Hi Beech Class. I hope you are all OK and have had a good half term. The weather has been amazing and I hope you have all managed to enjoy the sunshine. This is the last half term of this very different school year. I cannot believe we are here already. A new half term means a new topic in Beech Class. Our new topic is one I love and I think you will all enjoy too as I think there is something for everyone in it. Our new topic is ‘School Safari’ which is looking at animals.

English

This week our English lessons will focus on a range of texts and film clips around pets.

 

Explain to your child that this week is all about pets.

What pets do you have?

If you haven’t got a pet would you like a pet?

What would you like?

 

Watch the trailer of the film Secret Life of Pets to talk about what pets do when their owners are at work.

This is one of Mrs Quinn’s favourite films so I hope you like the clip. Even Tilly Cat likes to watch it when I put it on (she really does)!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-80SGWfEjM

 

Talk to your child about what their pet does during the day. If they do not own a pet they could retell what one of the pets from the clip did.

 

Today you have 2 choices:

 

  1. write a diary about their own pet in sentences.
  2. Or write a diary entry saying what one of the pets from the clip did.

 

Encourage the use of ‘and’ in their sentences to extend, e.g. Max ate his food and drank his water. Max went for a walk and had a sleep.

Select how many sentences is appropriate for your child as you know what is best for them.

Follow this format or write in your books – you can draw a picture of your pet too.

english day 1 – diary template

Check for capital letters and full stops when they read their work back.

 

Maths

This week in maths we are looking at 2D and 3D shapes. Today we are looking at 2D shapes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIIidcCw92g this video recaps the shapes and their properties.

In Year 1 the properties we look at are how many sides and vertices (corners) the shapes have. We also focus on circles, squares, triangles, oblongs, pentagon and hexagon. We also looks at heptagon and octagon as a challenge.

The video does cover more than this (so ignore the parallel lines etc.) but I thought it was good to recap.

As you’re watching the video, recap how many sides and vertices the shapes above have. Can your child remember them?

Then have a go at this 2D shape hunt around your home:

maths activity day 1

Challenge

Have a go at these challenges if you would like something extra:

Don’t forget to have a go at explaining how you know.

 

Phonics

In phonics so far we have recapped phase 3,4 and 5. I thought it was a good way for the children to consolidate the phonics they have learned already in school. When they get to phase 5, they are learning alternative graphemes for different sounds and there are so many to remember, we revisit and recap them all the time to help children to retain them. In phase 5 there are 3 sections a, b and c. We are now moving on to phase 5b which is even more alternative graphemes. This is new learning for Beech Class and something we had not got round to covering yet. This is when I would have been moving on in school so I thought the class would be ready to move on at home now too.

Today we are looking at alternative i.

watch this video to recap some sounds we already know:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPW-ZkhRUPY&t=70s

and use this: phonics day 1

Well-being activity of the day

For today’s well-being activity, can you go for a walk near your house? Can you find any pets as you go? What pets did you see? Take care if you approach any pets and check with an adult before you do as not all pets are safe and friendly to strangers.

Mr Garvey PE

Have a go at the PE set by Mr Garvey on his blog.

 

Extra Activities – if you would like

Here is the new home learning grid for our new topic on animals.

Animals – home learning grid

You can select activities from there as and when you wish.

I will also be posting extra activities linked to the learning of the week. This week’s theme is pets. Today we are looking at cats.

You could get crafty:

Make a cat using construction:

Learn how to draw a cat:

t-t-9125-how-to-draw-a-cat-worksheet-_ver_1

Or make an origami cat:

T-T-20739-Origami-Cat-Activity

Or if you prefer, you could find out about the different breeds of cats.