Exploring Habitats at Lotherton Hall!
This week, Year One had a fantastic trip to Lotherton Hall to learn about animals and their habitats. Guided by the educational specialists, we explored different habitats and the animals that call them home.
We compared the skulls of a herbivore and a carnivore, noticing how their teeth are perfectly suited to their diets. The children were fascinated to learn that penguins have sharp tongues to help them grip slippery fish!
This was a great start to our new Science unit about animals!
Help at Home:
- Explore your garden or local park and talk about the animals and their habitats.
- Read books about animals and how they survive in the wild.
- Watch nature documentaries together
Persuasive Text: Clean Up!
This week, Year 1 enjoyed reading Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon, which starts our unit on persuasive writing. The children explored the problem of litter on the beach and how it affects animals. They discussed Rocket’s feelings and how she persuaded others to help clean up. Inspired by Rocket, we began writing about the problem and over the next couple of weeks, the children will try to convince others to help fix it with their own writing.
Help at Home: Talk with your child about keeping our environment clean. Encourage them to spot litter during walks and discuss how we can protect wildlife. Together, we can all be heroes like Rocket!
Learning About the Life Cycle of a Plant!
This week, Year 1 explored the fascinating life cycle of plants! We learned what plants need to grow: sunlight, water and healthy soil. The children planted their own spider plants for the classroom, which we’ll care for and monitor weekly. Later this term, we’ll review and discuss how the plants have changed over time. The plant we are monitoring currently stands at 10cm tall!
Help at Home: Encourage your child to observe plants at home, water them, and talk about their growth.
Living and Learning: I know what a drug is
Happy new year. We’ve had a great two days to start the Spring term, the children have come into school ready to learn. For the next two weeks are Living and Learning statement is I know what a drug is. A drug is a substance that changes the way the mind or body work.
Today, we talked about how there are different types of medicines which are used in different ways and for lots of different reasons. For example:
- some medicines help someone to get better from illness or injuries, such as antiseptic cream on a graze
- some medicines and other products protect the body, such as vaccinations which protect people against diseases (vaccinations might include injections or drops to swallow), sun cream protecting the skin from burning, or mosquito spray protecting against bites
- some medicines help people keep healthy and well and may need to be used every day or over a long period of time
The children were all very keen to share what they know about medicine.
We read some different scenarios and discussed what to do to help us to feel better if we felt this way. There a are a few examples below:
“When you have belly ache, don’t eat anything because it might get worse. You could drink some water,” said Thomas.
“If you have a cold you can use a tissue to catch the germs,” said Niyah.
“Sleeping can help you get better if you have cold,” said George.
“If you feel tired you should go to bed,” said Deacon.
Help at home: Can you think of at least five people who help others to stay healthy and well, discuss their roles and the kinds of things they do.
Autumn Term Highlight in Year One
As the autumn term comes to an end, it’s clear to all the staff that the real highlight has been the fantastic attitude to learning the children brought with them from day one. Their progress since starting Year 1 has been truly amazing and is a credit to their honesty and hard work.
The children have consistently applied their Christian values to every aspect of their learning, using them as a foundation to achieve. We are so proud of their courage, compassion, and perseverance, which have made this term such a joy. Well done, Year 1!
Year 1 Church Visit with Reverend Pete
Year 1 had a wonderful visit to the church, where Reverend Pete shared how Christians prepare for Christmas and the special changes that happen during this season. The children explored the church, discovering features like the altar and stained-glass windows, and asked thoughtful questions about their meanings.
This visit helped bring the Christmas story to life, deepening their understanding of its importance to Christians. It was a fantastic way to celebrate Christmas and learn about its message of love, joy, and giving. Thank you, Reverend Pete, for making this visit so meaningful and memorable!
Mary’s Knitting – KS1 Nativity
Our Year One children have amazed us with their beautiful performance of Mary’s Knitting! After weeks of practice, they overcame their nerves to stand confidently in front of their families and share the true spirit of Christmas.
From learning their lines to singing with joy, every child worked so hard to
make the performance a success. All their preparation truly paid off, as the show ran smoothly and was a delight to watch.
We are so proud of each and every one of them for their courage, teamwork, and dedication. Well done, Year One and the whole of KS1!
Exploring 3D Shapes!
This week, Year One has been learning about 3D shapes. A 3D shape is solid and has depth, width, and height.
We’ve identified spheres, cubes, cuboids, cones, cylinders, and pyramids, then explored our classroom to find them in real life!
Help at home
At home, you can support your child by spotting 3D shapes in everyday objects like cans, boxes, or balls. Ask: “What shape is this?” and explore together.
Nativity
The children have been thoroughly enjoying rehearsing their nativity play and are excited to share it with you next week. As part of the performance, we’ll be singing Away in a Manger. The lyrics have been sent home today, so we kindly ask you to practice them with your child. We’ll also be singing this carol at the Church service on Thursday afternoon this week.
Here are the lyrics:
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Laid down His sweet head
The stars in the bright sky
Looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay.
Be near me, Lord Jesus,
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And fit us to heaven
To live with Thee there
Thank you so much to those who have already sent in costumes! If you haven’t yet, please ensure all costumes are brought in by Friday, 13th December.
Thank you for your support!
National Santa Dash
On Friday, all children took part in the National Santa Dash. This event was all about having some fun whilst being active.
We’ve decided to extend this event: we’ll be holding an Easter and Summer Dash, too! Our goal is to allow pupils to set some targets and improve on their personal bests through the year.
Here are some photos – enjoy!
