Summer Term 2 2023
This half term we are looking forward to starting our transitions, Sports Day and lots of different class texts. We look forward to sharing the learning with you across the next few months.
Teddy Bears Picnic
The children in FS1 have had a wonderful time at their teddy bears picnic! They brought in their own favourite teddy, ate bear shaped snacks, played games such as ‘teddy, teddy, bear’ (duck, duck, goose!) and read bear stories. They sang ’10 in the bed’ as they pretended to be the bears, rolling off the covers. They took their teddies on a bear hunt, sang ‘teddy bears picnic’ and played lots of different teddy themed games. An amazing day, which also helped us to raise £77.90. This will go towards enhancing the FS1 garden. We would like to say a big thank you to all of our amazing parents for their continued support with this project.
Albert “My favourite thing is the teddy bears picnic.”
Martin “I liked my food.”
Ava “My favourite is playing with our toys outside.”
Luana “I liked it when we went on a bear hunt.”
Oscar “I liked watching the bear hunt on your laptop.”
Ettie “I liked the picnic because there was jam sandwiches, cheese and biscuits.”
Aoife “I liked watching Paddington.”
Worship
The children have been busy decorating our Worship Table in green. The colour green represents the Holy Spirit, life, eternity and hope.
RE
The Church
This half term we are learning that we call Church the family of God. We showed the children hoops inside one another. We explained that the first hoop was one of lovely children’s family, the next was some of her school family and the last hoop was a variety of people from God’s family. The children then discovered that we all belong to God’s family.
We read a story about how the Church began. Peter and his friends had the important task of telling everybody that Jesus was alive again and that Jesus wants us all to be the family of God. This family is called the Church.
The children discovered that they can be close to Jesus if they go to Church.
Today we shared a PowerPoint presentation all about St Joseph’s Church. We saw pictures of Father Andrew. There were statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, as well as photographs of the Altar, Baptismal Font and Tabernacle. The children talked about their own experiences in Church and Mrs Gray shared her memories with us too.
In today’s RE session, the children were shown a class photograph. We explained that as they grow older, they will change and we will not see them anymore, however we will always have memories and photographs of them because they are all so special to us.
We then heard a story about how a little boy named Jacob went to Church with his Teacher to feel closer to Jesus. We found out about the tabernacle and how Jacob kneeled in front of it, humbly acknowledging Jesus. The children discovered that this was called genuflection. We looked at a tabernacle on the screen and the children then attempted to kneel before it.
Orla “When I go to Church. I feel closer to Jesus.”
Luana “I feel happy at Church.”
Freddie “I have been there two times.”
Charlie D “I felt happy because I see Jesus on the cross.”
Literacy
Our class texts and rhymes
In FS1 we have a special book and rhyme which is linked to our current theme. This changes every two weeks, along with the books that we display in our reading area. Here are our key texts and rhymes this half term.
Words of the week
This half the term the children will be learning all about the following words. We will add to this every two weeks as we begin our new topic. We encourage the children to listen out for the words in our class text and to use them themselves in different contexts.
We Are Going On A Bear Hunt
We have started the half term by focussing on this fantastic story written by Michael Rosen. The children have been retelling the story through small world play, acting out the story on the school field and they have created story maps and read them to the class. We have also filled our library space with books about bears.
Our Librarian Visit
We have had a visit from Angie the librarian lady in FS1. She told us all about the Summer Reading Challenge which has a sports theme this year and starts on Saturday 8th July. The challenge is to share 6 books and if successful, the children will be given a certificate and a medal. There is also a little prize when each book is returned. We hope that lots of families are able to take part in this this year!
Maths
The Number 10
This half term the children will be focussing on the number 10. They will be representing 10 in different ways and exploring one more and one less than 10 too. ‘Ten in the bed’ is a great song for exploring one less. We sang the song together and took a bear away after every turn.
The children have been recognising and ordering numerals to 10.
Repeating Patterns
The children have been creating their own repeating patterns this week, including patterns of colours, size and whether they have a school jumper on. They have also then had a go at representing their chosen pattern on paper. Some of the children challenged themselves further and attempted to write about the size of the bears in their pattern.
Routes and sequencing
We have been talking about the sequence of events during our story of the week ‘We are going on a bear hunt’. The children looked at a story map of the journey the family took and we then created our own showing the things that we would see on our way to the hall. The children followed the map and then back in the classroom, we used it to discuss the route and sequence.
Phonics
The letter ‘r’
Our first sound this half term is ‘r’. The children have been thinking of words that start with ‘r’, practised forming ‘r’ and have been reading words with ‘r’ in them.
Rhyming Words
Our first phonics table task this half term has been all about rhyme. The children have identified the rhyming words in books and have had a turn at matching objects that rhyme.
Word Building and Reading
The children have been busy building words in FS1, as well as reading simple three letter words and then matching the word to the correct object. Some children have challenged themselves further by then writing the words too!
Physical development
Sports Day
Sports Week
We had a wonderful time during Sports Week. The children all tried a new sport…golf! Their skills, listening and turn taking were fantastic.
Back in the classroom, we discussed our favourite sports.
Harriet “My favourite sport is football.”
Luana “My favourite is rugby.”
Charlie D “My favourite sport is golf because you can hit the ball as far as you can.”
William “Golf.”
Aoife “I like football because you can kick the ball and hit it in the goal.”
Hugo “My favourite is golf because you hit the ball far.”
Albert “My favourite was hitting the ball.”
Libby “Daddy likes golf because he likes it when he hits it.”
PE
The children always show great listening, control and skill in our PE sessions. They have been playing lots of different tig games and went to a ‘jungle’ this week. They pretended to be all of the different animals that they could see on their jungle adventure!
Climbing Equipment
We are so proud of the children for their determination and progress on the climbing equipment. The children are now confidently and independently completing the course.
Fine Manipulative Skills
The children have been using small parts, dough and cutting this week to support their fine manipulative skills.
We are going on a bear hunt yoga
We have loved exploring the story through yoga this week! The children have shown some fantastic balancing and skill.
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Our class responsibilities this half term
Stranger Danger
We began our session by looking at a picture of a man giving a child a sweet and we asked the children what they thought was happening in the picture.
Charlie D “It was about stranger danger because that man showed the kid. It was stranger danger.”
Lennon “Give them a sweet. It’s danger because it’s a stranger.”
The children were asked how the girl might be feeling?
Hugo “Sad.”
Luana “A little bit worried.”
Sophie noticed the ‘not allowed’ sign was on the picture and thought that meant that we cannot take sweets off strangers. Charlie D said that the sweet might make the girl poorly.
The children were then asked what the girl should do, they agreed that she should not take the sweet. Charlie D said for her “not to go the man or listen to him” and Oscar said she should call the police.
We then watched a short video clip which explained to the children the dangers of strangers and what they should do if they ever encounter one that offers them sweets or to get in their car. We discussed how they will not be on their own and will always have an adult with them until they are older. If they ever do end up lost, they should find a safe place or a trusted adult such as a shop keeper. If a stranger approaches them, they should run, shout for help and find a trusted adult or safe place.
Water Safety
Today we discussed how to stay safe around water. The children enjoyed telling their friends about their own experiences at the seaside, by rivers, at the swimming pool and in paddling pools. They then discovered that water can be dangerous if we are not sensible around it. After discussing what to do in certain situations, such as if the water is deep or you see a fisherman, we came up with our own water safety rules.
Always make sure you have an adult with you.
Always listen to your adults instructions and make sure you can see them at all times.
Always stay in the shallow water.
Always stay out of any fast-flowing water.
FS2 Transition
We had a wonderful time having a look around the FS2 classroom and then listening to one of their stories. Over the next few weeks, the children will have the opportunity to explore the classroom further, spend time with their new teaching staff and meet their new peers.
Luana “My favourite thing was looking at the paintings.”
Charlie D “I liked the place with the animals with the instruction because I like that they got ocean animals.” (role play)
Harriet “I like the home corner.”
Harmony “I liked the puppet show.”
Albert “The building area.”
Hugo “I like the camera to take lots of pictures.”
Orla “I liked the drawing area because they put the paper in the draws so that it doesn’t get all messy.”
Lennon “I liked the book at the end.”
Expressive Arts and Design
Creating Bears and Bear Homes
The children have been designing bears this week and then using the dough to create their own. The creative area has been busy with children creating their own bear caves and in the construction the children have made beds large enough for 10 bears to sleep in.
Jungles!
The children in FS1 are really enjoying their mark making at the moment. They have been creating their own jungle stories, drawing a zoo and creating their own tigers. They have also made jungle masks from different materials and taken on a role in our small world area and jungle cafe.
Playing to a beat
The children have been working on clapping their hands and playing instruments to a beat. This week, they did it to the song ‘Teddy Bears Picnic’.
Creating our own songs and stories
The children really enjoyed retelling ‘We are going on a bear hunt’ so we created our own version as a class during our jungles topic.
We are going to the jungle,
We are going to see some animals.
What a beautiful day,
We are not scared.
Uh-uh! A tiger.
A scary, stripy tiger.
We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
Oh no! We will have to go and hide!
Roarrrr!
We are going to the jungle,
We are going to see some animals.
What a beautiful day,
We are not scared.
Uh-uh! An elephant.
A big stompy elephant.
We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
Oh no! We will have to go and hide!
Stomp, stomp, stomp!
We are going to the jungle,
We are going to see some animals.
What a beautiful day,
We are not scared.
Uh-uh! A monkey.
A cheeky brown monkey.
We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
Oh no! We will have to go and hide!
Oo oo a a, oo oo a a!
We are going to the jungle,
We are going to see some animals.
What a beautiful day,
We are not scared.
Uh-uh! A leopard.
A yellow spotty leopard.
We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
Oh no! We will have to go and hide!
Rrrrrrrrr!
Understanding the World
Exploring our wildlife area
Our wildlife area is nearly complete and the children have had an amazing time searching for insects and then identifying them on the chart. The children discussed whether the creatures lived in the soil, on the plants or under the logs.
Growing fruit and vegetables
We have been looking after our strawberry plants, peas and tomatoes over the last few weeks and are now able to pick and try some of these foods!
First Aid Training
Today we had a visit from Alison and Wolfie who came to tell us all about first aid. The first question was, what would we do if we found someone lying on the floor? What would you look for?
Harmony “Get them up!”
We discovered that we had to make sure that the area was safe first.
We then had two volunteers who showed us how to help. One laid on the floor and pretended to be unconscious whilst the other shouted her name but got no response. We then discovered how to check that the patient was breathing and how to put someone into the recovery position.
Wolfie asked what do you do if you fall over and get a poorly on your knee?
Charlie “Get a plaster.”
Orla “Your Mummy or Daddy or grown up can put on a plaster.”
Wolfie asked us what we have to do first?
Oscar “Clean it.”
William “A wipe.”
Aliza “Water.”
Wolfie told us that once the cut is clean, we do not always need a plaster.
Orla “If you clean it and there is a little bit of blood still you need a plaster to stop the germs getting in.”
Wolfie asked us when we would need a bandage?
Luana “When there is lots of blood.”
Wolfie asked do we need to keep the bandage clean?
Lennon “Yes because germs might get on it.”
The children were asked what number to ring if they needed help.
Ettie “999”.
We discovered that 999 is only for emergencies.
Who answers the phone?
Oscar “Grown up”.
Mrs Gray then pretended to ring 999 for her Grandma who was on the floor and not moving. The children listened carefully as Mrs Gray and Alison acted out what would happen in this scenario.
Thank you Alison, we had a fantastic workshop and learned lots of new things!
Enhancing our outdoor area
Please click the button below to see our latest enhancements. We would like to thank everybody that has donated their money, resources or time to this project.
EYFS Outdoor Area
Thank you!
We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the parents and grandparents that attended our show and share this half term. We are so pleased that you all got the opportunity to see and use all of the wonderful resources that your donations have paid for.
