Spring Term 1- Week 1

Date: 11th Jan 2024 @ 4:48pm

Happy New Year everyone,

What a fantastic first week back we have had. We have been busy getting back into our routines, catching up on our Christmas break, and exploring our classroom.  

The nonfiction book 'What Can You See in Winter?' by the author Sian Smith was this week's focus story. We discussed the signs of winter, how to stay warm, and how animals stay warm. 

We recognised that birds may need some help in finding food, particularly during the winter due to frosty and icy conditions. As a result, we made some bird cake to assist them. We began by carefully cutting oranges in half, scooping out the insides, and threading string through the oranges. Next, we poured bird seed into a large mixing bowl, melted some lard, and combined the two ingredients. We then scooped the mixture into the oranges and placed them in the fridge to allow the bird cake to set. We hung the bird feeders on the trees once they were ready. We had to put them in special places so that no mischievous cats could get to them!

In keeping with the winter theme, the children labelled winter clothing, created beautiful winter artwork, and packed a suitcase with winter items. Well done children. 

During our phonics lessons, we have been busy revising ALL of the letter sounds we have previously learned, practicing reading words with digraphs, and revisiting a lot of tricky words. We are phonics superstars! We will start learning more new letter sounds next week.

In maths, we used number lines to deepen our understanding of the 'one more than/one less than' relationship between consecutive numbers. We were also introduced to the concept of zero. The children have been given a fun maths activity, which helps to reinforce the work they have been doing in school.  There is no need to return the sheet to school, so please just do what you can and when you can. It would be lovely if you could upload a photograph of your child's work to Evidence Me so we can celebrate their learning.

We wish you a relaxing weekend,

The Reception Team