Duckling Newsletter 6/2/15

Friday 6th February 2015 Our News!

The children have been very busy reading an A-Z of toys, comparing old and new toys. They have enjoyed sorting toys into groups of different materials. We have looked at some of the old toys that you have sent in as a speaking and listening activity. A big thank you to those children who brought in some of their parents and grandparents old toys.

We have been thinking of ‘wow’ or describing words to describe our favourite toys. Come and see their fantastic writing all about their favourite toys.

Outside the children have been exploring which toy car travels the furthest and which ball bounces the highest. We have been learning another toy song about a robot, acting out and moving in different ways just like a real robot. Ask them to show you!

In Mathematics we have enjoyed learning about our new topic of ‘Money’. It’s a topic that has been met by great enthusiasm! The children have loved looking at different coins and making different amounts. They have been busy buying toys in the toy shop and paying for their snacks at the snack table.

The Naughty Bus has arrived at our school this week and the children are very excited to learn more about its adventures and what it will do next. They have enjoyed creating questions of their own to ask the Naughty Bus. We have enjoyed reading the Naughty Bus story and it has inspired us to write our own adventure stories! We are looking forward to the Naughty Bus coming to visit us at school and taking us on a ride next week.

STARS OF THE WEEK Daniel Workman for making super progress with all of his work and Nicole Rigby for always sitting beautifully and participating fully during carpet time Oliver Tsang for a having a fantastic attitude towards his work and Maisie Hill for being a super reader Our next news letter will be on Friday 27th February and will give details about all the fun activities we have planned for the next few weeks.

Any questions please don’t hesitate to ring, email or come and see us.

Staff email: Mrs Claydon l.claydon@carletongreen.lancs.sch.uk Mrs Catterall m.catterall@carletongreen.lancs.sch.uk

OUR LEARNING Naughty Bus and Chinese New Year We will continue to have lots of fun with this story.

We will explore using different vocabulary to describe the position of the Naughty Bus, wherever we may find it!

We will use the scenario of passengers getting on and off the bus to solve word problems, involving addition and subtraction.

We will have lots of opportunities for writing about the Naughty Bus. We hope to write stories, wanted posters and make maps of the bus and its journey.

Outside, we will investigate which surface is the best for allowing the Naughty Bus to travel the furthest on.

In Mathematics we will continue to work with money, paying for our bus ticket when we go on our bus ride and exploring taking away with money, finding out how much change we need when buying toys in the toyshop.

During PE we have continued our underarm throwing and kicking skills. We are becoming much more accurate and remembering how to stand and balance too. This week we practiced balancing a beanbag on a bat and moving in different ways without it falling off. We used one hand and had to have the other one behind our back first walking, then running, skipping, hopping and jumping. Who’s had a go at the spiderman crawl?

Next week we will find out about how the Chinese celebrate New Year. We will taste some noodles during snack, try our hand at Chinese writing and dragon dancing, try a chopstick challenge, make lanterns and sheep (after all it is the year of the sheep!), celebrate and dress up in our decorated home corner. We will also read lots of stories based in China, including a story called ‘The magic Paintbrush.’ At the end of the week the children can come dressed in an item of red, as red is considered a lucky colour!

REMINDERS Naughty Bus Trip Please remember to return permission slips and monies by Monday 9th February at the very latest.

Thank you.

Reading Please try and read a little every night with your child. It really does make a big difference!

Class Blog Don’t forget to go on the school website and have a look at the class blog and photo galleries which show examples of what we have been doing in school.

Snack Please provide your child with a healthy snack and bottle of water.

Walk to School We have started the Walk to School initiative, whereby the children can keep a record of how often they walk to school. Remember, if you live further away from school, you can still take part, by parking a little further away from school and walking a short distance.

Dates Open Afternoon Friday 13th February 1.30pm onwards, in the classroom Come and celebrate Chinese New Year with the children.

The children are welcome to wear something red with their school uniform on this day, for good luck!

Half term th Friday 13 February School Closes at 3.30pm Monday 23rd February School reopens at 8.50am Parents’ Meetings Green Ducklings/Mrs Claydon – Tuesday 24th February 1.30-3.30pm Wednesday 25th February 3.40-6.30pm Yellow Ducklings/Mrs Catterall – Wednesday 25th February 1.30-3.30pm and 3.30-6.30pm Family Photographs th Saturday 28 February with Mel Jones 9-12 noon Easter Disco th Thursday 26 March 5-6pm – FS and KS1 Easter Holidays School closes for Easter 2.30pm

TALK HOMEWORK

Talk for Numbers Look at different coins and ask your child to tell you how much each coin is worth. Play a game with toys. Tell your child each toy costs a different amount and ask them to pay for it.

Count up the 1p coins in your money box.

Order the coins according to size or value.

Sort coins according to shape or colour.

Find as many different ways to make an amount using different coins.

Find different sizes of toys. See if you can put them in order of size, height or length. Use the vocabulary – longest, shortest, tallest, shortest, largest, biggest, smallest. Place a toy in different places and positions. See if a grown up can describe where the toy is using positional language, for e.g. on the chair, beside the bed, amongst the cushions.

Practise number formation on an iPad. www.ictgames.com/numeracy www.adamup.co.uk www.nrich.maths.org www.tesiboard.co.uk Talk for Reading and Writing Practise the new sounds and tricky words sent home, reading and writing words with the new phonemes in.

Practise letter formation on an iPad/tablet Read every night.

Imagine and tell you own Naughty Bus story.

Describe what you can see out of the window next time you travel on a journey. www.phonicsplay.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies TALK FOR TOPIC Go on a bus ride together Find out more about Chinese New Year Make Pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and find out why?

Talk about everything!

Have fun!