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Letters and Information

Weekly Learning in Reception

English - Writing 

Week commencing: 29.4.24 & 6.5.24

This week we will be reading a range of non-fiction books about dinosaurs.

We will start the week by learning about animals that are now extinct.

The word extinct is used to describe a living thing that does not exist anymore. It might be a plant or an animal.

We will discuss the reasons some animals may have become extinct. For example:

• habitats being destroyed
• food they eat has run out
• being hunted and killed

Animals that are now extinct:

• Sabre-Toothed Cat
• Woolly Mammoth
• Dodo
• Greek Auk
• Pyrenean Ibex
• West African Black Rhino
• Tasmanian Tiger

We will also talk about animals that are in danger of extinction, such as the:

• elephant
• orangutan
• gorilla
• tiger

We will then go on to learn about dinosaurs in more detail, so that children can recognise and name some dinosaurs and learn some dinosaur facts.

Children generally love learning about dinosaurs, many will already know the names of dinosaurs and be able to share some facts they have learnt.

We will introduce some vocabulary:

• carnivore – an animal that eats only meat
• herbivore – an animal that eats only plants
• omnivore - an animal that eats meat and plants
• fossil – the remains of animals and plants that have been dead and buried for so long that they turn to stone
• predator – an animal that hunts other animals for food
• prey – an animal that is hunted by other animals for food
• scales – small hard plates that cover fish, reptiles and other animals

In lessons we will be recap how non-fiction books can help us to find out information.

We will look at the features of a non-fiction text:

• headings
• labels
• diagrams
• contents page
• glossary

We will talk about the difference between a fiction and non-fiction book:

• fiction books are made up stories
• non-fiction books contain facts and information.

The children will have opportunities to talk about dinosaurs and other extinct animals. In every lesson we will write some animal facts, draw and label pictures as seen in non-fiction books.

Supporting your child at home:

Talk about the difference between a fiction and non-fiction book.

Look through any books you may have at home and sort them into fiction and non-fiction.

Remind the children that fiction books are made up stories and non-fiction books contain facts and information.

Help your child to learn some dinosaur facts and encourage them to share their new knowledge with their teachers and friends at school.

Next week in English:

We will continue reading non-fiction books about animals.

Maths   

Week commencing: 29.4.24

In maths we will be learning about odd and even numbers.

Learning about odd and even numbers is part of supporting children’s learning about patterns in numbers. This knowledge will equip them with additional information to develop their skills as a mathematician.

We will begin by introducing the vocabulary of odd and even and explaining that some numbers are odd and some numbers are even.

We will sort the numbers 0 to 9 into odd and even.

Odd numbers:   1, 3, 5, 7, 9

Even numbers: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8

We will show the children how we work out if a number is odd or even.

We will start by using the children themselves and asking a group of children to stand up and find a partner, thereby making a pair.

We will explain that if everyone has a partner, this is because that number is an even number.

If someone does not have a partner, they are left out and the ‘odd one out’. This means that this number is an odd number.

Children will be able to see this and relate to it because they know about ‘partners’.

We will also use objects so that children can practically pair the objects up to see whether a number is odd or even. If it does not make a pair (or have a partner), the number is odd.

Some children will be ready to learn that with larger numbers we must look the last digit to work out whether a number is odd or even.

For example:

21 =  odd because the last digit is ‘1’ and ‘1’ is an odd number

46 = even because the last digit is ‘6’ and ‘6’ is an even number

In lessons will support the children’s understanding of odd and even through stories, songs and Numberblocks clips.

Supporting your child at home:

• Look at door numbers on your way to school and home – ask your child is that number odd or even?
• Count objects/ toys around your home – ask your child is that number odd or even?
• Roll a dice – ask your child is that number odd or even?
• Play dominoes, count the spots – ask your child is that number odd or even?
• Count the letters in your name – ask your child is that number odd or even?

IMPORTANT

Can your child recall some subtraction facts?

Subtraction facts:

5 – 0 = 5              4 – 0 = 4          3 – 0 = 3           2 – 0 = 2         1 – 0 = 1

5 – 1 = 4              4 – 1 = 3          3 – 1 = 2           2 – 1 = 1         1 – 1 = 0

5 – 2 = 3              4 – 2 = 2          3 – 2 = 1           2 – 2 = 0

5 – 3 = 2              4 – 3 = 1          3 – 3 = 0

5 – 4 = 1              4 – 4 = 0

5 – 5 = 0

Here are some quick wins:

• taking away zero from a number - the answer will be the same as the starting number e.g. 4 - 0 = 4/ 5 - 0 =5
• taking away the same number - the answer will always equal zero e.g. 4 - 4 = 0/ 3 - 3 = 0
• 'take away 1' is the same as '1 less than a number', the answer will be the number before the starting number  e.g. 2 - 1 = 1/   5 - 1 = 4

We have taught the children these strategies in class.

Next week in maths:

We will be learning about doubling.

Developing Fine Motor Skills 

Preparing for writing in EYFS

Pre-writing activities are a great place to start a child's handwriting journey.

They can help build confidence creating shapes, and be really valuable for helping to develop pencil control and steadiness of hand.

Pre-writing activities are the building blocks that develop fine motor skills in young children which lead to good pencil control when they begin letter formation.

Here are some activities you can set up at home that will help your child with fine motor strength and control.

Tearing, scrunching and gluing tissue paper helps children with dexterity, strength and pinching skills.

You can make a sun, a tree or whatever they are interested in together.

Using plastic or wooden knives to cut playdough, pinching playdough and rolling it into balls is another great way to improve children’s hand strength and control.

Using tongs or large tweezers to pick up ANY objects big or small with one hand  this helps with the skills needed to use scissors as well as firmly grip a pencil.

Start big like a cotton wool ball and build up to bigger heavier objects.

Reading and Book Bags

At Fielding we follow the Read Write Inc programme.

This assessment has provided us with your child’s reading level.

Your child will receive a reading book.

The type of ‘book’ your child receives will depend on their phonics knowledge.

Some children will focus on learning the sounds of the alphabet.

Some children will receive a sound blending book to help develop their blending skills.

Some children will receive a book called ‘My Phonics Book’. A letter will be sent home with information of how this works.

Some children will receive a reading book.

In addition to this, your child will choose their own picture book.

Your child is not expected to read this book, this book is to be shared with an adult for enjoyment.

All books will be changed once a week.

Please make sure your child brings their book bag to school every day.

Please make sure that you always have the following inside your child’s book bag:

• picture book
• reading book
• reading record

Please look through the reading record, there is lots of useful information inside.

Please sign the reading record every week and write a comment about how your child is progressing with their reading.

Key words

On page 18 there is the list of key words that the children need to learn to read over the year. Every two weeks we will check how your child is progressing with the reading of these words and let you know in their reading record. Please help your child to learn these words.

We will write what key word list your child is on in their reading record.

Home Learning 

Every Friday, your child will receive some phonics home learning from their phonics teacher. This must be done at home and does not need to be returned to school.

If you have any further questions please talk to your class teacher.

The Reception Team

Parent Workshops