Year 1 News 22.11.24

Happy Friday Team!
In our English sessions, we had a wonderful time diving into storytelling! We began by exploring the classic tale of Rapunzel, we were tasked with writing our own version of the story filled with twists and creative ideas. Inspired by horrible witches and mischievous wizards, we unleashed our imaginations to create fantastic characters and exciting adventures. Everyone brought their unique ideas to life, crafting a magical blend of humour, danger, and wonder in their writing. I cannot wait to see how everyones story ends.

Continuing our learning from last week, this week we used our balancing arms on the apparatus. We had to approach the apparatus using different pathways (straight, zigzag, curves etc.) and levels and then balance along the bench to perform a spin before jumping onto the mats. Everyonetried the apparatus of different heights to push ourselves and performed more adventurous jumps.

In Maths, we’ve been busy exploring 2D shapes and patterns! We learned to identify and name various shapes like circles, squares, and triangles, and discovered their unique properties. Using these shapes, we created colourful patterns, practicing our skills in sequencing. In the afternoons we have been learning all about the number 8.

We’ve been developing our skills as geographers! We’ve learned about fieldwork and how to use maps to plan safe routes. One of our exciting tasks was to plan the safest way to walk to Wybunbury Park, considering landmarks and paths. By studying maps and thinking like explorers, we’ve gained a better understanding of our local area and we cannot wait to walk to Wybunbury Park in our fieldwork lesson.

In RE, we explored what Jesus' world was like and imagined what we would love to see if we could visit it, many of us wanted to ride a donkey to school. We discussed what Jesus might appreciate most about our world today, lots of video games and technology. We listened to Bible stories that gave us a glimpse into life in his time. We also learned that the Holy Land, where Jesus lived, is still a real and special place today.

We have started an exciting new topic in Computing—creating media with technology like iPads and computers! This week, we explored the Paintz app, learning about its different tools and how to use them. Miss Willis challenged us to draw self-portraits using the app, and we got creative with tools like the circle tool to shape our faces and the paintbrush, pencil, and spray can for the details. Everyone worked hard and created some wonderfully detailed digital portraits!

In Heartsmart, we learned about different types of touch and how they can make us feel. We talked about touches that make us happy and those that might make us uncomfortable, understanding that it’s okay to say no to any touch we don’t like. We also discussed the importance of keeping our pants private and watched the Pantasaurus song, which everyone handled in a very grown-up way. We’re now looking forward to decorating a pair of pants for Borris on Monday—it’s going to be so much fun!

In DT, we learned how to safely use knives and juicers to prepare food. We practiced techniques for cutting and juicing, focusing on keeping ourselves and others safe while working. It was exciting to have a go at these skills and see how we could create something delicious with care and confidence!

In music this week, we practised our nativity songs. We are really enjoying these! We then moved on to our unit of – Dance, Sing and Play. Our first listen and respond song was – Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The onscreen character, a sloth, really brought this song alive.

We’ve been busy preparing for our Nativity play! Everyone has been practicing their lines with enthusiasm and working hard to bring their characters to life. We’ve also learned the songs and movements that make the performance extra special. It’s been exciting to see everything coming together, and we can’t wait to share our Nativity story with everyone!

We’ve had some exciting mail that invited us to become Kindness Agents! Inspired by this, we’ve been brainstorming wonderful ideas on how we can make our community smile. From writing kind notes and creating cheerful artwork to helping others and spreading positivity, we’re ready to take action. It’s all part of our journey in courageous advocacy, showing how small acts of kindness can make a big difference!

It has been a wonderful week. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
Miss Willis