Welcome back to the Summer Term Year 1!
What will we be learning this term?
English
We will begin our term by reading ‘The Night Pirates’ and will be writing a story inspired by this exciting tale.
Later in the term, the children will be writing information about pirates using the book ‘How to be a Pirate in 10 easy stages.’
In all their writing, children will be actively encouraged to use their phonics using segmenting to spell out words and begin to say words and sentences out loud in preparation for writing sentences. We will also be learning to read and spell Common Exception Words. These are words we will read and write LOTS but that don’t follow the phonic sounds we have learned so far.
Follow the links below for resources to support this learning at home:
28 ways to practice Spelling at home
There will also be a focus on developing pencil control and a good writing position to support handwriting as the children practise the essential pencil strokes they will need for correct letter formation of lower case letters.
Find more information about Guided and Home Reading towards the bottom of the page.
Maths
This term we will be following the school’s maths scheme Power Maths to focus on the following objectives:
Mass and capacity
Multiplication and Division
Fractions
Follow the links below for games and activities to support this learning at home:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/kids-activities/fun-maths-games-and-activities/
Science
Further work about the season of Spring and our new unit about Plants.
This unit will introduce children to the idea of plants as living things which grow and change over time. Children will work towards answering the Quest question, ‘How can we make a plant identification kit?’ The unit will encourage children to recognise the common features, similarities and differences between plants. Children will learn about the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees. They will identify, name and describe the main parts of plants, including trees. They will learn that trees are plants and will learn the meaning of ‘evergreen’ and ‘deciduous’ when describing and comparing trees. Children will describe and compare common plants and trees in their local environment and will learn specific vocabulary relating to trees, e.g. trunk, bark etc. They will have the opportunity to plant, grow and observe their own plants throughout the unit.
Children will consider how to treat plants as living things with care. At the end of the unit, children will create a model plant, a record of local plants and an identification kit for plants in their local area.
Working Scientifically, children will focus on observing closely using simple equipment, naming and grouping and recognising similarities and differences between plants. Children will make and record their observations and will also have the opportunity to gather and record data in a simple way to help in answering questions.
This unit builds on any work children have done in the Foundation Stage. This is the introductory unit on plants and lays the foundations for future work in this area.
Follow the links below for games and activities to support this learning at home:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zpxnyrd
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/plants/
Topic (History and Geography)
The topic this term is Pirates.
Lots to learn including:
What was a pirate?
Where did they live and sail?
How do we know they existed?
Who was Captain Blackbeard?
Were all pirates good or bad?
What was life like on a pirate ship?
How do you speak like a pirate?
What did the flags mean?
How can we use maps like pirates?
And more exciting things…….
Follow the links below for websites to support this learning at home:
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/what-do-pirates-do
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/topics/pirates
The Arts
We will be doing drama work in class and art inspired by pirates. Later in the term we will be designing a Pirate Packed Lunch.
RE
During this term we will be learning about what it means to belong to a faith.
Computing
Moving a robot and programming animations.
PE
The children will be following the Primary PE Passport Curriculum which our Kick-start team will help us deliver this term. This term we will be learning Tchoukball and athletics skills.
Our days for PE this term are Wednesday and Friday.
Please make sure that PE kits are always in school on these days. We monitor having the correct PE kit available when needed as part of our Assertive Mentoring Scheme and it will be reported on in your child’s termly report.
PSHE
Relationships – families, friends and oneself
Changing Me – our bodies and the future
Music
Pirate shanties and the song ‘Your Imagination.’
Home / School Learning
Homework
In Year 1, homework will be given out every Friday and expected back every Wednesday. Children will receive either a maths task based on what we’ve been learning in class and they will choose a piece from the Pirate Homework Menu (one piece per week in any order they wish).
Children are encouraged to be as creative as they wish and can choose how to present their homework so if they have published something using an iPad, tablet or computer please email it to us! year1@corrie.tameside.sch.uk
Please make sure that completed Homework is brought into school on these days. We monitor Homework as part of our Assertive Mentoring Scheme and it will be reported on in your child’s termly report.
GREEN – On time by Wednesday
YELLOW – Late by Friday
RED – No homework completed that week
Guided Reading and Home Reading
Please encourage a love of reading at home and share stories together as often as you can. It is the most important and long lasting contribution parents can make to their child’s early learning and fundamental to successful lifelong learning and wellbeing.
Follow the link below to find lots of advice, support, free online stories and activities suitable for Year 1 children learning to read.
Each Year 1 child will be given one reading book every week (Big Cat) to practise reading with their adult at home. In addition, they will choose a book to bring home for the week from our class library reading for enjoyment collection. They will also be given a log in to access their own online account for the online reading program Reading Eggs.
The reading book will be linked to the phonics phase and sounds that your child will be learning in school. It is important that you listen as your child reads this book to you as often as possible during the week so that they become secure and confident using the focus phonemes to decode words when reading.
The second reading book is a ‘reading for enjoyment book’. These are ‘real’ books rather than School Reading Scheme books. They are books matched to children’s interest level rather that their reading level. They include picture books and often text which engage children well despite being beyond the level at which they can decode for themselves. They are therefore intended to be read aloud by or shared with an adult (as a bedtime story for example).
We will also provide you with access to a fun online reading program called Reading Eggs. There are lots of stories, games and activities to have a go at. As they move through the levels, they are awarded with reading certificates which we check weekly, print off in school and celebrate in class. This has proven to be a great motivator for children as they become proud and confident readers.
Reading Eggs login details are stuck inside your child’s Reading Log.
We ask that you read with your child as often as possible (a minimum of twice weekly in line with school policy). Do this in frequent short sessions (5 to 10 minutes depending on how long your child can maintain focus and motivation).
Please always sign and date in their Reading Log on each separate occasion you read with your child. We will check reading records and change reading books every Wednesday but will not know they have completed their reading if they are not signed and dated. New reading books will be sent out on Thursday. We monitor Home Reading as part of our Assertive Mentoring Scheme and it will be reported on in your child’s termly report.
GREEN – Reading book completed at least twice by Wednesday (evidenced by parent and signed and dated each time in Reading Log)
YELLOW – Reading completed but books returned late by Friday or read only once
RED – No reading done that week
