Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - Friday 25th October 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! Wow! We have finished our first half term in Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Class! All the children have settled in so well and worked extremely hard in our first 7 weeks and we now want them to have a fantastic rest! We had Nikki from the Fire Service come in yesterday and talk to us about people who help us and how the fire service help keep us safe. She also led an assembly all about how we can keep safe this Halloween and Fireworks Night.

Cauliflower Christmas Cards

All the children will have come home this week with their Christmas card design attached to the order form. If you wish, these designs can be turned into not just Christmas cards but mugs, books and wrapping paper too! If you do want to have the design realised into any of these items you need to place the order online first. All the details about how to do this are clearly set out on the form that came home. Once you have placed the order online, you must tick the box indicated and return the artwork and form back to school by Tuesday 5th November so we can send it away to be printed. If you do not wish for your child's design to be made into items then you do not need to return the artwork.

Half Term Homework

As stated at the beginning of the blog, we are very proud of all the children's efforts this half term and would like them to have a good rest. To that end we do not send homework books home during the holidays. It would be useful, however, if you keep up the reading, little and often, to ensure your child's continuing progress in this very important area. 

We hope you have a fantastic half term holiday, whatever you are doing and look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday 5th November!

Much love

Mr Jude, Miss Smith, Mrs Holmes & Mrs Yuille

Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - Friday 18th October 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! Well it's been another exciting week in Key Stage 1 with World Food Day happening on Wednesday. We had a range of activities that we took part in, from taste testing, making dough, making potato skins and making spring rolls. The children loved all the activities and enjoyed trying new foods out, some for the first time! We learnt about Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, No Hunger, and how the small actions we can all take at a local level can make a big difference! On this note, we are collecting food for Harvest so if you feel able to contribute, please do send in some food for our collection. There are lots of photos of this day in this week's newsletter.

Upcoming Events

A few notes for your diary in the coming months - more details will be on the newsletter as we get nearer to the time:

• 25th October - PTA Halloween Disco
• 19th/20th November - Parent/Teacher Consultation Evenings

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 18 & 19.

For Year 1's this focuses on ordinal numbers and patterns. Using the language first, second, third etc and then relating this to 1st, 2nd, 3rd is the main skill you will be looking to consolidate here. This language comes to the fore when describing and extending patterns. Have a go at creating your own patterns, practically and on paper. You can also try this game out as well: 

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/shape-patterns

For Year 2's this focuses on solving number problems. The ability to apply all our understanding in addition and subtraction is the whole reason for us learning to become proficient in maths. We teach the children to spot the important pieces of information in a worded problem and notice the words that indicate if we need to add our numbers or take them away. Look carefully at the information on page 18. Maybe your child could also come up with their own worded problems for you to solve?

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development.

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. Just come down the steps to see us! 

Have a great weekend!

Kind regards

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille, Mrs Holmes & Miss Smith

Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - Friday 11th October 2024

 Happy Friday everybody!  We are currently recovering from our amazing science day on Thursday where we took part in lots of fun experiments! We looked at all sorts of effects of vibration as well as looking at dissolving and absorption in class. We had a great day - look for more photos in next week's newsletter!

Upcoming Events

A few notes for your diary in the coming months - more details will be on the newsletter as we get nearer to the time:

• 16th October - World Food Day
• 25th October - PTA Halloween Disco
• 19th/20th November - Parent/Teacher Consultation Evenings

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 16 & 17.

For Year 1's this focuses on the number line. The number line is an important tool for identifying how numbers relate to each other, what is more or what is less. The games below focus on developing these skills, in particular being able to identify numbers that are 1 more or less than a given number:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/chopper-squad

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/robot-more-or-less

For Year 2's this focuses on ordering and comparing numbers. Using the signs < (less than), > (greater than) and = (equal to) to compare numbers is an important part of the Year 2 curriculum. As well as comparing numbers we can use it to compare calculations e.g. 4+3 > 2+2.

The link below has a range of short games that we have used in class to support this idea:

https://www.mathbrix.com/skills/comparison

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development.

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. 

Have a great weekend!

Kind regards

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille, Mrs Holmes & Miss Smith

Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - Friday 4th October 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! Time seems to be flying by as we whizz into October and the weather changes just as quickly too. Please ensure, as we move deeper into Autumn, that your child has a coat with them everyday and that all items of clothing are named. We have continued writing factual sentences this week, looking at Mountain Rescue 4x4 trucks!

Science Day - Thursday 10th October

On Thursday next week, we have invited Sublime Science to Down Hall to provide the children from the whole school with a day full of scientific experiments. In light of this, could we please ask that your children come into school wearing clothes that you don't mind getting a little messy.

Should you wish to embrace your little scientist further at home, the link attached will take you to their website, where you can access over 100 free experiment ideas.

Sublime Science activities

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 14 & 15.

For Year 1's this focuses on counting in 2's, 5's and 10's. Counting on in 2's is very important for helping children to identify even numbers and as mentioned before in previous blogs, counting on in 10's really helps develop the children's understanding of place value. This will all serve as a precursor to when the children start looking at times tables more formally later in the year and as they move into Year 2. The games below focus on developing these skills:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/chinese-dragon-ordering

https://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/saucerSorter/

For Year 2's this focuses on partitioning numbers. Children are most used to partitioning numbers into their tens and ones (e.g. 38 = 30 + 8). However, we can partition numbers in many different ways - so if 30 + 8 = 38; 20 + 18 = 38 and 10 + 28 = 38 too. We encourage the children to look for patterns to help them find different solutions to the same answer. The link below has an app that lets the children create numbers using tens and ones equipment and then rearrange these to create different combinations of numbers that make the same amount. However, splitting the numbers into tens and ones can also be done practically by bundles of sticks or pencils to represent tens.

https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/number-pieces/

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development.

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. 

Have a great weekend!

Kind regards

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille, Mrs Holmes & Miss Smith

Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - Friday 27th September 2024

Happy Friday, everybody! This week we have been looking at non-fiction books and their features. We have used this to help write our own facts about All-Weather Lifeboats. In science, we have been looking at how living things reproduce and matching baby animals to their adults. Next week, we will be using our own baby photos in class so if you have yet to send one in, please try to as having their own photo makes the learning much more personal to the children.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 12 & 13.

For Year 1's this focuses on counting skills and comparing amounts. Developing accurate and reliable counting and then being able to say which of two or more amounts is more or less is an important aspect of the Year 1 curriculum. It is also important that the children understand that equal means the same as. There are also some games in the link below to help reinforce these ideas.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting

For Year 2's this focuses on the number line and making estimates as to where numbers lie on the number line. When doing this, it is important to firstly look at the numbers that we can see already on the number line - are they going up in 2's, 5's, 10's? From here, look at which 2 numbers the arrow is in between to work out a number that is more/less than the given numbers. The game below will help reinforce the ideas presented in the homework book:

https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/37/placing_numbers_on_a_number_line

Alternatively, you can draw out your own number lines, giving a starting point and an end point and asking your child to place numbers where they feel they would go between these numbers.

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development.

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. 

Have a super weekend!

All the best

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille, Mrs Holmes & Miss Smith 

Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - 20th September 2024

 Happy Friday, everybody! We have had a fantastic week in Key Stage 1 looking at the qualities it takes to be a firefighter, writing captions and making posters as well as looking at compass directions in Geography.

Baby Photos

Thank you to those who have sent in a photo of their child as a baby for our learning about life processes. If you haven't sent one in yet, don't panic - it is not too late! Please send in a photograph (not too big!) of your child as a baby with their name on the back and we will copy it and send the original back to you. Alternatively, if you would prefer to send it digitally then please do so using our KS1 email address below

ks1@downhallprimary.com

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 10 & 11.

For Year 1's this focuses on counting to 100. This will continue to build upon the work on tens and ones from last week. Remember - having a clear understanding of what digits represent in numbers is such an important aspect of our maths learning. Reinforce how 24 is represented by the digits 2 & 4 but 24 is actually a 20 and a 4. Explore the hundred square on page 10 and look for the patterns you can see there. There are also some games in the link below to help reinforce these ideas.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting

For Year 2's this focuses counting on in different steps. This looks at the patterns that are present in counting on in steps of different amounts and how even numbers always have even multiples but odd numbers alternate between odd and even multiples. The hundred square app below is really good for creating these steps and spotting patterns. Alternatively, practice writing out sequences of numbers, in particular, the 2's, 5's and 10's and discuss any patterns that you can see.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/learning-to-count/paint-the-squares

Reading At Home

Reading regularly at home will make a huge impact on your child's reading development and learning across the whole curriculum. Please read each week as often as you can and jot it down in the reading diary. Is is also important to talk about a book when you have finished your reading. Which is your favourite part? Did you like this character? Why? 

Always remember to have your child's reading book and reading diary in school everyday!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. 

Have a superb weekend!

Best Wishes

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille, Mrs Holmes & Miss Smith

Tulip, Bluebell & Daffodil Blog - Friday 13th September 2024

  Happy Friday, everybody! We hope you have had a great week. We have been busy in KS1 looking at the traditional tale of the Little Red Hen in English as well as looking for things that are living and non-living in the school environment for science.

Baby Photos

As mentioned above, one of the main themes of our science learning this half term is living and non-living things. In this, we look at how all living things grow and consider how we have all grown up from being a baby. To help us in this work, if you could send in a photograph of your child as a baby this would make their learning more relatable to themselves.

Please name the photo on the back and we will copy it and send the original back to you if you wish to have the original returned. Alternatively, if you would prefer to send it digitally then please do so using our KS1 email address below which we have reopened temporarily just for this purpose.

ks1@downhallprimary.com

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 8 & 9.

For Year 1's this focuses on tens and ones. Understanding how 2-digit numbers are made up of tens and ones is fundamental to all the maths we do in Key Stage 1. Having a clear understanding of what digits represent in numbers is such an important aspect of our maths learning. Although we represent the number 12 with the digits 1 & 2, 12 is actually a 10 and a 2. Again, look at page 8 to understand the idea and then work through page 9. If you wish to extend your child's work in this, count objects and group these into tens so you can see how these larger numbers can be represented by tens and ones. There are also some games in the link below to help reinforce these ideas.

For Year 2's this focuses numbers to 100. Again, keep looking at these numbers in terms of their tens and ones - how is the number 24 different to 42? Look also at how each number can also be represented by words. When it comes to writing the words, encourage the children to be as accurate as possible in their spelling.

Place Value Games

Spellings Homework

This week, your child will come home with some spellings to practice at home. Please practice these spellings on the sheet inside the book. If you wish to use the following page to practice putting these spellings into sentences this will make their practice even more valuable.

Please ensure that all homework books are returned by Wednesday so we are able to mark and give out again on Friday.

Reading At Home

Reading regularly at home will make a huge impact on your child's reading development and learning across the whole curriculum. Please read each week as often as you can and jot it down in the reading diary. Is is also important to talk about a book when you have finished your reading. Which is your favourite part? Did you like this character? Why? 

We will send home the book that your child has been reading in their Guided Reading sessions during the week. Two additional reading books from the colour bands will come home and will be changed weekly if they have been read at home. Please note the reading you are doing at home in your child's reading diary so we can see each week if the children are ready for a new book.

Always remember to have your child's reading books and reading diary in school everyday!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. 

Have a great weekend!

Much love

Mr Jude, Mrs Yuille, Mrs Holmes & Miss Smith