Siskins

Welcome to Siskins Class!

Our teacher is Miss Gerry, and we are supported brilliantly by Mr Teague every day.

Any of the teachers would be delighted to speak to you if you have any concerns, big or small.

This term…

We have fantastic learning opportunities and experiences coming up in this Summer Term…

Early in the term, the children will visit The Box museum in Plymouth. This links to our prior learning in Science about ‘Animals Including Humans’. The children will develop their observational skills and gain further understanding of learning from the past. They will visit art galleries within the museum, to deepen awareness of art and its different forms.

Our first English unit takes us to the rainforest, where we meet a rather unhappy orangutan. The children will then write letters to a supermarket, highlighting the issues around the use of palm oil. The children will also explore writing in a range of genres including; instructional writing, setting descriptions, rhyming poetry and a recount of the museum trip.

In Maths, Year 1 will focus on building on applying their skills to larger numbers by looking at place value to 100. They will learn to count on and back in 2s, 5s and 10s. The children will find halves and quarters of shapes and amount, learn to tell the time to the hour and half hour, recognising coins and notes and counting money. The children will also learn to describe ‘turns’ and describe position in relation to; left and right, forwards and backwards and above and below.

In Geography, the children will learn about the different types of weather where we live and how it effects our daily lives. The children will create a weather diary and learn why we do not experience extreme weather where we live due to our location in the world. In History, children will explore the question, ‘How have flights changed the world?’ They will learn about the first aeroplanes, heroic pilots and missions to space and then consider the impact on our lives today.

The Summer Term, gives children the chance to consolidate their learning in Science so far. We will revisit the topics of ‘Animals Including Humans’ and ‘Plants’. The children can deepen their understanding and apply their knowledge to new questions and investigations.

In Art, the children will learn how to smooth a form out of clay. They will explore a range of materials to understand the importance of weight and balance in construction and they will use recycled materials to create their own sculpture inspired by The Enchanted Owl by Kenojuak Ashevak. In Design and Technology, the children will explore materials in our Textiles unit. Children will learn how to sew pieces of fabric together to form a pouch. They will be able to name the parts of a needle and may be able to thread it.

In Geography, Year 1 will embark on a journey to explore their local environment and the world around them. The focus will be on understanding where we live, including the features of our local area, the types of places in our community, and how we can navigate them.

In PSHE, children will explore relationships; they will talk about people who are special to them and how those people make them feel and keep them safe.

In Religious Education (RE), the children will begin to explore Judaism by learning about the importance of Shabbat to Jewish children. The children will learn about special foods, attending a synagogue and consider what we should be thankful for.

During PE lessons (Tuesdays and Thursdays), the children will focus on their physical skills through sending and receiving different equipment including balls and beanbags. The children will also develop their reaction and response skills through activities such as waiting for their partner to drop a ball and then catch it after two bounces. After half term, the children will start practising a range of activities ready for Sports Day!

Don't forget to regularly check our Class Dojo page to see what we get up to in Siskins Class!

Phonics and Reading

https://www.littlewandlelettersandsounds.org.uk/resources/for-parents/ A link to our phonics scheme

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/ Free ebooks for children.

For maths support:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ (lots are tablet-friendly)

https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/year-1/ (This is the maths scheme we use in class. There are activities you can download and videos to watch).