The children were welcomed back to school with a ‘PAW-some’ new topic- Animal Kingdom and some roaring new challenges. Our focus this week has been what makes a good pet, we have learnt that there are many animals that would not make a good pet. We had a chuckle when we read our story, it was a very popular book!
Other learning this week-
- We have been writing about what would happen if we had a giraffe or a lion or a crocodile or a elephant as a pet.
Looking after the animals in our Animal Clinic.
- We have been learning to use positional language as well as giving directional commands using an app on the iPads.
Our rainbow challenges have allowed us to:
- build marble mazes using a range of equipment, challenging our planning and construction skills
Look at our fantastic marble maze!
- sort animals into our own categories and demonstrate our understanding of the world
- build an animal cage using a range of materials
- dance and move like an animal to music
- use large equipment to make a guinea pig run
Next week the focus will be extending our vocabulary related to wild animals, describing patterns in nature and length, reading the story: Spots or Stripes? by Vasanti Unka. Phonics focus will be: oa and igh.
The challenges next week will be:
- Yellow Challenge: looking at a scene from our story Spots or Stripes and writing our noun phrases “stripey tiger”, “spotty leopard”, etc.
- Red Challenge: looking closely at animal skin/fur and repeating the pattern using mixed materials.
- Blue: completing a tens-frame app matching, carefully matching numbers to the correct tens frame.
- Green: creating our own playdough animals using other materials such as string and googley eyes to finish them.
- Purple: playing ‘animal twister’ – like the traditional twister game but replacing the colours with animals.
Thank you for the parent responses offering to attend our Shepreth Wildlife Park trip on 13th March. In the mean we would like to explain that parents attending with us will be doing so as support for the class teachers not as an accompaniment for their child. This will ensure all children get equal care and support. Mr Hayward will be in contact early next week to respond and confirm details.
Other notices-
E–Safety
iPads and tablet devices are increasingly used at home for learning and entertainment purposes. It can be problematic if children browse different applications or the internet by themselves. An important e–safetyfeature on iPads that is easy to use is called ‘Guided Access’. This function limits users to only using one specific app and prevents them from switching to another program or returning to the Home screen. Please see the instructions below of how to enable Guided Access on iOS.
1. Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap on General.
3. Tap on Accessibility.
4. Tap on Guided Access under the Learning section.
5. Tap the switch to turn on Guided Access.
6. Tap on Passcode Settings.
7. Tap Set Guided Access Passcode and set a passcode.
8. Toggle Accessibility Shortcut to On, which allows you to triple-click the Home button and enter Guided Access at any time.
(https://www.imore.com/how-use-guided-access-iphone-and-ipad)
A video demonstration is available here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzfDFJljTlA
For similar functionality on Android devices, please see here for guidance: https://www.pcworld.com/article/2921718/security/2-easy-ways-to-child-proof-your-android-or-ios-device.html
Wednesday 28th February- DON’T FORGET TO WEAR A BRIGHT T-SHIRT! As part of the University and County wide commitment to equality, the school, together with Eddington and the University, is ending LGBT+ month by making a human rainbow. On Wednesday 28th February, we ask that you send your child to school dressed in a coloured T-shirt or outfit. In the afternoon of that day, all 300 children and our team will form a human rainbow at the entrance to our school. There will be a high level photograph taken.
Pumpkins and Sunflowers- Red
Acorns- Orange
We have had a lovely first week back, thank you to all Acorn, Pumpkin and Sunflower children. On a final note the weather next week is going to be especially chilly, please make sure your child is wrapped up warm!