This has been a very exciting week in Reception at UCPS. The children and teachers have welcomed our year group robots ‘Botley’ into their classes.
Together we have explored elements of coding to resolve some very difficult challenges. The children have discussed how they can use Botley safely and came up with lots of important messages including: Botley does not like water, Botley does not like heights and Botley needs lots of space.
The children have been introduced to some key vocabulary through the story, ‘How to Code a Sandcastle’ by Josh Funk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bXwTjgl6GE
Can you tell your adults at home what a code is? (A set of special instructions that a computer understands). Remember that, ‘a coder takes a big problem and breaks it down into smaller problems’.
Below is an activity some of the children tried this week. Can you tell your adults what each of the buttons on the controller do? And how this helped us to create our very own codes.
Phonics
In Phonics this week we have been focusing upon Unit 11 (ch, tch and sh).
Some of the words we have been reading, spelling and building include; Shelf, flush, chop, rich, match and fetch
We have also been writing some sentences:
Tash said, “I’m not so fond of cod. I wish they had shrimps or shellfish.” Tash didn’t finish the fish and had to put it in the trash.
Maths
In Math’s this week we have continued to explore the concept of doubles. We have also explored in detail the composition of the number 6.
Physical Education
In PE lessons this week we have been focusing upon maintaining balance, holding a position effectively and keeping control when changing balance/position. Can you have a go at some of these challenges at home
On all fours, try the following:
- Stay very, very still.
- Lift up each hand, one at a time, to a beat.
- Lift up each knee, one at a time.
- Lift a hand and a knee at the same time, trying different combinations.
- Balance something on your back and crawl around.
- Now do some or all of the above with your tummy facing up.
PSHCE
In PSHCE we have been discussing how we feel in different areas of the school including lunch hall, classroom, allotment and outdoors playground area. Together we have identified and named different emotions and also considered all of the different words that describe both positive and negative feelings.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Reception team