KS1 – Newsletter – 15.10.21

This half term is whizzing by in a flash, here’s what we’ve been up to this week.

We have continued to use ‘Zog’ as our inspiration for our writing this week. In both year groups we have been describing Zog using one or two adjectives for each of his features and then putting these into sentences. Year two have been thinking about the skills Zog learnt and have created some dragons breathing fire. Year 1 have also had an exciting week practising their phonics using all kinds of games and activities and showed them off to some visiting Red Kite teaching students.

In Maths year one have begun to compare numbers using the greater, less than and equals to signs > < =. In year two they have also been comparing and ordering numbers. Some groups have also been practising counting in 2’s, 5’s, 10’s and 3’s.

It was PPA day on Tuesday where the children enjoyed Gymnastics in the hall using the large apparatus. In Art, they were learning how to draw Zog and colour it in using colours correctly. In Music they read two books ‘leaf man’ and ‘The last leaf’. They also listened to the song ‘Autumn leaves’ by Eva Cassidy. They used these things as inspiration for creating musical patterns using conkers, leaves and sticks and then moved on to using xylophones. In RE, Year one were learning about how scientists, Christians and Muslims believe that the world was created. In Year two, they looked at the basics of the Muslim faith. Learning about their use of the Qu’ran and the fact they attend the mosque. They learnt about who Muhammad was and why people visit Mecca.

In Geography we have been looking at aerial maps and discussing human and physical features. The children are able to identify features in our area such as the fire station, Holt Park Active, Asda, Otley Chevin, etc..and say whether they are human or physical features.

In Science this week, we linked with PHSE to think about how soap works and why it is important. We did a simple experiment where we put water into a bowl and sprinkled pepper on the top. We thought about what would happen if we put our finger into the water. When we did it, we realised the pepper stuck to our finger. We then repeated the experiment, but put liquid soap onto our finger first. Again, we predicted what would happen. This time the pepper all moved away from the soap on our finger. We talked about how this is like germs that can easily stick to the oils on our fingers, but when we use soap, we are able to wash the germs away effectively.

Please remember to keep reading with your child. We hope that they will read at home at least 3 times a week. This does not mean that they have to read a whole book every night, especially when the books get longer and harder. Every time you read with your child please sign their reading diary and send it in to school. Whenever you child returns a book to school they will be able to choose a new one.

Monday 18^th October – Talent show. Please practise any songs etc.. with your child at home so that they feel confident to perform.

Wednesday 20^th October – 2.30pm – Phonics workshop for all parents of Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. Please use the bottom gate from 2.25pm. Everyone must wear a mask, but there will be socially distanced seating.