Year 1
Spring 2 Curriculum Newsletter
Johnson Class
Welcome!
Johnson class welcome you back to another term in Year 1! We are all looking forward to a great term partnering with you and your child in their learning and development. As ever this term is a busy one, packed full of exciting learning. Within this curriculum newsletter there is some key information to help you support your child’s learning.
Nut Free School
Please can we remind you that we are a Nut Free School, so please do not pack products in the lunchboxes that may contain nuts; this includes chocolate spread.
PE
Wednesday and Friday are our PE days this term.
Children should have a P.E kit in school at all times. We suggest they bring it in to school on a Monday and take it home on a Friday to be washed.
Indoor PE: Children will need black shorts and a plain t-shirt in their house colour. Gym and Dance is done in bare feet. Children will need trainers or plimsolls for indoor games.
Outdoor PE: black shorts and t-shirt, and a tracksuit or spare jumper for colder days. Children will also need trainers.
Jewellery: A reminder that only stud earrings and wristwatches may be worn to school. Earrings must be removed or covered for PE. Children should not wear bracelets to school.
Uniform and water bottles
Please make sure your child is wearing the correct school uniform and that it is clearly labelled to avoid confusion. Uniform guidelines are outlined on the school website – please contact the school office if you have any questions. All children should bring a labelled water bottle to school every day. A hydrated body means a higher functioning mind.
Homework
Children will have one homework book which will be used for all homework. They will have weekly spellings and maths homework. The maths homework will be set using the website Numbots. If you have any queries about the homework please do not hesitate to come and speak to us. Homework will be collected in each Friday and given out on a Friday.
Numbots
Cherry Field’s Primary School is signed up to the Numbots programme to support your child with their mathematical fluency. Daily practice of number facts is crucial to develop speed and accuracy of recall – the more fluent they are with their facts the easier they will access other aspects of the curriculum. For their maths homework, children are expected to play on Numbots for 5 minutes at least four times a week.
Spelling
At the start of the term, children will be given a termly spelling grid in their homework books indicating which spellings to learn each week. A reminder of each week's spellings will be posted on Dojo.
Each week, your child will receive 3 spellings that follow the spelling pattern they have covered that week. We have also sent home a spelling menu, which has lots of great ways of practising spellings. It is important to practise regularly. On Friday, the children will have a spelling test for the spellings they have practised during the week.
Topic Homework Menus
Children will have a termly topic menu with additional homework options based on our STEAM curriculum. We would ask that all children bring in at least one piece of homework that is based on our STEAM topic each term.
Reading
We expect children to have daily opportunities to read to, or with, someone at home, as well as independently. Reading can include: books, newspapers, magazines, online reading, eBooks, reading tablets, information books, adverts, menus, poems, song lyrics – the list is endless. The important thing is that your child reads regularly (preferably daily!) and enjoys, and is engaged with, the reading! Each Friday, children will be sent home with the following:
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RWI book: This is a text that the children have been reading regularly in class to build fluency. They should be able to read this to you independently with minimal mistakes.
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Book Bag Book: This is a text that is based upon the sounds that children have been reading in class. As such, the children should be able to apply their phonics to knowledge to read all the words within the book with minimal support.
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Library Book: This is a text that the children have selected based upon their interest. These books are not based on prior phonics knowledge and should be shared with, or read by, an adult.
These books should be returned to school the following Friday to be changed.
All children have a reading diary, which they should bring to school in their book bag every day. Please record your child’s reading (as well as any additional comments) in the reading diary including the date and, where appropriate, page numbers. Halfway through the diary is a guide to help adults to support children’s reading as well as phonics/spelling guides for children as they progress through the school. To build fluency, children should read a text a minimum of three times. As such, school reading books will only be changed once per week on a Friday.
We will check the reading record is completed regularly. If your child reads four times a week, your child will receive a raffle ticket that will be entered into our termly reading raffle. They have the chance to win a book of their choice from the selection.
Curriculum
STEAM |
This term our STEAM focus is art. We will be answering the question “Can I create a piece of art based on a period of history?” Within this unit of work, children will become scientists to explore plants and their structure, including labelling the parts of a plant and identifying a variety of common plants including evergreen and deciduous trees. By using their geographical knowledge of physical features from term 2 the children will also compare plants from different environments. We will become historians and explore 2 artists from history: Vincent Van Gogh and Beatrix Potter. Students will learn about the different styles of their artwork to influence their own sketches and paintings. The children will learn different sketching and painting techniques and practice these skills through live drawing of various plants. Our final product will be creating a map showing the wide variety of plants around the school. The children will build on their existing knowledge of maps from term 2 to assist them with this. |
Maths |
Throughout this term, the children will be developing their understanding concerning addition and subtraction and composition of two-digit numbers. Children will develop an understanding of numbers 11-19 and how they are made up of numbers 10 and a bit. Students will learn about tens and ones up to 20. Children will be exploring addition and subtraction equations up to 20. In addition, children will be learning about doubling and halving numbers up to 20. |
Writing |
In English this term we will be focusing children using verbs, correct formation of lower case and capital letters, full stops and introduce the use of exclamation marks to clearly demarcate sentences. We will be looking at the traditional tale ‘The Three Little Pigs’. We will be writing a character description and narrative retell of the story. We will also be writing short letters. |
Computing |
This term, the children will be looking at data and information. This includes how to group, compare and identify. The children will complete a range of activities to enhance their understanding about how we can group data. This also links to our STEAM topic, as children will be thinking of ways to group plants that they have found. |
HRE |
Within HRE children will continue to learn about relationships, thinking about how to be kind, how to treat other people and how to stay safe. When discussing staying safe the children will consider what is meant by privacy and respect and explore the idea that some things are not meant to be kept secret. Also, the children will discuss what to do if they feel unsafe. |
Music |
The children will be learning through a Charanga unit called “round and round.” They will continue to build on their skills of playing a glockenspiel as well as rhythm, pulse and beat. The children will also learn a song, which they will be performing at the end of the unit. |
PE |
Indoor - Gymnastics – the children will be building on their gymnastics skills. They will be looking at different rolls and performing a simple sequence. Their sequence will include a balance, a roll, a travel sequence and a jump. Outdoor – Children will be learning about object control. They will be learning various ways to move a ball, such as bouncing, throwing as well as catching. They will then put this into practice by participating in a group game where all skills will be incorporated. |
RE |
The focus this term is Christianity and Easter. Children will be looking at churches, exploring their key features and why these are important. They will also be retelling the Easter story, understanding why this is important to Christians. |
Key Dates
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Start of term: Monday 20th February
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Year 1 and 2 visit to Banbury Library: Wednesday 1st March
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Breakfast and a book: Tuesday 28th February
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Cherry Fields World Book Day: Friday 3rd March
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End of Term: Friday 31st March
Thank you for your continued support – we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead and partnering with you in your child’s learning and development. If you have any questions or concerns, please do come and speak to me before or after school or contact the office.
Miss Trew
Year 1 Teacher