Living and Learning – I understand there are different types of families
Today, we explored how all families are unique in their own special ways.
We read The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith. After the story, we talked about an important question: Are all families the same?
We discovered that families can be very different:
Some people live with their grandparents instead of their mums.
Some families have pets.
Families celebrate different holidays and traditions.
Some families speak different languages at home.
Even though our families may look and live differently, we learned that what really matters is how much we care for one another.
We also shared ways we show love and care to our own families:
“I take care of my little sister by pushing her on the swing.”
“I cuddle my cats.”
“I give my sister her milk.”
“I play with my dog at my uncle’s house.”
“I make things for my dad and sister.”
It was a lovely reminder that every family is special and caring for each other is what makes a family strong.
Healthy Fruit Bars in Year 1
Year One had a fantastic time making their own healthy fruit bars!
First we carefully measured out bananas, oats, honey, butter and dried fruit. Next we mixed the ingredients and followed all health and safety rules. The children prepared the equipment like real chefs and learned that fruit bars can be a tasty, healthy snack full of energy and natural sweetness.
Everyone enjoyed baking together and especially tasting their delicious creations! It was a fun way to practise our measuring skills and learn about healthy eating.
Well done, super chefs!
Maths: Finding a half and a quarter
Today, we read Peg and Cat: The Pizza Problem by Jennifer Oxley. (This is a YouTube link. Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip). We learnt that every whole can be divided into two equal halves.
After the story, we explored wholes, halves and quarters using wraps and discovered how to identify a whole, split it into two halves and even divide it further into four quarters.
Help at Home: Find a piece of food (fruit, bread or a wrap like we used at school). Try cutting it in half and for an extra challenge, cut it into quarters. Can you see how many halves or quarters make one whole?
Use the sentence stems:
- There are two halves in every whole.
- There are four quarters in every whole.
Fruit and Vegetables in Year 1
Today we became fruit and veg detectives! The children explored juicy strawberries and crunchy carrots, using their senses to investigate how they look, feel and taste. There were lots of surprised faces and thoughtful comments as they compared the sweet and earthy flavours.
Austin “The strawberry has seeds on the outside.”
Jolyon “The strawberries grow from the flower.”
George “The carrot is crunchy!”
Gracie “The carrot is the root.”
Alfie “We can eat ALL of a plant!”
Olivia “The carrot is tough and rough”
Spirituality
It wasn’t just about tasting — we also took time to pause and admire the beauty of nature. From the tiny seeds on a strawberry to the bright orange of a carrot, the children were filled with awe and wonder. A deliciously fun and thoughtful afternoon of learning! 🍓🥕
Class novel – Rosie Revere, Engineer
The children have had a great week so far and have enjoyed reading our new class novel Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. (This is a YouTube link. Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip.) It’s all about a young girl who dreams of becoming an engineer and learns that failure is just part of the journey to success.
It ties in perfectly with our Design and Technology topic for this half term, where we’ll be encouraging the children to be creative, try out ideas and not give up when things don’t go to plan.
We’ve also talked about how the book links to our Christian value of courage – believing in yourself, having a go and chasing your dreams, just like Rosie does.
Home Learning – Be an Inventor!
Design and build your own invention using recycling materials—like boxes, tubes or bottle tops. It could be a flying machine, a robot or something to help people!
Bring in a photo or drawing to share. Remember, just like Rosie, it’s all about being creative and having the courage to try!
Living and Learning: 60 active minutes
Today, we learned that children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day! This can be spread out between school and home, and we discovered that many of the things we already do each day can count towards this.
Some examples we thought of included:
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Wake Up Shake Up
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Playing at break time
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Walking to school
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Swimming lessons
We also talked about the importance of rest. To help our bodies recover and our minds stay sharp, we should aim for 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. A good night’s sleep helps us feel refreshed, focused, and ready to enjoy a new day of learning and fun!
We discussed how our body needs both rest and physical activity to stay healthy and strong.
🌙 Why we need rest:
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Rest helps us grow. When we sleep, our bodies repair and grow stronger.
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It gives our brain a break. Sleep helps us think clearly, remember things, and feel happy.
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We get more energy. After resting, we feel ready to play, learn, and do our best.
🏃♂️ Why we need physical activity:
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Exercise keeps our hearts and muscles strong.
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It helps us stay a healthy weight.
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We feel happier and less stressed when we move our bodies.
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Exercise helps us sleep better at night.
So, getting enough rest and being active every day helps us stay healthy inside and out!
Help at home: Could you make a small change to your routine to help fit in your active time?
Here are a few simple ideas:
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Walk to school or the shop instead of taking the car
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Ride your bike or scooter after school instead of watching TV
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Have a dance party, play in the garden, or go for a family walk
Even small changes can make a big difference to your health and happiness!
Deciduous or Evergreen?
Year One have been learning about deciduous and evergreen trees. We explored different types of leaves, looking carefully at their shapes, textures, and colours. The children enjoyed sorting them and spotting similarities and differences. We now know that deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, while evergreens stay green all year round.
Living and Learning: healthy eating
This week in Living and Learning, we’ve been exploring how to stay healthy.
We’ve been thinking about how the food we eat helps our bodies and minds stay strong. We talked about the importance of eating our ‘five a day’ and learned about the Eatwell Plate. We now understand that a balanced diet is key to good health.
Here are some of the important things we’ve learned:
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Eating fruits and vegetables helps keep us strong.
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Fruits and vegetables are especially good for our hearts.
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Fizzy drinks aren’t healthy for our bodies, so we should drink them only occasionally.
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Protein is important—it helps us grow and keeps us healthy.
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Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water is essential.
We also discussed how regular exercise and staying clean are important parts of a healthy lifestyle. Plus, we learned that looking after our mental health is just as important as taking care of our bodies.
You can support this learning at home by talking together about the things your family does to stay happy and healthy. What healthy meals do you enjoy together? How do you stay active? Do you have ways to relax and feel calm at home?
Let’s keep making healthy choices—together!
Counting in 5s
Today, we practised counting in 5s and made an exciting discovery — the ones digit in each number was always a 0 or a 5! We used a 50-grid to highlight these special numbers and spot the pattern. Then, we played a fun game where we counted fingers and thumbs in groups of 5. Working together, we counted in 5s to find the total number of fingers and thumbs.
Keeping safe in the sun!
This week, we’ve been making the most of the lovely warmer weather! The sunshine sparked some great conversations about how to look after ourselves and the environment when it’s hot outside.
We talked about the importance of wearing sun cream and a sun hat, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and finding shade when we need a break from the sun.
We also noticed our sunflowers and spider plants were looking a little thirsty—since there hasn’t been much rain lately—so we made sure to give them a good water!
