Alfa/Romeo class – Summer Term 2, 2023

Week Ending 14 July 2023

This week Alfa Romeo learnt the words endangered and extinct and how this means that some animals are at risk of dying out. We talked about what was making them endangered and ways that people are trying to help.

We then went on to become recycling detectives and went out into the quad to check for any rubbish that could be recycled. We gathered it all together and then looked at what it was made of. We found out how we can help our planet by recycling and putting things in the correct bins.

We then talked about how we can re-use and re-purpose things and this led to a junk modelling table being created. This was very popular and it was lovely to see everyone’s different ideas and experimenting in how to change old rubbish into new things.

FS2 also spent time looking at animal legs and solving a range of different problems. We looked at how many legs different animals have and how many legs we would have if there were 2 animals and sometimes even 3! We practised adding different legs together and thinking about how to record this. We then asked the question what if there were…. 5 legs? 6 legs? How could it be done? We used our subitising and counting on skills to work out some answers.

FS1 then found out a bit more about Pandas. We watched a video to see what they looked like, where they lived and what they ate. We then used this information to then create our own panda faces. We had to stick, paint and cut to create our finished piece.

 This week in PE we created our own imaginary animals and thought about how they might move and what they might do. We then put on little shows to share our ideas.

Week Ending 07 July 2023

Alfa Romeo have had another busy week and carried on their ‘Animal Safari’ by trekking all the way to Africa! We have been looking at the story of Handa’s Hen and finding out about more of the animals that you might find there. We talked about the story and worked together to order it and act it out.

Just like Handa we practised using words like in/on/under/in between/next to/beside to describe where things might be. We all played a game where we had to hide the hen’s eggs in different places.

FS2 then looked a little closer at how to create maps and how things have to be in the right place. We worked together to create a class map and then practised using it to find where Mondi the hen might be.

FS2 then spent time comapring Naples with Kenya and looking at what the similarites and differences were. We then imagined what would happen if Handa was in Naples and we drew a map to show some of the places she might go. Later FS2 used their phonic skills and the story pattern to write a new story for Handa.

FS1 have also enjoyed listening to the story ‘We’re Going on a Lion Hunt’. They then worked together to create the different parts of the story.

We have also enjoyed choosing our own learning and exploring new things like the beebots.

Week Ending 30 June 2023

This week we took a closer look at different habitats from around the world. We read the story ‘Walking through the Jungle’ that helped us to learn what animals lived in these habitats too. Some of us enjoyed using the animals in outdoor learning to help us imagine going on different adventures.

We even helped Miss Howard sort out her suitcase and we found what clothes would be good for an adventure to each of the different habitats. A warm hat for the Antarctic, a rainjacket for the Rainforest, sunglasses for the Desert, a cool t-shirt for the Savannah. FS2 then used their phonic skills to write about what they would pack on their adventure. It was important to remember our capital letters, finger spaces, and full stop.

FS1 made some binoculars so that they could go on their own adventure. They learnt how to tear, scrunch and glue to make a camouflage effect.

FS2 then worked on the iPad to create a habitat picture. We had to choose our animal shape then use the draw tool to draw it’s habitat before then using the letter tool to add our names.

FS2 also learnt about odd and even numbers and looked at how even numbers are fair and share (they make great partners) and odd numbers always have an odd one.

Week Ending 23 June 2023

This week we read the story ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ and have been thinking about other minibeasts. We all went on a minibeast hunt and used the iPads to take pictures of all the different things we could find. FS1 also practised their scissor skills by cutting up some of the pictures to make their own bug book.

We all learnt about how butterflies have symmetrical patterns on their wings and we all had a go at finding the other half of our butterfly. Later FS2 worked in partners to make and finish their own symmetrical patterns. Some children even chose to recreate some symmetrical butterfly pictures in outdoor learning.

Later in the week FS2 recapped on the lifecycle of a butterfly. We acted it out and then ordered the pictures and wrote some facts about it.

The children have also enjoyed the water tray and we have added different things in each day that we could talk about and observe. The slimy frog pond has also been a hit and a great way to think about the frog’s life cycle.

Week Ending 16 June 2023

This week we read the story ‘The Little Red Hen’. We have been retelling the story and checking that it is in the correct order.

We even got to taste test some different types of bread and think about what each one looked like, smelt like, felt like and tasted like.

Late in the week FS2 used their phonic skills to write some of the speech bubbles to help show their understanding of the story.

FS1 also created their own Little Red Hens and built up their finger muscles by ripping up different paper to create the feathers.   

This week FS2 have also been learning about sharing, this means making sure everyone has equal groups-the same amount to make it fair. We have sorted equal and unequal groups, checked to see how many ways 10 can be shared and then tested different numbers to see if they can be shared between 2 people.

There has also been lots of lovely learning chosen by the children. The vet’s clinic has been very busy with lots of children showing care for all the animals. The children have also loved exploring the ‘bread’ making table with lots of interesting discussions on texture, following instructions and what the dough could be made into.

Week Ending 9 June 2023

This week we started our new topic and found out we were going to be learning all about animals in ‘Animal Safari’. We read the story ‘Dear Zoo’ by Rod Campbell and we loved guessing what animal the zoo might have sent. The something magical happened and the zoo sent us a parcel and inside was an egg. We have loved talking about what we think will happen, what we can see happening. It has been very exciting!!!

Later in the week FS1 retold the story through drawing and drew tall lines for the giraffes, twirling spirals for the snakes, large fat shapes for the elephants and quick, fast shapes for the puppy. FS2 then created their own ‘Dear Zoo’ book and we imagined what other animals the zoo might send and why we might keep them or send them back.

FS2 have also been learning about doubling, this means twice the amount or two of the same. We have sorted dominoes into doubles and not doubles, made doubles on the ten frames, made our own doubles bug and sang our doubling machine song to help us remember the different doubles and their totals.

We have loved exploring some of the new toys in indoor and outdoor learning this week. We have been blowing bubbles, building zoos, creating bug gardens, sharing books and so much more! What a great first week back for Alfa Romeo.