Literacy

Creative writing task

We have explored the woods and space, this week we are going to explore the sea. Please share the story Commotion in the Ocean by Giles Andrea with your child. Below there is a link to youtube where this story is read. What sea creatures does your child already know?  Can you describe them? If you were under the sea, what creature would you like to meet?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pRhgZ8Jffs

 Encourage your child to draw one of the sea creatures from the story. Look carefully at the colours and shapes. Can they describe the creature? Can they write a simple sentence to describe the creature? For example- The fish is small. The shark is scary.

For example based on ability: Some children who are able to identify sounds in their writing might build a simple words using sounds that they know ‘the fish is big’. If your child is confident hearing the sounds, them encourage them to write what they can hear- words will not always be spelt correctly but the important skill is hearing the sound and starting to build words. Some children will be able to use some sounds in their work to represent this, maybe the beginning letter. Some children may be able to use marks and lines to represent this sentence. Some children will be drawing a picture to represent their ideas.

Online there are many zoos that have live webcams to show different animals during lockdown. Can your child explore these to find animals that live in the water or under the sea? There is a link below to get you started. Let me know what animals you get to watch.

https://www.folly-farm.co.uk/webcams/

 Remember it is important to keep singing nursery rhymes every day and to share stories with your child.

Handwriting

It is important to continue to develop your child’s fine motor skills. This can be done in a number of ways, the more practice they get the better they will become. Remember when using a pen or pencil encourage the tripod grip to help control their formation.  There are lots of ideas below.

https://primarysite-prod-sorted.s3.amazonaws.com/glyncoed-primary-school/UploadedDocument/9beca573379b492e8570b1d5afda33b7/fine-motor-activities-for-home.pdf

This week can the morning children can have a big focus on writing their name ready for reception, once they are confident move on to their surname. Remember it is important for children to explore creating these letters in lots of ways, rather than just using a pencil e.g. in paint, in sand etc. Corn flour and water is a fun way to make letters, also fill empty squeezy bottles with water and practice outside.

Afternoon Nursery are exploring different ways to mark make. This can be done outside in a large scale way using paintbrushes and chalks or inside with crayons pencils and felt tips. Let the children lead the activity using their own imagination and interests.

Reading

Bug club has added some excellent resources on their website, and all children have been allocated books. Using these resources will really help your child ready for September.

Remember to continue reading a variety of stories with your child. It is important that children learn how to use books for example turning pages, holding the book the correct way, discussing the pictures in detail, predicting what might happen in the story and locating text on a page and knowing the direction of the print. This week can you practice the phase 2 flashcards on the phonics play website. Afternoon Nursery could practise recognising their name and finding the print in a reading book understanding that words can be written down as well as spoken.

Phonics

As well as listening for sounds inside and outside the house afternoon children can start to learn about the sound 's'. They could go on a sound hunt finding objects beginning with this sound. Does their name begin with this sound? Get Squiggling on You Tube can help the children find out more about this sound.

Morning children should continue to recap the phase 2 sounds- this will get them prepared for reception. Please use the phonicsplay website to practice and reinforce sounds. Maybe you could go on a sound hunt around the house and see what you can find that begins with that sound. Recap all of the sounds we have done so far: 's, a, t, p, I, n, m, d, g, o, c, k, ck, e, u, r, h, b, f, ff, l, ll and ss, using this order. Can you hear sounds in simple CVC words such as sat? Encourage your child to say the sounds they can hear. Can they build a simple CVC word with the correct sounds? Some children might be ready to explore phase 3. Remember these sounds are progressive and every child learns at their own pace so you will need to work at your child’s level.

Numeracy

This week I would like you to continue to explore number, with a focus on number formation. Lots of practice of counting and recognition over the past few weeks would have helped with the recognition of numbers. Have a go at forming numbers to 10 in as many ways you can. You could try using a stick in mud, painting water outside on the ground, on the bath in shower gel or shaving foam, in sand and eventually in pencil on paper. Can your child write their numbers in order? Can they write them backwards from 10? Extension task- create simple sums for your child (numbers within 10).

Please continue to sing number rhymes with your child such as 5 little ducks etc. Youtube have many versions of these.

 The Body Coach is continuing to deliver a PE session style workout every morning at 9:00am via his youtube channel. Great fun for all of the family.