Happy Half Term Year 1 – 14.2.25

Happy Friday Team!

In our English lessons, Miss Willis hid items around the classroom, and we had to give clear instructions on where to find them without pointing--just like we would if we had written a note like Hermelin. We used adjectives ending in -er and -est to describe the missing objects. Afterward, we chose one of the hidden items and wrote about it, using the descriptive vocabulary we had learned in previous lessons. It was a fun way to practice precise language and improve our writing skills!

In our math lessons, we spent time fixing mistakes and recapping before moving on. We explored doubles and near doubles, enjoying NumberBlocks – Double Trouble as we practiced doubling numbers up to 10. Once we mastered doubles, we looked at near doubles, adding one more--if we know 4 + 4, we can easily work out 4 + 5! We also used our number bonds to 10 and 20 in lots of different ways, including subtraction. By counting back and using number bonds, we became more confident in subtracting ones and solving problems more quickly.

In our RE lesson, we continued learning about different Bible stories, focusing on Jesus turning water into wine (John 2:1-11). We thought about weddings we had been to and what we would do if food and drink ran out--most of us said we'd just go to the supermarket! But in Jesus' time, that wasn't possible. We watched the story and were amazed by the miracle. When Miss Willis poured water into a jug and it changed colour, we were surprised--it felt like a miracle! We also made our own water jugs out of clay and wrote in our Questful maps about our favorite Bible stories and how they show Jesus is the Son of God.

In our Heartsmart lesson, we watched a clip from Monsters University where the team didn't work well together, and because of that, they didn't succeed. We discussed how teamwork helps us achieve more, just like in Ecclesiastes 4:9: "Two people are better than one. They get more done by working together." Keeping this in mind, we went outside for team tasks, like passing a balloon along our line as fast as possible. As new rules were introduced, we had to think carefully and work together to win. In wellbeing, we imagined going back in time to any moment--many of us chose fun holidays or special memories!

In our Art lesson, we learned more about Eric Carle and looked back at the collages we created last time. We discussed our plans and thought about the colours we would use for our final pieces. We watched how Eric Carle made The Very Hungry Caterpillar, tracing his plan onto tissue paper and layering it to create his artwork. Then, we had a go at making our own final pieces, and everyone's work turned out amazing! We spent time with Mrs. Chesters, sharing our artwork and giving positive comments. Year 2 visited our art exhibition, and it was lovely to hear their thoughts on our creations!

In our final Forest School session, we listened to Slug in Love and absolutely loved the story! For our artwork, we collected sticks and arranged them into a heart shape, then used diggers to fill them with dirt. We wrote "love" in the middle and went on a hunt for Superworms and other creatures to place inside our big heart. The most exciting find was a huge Violet Ground Beetle! To end the session, we gathered around to watch the fire being lit and toasted marshmallows--so delicious! It was the perfect way to finish our Forest School adventures.

In our Computing lesson, we used BeeBots to explore different routes and practiced planning before programming. We carefully mapped out routes on a mat before inputting the commands, thinking about more than one way to solve the problem. We discovered that the same outcome could be achieved through different approaches, and there wasn't always just one 'right' way. By using two different programs to reach the same destination, we learned how planning and problem-solving are key skills in coding!

In our Music lesson, we performed "Big Bear Funk" for Miss Holland, incorporating fun actions to go along with the song. We also completed our end-of-unit assessment, where we answered 15 questions by voting for our choices. Afterward, we had the chance to pick one of our favorite songs to sing and dance to, making it a lively and engaging session.

In our History lesson, we completed our Chester Zoo maps before exploring how the zoo's attractions have changed over the years. We compared the past and present, discussing whether there were more attractions before or now. We examined the differences, thinking about the good and bad aspects of these changes. It was interesting to see how the zoo has evolved and to consider how it might continue to change in the future!

I hope everyone has a great half term and I look forward to seeing you all when we come back!

Miss Willis