Headteacher: Anna Moss

Forest School

Lifecycles - Butterfly

Talking about, sharing photos, books and creating a butterly den where they can grow has helped us to understand about our new lifecycle.  Nothing is as good as the real thing though so we all look forward to watching it happen in real life a little later in the year.

Music

High and Low

A call and respond song of “Hello Nursery” has combined our high and low learning and finished off our Music topic of pitch.  As with all our learning, we will revisit weekly.

Write Dance

Wheels on the Bus

An old song with the mark-making element added.  We warmed up our arms, shoulders and hands in preparation to draw circles, lines and spot marks on paper with our chunky crayons.

Listening Game

Staying Quiet

It was time for Mrs Mander to take a snooze as you worked hard at keeping not only your voices off, but bodies quiet too.

Phonics

The iguana sound, i

The box was full with lots of pictures of i – igloo, Incredibles, indigo but they were tricky to find with all those insects crawling around inside. Arrrggghhh! 

Maths

More than

As our Maths warm up, we matched up our new number shape pieces to the numerals 1-5, another “school ready” skill ticked off!  We then had fun, selecting one, comparing with a friend and saying who has more.  Definitely a skill to revisit and consolidate in the every day.  Seeing where there are more (and NOT counting) is an excellent skill to build on.

Communication and Language

The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle

There isn’t any other book that teaches the butterfly lifecycle quite like this one and so an obvious one for Mrs Allen to share with you.  Her story spoons were a big hit too!

Dough Disco

I like to move it move it, Reel to Reel

A popular choice for all but chosen by Benji.  We have been punching our arms forwards and up to the music and changing the shape of the dough for other parts of the song.  We talked about Reel to Reel and the BIG country they come from, America.  Can you remember the pattern and colours on their flag?

Forest School

Lifecycles

Making a “patio pond” was a popular choice this week.  Collecting rocks, water and leaves for the tadpoles to eat was relentless.  We have enjoyed talking about how the lifecycle changes from frogspawn-tadpole-froglet-frog through play and non-fiction stories.

Music

High and Low

Showing high and low with our hands and then bodies whilst listening to this clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9yp99xGP6s was a lot of fun, especially the cackle!

Write Dance

Beans

A Maths song this week - we have been a range of beans – jumping, baked and runner.  We took our dancing to the table and all had the chance on the messy table where you were moving your hands in red and yellow paint – can you remember the colour you made?

Listening Game

Looking

Hiding a friend under the blanket and seeing if you could remember and name who was “Hiding under the Blanket” was tricky for some.  We had clues to help you out!

Phonics

The penguin sound, p

Our fourth sound this week and the box was jam-packed with some very important visitors – Prince, Princess and Police Officer.  Flipping pancakes on the mini pan made us giggle. 

Maths

Same, Not the Same

We enjoyed our two-player game this week of rock-paper-scissors-shoot.  We sat opposite a friend and “shot” fingers numbers at one another.  Now that we can spot same-not the same, we are ready for the next skill – “greater than/more”

Communication and Language

Hungry Harry,

Joanne Partis

A fun story about a frog called Harry whose mum thinks it is time for him to catch his own dinner.  It turns out not that easy doing it on your own.  Thank you Mrs Allen for sharing!

Playground Game

Whistle/Hoops

We visited another part of the playground this week – the basketball hoop area.  As we aren’t ready for shooting some baskets yet, we played a fun hoop game where we ran and listened for the whistle and placed one foot in.  Finding group sizes the same linked well to our Maths.

Dough Disco

Daddy Cool, Boney M

Thank you Eric for this classic disco tune.  We have had fun this week poking, passing and spinning the dough.  We talked about Boney M and the country they came from – Germany.

Forest School

Birds

With it being Big Garden Birdwatch, Mrs Allen has taught you how to use the binoculars to spot them.  She helped you set up a quiet space with the netting and crates and you had the chance to make a bird feeder up on the balcony. Fingers crossed the birds visit this weekend!

Music

High and Low

Hedgehog has been teaching us how to sing familiar rhymes in a high voice and Badger, in a low voice.  We have begun to show high and low with our hands – you will need this next week for our listening game!

Write Dance

We can do anything

A revisit of an old song with the mark-making element added.  We have been two-handed marking on the chalkboards with squiggles and lines. Jumping chalks was the highlight.

Listening Game

Looking

Staying Quiet

Combining two listening skills to make the game work was the challenge this week.  We split into teams and had a first attempt at sorting our s and a objects into two groups.

Phonics

The tiger sound, t

The box was full this week with the tomato, the tambourine and tights.  We are getting into the swing of blending sounds as well e.g. t-e-n makes the number 10. Can you make your own t collection at home this weekend? 

Maths

The Same

With lots of able to read numbers 1-4, we have begun the matching journey.  Reading the number and matching to a familiar pattern e.g. numicon, dice is a key skill for early maths.

Communication and Language

Beti and the Yeti,

Ella Burfoot

A lovely Winter story about a little girl called Betty who makes friends with scary but shy yeti.  Finding his clothes in Forest School as your pre-story game was fun! 

Playground Game

Whistle/Crates

Our favourite time of the day as we get to run in the big playground.  Travelling around obstacles (crates) and moving obstacles (our friends) was a challenge when we had to listen as well for the whistle to find a seat.

Non Dough Disco

Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr

Thank you Henry!  We didn’t need the dough this week as the song itself made us move our arms and shoulders as we ran for and zapped those ghosts!

Forest School

Fires

This week you have enjoyed collecting firewood and storing in a dry place ready for our fire on Wednesday.  It was a welcome bit of warmth to sit by (with some warm milk in hands).

Music

High and Low

Hedgehog and Badger have been teaching us all about high and low sounds.  We enjoyed singing Happy Birthday to Harriet high and low on Tuesday.

Write Dance

Just Like This

Making marks on the table in shaving foam was definitely a highlight as we moved our arms up and down for marching and crossed over for the zigzags.  Sorry for the messy sleeves!

Listening Game

Sitting still

Sitting with bottoms on the chair, two feet on the floor and arms in front of us was fun this week as we played a game of Musical chairs.  Keep practising at home!

Phonics

The astronaut sound, a

We enjoyed naming some interesting things in our box this week – asparagus, avocado and antelope.  Mrs Allen and Andy’s face made an appearance too.  We also blended our sounds together to make axe, arrow and ant. 

Maths

The Number 4

Learning about the pattern of four in a row and in a square was just the start of this week.  We enjoyed learning the song “Four”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqZh8TS6hY  and proving that “2 plus 2” makes four with our friends.  Can you show this at home?

Communication and Language

Gruffalos Child,

Julia Donaldson

Mrs Allen enjoyed sharing another Winter story with you.  She brought along the characters and some fun activity cards to play before the story too.  So much more than just storytime!

Playground Game

Stuck in the Mud

This is our opportunity to run!  We “walk” out a safe square space and this week, enjoyed jogging around safely whilst Mrs Mander tried to stick you in the mud!

Dough Disco

What does the fox say?  Ylvis

Thank you Effy for this song!  Every year we enjoy singing along to the sounds a fox may make.  Foxy fingers were a challenge but so good to work those hands.  We talked about Ylvis and the country they come from – can you remember who else was born in Norway?

Forest School

Snowflakes

Alongside all the puddle fun, you have enjoyed making pipe cleaner snowflakes to decorate the sand netting.  With our Year 4 nursery friends, you have also enjoyed weaving snowflakes with wool on a frame.

Maths

Direction

Following a successful computing week, we became robots as we controlled each other to move around the Forest school using the forward, backward, stop commands.  Have a go at home – do not forget to pop the batteries in.

Art

Scissor skills

We began our scissor skill work this week as you amazed by creating your own snowflake with just a little snipping.  Did any of them look the same?

Communication and Language

One Snowy Night, Nick Butterworth

A favourite Winter story as Mrs Allen has been sharing the story of Percy the Park Keeper and his full bed of animals.  You had fun making a bed for the soft toys.

Dough Disco

Cotton-Eyed Joe, Rednex

After a Winter disco song from Frozen last week, Joshua chose this week.  We have been balling, pinching and spinning that dough to this catchy tune!

Write Dance

House of the Bears

We have been swaying, stirring and clawing to our song this week, practising our big arm movements.  We have had fun making lines and circles on some slippery tables.

Phonics

/S/

Our Little Wandle Phonics journey has begun as we have been listening and making the sound /s/.  Finding out “What was in the Box?” was fun.  Can you remember any /s/ objects from the box?

Outdoor Game

Cups and Saucers

To begin the transition into the main school for lots of you, we have begun a daily playground game.  This week has been a team game of cups and saucers where you had to turn the cones over to make saucers when others were working against you.

Maths

Counting Back

Our Gingerbread Men duplicated as we found 20 of them! We had fun splitting onto 4 trays and role-playing the song.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCZ3dzFK6BI

Art

Rudolph Hats

For our Christmas dinner day on Wednesday, we had fun making our own reindeer hats.  You remembered how to collage his nose with tissue paper and your hands made the best antler shapes!  We hope they have all made it home.

Communication and Language

Christmas

We finally made it to the end of our small world Nativity story in the cabin!  Mrs Allen has also enjoyed sharing her new story – Countdown to Christmas.  We will be sad to pack these Christmas books away tonight.

Dough Disco

Merry Christmas Everybody, Slade

Another Christmas disco this week as we have sausaged and sang to this classic Slade track.  Enjoy.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpfHSqLXePI

Write Dance

Santa Shark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0aAMvvw_co

Please play and see if the children can teach you all the actions!

Forest School

Sleighs and Tinsel

With the mud and sand continuing to be frozen, the patio has been popular this week.  You have made some excellent sleighs with the crates and tinsel.

Outdoor Game

Elf Hide and Seek

Jolly, our Nursery elf, has been playing hide and seek with you outdoors and teaching you how hiding behind something whilst Staying Quiet made him tricky to find.

Music

Voice Sounds

We have been singing the call and respond song “Have you brought your singing voices?”  Which was your favourite voice?

Listening Game

Staying Quiet

We had to all stay quiet whilst a friend found the sound hiding under one of three buckets using only their ears.

Phonics

Environmental Sounds

We have continued to listen and find more objects that make a sound in the cabin – what sounds can you hear in your house?

Maths

The Number 3

Recognising numicon 3, collecting 3, making a cuddle/circle/row of three with our friends and starting to see three in a five frame ready for next week.

Communication and Language

Traditional Tales

Three Billy Goats Gruff - you have enjoyed role playing the story with story spoons and small world blocks with Mrs Allen.  Who was hiding under the bridge?

Dough Disco

5 6 7 8, Steps

Thank you Billie!  We have been passing and spinning the dough to the music

Write Dance

Coming round the mountain

We have travelled around the mountain in a train, plane and automobile – can you remember the arm actions?  When the rain came, we made rainbow arches

Forest School

Crates and Ramps

On the patio, you have been building your own bridge to travel across with the crates and planks.  Was your friend a troll?

Outdoor Game

Follow the sand

We placed a blindfolded friend in the middle of a circle and chose another friend to take the tambourine for a walk around and stop.  Did they find it?