Literacy 

Oracy and Creative Writing

This week carrying on with the theme of light and dark explored in our context 'What is a a Shadow ?' play the story 'Shark in the Dark' by Peter Bently ( Story Book Aloud For Kids -https://youtu.be/m824rcGp.Gl ) Ask your child to describe the pictures and talk about the events in the story.Was the shark friendly ? How did the squid help ? What did the whale do ? How did the story end?

Encourage your child to hear the rhyme in the story , explain this is when words sound the same. Recap the story seeing if your child could sequence some main events .Ask them if they liked the story and if so what was their favourite part? 

Your child can then draw a picture from the story . The afternoon children could think of a word or phrase to describe their picture and attempt to mark make some 'writing' that might look like straight, wavey and curved lines or circles crosses or sprials . The morning children could challenge themselves to  attempt to write a word or phrase to describe their picture using their sound knowledge. Start by asking them to say the word they want to write.Can they think of the first sound ? Help your child by showing them what this sound looks like and let them attempt to write it. Secondly by stretching the word out slowly see if they can hear any other sounds which they could try to write.Lastly can they hear the end sound of the word? Then move onto the next word in their phrase rereading what they have already written to prompt them.

Perhaps your child might like to create an underwater collage with different types of materials or make a painting from the story.

How many sea creatures can they name?

Handwriting 

This week the morning nursery children could focus on learning the correct formation of long ladder letters as well as practicing writing their name.

These letters are l t j i u y .Remember to show your child where to start and finish on the letter. Let them trace the letter in a large scale way until they are confident enough to write it smaller or even attempt the letter on their own. Practise writing one or two letters in a

multi sensory way to help develop correct formation. "Get Squiggling" (You Tube) explores each of these letters and shows the children correct formation encouraging them to have a go themselves. 

Afternoon nursery children could explore straight lines through,Get Sqquiggling -Bee https://you.be/1X1.4EviVm4.

Reading 

As well as exploring books through our on line reading resource Bug Club your child might enjoy another book about sea creatures called ,

 'Commotion in the Ocean' by Giles Andreae. You tube https://youtu.be/9pRhgZ8Jffs. This is a wonderful book that develops the children's knowledge of sea creatures .You could ask your child to describe  what they look like . Ask them to identify their favourite creature  explaining  why they like that creature.

Also your child could show you their favourite book in their own collection. Remember it is most important for your child to actually handle books themselves turning the pages correctly and identifying the text and pictures on the page.

Some of the morning nursery children might be ready to start identifying some simple words.

I have attached a copy of the phase 2 tricky words and decodable words for you to print and practise at home. 

https://www.phonics play.co.uk/member-only/pdf/Ph2THFW.pdf

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/member-only/pdf/Ph2Dhfw.pdf

Remember to introduce these words slowly ,start with 1 and add on another when you child can recognise it confidently. Perhaps play hide and seek with the words revising the words daily . 

 Phonics

Morning nursery are working on Phase 2 sounds , s a t  p i n  n  d  g o  c  k ck e  u r  h  b  f ff  l  ll ss.

As well as the Phonics Play web site already recommended  you child might like to explore some of the fun games on the Topmarks .co.uk

letters and sounds.web site , particularly the 'Sky Writer' game where they can identify single sounds and 'Short  Vowel Machine' where they can learn to build 3 letter words if they are confident in recognising single sounds. 

Afternoon nursery are working on Phase 1 and  might enjoy the Phonics Bloom -match the sound game.

 Mathematics

This  week could your child work on the key skills of counting, recognising numbers , touch counting objects and writing numbers.

Your child may be working on numbers from 0-3 , 0-5  or 0-10.

These important skills can be incorporated into daily activities for example  when your child is tidying their toys away ask your child to choose their favourite toys and line them up in a row.By pointing or touching their toys they can count how many they have. Give each toy a number. Let your child practice recognising the number. Only move on to  5 or 10 when your child is confident recognising numbers to 3 and that 0 means nothing.

Perhaps you could play a game. Ask your child to close their eyes and put the toys in the wrong order then ask them to order the numbers correctly or take a number away asking your child to work out which number is missing. Lastly show your child how to form these numbers .Let them trace the numbers in a  large scale multi sensory way before they are confident enough to write them on paper.