Friday 1st December

This week the children have continued to practise the songs, dances and a few lines for the Christmas Play. Thank you to those of you who have already brought in costumes. Please can all costumes be in School by Friday  8th December. The children with lines have brought them home today.  We would be very grateful if you could help your child learn these lines encouraging them to use a clear, loud voice, keeping their hands by their side. The tickets that you have requested for both performances are in their book bags today.

In maths this week the children have been making 9 in different ways. They are beginning to  have an understanding of addition. They worked in groups of 15 to complete the following activities with an adult. With our play practise we have only had the chance for two maths directed activities this week. So the activities your child hasn't done this week will be taught next week.

Activity 1: What number is this?

The children have been using a Tens frame again this week. They carefully counted out 9 counters and put them on the tens frame. We modelled how we turn one counter over (systematically) how many yellow counters do we have? How many red counters? How many altogether? Do we have to count the total every time? 

Activity 2: Who has the most?

Each child was given a soft toy and each toy had a tray. The Children took it in turns to roll the dice with a partner, count out that number of counters and put it in their toy’s tray. Children decided who had the most. They then left the counters in the tray and rolled the dice again and counted out more counters. Which has the most now? Return all the counters and repeat.

Activity 3:  – What number is this?

The children were asked to count the ducks in the lake. There are 9 ducks in the lake:

They rolled a dice and put that many in the nest, they rolled the dice again and put that many ducks on the island and the rest stayed in the water. They worked out how many were in the water. We constantly asked them how many there were altogether? Children worked with a partner taking it in turns to roll the dice while the other says how many ducks are  in each place.

Activity 4: What number is this?

We began by modelling a problem and then got children to use the play people to work it out e.g. There were 3 children in the class, 6 more came to join them, how many altogether?  2 children on the swings, 7 on the slide, how many altogether? There were 4 children on the red team and 5 on the blue team. How many altogether? 9 children in the playground, 7 had to go in for lunch, how many were left? 9 children in the sandpit 3 went to play with the big bricks, how many were left? 9 children on the play park, 4 went to the toilet, how many were left?

At the end we asked children to make up a story using the people.
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We have continued with finger strong activities each day. These have included:

• Writing their name with the correct formation
• cutting skills
• tweezers to big up blocks and feed the tennis balls
• pencil control
• threading

In phonics this week the children have learnt the sounds

 b, f, and the greedy sound ff They have also practised forming these letters correctly.

Words the children have been sounding, blending and writing:

b- bed, bug, bin, box, bit, bag, bat, big, back
f- fox, fit, fast, frog, fed, fan, fin

ff- huff, puff, cuff, fluff, off, cliff, sniff

Formation and rhyme to go with the sound:

b- butterflies and bumble bees buzz
b- is a one-armed robot letter
b-start at the top, down bounce back up and go around.

f-There are fish at the bottom of the sea but no flowers
f-is a curly caterpillar letter

f- a curve at the top, down, down and curl. Lift and cross.

In ChIL this week children have explored the mystery maths box. This week it was all about estimating.  In the box there were a range of jars of varying sizes. Each jar had a different number of objects. The children had to estimate how many were in each jar and then count to check their estimation. The children have been exploring malleable materials. They have continued to practise their cutting skills making spirals from coloured paper and then decorating them with sequins and patterns. They have been making small worlds from junk modelling materials.

Things you can do with your child....

• Listen to your child read and read to your child.
• Recap this weeks sounds. Can your child have a go at segmenting, blending and writing the words?
• Practise letter formation for this weeks letters and the letters in your child's name.
• Count everything. Ask which is more/less/fewer. Ask how many there are in total. Make up simple word problems together as we did with the little people in maths.
• Play games- rhyming games and maths games using a dice and counting on.
• If your child has lines for the play help them to practise and project their voice.

Reminders and pleas.....

• Christmas Fair 2nd December 11-2pm
• Costumes for Christmas play in school by Friday  8^th December
• Christmas Play- Tuesday 12^th December 9.15
• Thursday 14^th December 10.45
• We are still looking for a pianist for the Christmas play if there is anyone who could help us.
• December the 15^th is Christmas Jumper day
• Please can we have more junk modelling materials- boxes of varying sizes, plastics pots and tubs and cardboard tubes.

Enjoy the weekend,

The Year R team