Literacy
We’ve been reading Walking Through the Jungle by Julie Lacome.
We have loved talking about all the different animals in the book and how they travelled.
“Creeping through the jungle I can see a tiger.”
“Stomping through the jungle I can see a elephant.”
Phonics
This week, we focused on reading and writing longer words and compound words. We learnt 4 new tricky words: were, here, little, says.
Help at home: Go on a tricky word hunt around your house. Ask an adult to write some tricky words on scrap pieces of paper and stick them up around your house. How many tricky words can you find and read?
Maths
This week, we consolidated our understanding of the composition of 5 and practised recalling the parts of 5 when 1 part is not visible. We used our fingers on 1 hand to help with the composition of 5. We looked at how many fingers are ‘up’ and and how many are ‘folded down’. We used a rhyme about 5 kittens jumping ‘down’ from the bed to help us with this.
“5 is made of __ and __
__ and __ makes 5″
Help at home: Play a game the kittens game with an adult. You need 5 objects (kittens) and a piece of material or paper (bed) Take turns to hide some kittens under the bed. Use the below stem sentence to explain what you can see.
Have a happy and healthy weekend and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
This week our focus book has been The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
We’ve had a fantastic time on the garden this week, planting more plants and developing our mud kitchen area. We’ve enjoyed smelling the new herbs that have been added and created some delicious spring dishes.
We’ve also been adding things to our amazing Bug Hotel that Mr Atkins made for us and have continued our search for minibeasts.
Help at Home: Go on a bug hunt in your garden or where you live, take some photos or draw some pictures of the minibeast you find.
Have a happy and healthy weekend and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith
A visit from Leeds Rhinos!
St James had a very exciting visitor from the Leeds Rhinos in today during our Collective Worship. Ian came in to talk to the children about teamwork and inclusivity – two key skills that help us to be happy and healthy in our school. We got the opportunity to learn about the different teams that Leeds Rhinos have, such as: men’s and women’s rugby; netball; a wheelchair rugby team and many more. The children responded really well when discussing the importance of inclusivity, teamwork and stereotyping, particularly in sport.
Ian also reminded us of the fantastic offer from Leeds Rhinos for pupils to go and see one of their matches! If you/your child is interested in this, discounted tickets can be purchased through school. Here are the details of the match:
Leeds Rhinos vs Hull FC
Friday 16th May
Kick off: 20:00
Summer 1
Welcome back to the summer term! This half term our theme is Life on Earth and our first focus book is The Bug Detective by Alex Griffiths.
This week we will be beginning to look closely at minibeast and where they live. We will also be creating a class Bug Hotel using the hand drills.
We can’t wait to see you all,
Mrs Kendrew, Mrs Rippon, Mr Smith and Mrs Small
The Tiny Seed
This week our focus book as been The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle.
In the story we follow a tiny seed traveling on its journey through the seasons. We went on our own seasons walk to find signs of spring, we spotted blossom, buds, daffodils, insects and leaves. We even stopped to listen to the sound of lots of birds singing.
Our word of the week was miniscule: something that is even smaller than tiny.
Maths
In Maths, we’ve been doubling!
Poetry Picnic
Each week we learn a new poem and recite it every day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is called Hungry Birdies.
Hungry Birdies
I have built a little nest,
look inside, look inside.
Hungry birdies with their beaks,
open wide, open wide.
And the little birdies grow,
day by day by day.
‘Till they spread their wings and fly,
far away, far away.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
Have a happy and healthy weekend and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith
Jack and The Beanstalk
This week’s book has been Jack and the Beanstalk.
It has inspired us to plant our own seeds so we can observe them over time.
We’ve also written some instructions for what we did.
First we put in the soil.
Then we put in the seed.
Next we covered it.
Finally water it.
Maths
This week we have started looking at the number 7 and the different parts it can be split into. We used the stem sentence “7 is made of 5 and 2; 2 and 5 make 7.”
Help at home: by practising partitioning 7. You can do this using pasta, teddies or anything else that you can find at home that you have 7 of.
Thank you to all of those that came to the stay and learn this week.
Have a happy and healthy weekend and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith
The Hundred Decker Bus
It’s been another busy week in Reception this week. We have been looking at the focus book The Hundred Decker Bus by Mike Smith. The children loved the journey the bus took.
Our word of the week was Countryside- land that is away from big towns and cities. We’ve also used Google Earth to find school and some of our houses. We had so much fun, we will continue looking for more places next week.
Maths
This week in our Maths we have been comparing and considering where numbers to 8 are in relation to each other. We have used the vocabulary ‘more than, less than and equal to’ to describe the relationship between them. The children have enjoyed making the stair pattern to help them to describe each number.
“7 is more than 6”
“3 is less than 4”
“5 is more than 4 but less than 6”
Phonics
Spring 2 week 3 has been a review of phase 3 sounds, reading words with two or more digraphs (2 letters that make 1 sound). We review tricky words (a word you can’t sound out – you just have to know it) daily.
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! Tricky Word Bingo is still a huge hit in class and the prizes are becoming incredible, this week we have been playing for a trip on a cruise ship and a golden helicopter!
Poetry Picnic
Each week we learn a new poem and recite this poem every day. By saying the poem out loud, we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. We talk to children about how this can help us become better readers. This week’s poem is the traditional nursery rhyme Pat a Cake, Pat a Cake. We turned this in to a clapping song and the children enjoyed singing it with a partner.
We talk about how a poem sometimes has rhyming words and sometimes doesn’t. Can your child tell you the rhyming words in this week’s poem? We also talk about how a poem can have a fast rhythm or a slow rhythm.
Reminders and Dates
‘Number’ Stay and learn – Tuesday 18 March 2:20-3:00pm
Our Stay and Learn sessions are a chance to find out more about your child’s journey through Reception. You can observe some teaching and learning, and pick up some tips to support your child at home. This session is all about Number.
Please send your child into school with an empty shoebox next week. The children will be creating their very own deck, based on their designs.
Have a happy and healthy week and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith
A school Trip to the Railway Museum
The National Railway Museum
On Wednesday, we had a fantastic time at The National Railway Museum. We were so excited to go on on our first ever school trip – especially travelling by coach! All the grown ups were super impressed with how well-behaved the children were. Well done, Reception class.
We enjoyed looking at different trains and making comparisons of old and new. We had lots of fun watching the miniature railway and it led to lots of great discussions about trains, tunnels and transport. We even played a game of spotting Mrs Kendrew and Mrs Rippon at the miniature station! We also had fun sitting on the Japanese Bullet train.
To end our wonderful visit, we drew our favourite train of the day!
The Hundred Decker Rocket
We’ve been reading The Hundred Decker Rocket, by Mike Smith.
The story inspired lots of discussion around keeping our planet clean and why this is important.
In our writing, we designed our very own rocket deck that we will be making next week- this is where we need your help…
Please send your child into school with an empty shoebox next week. The children will be creating their very own deck, based on their designs.
Have a happy and healthy week and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith
The Train Ride
What a busy first week back it has been for team Reception! Our topic this half term is Let’s Go, Let’s Grow and our first focus book was The Train Ride by June Crebbin.
Our word of the week has been destination– the place someone is going.
We have also been historians this week and sorted out old and new trains. We looked at pictures of the early steam locomotive- Robert Stephenson’s Rocket. We compared it to the trains we use today.
Phonics
Spring 2 week 1 has been a review of phase 3 sounds: ai, ee, igh, oa, oo, ar, or, ur, oo, ow, oi, ear, in words and sentences. We review tricky words daily.
Tricky words can be just that-tricky! We’ve previously introduced a few fun games you can play at home to practice tricky words.
Help at home– Play Bingo with your child using the game sent home, we love playing this game in school.
Reminders and Messages
Wednesday 5th March- Class Trip to The National Railway Museum.
World Book Day 2024- Thursday 06 March Please join us in the classroom, where you can relax and read books with your child. We’d also like your child to share their favourite book with their friends. Please send your child into school with their favourite book and please ensure the book is named. As stated on the school calendar, this not a dressing up year.
Have a happy and healthy week and thank you as always for your support.
Mrs. Kendrew, Mrs. Rippon, Mrs. Small and Mr. Smith.
Supertato
Our focus book this week has been Supertato by Sue Hendra.
Our new word of the week was: mischievous. A perfect word to describe the small, green villain in our story!
Phonics
Spring 1 week 5 has focused on reading longer words, by using the chunking method (segmenting and blending longer words one syllable at a time, i.e. “s-u-n, sun, s-e-t, set, sun, set, sunset”)
Ask your child to show you how they ‘chunk-it-up’