Class Acorns have kicked off our Autumn term with our topic ‘All about me and my family.” Where we celebrate everything that makes us unique and special. It’s been great start to the year and we have been focusing on settling into our new environment and getting to know our daily routines making lots of friends along the way. Children have been working hard on building up independence approaching tasks especially changing shoes and coats.
Our main topic is focusing on ‘Ourselves’ recognising and pursuing our own interests and strengths. We know the most important people in our children’s lives are their family and community. In our communication and language lessons we will be developing our confidence speaking one to one, with talk partners and in a group about the special people and times in our lives. We will have a big focus on listening and attention and making sure we know when its our turn to speak and listen. We will be focusing on key skills of conversation, maintaining eye contact with the speaker and picking up on each others body language.
Reading
We have a shared read daily with children’s choice of books carefully selected to support our topic and sub topic of Autumn and seasons. We will be starting our phonics scheme ‘phonological awareness.’ Our new starters will start at the beginning of our scheme focusing on tuning into sounds and sound discrimination. Our 5 term children will be moving on to rhyme and alliteration and syllable sorting.
Our key texts this term will be:
There’s only one you
Titch
Stick man
Alfie’s Christmas
Our literacy focus will be recognising the five key concepts of print:
-print has meaning
-print can have different purposes
-we read English text from left to right and from top to bottom
-the names of the different parts of a book
-page sequencing
Each child will take home a library reading book to share with an adult. Please help your child to recognise the key concepts of print and encourage the children to join in with key phrases from the story. Children need a lot of repetition and need to hear a story many, many times before they can retain the story and vocabulary they have heard. Once you have read the story several times with your child encourage them to turn the pages independently and tell the story in their own words.
Writing
In nursery we start at the pre writing stage. Although we encourage children to recognise and attempt to write letters from their names our main focus is building pre writing skills.
What are the building blocks necessary to develop writing readiness (pre-writing)?
- Hand and finger strength: An ability to exert force against resistance using the hands and fingers that allows the necessary muscle power for controlled movement of the pencil.
- Crossing the mid-line: The ability to cross the imaginary line running from a person’s nose to pelvis that divides the body into left and right sides.
- Pencil grasp: The efficiency of how the pencil is held, allowing age appropriate pencil movement generation.
- Hand eye coordination: The ability to process information received from the eyes to control, guide and direct the hands in the performance of a task such as handwriting.
- Bilateral integration: Using two hands together with one hand leading (e.g. holding and moving the pencil with the dominant hand while the other hand helps by holding the writing paper).
- Upper body strength: The strength and stability provided by the shoulder to allow controlled hand movement for good pencil control.
- Object manipulation: The ability to skilfully manipulate tools (including holding and moving pencils and scissors) and controlled use of everyday tools (such as a toothbrush, hairbrush, cutlery).
- Visual perception: The brain’s ability to interpret and make sense of visual images seen by the eyes, such as letters and numbers.
- Hand dominance: The consistent use of one (usually the same) hand for task performance, which allows refined skills to develop.
- Hand division: Using just the thumb, index and middle finger for manipulation, leaving the fourth and little finger tucked into the palm stabilizing the other fingers but not participating
Children have been provided with an adventure book which they are encouraged to draw a picture of their weekend activities. Children will share this in their key worker groups on a Wednesday and Friday, they are encouraged to share their activities with their key worker adult and their peers. If you have any pictures but are unable to print them at home feel free to email them in and we can print the for you.
Maths
In maths we will begin our topic by introducing the concept of numbers in a fun and practical way through number songs. We focus on using hands on physical manipulatives to give children a good understanding of amounts and enable them to physically problem solve by acting out the songs and problems given to them. Our objectives are:
- Experiment with their own symbols and marks as well as numerals.
- Develop fast recognition of up to 3 objects, without having to count them individually (subitising).
- Recite numbers past 5.
- Say one number from each item in order: 1,2,3,4,5.
- Show ‘finger numbers’ up to 5.
Our 5 term children will also be expected to:
- Link numerals and amounts: for example, showing the right number of objects to match the numerals up to 5.
- Compare quantities using language: ‘more than’, ‘fewer than’.
Upcoming Events
Library dates:
14th October
2nd December
Each term we will be walking the class down to Malton Library to be introduced to the facility and have an opportunity to borrow a book and have a story time. If would be lovely to have as many parents as possible to come along with us as possible. Please let me know if you are available to come along with us.
Reminders
- Please bring children’s reading book and adventure book daily. Books will be changed on a Weds or Fri depending on your child’s hours.
- PE is on a Tuesday. Nursery are not required to have a PE kit but it is good practice for reception to begin using one so we would recommend they do bring one if possible after spring term.
- Pupils need to bring a waterproof coat in every day as we go out regardless of the weather
- It would be really useful for all children to have a pair of wellies that stay in school for wet weather activities (we understand if they need to go home each day)
- Please name every item of uniform in order that we may help your child look after their belongings
We do regular collections of loose parts for our curiosity approach (See curiosity section on school webste for more details) We will send regular flyer detailing items we are collecting and would really appreciate any donations!
We look Forward to a busy and exciting term full of curiosity and wonder.
If you would like any more information or would like to send on pictures for adventure books please don’t hesitate to contact me at:
Gwen.blakey@hcat.org.uk