Tadpoles, froglets and caterpillars and of course children, what a fascinating week!
This week we started our work on life cycles and living things. With three tadpoles changing into froglets we read some non-fiction books and e-books about their development and completed a frog life cycle in our computer lesson. Look at these websites to find out more about frogs:
http://www.usborne.com/quicklinks/eng/catalogue/catalogue.aspx?cat=1&loc=uk&area=YR&subcat=FRLT&id=2636
Or
http://www.usborne.com/quicklinks/eng/catalogue/catalogue.aspx?cat=1&loc=uk&area=NH&subcat=NR&id=1073
We wrote a story about a frog in a picture as ‘shared writing’ on Wednesday. The children had the ideas, the adult scribed with the children helping with spelling. The four groups each had a different picture and produced some excellent stories using some amazing descriptions of both the frogs and the environment in which they lived. The children’s spoken language in most cases is much richer than their written language at this stage of their development. However, if children cannot speak the words they will find any sort of writing exceedingly difficult.
The frogs go back to the pond now as they are needing to sit out of the water and they are getting increasingly lively. One escaping froglet is enough for any teacher!
The children also had their first experience of independent story writing on Thursday using their picture of a frog as a stimulus. Each child will go over their work with an adult who will point out what is good and give them two targets to improve on for next week.
In art and technology the children all made a clay frog and they learnt how to draw a basic frog by using the hints in ‘I can draw animals’ published by Usborne.
Keep practising the ‘magic e’ words from this week. The terminology for this gets more technical as the children get older, at this stage the children just need to know and apply the knowledge that an ‘e’ on the end of a word makes the vowel say its name and not make its sound e.g. cap/cape.
In maths the children all made excellent progress with their taking away, counting back on the number line and also with adding coins. I have sent home any work that has not been finished this week for your child to do at their own pace over the next week or so. There are areas that some children found difficult and if this applies to your child I will have written it on the worksheet for your information. I just wanted you to be aware as I know that most of you are keen to support your child’s learning.
The ‘Painted Lady’ caterpillars arrived in school yesterday and next week we look at the life cycle of a butterfly, finding out more interesting facts about them and reading some butterfly stories.
As you probably saw on Twitter the children had a great PE lesson using the new wall bars that we purchased with our ‘Sports Legacy’ money. We started our unit of work on tennis but unfortunately the rain prevented our second Tri-golf lesson from taking place, fingers crossed for next week!,
Mrs Wagstaffe thought some of you might like to watch or sing along to the tadpole song that she did with you in music:
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tadpole+blues+youtube&docid=608039967635472819&mid=EC4DA0CA77E57929FA14EC4DA0CA77E57929FA14&view=detail&FORM=VIRE7#a
Our ‘Achievers this week were Arsh for his excellent contribution to shared writing and Josie for all her hard work over the Easter holidays and whilst she has been off school following her operation. Well done to you both.
Have a lovely long weekend especially if you are going away as a few lucky children said they were! See you all on Tuesday.