What a fantastic week we have had in year one exploring our outdoor areas and learning all about the wildlife and nature in our school grounds! We have explored the forest, done some gardening, been on nature and wildlife hunts and even looked closely at nature through microscopes and magnifying glasses.
Within STEM week we have focused on:
English: We have been identifying key features of animals to play the game ‘Who am I?’, where the children explain what the animal eats, what type of animal it is and what it looks like. They then created their own versions of the game and painted beautiful pictures of their animals.
How to play ‘Who am I’ at home… Remember to think about: What does the animal eat? Is it a Carnivore Herbivore or Omnivore? What features does it have? Is it a mammal, amphibian, reptile, fish or bird?
e.g. I am a herbivore because I eat green, juicy leaves. I have a long, thin neck so that I can reach the tall trees. I am a mammal. I live in hot places. Who am I?
We also created Weather Diaries, recording the temperature, the type of weather (cloudy, sunny, rainy), the wind, recommendations and predictions. Can you watch the weather this weekend and record your findings? How can you measure the temperature?
Maths: Measuring using non-standard units. We have been drawing animals with chalks in the outdoor area and measuring how many cubes long their bodies are! We also created a plan for a zoo, thinking about the relative size of animals and the space they will need.
At home: Can you make a measurement chart to measure items in your house? You can decide what unit you will use to measure with (cubes, your feet, handprints, pencil…) but make sure you use the same thing to measure with each time.
| Unit of measurement | Item | How long? |
Next week:
–Phonics: exploring alternative vowel sounds and tricky words: days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
English: The launch of Fairytales
Maths: Comparing measurements using non standard units (cubes) key language: longer, shorter
Important information:
-A gentle reminder to vacate the school premises at the end of the day, to reduce the gathering in the outdoor area which we like to keep ready for playful enquiry sessions.
-Here are some tips to keep children safe when using smart phones:
Forest school to start again next week:
Butterflies = Tuesday17th March
Bumblebees = Thursday 18th March
Dragonflies = Friday 19th March
Have a wonderful weekend!
From the Year 1 team