We extend a very warm welcome to Theo who joined us in the Seedlings group this week and to Jodie who has joined the Broughton team working with the youngest two groups. We hope they will both be very happy with us.
Oaks 1:
This week in Oaks 1, we delved into the topic of growing.
Using their knowledge of the world, the children considered the elements and processes involved with growth and decay. Some of the group explained that for a plant to grow, water and sunlight are needed. To extend this, it was discussed that roots soak up water while leaves absorb the sunlight – a process known as photosynthesis.
The room then used their understanding of mathematics to measure one another in centimetres, standing carefully on the end of the tape measure. Yannick was the tallest in the group, measuring in at 115cm and Ottie was the shortest at around 96cm. These measurements will be used as a guide for our sunflowers to see whose height they will match.
Following on from this, the children have been considering deforestation. We talked about the impact this can have on the environment and in turn, animals’ habitats. The group discussed ways in which we could improve the rate of deforestation with the common suggestion being to plant more trees. The children also looked at different types of leaves, considering how they are structured and their varying features. We’ll soon be foraging for leaves to create rubbings of the unique patterns as an extension of this.
Writing skills are something else we’ve worked on this week. A number of Oaks 1 have impressively mastered the art of writing their own name on the back of pictures they’ve drawn. Reeve worked very hard on his toadstool sketch and showed great attention to detail as he coloured around the polka dots he’d drawn. He then spent a while writing his name in various colours, adding smiling faces to each letter. Thomas was very proud to show peers his handwriting.
Star of The Week:
Ollie B – For excellent listening, tidying and helping his peers during specific tasks.
Messages:
Please may parents provide drawstring bags instead of backpacks as we will be changing our peg system. This will make it easier for the children to carry their belongings to their pegs.
Oaks 2:
Oaks 2 have been learning about sea animals this week. We started off with a spot of water play featuring aquatic creatures, boats and washing up liquid to create bubbles, the effect achieved using vigorous whisking.
In a second water-based activity, we got experimental with colour by adding bright paint to the liquid. While splashing about, the class talked about sinking and floating and recognising other opposites such as big and small (animals.) We then thought about which swim fast and which are slower. It was wonderful to see the children boost social development by engaging in role play with friends. The activity also supported language development as Oaks 2 learnt ‘opposite’ words.
The class also got creative crafting hand-print fish and enjoyed exercising decision-making skills by choosing which colour paint and glitter they’d like to use. Fine motor skills were strengthened as they attempted to stick on eyes too.
Our Find Dory bingo game tasked Oaks 2 with listening carefully as a practitioner called out the names of different sea animals including sharks, fish, turtles and starfish. Popular phrases from the film were banded about such as ‘just keep swimming’. To help Oaks 2 identify the boxes incorporating text, the adult told the children what colour the letters were. This supported the strengthening of literacy skills, with the class beginning to recognise and talk about familiar letters. The children were also required to understand that they needed to cross off animals on their sheet as they were called out, as well as knowing when to shout ‘bingo!’.
Star of The Week:
Imogen – For engaging in longer, more in-depth conversations with both adults and children and also doing some fantastic tidying up!
Messages:
If any children have books about sea animals at home, we would be grateful if you could bring them in to read at circle time. Thank you!
Saplings:
The Saplings loved learning about mini beasts so much last week that we decided to carry on with this theme.
We used a hand puppet to re-enact the ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ story and the children were captivated. Using gross motor skills, a number of the class joined in with the actions including ‘sliding and jumping, spinning and bumping’ and ‘jiving and dancing, jiggling and prancing’. Ottie and Ava were keen to show everyone their own jumping skills.
The children then had fun searching for mini beasts in our mud-themed Play-Doh. Fine motor skills were used to grasp each critter, and the Saplings enhanced hand/eye co-ordination as they manipulated the modelling clay. Oscar was thrilled to find a grasshopper, while Rawdon exercised patience as he carefully combed for bugs. He thoughtfully went on to make homes for them in the Play-Doh.
We gave the Saplings another chance to improve their fine motor movements when we decorated ladybird biscuits. The children demonstrated accuracy and precision as they spread the icing with minimal spillage. This activity also presented an opportunity to work on numeracy skills, with each child asked to select a specific amount of chocolate buttons to represent the insect’s spots. This sparked a discussion on how many eyes a ladybird has too.
Star of The Week:
Hudson – For settling into Saplings so well.
Seedlings:
The Seedlings have continued to explore space this week and participated in a range of activities based on the solar system.
The children loved making large-scale planets using balloons plus strips of newspaper soaked in pva glue and water. We encouraged extended vocabulary with a practitioner naming the different planets and asking the Seedlings to repeat them.
Next, we made smaller versions of the planets on pieces of card cut into a circle. To complete them, the Seedlings dipped brushes and sponges into paint and tried out techniques such as tinfoil painting.
During sing and story time, we introduced songs about space. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Zoom, Zoom, Zoom (We’re Going To The Moon) and 5 Little Men In A Flying Saucer all went down a storm with the group.
The Seedlings also enjoyed exploring our galactic Tuff Tray consisting of space figures, pictures of planets and astronaut masks. Our space books have been a hit too, with the children finding the illustrations very eye-catching.
We closed the week watching rocket launches on the tablet. Stunned by the sheer force required to launch a rocket, Sebastian shouted ‘wow!’ each time he saw one take off whilst the whole group learnt to shout out in unison 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1”Blast off”.
Star of The Week:
Roman – for successfully, dexterously and speedily piecing puzzles together.
Acorns:
The Acorns’ week began exploring ‘under the sea’ themed books during story time which was decided upon after the children proved to be fascinated by the Makaton sign for fish (opening and closing the mouth). The children all retained focus and showed their understanding of what was being read by saying single words such as fish, water and shell. It was amazing to see Alfie use his Makaton knowledge during lunch when he correctly signalled ‘fish’ while tucking into his (fish) curry.
During another activity involving shells, Ottie was mesmerised by their texture whilst Adrian enjoyed holding them to his ear to see if he could hear the sea. Archie kept himself very busy digging for shells in our sand tray and together we counted four. The Acorns also had fun playing with our new under the sea sensory bag. Ophelia was ever so happy as she squashed it and squeezed it, the friction causing the fish to move around in the gel.
Water play has been a real highlight for the Acorns this week, with the class particularly engrossed in activity that saw them try to get sea creatures out of ice. They all loved feeling the ice’s cool temperature and shrieked in delight as it melted to finally reveal fish hidden within.
On Thursday, we treated the children to an under the sea party, complete with music, bubbles and a sensory light display. It’s fair to say everyone had a fabulous time.
Star of The Week:
Ralph – For taking his first steps at the nursery. We are all very proud!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
From us all at Broughton