Year One Summer Term Curriculum Newsletter

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Year One Curriculum Newsletter Summer Term 2016

 

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to school and to the Summer Term and final term of Year One. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and enjoyed the holidays.  This is a very important term in which previous work, particularly in Numeracy and Literacy, is reinforced, consolidated and extended so that firm foundations are laid ready for Year Two.

 

Marvellous Minibeasts!

Our class topic this term is Minibeasts. Year 1 are going to be getting their hands dirty and exploring the world of minibeasts. The children will be hunting, studying and handling a range of minibeasts. They will be finding out about minibeasts and their habitats, looking at their lifecycles, creating their own bugs and will have many other exciting opportunities. This shall bring the topic to life and include all aspects of the curriculum.

 

Wherever possible we will deliver skills through the project. However, there will always be certain subjects and skills that do not lend themselves to a particular project. These will therefore be delivered discretely.

 

Language, Literacy and Communication

This term we will be reading and writing stories and poems about fantasy worlds with patterned and predictable structures.  The children will continue to bring home guided reading books each week from the school reading scheme, and a book of their choice from the class library.  Please continue to support your child with his/her reading by writing in the weekly diaries and discussing the author, stories and content together, it is invaluable in ensuring that they progress and achieve their full potential. PLEASE BRING READING FOLDERS TO SCHOOL EVERYDAY.

 

Mathematical Development

Mathematics will continue to be taught daily consisting of both mental and written activities. We will be reinforcing and developing addition, subtraction, doubling, estimating, money and data handling.  Support your child’s mathematical skills and knowledge at home by estimating and measuring in centimetres , adding coins and giving change, recognition of o’clock, half past, quarter to and quarter past times.

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

Through our topic of Minibeasts the children will be investigating and making simple observations about insects and their environments. Using a range of fun and engaging activities the children will develop their understanding of different minibeasts and their surrounding habitats.  The children will be collecting and identifying small minibeasts and plants during nature walks. They will also be recording, grouping and recognizing similarities and differences. The children will also take part in looking after and caring for our very own butterfly zoo where the children will watch the journey from to beautiful butterflies!

 

Personal and Social Development, Well Being and Cultural Diversity

Through studying minibeasts habitats the children will become aware of their local environment. We will be focussing on the possible hazards it holds and how to avoid these hazards. The children will develop their understanding of health and safety, when using tools to plant and when collecting minibeasts.  When we have caught the minibeasts the children will learn about the importance of caring for them. They will be asked to think about how to look after them, what their needs are and how they should be handled.

 

The children will be looking at minibeasts and habitats from different parts of the world and will also explore the cultures of these places, encouraged at all times to recognise and respect other cultural differences.  Opportunities are provided across all areas of learning for the children to work together, in pairs, small groups and as a whole class.

 

Welsh Development

As well as encouraging incidental Welsh throughout each day, the children will be learning to talk, read and write about their homes and where they live, and responding to questions such as Ble rwyt ti’n byw? (Where do you live?) and Beth rwyt ti eisiau? (What do you want?).  We will continue to build upon what we have learned already by developing further vocabulary about the weather, ourselves, colours and food.

 

Creative Development

Whilst exploring the class topic the children will be studying minibeasts using the microscopes and making observational drawings. They will have the opportunity to apply their creative skills through designing and making their very own large scale ugly bugs, using junk modelling materials. In addition to this the children will be fully involved in the production of our role play area the Minibeast Exploration Centre.

 

I.C.T

The computer will be used as a tool for teaching and learning across the curriculum.  This term we will pay particular attention to the internet looking at familiar icons included on the internet browser and with support opening an internet site. The children will also have the opportunity to develop their ICT skills to photograph minibeasts. Children will also have access to our class iPad station where skills in maths and literacy will be consolidated through educational games.

 

Pupil Voice

At Glasllwch Primary we continue to adapt and improve our school curriculum to encompass the interests and experiences of the children. We believe that asking pupils about what they would like to learn is fundamental to providing an engaging and inspiring curriculum. Therefore we shall be asking the children what they already know about the topic of Minibeasts and will be discussing what they would like to learn.

 

Physical Development

Physical development lessons will continue to take place on a Monday, please can you make sure your child has his/her PE Kit in school every Monday and that no earrings/jewellery are worn to school.  This term we will be practicing our games skills through Play to Learn.  We will be having our PE lessons outside whenever possible so please make sure that your child has suitable footwear in his or her PE bag this term.

 

Homework

The children will continue to have a list of spellings to learn each week. These are words that the children need to write and read frequently.  I would be grateful if you could support him/her to learn how to spell these words, discuss the different sounds and identify these words when reading together.  You may like to put each spelling into a sentence to support meaning. PLEASE BRING SPELLING BOOKS TO SCHOOL EVERY FRIDAY

 

 

Are you an avid bug collector? Do you have a particular expertise in this area? If so, please do come and see me! If you do have any resources which would help with our learning then I would be grateful to the have the opportunity to share them with the children.

 

Thank you in anticipation of your continued support.

Miss Edwards and Miss Mears

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