Author: Mr Nash

In Living and Learning, we’ve learnt about the importance of physical activity in being mentally and physically healthy.

Children should be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day.

Physical activity benefits our bodies and minds in lots of ways:

• muscle and bone strength
• fitness and heart health
• mental health
• improved concentration
• better sleep

We considered how we could add moments of physical activity in the day,  both at school and at home.

• walking to school
• football
• skipping
• gymnastics
• cycling
• dancing

To summarise our learning, we completed a physical activity diary.

Help at home by asking your child about the importance of physical activity. How can they add more physical activity into their day?

In Living and Learning, we’ve focused on the importance of a healthy diet and the ‘5 a day’ message.

Fruit and vegetables are a crucial part of a healthy, balanced diet. They’re a great source of vitamins and minerals which help keep us healthy. They can even reduce the risk of disease!

What counts?

Almost every type of fresh, frozen, tinned and dried fruit and vegetable counts towards your 5 a day. Even things like fruit juice, tomato puree (not ketchup) and baked beans count. We were surprised to learn that potatoes don’t count! Potatoes contain a high amount of carbohydrate – another part of a healthy, balanced diet.

What is a portion?

A good rule is to consider that a portion fits in the palm of your hand.

Don’t stop at 5!

A total of 5 portions of fruit and vegetables combined is the minimum number to aim for. You don’t need to eat 5 portions of fruit and 5 portions of vegetables but the more the better!

Help at home by keeping a 5 a day diary. Have a look through The Eatwell Guide with your child. Are you eating a healthy, balanced diet?

In Reading, we’ve turned our attention to non-fiction texts and the ways in which they help us to take charge! We’ve explored the differences between fiction and non-fiction and discussed their features.

Non-fiction can be read in any order to learn about a specific topic. Most non-fiction books help you to find your way around with some helpful features you wouldn’t normally find in a fiction book…

• contents – The contents page (sometimes called the table of contents) lists the sections of information in the book and where to find them, often with a page number.
• glossary – Usually found at the back of the book, the glossary contains key words related to the topic and their definitions. This can help with unknown, technical vocabulary.
• index – An index is an alphabetical list of all the topics covered in the book and where to find them. This helps the reader locate information quickly.
• subheading – A subheading is a bit like a signpost. It gives the reader an idea of what each section is about. It can also capture your attention – a bit like a mini headline!

We really enjoyed exploring some non-fiction books, using the features above to find information quickly and efficiently.

Help at home by exploring some non-fiction text with your child. Encourage them to navigate the text using the contents, index, glossary and subheadings.

In Living and Learning this week, we’ve learnt about the importance of sleep; the things that help us to sleep and get a good night’s sleep.

A good night’s sleep can help us to feel:

• rested
• calm
• happy
• ready to learn

We discussed the importance of routine. A routine is a sequence of activities that is repeated. It helps us to know what to do and when – a bedtime routine can help our bodies and minds to get ready for sleep.

We explored the idea that different families might have different routines at bed time. These routines help us to mark the end of the day and get ready for sleep.

Sometimes, there are factors that can make it hard to fall asleep.

• busy body – jumpy legs, tummy ache
• busy mind – thinking, worrying
• surroundings – noise, screens before bedtime
• fears – dark, alone

Here are some good ways to relax at bedtime:

Help at home by discussing sleep with your child. What does bedtime look like in your house? How does your body and mind feel after a good night’s sleep? After a bad night’s sleep? What could you change to help you sleep better?

This term, together with our weekly spelling test, we’ll complete a short, low-pressure arithmetic test every Friday. This well help us to grow as confident, flexible mathematicians.

Children will complete 15 questions on the 4 operations (+ – x ÷)  before reviewing as a class. Papers will be sent home weekly.

Help at home by looking through the paper with your child, working through errors and offering similar questions for additional practice. If you have any questions or need additional support, please don’t hesitate to ask.