our shapes. Our main focus was then jumping. First, we introduced a ‘Rocket Jump’ (straight jump). We start in a straight shape. Then, we count down and call “BLAST OFF”, whooshing our arms up above our heads as if shooting into space, keeping our body straight as a rocket. Finally, we land on the moon, bending our knees and putting our arms out to balance. Next was a star jump. We start with our hands in front of us in a cross position, bending our knees. Then we jump up into a star shape, before landing with bent knees. I think that we all had springs in our shoes on Monday as the children were able to jump so very high!
We were excited for our second music lesson of the half term which, this time, was taught by Mrs Mitchell. After beginning with our ‘hello everybody’ song, Mrs Mitchell taught us ‘Oats and Beans’. https://youtu.be/K9fDuoCJQ5E?list=PLcvEcrsF_9zLSqyGrmhpZ1lkMPHyMxTvm We tapped along to the pulse of the music and then added actions to the song to fit with the pulse. Next, we watched a story of Melody and her adventure on a falling leaf, accompanied by the music of Vivaldi’s Autumn from the Four Seasons. https://youtu.be/c7KX1ZObedk We asked: Did you like the music? How does the music make you feel? Is the music happy or sad? Fast or slow? Which instruments can you hear playing in the music? Finally, the children moved around the room to the music, matching the swaying of the trees and Melody floating around in the leaf.
Throughout the week, we have practised identifying the syllables in words by clapping them, tapping them on a drum, and shaking them with an egg shaker! For example: ba-na-na (3), ta-ble (2), a-va-ca-do (4), hat (1). Recognising syllables is one important element of phonological awareness which helps to set children up for success with their literacy learning. We played a lovely circle time game today, ‘Guess the Friend’, describing the child who was hiding to help their friend to guess. It was just beautiful to hear all of the things that children know and love about each other through their descriptions. When we revealed who was hiding, we clapped the syllables in their name.
Reception, Mrs McAree and I have thoroughly enjoyed our week with you all. What superstars we have in our class! I have now completed all of the statutory government baselines and am looking forward to having Thursday afternoons back in the classroom with the children! Reception, you worked very hard on these special challenges.
We are already looking forward to next week which shall have a Goldilocks theme. We also hope to see many of you at our Learning Exhibition on Thursday (10th October) from 9am to 10:30am. For Reception, it shall be chance to join the children in the provision; I am sure that they will just adore showing you their favourite areas of the classroom, completing some challenges together, and showing you new things that they have learnt. We can’t wait!
I hope that you all enjoy a lovely weekend.
With many thanks,
Miss Witham
