Year 1 28.11.25

Happy Friday Team!

In our English lessons, we discovered that another toy had been left behind in the attic, and we had to imagine how Tin Dog would have felt in that situation. We brought in our own toys and pretended that we were the lost toy ourselves. Working in groups, we created freeze frames as the lost toy characters—Duck, Bramwell, Little Bear, and Rabbit. We discussed the different feelings we might experience, such as loneliness, calmness, and excitement, and explored the reasons behind each emotion. We then wrote sentences explaining how we felt and why. After reading an example text, we learned some new vocabulary and had the chance to write a sentence using the example. We could even earn house points if we included some of the new vocabulary in our work.

In our maths lessons, we continued learning about subtraction. We reminded ourselves that subtraction sums cannot be turned around and that the answer must always be smaller than the number we started with. We used the “current bun” song to help us remember that each time we subtract, there are fewer left than before. We also visited a pretend shop, starting with different amounts of money and taking away different amounts, then writing the number sentences to match. After that, we practised solving subtraction number sentences using counters and tens frames to support our thinking. It became a little trickier when we had to draw the counters ourselves and cross them out, but we kept practising and improved our confidence.

In our PE lessons, we began learning how to dribble on Monday. We practised dribbling with two hands and then with one, making sure to use our fingers to push the ball down rather than slapping it. As we pushed the ball, we had to think carefully about where we were aiming so we could stay in control and receive the ball again. We then played a game of Kings and Queens, where we had to dribble the ball to the person in the “tower.” If they successfully caught it, we swapped places and they became the dribbler. We finished the session with a mini game of Line Ball, using all the skills we’ve learned so far—scanning, defending, throwing, and catching. We really had to think about finding and moving into space to help our team.

In our RE lesson, we began our new topic by thinking about why people give and receive gifts at Christmas. We spent the lesson having lots of discussions and talking about times when we had given or received gifts, such as on birthdays, Father’s Day, when someone is feeling poorly, or when we simply want to say thank you. We then explored whether the size or cost of a gift really matters and agreed that it is the thought that counts. After that, we looked at the gifts on the Christian Aid website and noticed that these gifts are very different from what we are used to receiving, but they are things that can help people have a better life. Finally, we thought about the gifts we can give without using money, and we decided that sharing smiles, hugs, and love are some of the most meaningful gifts of all.

In music this week, we practised all of our nativity songs, adding actions whenever they were needed. We sang beautifully, and each rehearsal is helping us become more confident. We are so proud of our progress and cannot wait to perform for our families!

In our HeartSmart lesson, we explored the idea of truth and lies. We reflected on the Boris story and discussed how he felt at different points in the narrative. We also talked about the Bible reference, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’” (John 14:6) and what it means for us. We then sorted different statements into truths and lies, thinking carefully about each one. During our Wellbeing time, we considered something we had missed and finished with a fun memory game to strengthen our recall skills.

In D&T this week, we were lucky enough to have a double lesson. First, we explored how to make stable structures. We looked at basketball hoops and noticed how their wide bases and added weight help keep them steady. We also examined lamp posts and discovered that they are buried into the ground, a bit like how tree roots keep trees secure. Using this knowledge, we created our own basketball hoops out of paper straws and experimented with Blue Tac to find where weight made them most stable. With our growing understanding of stability, we then began designing our own pencil pots. We know the main structure will be made from a toilet roll, but we had to consider how to create a strong base and make the design appealing. We spent time planning thoughtful and attractive designs, and we cannot wait to start making them next week!

In History this week, we revisited all the toys we had explored and used our class timeline to help us organise our learning. We learned that beyond living memory refers to events that happened before we were born, such as when our school was built. We then discussed living memory, which includes events that have happened during our own lifetimes, and we added some of our personal milestones to the timeline. After that, we examined different toys and talked about the periods they came from. We sorted toys from the Victorian era, the 1990s, the 2000s and the 2020s, noticing how much they have changed over time. We were especially interested in how different Victorian toys were compared to the toys we play with today.

In Computing this week, we began by revisiting the different tools we have been using on the Paintz app. We enjoyed testing our knowledge through a fun quiz to see if we could remember each tool’s function. We were then introduced to the artist Wassily Kandinsky, who lived from 1866 to 1944, and we thought back to the other artists we have studied in this unit. We looked closely at Kandinsky’s artwork, discussing how we think he created it and which shapes he used. Finally, we used the Paintz app to have a go at creating our own Kandinsky-inspired pieces.

In our Science lesson, we explored the new season—winter. We talked about the weather, the activities people enjoy, the clothes we wear to stay warm, and how animals adapt during this colder time of year. We then went outside to observe our tree and noticed that all of its leaves had fallen off. After looking closely, we drew what the tree looked like in winter. To finish our lesson, we created colourful winter posters to show everything we had learned.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Miss Willis