Weekly Update 27th April

What are we learning this week in Year 1/2?


Literacy

This week we are continuing our work about bats. The children worked hard last collecting the information from the internet and factsheets. This week the children will be given different sub headings and using their information, they will write a report. We will be looking again at the features of an information book and creating our own class information books to present to the other classes.  

Ask your child what they now know about bats. Are bats nocturnal? What other animals are nocturnal?

Have a go at some fun online literacy games at home. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1literacy.html

Phonics
Phonics websites
www.free-phonics-worksheets.com
worksheets for- 
- consonant and vowel recognition, 
- initial consonant sounds, 
- beginning and end blends, 
- consonant diagraphs, 
- silent letters,
- long vowel sounds,
- Phase 3 and 5 sounds.

www.sparklebox.co.uk
Has and Letters and Sounds section that covers all the phonic phases and the tricky words, 100/200 common words.
Lots of letter fans, mats, display ideas and games that follow ideas in  Letters and Sounds phases.

www.kidzone.ws/phonics
American site, simple worksheets mostly CVC and initial sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/
mix of very good interactive games and worksheets covering most phonic phases. Recommend Sandcastle quiz for phase 3 and 5.

www.phonicsplay.co.uk
a selection of interactive games for all phonic phases. Mostly simple games.
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dgi.shtml  http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures / http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/   (This site asks for a subscription but if you click on the appropriate phase there are games available without a log in) http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/phase-3-games.html  http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/words/dgi.shtml  http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/  http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/   (This site asks for a subscription but if you click on the appropriate phase there are games available without a log in) http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/phase-3-games.html


Maths

This week we will looking at adding and subtracting. We will be using problem solving skills to calculate different amount of money and how much change to give.

Here are some relevant websites to try:

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Flash.aspx?f=PostSortingcalculationsv2
http://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/cashingin-fullscreen.html 
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Flash.aspx?f=PriceListsv5
http://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/tillwemeet-fullscreen.html
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Flash.aspx?f=howmuchleftv2
http://www.ictgames.com/change_eXchanger_50p.html

Topic

This week we will be studying wild plants.

The children will be going on a ‘wild plant hunt’ within the school grounds (weather permitting!).

They will be asked to use their senses to describe the plants they find – what do they look like, smell like and feel like.  How are they similar and how are they different to other wild plants?

The children’s challenge will be to write short paragraphs on two or three of the plants they find and to form their own opinion of the plants. Do they like it/not like it and why.  The children will be reminded to include the following within their writing:
* Capital letters
* Full stops
* Use of comma’s when writing a list
* Finger spaces
* Adjectives
Interesting fact – did you know that some plants are carnivores, gaining nutrients by eating various small insects and spiders! A well known example of a carnivorous plant is the Venus Flytrap.

Come and See

This week we are continuing a new topic called “Change.” We will be exploring the fact that we change and grow.

* How did Jesus die?
* What did Jesus say about the people who were putting him to death?
* How do you think he felt?
* What are your favourite words and phrases? Q  Why?
* What does the story tell us about Jesus?
* When he was dying who was he thinking about?

The children will be cutting out captions that Jesus spoke and placing them around the Cross on our class prayer focus.
Have a great week

The Year 1/2 Team

Weekly Update: 20th April

Information: We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting reading at home, by hearing your child read. Can we ask you to continue to write in the home school diaries, whenever you hear your child read.
Thanks again to parents who have been continuing phonic learning at home, using websites provided in the blog. Updated phonic tests were given out in home school diaries before half term.

Literacy:
This week we are learning about non-chronological reports. We are focusing on bats and will be finding out facts we already know and what we would like to learn. We will find out the difference between fact and fiction. The children will use a variety of resources including factsheets, the internet, reports, non-fiction books and video clips. The children will be using this information to make their own factsheets and documentaries which will be filmed. 

Ask your child what they know about bats. Where do they live? What do they eat?

Have a go at some fun online literacy games at home.
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/
 http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html
 http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1literacy.html

Maths:
This week we will be continuing to practice our x2, x3, x5 and x10 Times Tables. We will also be starting to investigate fractions of shapes. Being able to identify and colour halves and quarters of simple shapes. We will also be looking at fractions of quantities finding a half, then a quarter by halving again.

Here are some websites to have a go at:

Times Tables:
http://www.arcademics.com/games/tractor-multiplication/tractor-multiplication.html
http://resources.oswego.org/games/Ghostblasters1/gbcd.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths/multiplication/play/

Fractions:
http://resources.hwb.wales.gov.uk/VTC/ngfl/ngfl-flash/fractions/fractions.html
http://www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/fractionflags/fractionflags.html

Topic:

This week we will start our new topic for this half-term called ‘Plants’.
It is a really interesting topic that focuses on science and art.  So your children will hopefully be coming home with lots of interesting facts to tell you!

In the first lesson the children will be discussing what we mean by plants and why plants are so important to us.  We will learn what seeds need to grow into healthy plants.  The children will grow their own cress – taking responsibility to make sure that their pot is nurtured correctly to allow the cress seeds to grow.  Just to check that seeds need daylight and water we will place some seeds in the dark and ‘forget’ to water other seeds – it will be the children’s job to document the results!

Interesting fact – did you know that some plants are carnivores, gaining nutrients by eating various small insects and spiders! A well known example of a carnivorous plant is the Venus Flytrap.

Come and See:

This week we are continuing a new topic called “Change.” We will be exploring the fact that we change and grow. 

We will read the story based on Mark 11:1-11 and ask the key questions:

* Where did Jesus get the donkey from?
* What did the people use to wave with?
* What did they put on the road?
* Why do you think they did that?
* Where have you heard the words ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’?

Have a great week
Year 1/2 Team

Weekly Update Tuesday 14th April

Welcome back after the Easter Holidays. We hope everyone had a wonderful time.

Here is what we are doing this week:

Literacy:

This week the children will be writing a recount about their Easter holidays. The following day the children will look at their writing and highlight all the connectives, adjectives and punctuation. They will then be able to see which sentences need improving. The children will get some improvement time and add to certain sentences to improve them. We will also be completing our weekly grammar activities and reading comprehensions.  

Ask your child what they have enjoyed doing over the Easter holidays. Can they describe a day in detail using adjectives? 

Have a go at some fun online literacy games at home. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy.html  
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1literacy.html

Maths:

This week we will be identifying and describing 3D shapes. We will be going on a shape hunt around the classroom to see which shapes we can find. We will be looking to find cubes, cuboids, cylinders, cones, spheres, pyramids, and prisms. Children can also bring into school 3d shapes they have identified at home, to see if the other children can guess what shape it is!

have a go at these activities:

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me3usa/flash/index.html?goLesson=14
http://primarygamesarena.com/Shapes-and-Colors-Activity3004
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/3d/index.htm
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/shape.htm


Topic

Welcome back to the new term.  We hope that you had a wonderful Easter break!
This week we will be looking at the season of Spring and learning lots about the Sun.  The children will learn about how the Earth orbits the Sun and how seasons are created.  Interesting facts will be learnt during the lessons giving the children a greater understanding and interest in space and, in particular, the Sun.
We will be reading poetry about and creating our own metaphors to describe the Sun.  For example: The Sun is a yellow balloon, The Sun is a fiery ball in the sky and so on.
The children will discuss what Spring means to them and what environmental changes occur during this season.  Artwork will be created for our new Spring display.
Interesting fact – did you know that the reason there is more daylight during the spring is the earth’s axis tilts toward the sun at this time of year.

We will also be continuing daily phonic activities- see previous blog entries for websites.

Have a great week
Year 1/2 Team