This week we found out that the people of Scotland celebrate a day called St. Andrew's Day. We found out who St. Andrew was and the sorts of things that people do to help them to celebrate this special day. We ate shortbread and listened to Scottish Folk and Scottish Dance music too!
We also enjoyed a fabulous hour in the dance studio with Brian the Brazilian Samba music teacher. He taught the children all about the 1,2,3,4 rhythm that Samba music is based upon. We then got to try out lots of different instruments and built up to playing a class piece. What a noisy, enjoyable workshop!
Week Ending 25th November 2022
This week Greg the Dinosaur invited us to his Hatchday Party. We talked about all the things that we would need to do to help Greg get ready for his party. We decided to make list to help us remember everything. We looked at all of the important features of a list and made sure we included these. One of the things the children wanted to have at the party was a Pinata so Mrs Richter helped the children to make one! The party was a great success! Next week we will use all of our list knowledge to create our own Santa list during our individual writing task - how exciting!
Week Ending 18 November 2022
This week we have celebrated Nursery Rhyme Week by learning a nursery rhyme each day. The children have been able to interact with a range of activities linked to that day's nursery rhyme. Here are some pictures from the day that we enjoyed learning Five Little Speckled Frogs.
Week Ending 11 November 2022
We all had a wonderful afternoon at Forest School. We used our senses to explore Autumn treasures which were found in the woodland, painted leaves and branches, made clay faces using natural materials, we listened to a story and learned an Autumn poem. We then enjoyed some free play time. What a super time we had!
Week Ending 4th November 2022
This week in English we started our new Talk for Writing unit. We have introduced the children to our model text - The Little Green Dinosaur and spent the week orally retelling it. We also added dinosaur props to the classroom provision so the children could deepen their understanding of the story through the use of drama and role play. We will continue with our story for another two weeks where we will begin to innovate the story by changing the characters and adding new vocabulary.
Week Ending 21st October 2022
This week our English focus has been ‘A Magical Muddle’.
We enjoyed lots of spooky-themed activities linked to the story including labelling a witch, playing a rhyming matching spell game, a spooky den in the role-play area, lots of spooky art, and investigating pumpkins.
We finished off our week with an exciting bubbling potion experiment!
Week Ending Friday 14th October 2022
In our first half term of Reception, in our PE sessions, we focus on fundamental movement skills by taking the children on a 'Jungle Journey'.
As the week's progress, the children practice skills such as moving safely in space, balancing, jumping, hopping, throwing, partner work, and teamwork.
This week, the children moved around the hall as the various animals that they had met in the jungle; a jumping frog, a slithering snake, a scuttling spider, etc...Then they had to work in pairs to play 'mirror me' - one person chose an animal movement and their partner had to do their best to mirror the movement as closely as they could. Fabulous teamwork Newcastle class!
Week Ending 7th October 2022
This week I would like to celebrate the fantastic maths work that Newcastle class has completed.
This week was all about 'patterns' - the children were challenged to continue and then make their own repeating patterns using a range of materials. We used ourselves (boy/girl/boy/girl), blocks, shapes, stickers, paint patterns, counters, sounds, etc...
Can your child make any repeating patterns at home? Try using toys, socks, fruit, or autumnal objects such as sticks or leaves if you are outside.
Week Ending Friday 30th September 2022
This week, our focus text in English was the brilliant 'Owl Babies'. The children have enjoyed listening to the text, acting out the story using props, owl art, describing what the owls could hear, sorting nocturnal and diurnal animals, and watching a live owl webcam. Here is the link in case you want to see what the owls are up to today:
https://www.lenpicktrust.org.uk/owl-project/4593449091
Week Ending 23rd September 2022
This week, we began phonics lessons. This week we learned the sounds m a s d and t.
To support the lessons, the children have the opportunity to investigate activities/resources that begin with the sounds that we are learning. This week, the children especially enjoyed the steel pans, drums, and dominoes.
Week Ending Friday 16th September 2022
Welcome to the home of Newcastle class - pay us a visit on our class page each week to look at what amazing things we have been getting up to.
This week has been all about getting to grips with class routines, new friends, and new activities.
What a fabulous start to the year Newcastle class!