Welcome to Class 1

In Class 1 we love to learn, play and explore both the indoors and outdoors! Over the year we have lots of exciting topics planned including Our Amazing World, Once Upon a Time and Growing and Changing!  Throughout the year we also be taking part in phonics to help us to learn to read and we will develop a love for maths and develop a deep understanding of number to 10, using numicon and number blocks to help us along the way!  

Summer 2 - Pirates!

This week we have started our learning all about pirates!  Today we have been finding out about pirates and have also been comparing the Barnsley to the seaside finding out about similarities and differences.  Some children also enjoyed creating their own pirate ships.  Take a look at the amazing models below:

Summer 2 - Brilliant Butterflies!

Class 1 have loved watching our caterpillars grow and change over the past few weeks and were very excited to be able to release our butterflies 

Summer 2 - Minibeasts!

Class 1 have loved the start of our learning all about minibeasts.  We have been developing our language and vocabulary including learning the following words linked to the topic on our first day of learning:

- Minibeast

- Invertebrates 

- Exoskeleton 

Summer 2 - Amazing Independent Writing 

Class 1 have done some amazing independent writing using the character word mats we created together.

Summer 2 - The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Class 1 have loved learning all about the The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the lifecycle of a butterfly.  We have been extending our language and vocabulary through the story and topic including learning what the following words mean:

- Hungry

- Chrysalis 

- Cocoon

- lifecycle

- Symmetrical 

- Pupa

- Nibbled

We have been extremely excited to have our very own caterpillars in class  and have been observing them closely as they changed into cocoons.  We are now waiting for them to emerge as beautiful butterflies.

In literacy we have been learning the story orally using Talk 4 Writing.  Class 1 then produced some amazing independent writing.

Summer 1 - Supertato!

Class 1 are loving learning all about Supertato!  We have read the beginning of the story and been learning new vocabulary linked to the story including the following so far:

- escaped

- distressed

- conveyor belt

We were very excited to get an email and a special delivery of some different vegetables from Supertato.  He sent us sprouts, mash potato, peas, sweetcorn, leeks and carrots to taste.  

Thumbs up for the sprouts!

Summer 1 - The King's Coronation 

This week class 1 have loved learning all about the King's Coronation and preparing for our party on Friday afternoon!  We have been working towards our curricular goals making our own scones ready for the occasion and making our very own sandwiches.

Summer 1 - Jack and the Beanstalk 

This week in Class 1 we have been learning the beginning of the story using Talk 4 Writing.  We have drawn some pictures to help us when retelling it and also done some fantastic writing even including the tricky red word was!

Summer 1 - Alive and Growing!

This half term our topic is Alive and Growing!  For the first two weeks we are learning all about the story Jack and the Beanstalk.  

We have been sharing the beginning of the story finding out about the setting, characters and key events that happen at the beginning of the story.  We have also been thinking about who we would like to meet at the top of the beanstalk!  We had lots of exciting ideas including Batman, Rapunzel, Elsa and Mario!

We have also been learning the following new vocabulary from the story:

- Poor

- Crumbling 

- Magic

- Clutched 

We also revisited the word Furious that we learnt when reading the story Six Dinner Sid earlier in the year.

During our first week learning about Jack and the Beanstalk we have started Talk 4 Writing.  So far we have learnt the beginning of the story orally and created some story maps/pictures to support us to write simple sentences linked to the story.  

Spring 2 - Hatching Chicks and Hens!

Class 1 have been very excited this week that our chicks have hatched.  We enjoyed having the chance to hold and name our chicks.  We now have 5 chicks named Bob, Minnie, Tiny, Rita and Tina Tail Feathers!

We were also very excited to have the chance to meet and find out about a fully grown hen.  We also got to name the hen.  We thought of lots of ideas and decided on Poppy.

Class 1 have loved learning all about the Little Red Hen from bread tasting to scone making, from our egg delivery to observing the chicks hatch and naming the chicks and also meeting Poppy the hen.

Spring 2 - The Little Red Hen - Eggciting Delivery!

This afternoon we have been learning all about the lifecycle of a hen.  Class 1 were then very excited to receive a delivery of eggs from the Little Red Hen for us to look after.  We have learnt the new word incubator  and found out what an incubator is as our eggs are keeping cosy and warm in it before they hatch!

We are now keeping a look out for any pipping, this is another new word we learnt today and it is when the chicks try and start to peck a hole in the egg/the eggs start to crack!

Spring 2 - Little Red Hen Bread Delivery!

Class 1 were very excited to receive a delivery of different breads including white, brown, pitta, cheese ciabatta and breadsticks for us to taste.  We loved tasting the bread and used lots of amazing words and language to describe the different breads.

Here are some words we used to describe the different bread:

- Squishy

- Cold 

- Soft

- Crunchy

- Crusty

- Delicious

- Yummy

- Holey 

The breadsticks were the most popular.  The cheese ciabatta was least popular.  Here are some things the children said when tasting the bread.

"I have these on my sandwiches"

"I can see little brown bits in it"

It's got big holes"

"It's making me confused as I don't know what it tastes like" (this was about the cheese ciabatta)

"It tastes delicious" 

Spring 2 - Once Upon a Time 

Last week we started learning all about The Little Red Hen story.  We enjoyed listening to the story and joining in the repetitive phrases such as "Who will help me?" and "Not I"

Spring 2 - Once Upon a Time 

This week has seen the start of our new topic Once Upon a Time.  We are beginning this topic by learning all about the story The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

This week we have read the beginning and middle of the story meeting the characters including the troll.  We have learnt some new words from our story including the following:

- Thistle

- Valley

- Trembled 

We have also been using our imaginations to act out the story.  The children have loved acting out using masks to retell the story so far.  We have had some amazing impressions of the Troll using the story language "Who's that trip trapping over my bridge!" We have also been thinking about who else may come trip trapping over the bridge and the children came up with some great ideas including Elsa, Batman, Woody, Buzz and Rapunzel!

We can't wait to find out what happens next in the story . . . Will Big Gruff make it across the bridge safely?

Spring 1 - Working towards our curricular goals!

This half term we have been working on our first milestone linked to the curricular goal making fruit scones.  In Class 1 we now have up and running our very own self service play dough area.  When introducing this we worked with Mrs Martin in small groups to all make our own play dough, following the step by step instructions.  After practising with Mrs Martin we are now able to create our very own play dough to use on a daily basis.  Why not follow the instructions below to create your own play dough at home!

Brilliant Brio!

Class 1 were very excited to explore our new small construction kit!  We have been exploring brio and learning new words linked to the brio including connectors, nuts, bolts, screw and also the names of tools we need to use to join the brio including pliers, spanner and screwdriver.  It is testing our finger strength and also our imagination but the children have loved looking at ideas online and in the booklet and exploring the resources to see what they can make.  Take a look at the photos below showing a couple of our creations and how we have been working together as a team!

Spring 1 - Our Amazing World 

Core Text - Poles Apart 

Let's Make Pizza!

During our learning about our core text Poles Apart the children were particularly interested in Italy.  We found looked at the flag of Italy and lots of children were keen to create their own flags.  Class 1 were also very interested in Italian food.  We were even lucky enough to make our very own margarita pizzas!

Spring 1 

Core Text - Poles Apart

Maps of our Journey to School 

During our learning about the core text Poles Apart class 1 created maps of their journey to school.  They thought carefully about what they see on their journey and carefully created their maps labelling some key things and places on their map.

Spring 1 - Poles Apart

Class 1 have loved our learning all about our core text Poles Apart for the last 3 weeks of this half term.  The story begins with a penguin family the Pilchard Brown's  getting lost on their way to a family picnic.  Unfortunately they end up at the North Pole where they meet Mr White the polar bear who then tries to help the family get back to the South Pole, on route home they visit lots of exciting places that we have loved finding out about!

Whilst learning about this story we have found out all about the South Pole and penguins, the North Pole and polar bears.  We have also found out all about different countries including America, Australia and Italy.  When the Pilchard Brown's ended up in England we thought carefully about where we live and compared Barnsley to the different places visited.

We have developed our language through carefully chosen vocabulary from the story and also linked to the theme of the book.  These words include:

-  Melting 

- Freezing 

- Globe 

- England

- Adventure

- Mistake 

- Penguin 

- Polar Bear

- Arctic Sheet 

Spring 1 - Chinese New Year 

Class 1 loved learning all about Chinese New Year.  We have found out some traditions that will take place and also shared The Great Race story.  We have developed our vocabulary during the week including learning the following words:

- Emperor 

- Chopsticks

- New Year

At the end of the week we were lucky enough to taste some Chinese food.  We tasted noodles, rice, prawn crackers and sweet chilli sauce.  The children were all excited to taste the different food and most enjoyed most of the food in particular the prawn crackers.  The sweet chilli sauce was not quite as popular!

Space - The Way Back Home, Oliver Jeffers

Class 1 loved learning all about this core text and were very excited to find out all about Space.  We have developed our language through key vocabulary identified from the story including the words:

- Spluttered

- Martian 

- Alone 

- Empty 

- Moon 

In the story the little boy gets stuck on the moon and it is very dark as his torch goes out. 

We thought together as a class about how the little boy might be feeling and thought of the following words:

- Terrified 

- Petrified

- Scared

- Sad

- Alone 

- Worried 

- Nervous

We have found out all about the planets and now know there are 8 planets and can name them.  We also know that the sun is not a planet as it is a star and a spaceman is called an astronaut.  

Class 1 created some amazing junk model rockets during our learning all about Space and worked towards our curricular goal as they were joining materials and creating for a purpose.  

Spring 1 - Our Amazing World 

During this half term we will be continuing our learning theme Our Amazing World.  During this half term we will be thinking and finding out all about Space, Chinese New Year, Polar Regions, where we live and countries in the world.  We will be sharing the following core texts:

- The Way Back Home 

- The Great Race 

- Poles Apart 

Autumn 2 - EYFS Pantomime Visit 

Class 1 had a fabulous time at the Lamproom Theatre watching Aladdin.

Autumn 2 - Our Amazing World 

During this half term we will be thinking all about Our Amazing World including finding out about nocturnal animals, dinosaurs and farm animals.  We will be sharing the follow core books:

- Owl Babies 

- What the Ladybird Heard 

- How to Grow a Dinosaur 

 -The Nativity 

How to Grow a Dinosaur 

Class 1 loved our story How to grow a dinosaur.  We have really enjoyed finding out all about dinosaurs and learning lots of new vocabulary including the following words:

- Carnivore

- Herbivore

- Omnivore

- Extinct 

- Fossil 

We loved finding out all about the different dinosaurs in particular about the T Rex, Diplodocus and the Triceratops!

Class 1 loved reading and finding out all about the story What the Ladybird Heard.  We looked after the Class 1 fine prize cows very carefully to ensure that Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len were not able to steal them!  We also found out all about farm animals and the names of their babies. 

Autumn 1

This half term our topic is All About Me!  Over the half term we will be learning all about ourselves, our families and our bodies and keeping healthy.  When thinking about ourselves and our families we will play guess the baby, sharing baby photos and also share photos of our families.  Throughout the half term we will be thinking about our own feelings and beginning to think about others feelings and how we can be a kind friend.  When thinking about feelings and friendships we will share some books together including The Colour Monster and Elmer to support our learning.  We will also spend time thinking about our bodies and what we need to keep ourselves healthy and we will share the story of Funnybones.