21st - 25th September '09

This week the focus has been on friendship and making friends.

This week we learnt the number rhyme "5 little ducks went swimming one day". Through this activity we practised reciting and counting numbers to 5.

Through this "Fizzy's Numbers" ICT activity we played some games which focus on numbers 1 - 10.

We searched for 2-D shapes (circles, squares, triangles, rectangles) around the Nursery yard then used our thinking and communication skills to sort and match them into shape sets. We then tried to make the shapes ourselves using our bodies.

We explored changes by melting chocolate in the microwave, sharing it into 'petit four' cases, then used our thinking skills to decide how we could make the chocolate solid again. We put our chocolates in the fridge and when they were set we decorated them with a smartie and took them home to enjoy.

We each made a friendship bracelet for a chosen friend. We decorated a paper strip by making marks with felt pens.


We have enjoyed playing a range of play perscussion instruments and exploring/thinking about the sounds that they make.

During a PSE Circle time activity, we passed chocolate teddy around each other in a circle. When it was our turn to hold chocolate teddy, we used our communication skills to tell everybody which friends we had played with that day. We listened to our friends when it wasn't our turn to speak.

We have been using our ICT skills in the infant computer suite. We work with our talking/computer partners and in this 'Mouse Skills' game we are practising our mouse control.

We have 'painted' pictures of ourselves on the plasma screen computer using the '2Paint' programme.

We have really enjoyed playing new games with the parachute during PE lessons.

Hello and Welcome to the Nursery Blog for 2009 - 2010. As you can see we have already been very busy settling into new routines, getting to know each other and making new friends. Two of us have even celebrated our 4th birthdays already!

(Nursery 1)

(Nursery 2)

We are having lots of fun outside - using the climbing frames, playhouses, riding on bikes, cars and scooters:

Also, inside we have enjoyed discovering lots of new activities:

This term our theme is " All about us". The following overview will give you some ideas of the varied activities we will be enjoying:

Mathematical Development
- ABACUS scheme activities
- Count, recognise and name numbers 1 – 10.
- Count, match, order sets of objects.
- Learn number/counting rhymes to support number work.
- Number games/flashcards/jigsaws/templates.
- Computer/IWB/Plasma screen for number activities.
- Compare objects by size/weight.
- Recognise and name 2D shapes.
- Recognise and continue simple repeating patterns.
- Use play money in role play areas.

Language, Literacy & Communication
- Self portraits for autumn term.
- Begin to recognise and write own name.
- Read/listen to a variety of topic related stories (also
taped/CD/online).
- Develop vocabulary in role play areas
- Develop correct pencil grip & left-right orientation through
directed pre-writing activities e.g. writing patterns, colourings.
- Develop speaking & Listening skills through singing Nursery
rhymes, sharing news, circle time activities, listening lotto.
- Emergent writing activities e.g. ‘write’ birthday invites/Christmas
lists/orders in café.
- Pre-reading activities e.g. jigsaws, looking at/handling books correctly.
- Computer/IWB/Plasma screen activities for language activities

Knowledge & Understanding of the World
- Plant bulbs.
- Discuss cold/warm weather clothing.
- Taste a variety of foods (familiar and unfamiliar).
- Identify and name body parts.
- Sequence days of the week/daily routines.
- Observe seasonal/daily weather changes.
- Discuss where we live/our addresses.
- Become familiar with a new environment.
- Computers/IWB/Plasma screen activities to develop language,
mathematical and basic computer skills.
- ‘Bee-bot’ roamer activities

Creative Development
ART - ‘Flumps’ for Welcome display.
- Theme-related craft activities/painting/drawing/friezes/models.
- Printing.
- Christmas Craft – cards and calendars.
D.T – Design an elephant friend for Elmer (home task – half term)
- Make an Elmer with a split-pin trunk.
- Junk modelling using various materials.
MUSIC – ‘Music Express’ activities.
- Learn to sing a range of simple songs, general & theme related.
- Learn the names of some percussion instruments – how to hold
and play them.
- Listen to music of different genres and cultures.
DANCE – ‘Val Saben’ dance activities
- Respond to different stimuli e.g. walk like an elephant.
- Explore a variety of simple movements e.g. folk dancing, moving to music from different countries.

Personal & Social Development
- Make new friends.
- Learn to share and take turns.
- Adapt to school routines and become independent in personal
needs.
- Identify different feelings and emotions.
- Develop an awareness of food/clothes/celebrations in other
cultures.
- Develop self confidence.
- Begin to understand right and wrong.

Welsh Language Development
- Introduce ‘brawddeg yr wythnos’ (sentence of the week) on a weekly
basis.
- Develop a range of topic-related vocabulary e.g. colours, numbers,
greetings, weather.
- Watch Welsh language videos/DVD’s (‘Ding Dong’, ‘Fflic a Fflac’) to
enhance and develop language and extend vocabulary.
- Choose a ‘Helpwr Heddiw’ (today’s helper) and ‘Seren y dydd’ (star
of the day) daily.

Physical Development
- gym, games and dance activities.
- Develop spatial awareness.
- Awareness of body parts.
- Various activities to develop and refine fine manipulative and
gross motor skills e.g. using small tools / large apparatus.
- Practise lining up for hall/assembly/lunch/playtime.
- Outdoor activities including play fort, bikes, climbing frames,
walks, etc.
- Practise putting on/taking off coats and painting aprons
independently.

Area of study outline for Summer Term 2009

Theme:-"Up, Up and Away!"

Mathematical Development
· Counting to 20 and beyond
· Reinforcement of recognition and formation of numbers to 10 and beyond
· Recognition of 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1, £2
· Number rhymes/games/jigsaws
· Computer/IWB/Plasma for number activities
· Dot-to-dot pictures
· Measuring activities using non-standard units (Cups,cubes,buckets,feet,hands,etc)
· Produce pictograms
· Simple symmetry (butterflies)

Language, Literacy & Communication
· Listen to theme related stories/rhymes/poems
· Class/group speaking and listening activities
· Role–play areas – Giant’s castle, aeroplane/airport, spaceship
· Nursery rhymes, finger rhymes, simple songs, action songs e.g class moves
· Pre-writing activities - Continue to trace simple outlines/colour bold outline pictures, emergent writing/mark making, rubbings, free drawing
· ‘Letters and Sounds’ scheme – Phase 1 activities
· Continue to recognise and write own name by tracing/overwriting/copying/writing independently
· Pre-reading activities – re-telling stories, jigsaws, etc
· Computer/IWB/Plasma screen for language activities
Knowledge & Understanding of the World
· Science – Lifecycle of a butterfly, blow bubbles, changes as we grow, grow beans/seeds, make bread and watch it rise, look at rainbows
· History – Sequencing activities, compare old/new transport, reinforce days of the week (names and correct order)
· Geography – Weather/seasonal changes/Rainbows, Barnaby Bear travel stories, look at clothing for different holidays
· R.E – Noah’s Ark, Stories from New Testament, continue to develop sensitivity and responsibility
· I.C.T – Computers/IWB/Plasma board activities and games/simple programs to develop language, mathematical and computer skills, Use ‘Beebot’ programmable toy for directional activities, CD/Taped stories
Creative Development
· Art – Theme related craft activities, painting, drawing, self portraits, play dough activities
· Collages
· Sand pictures
· Mixing colours
· Father’s day cards
· Cooking
· Music – theme related songs/action songs. ‘Music Express’ activities
Personal & Social Development
· Circle time activities
· Talk about feelings
· Show and Tell time
· Continue to develop social skills (sharing, taking turns, table manners, etc)







Welsh Language Development
· Continue to introduce greetings/simple greetings
· Continue to count in Welsh
· Discuss the weather daily
· Watch Welsh Language videos (‘Ding Dong’ and ‘Fflic a Fflac’ to reinforce vocabulary
· Weekly incidental Welsh phrases (Brawddeg yr wythnos)

Physical Development
· Gym, dance and games activities
· Various activities to further develop and refine fine manipulative/gross motor skills
· Making lines for hall, assembly, lunch, playtime, etc
· Outdoor activities - bikes, scooters, play fort, etc
· Put on/take off coats and zip them up
· Put own shoes on
· Practise cutting skills and refine
· Explore travelling–high/low, climbing up/down,
· Spatial awareness activities
· Making dens
· Parachute games

Key stage 1 sports day

Dear Parent(s),

Please note that the Key Stage 1 sports day is to be held on Tuesday 2nd June.

We really enjoyed learning about Chinese New Year and loved trying the food!

Chinese New Year celebration

To celebrate Chinese New Year - the year of the 'ox' we tasted different Chinese foods. We tried prawn crackers, fried rice, crispy seaweed, lychees and spring rolls. Our favourite was the green crispy seaweed! May Ling came to visit us and told us all about the celebrations for Chinese New Year and we watched a video of a little boy who told us all the fun things they do over this time. They have lucky money wallets under their pillows in the morning, they decorate their houses with pretty lanterns, watch amazing fireworks and see the lion and dragon dances in the street. We danced to Chinese music with ribbons and painted our feet and printed them onto a large piece of material to make our own dragon or lion.

Our 'snowy' fun!

When we got to school on Tuesday this is what our yard looked like. Not long afterwards it started snowing again!! We all rushed down and threw snowballs and made a snowman, it was great fun! Then it started snowing heavily and we had to go home! But look at all the fun we had in such a short space of time..... Can you see the fresh snow and then all of the footprints we made?

Area of study outline for Spring term 2009

Theme for Spring 2009 - 'Walk this Way'


Mathematical Development
· Counting to 20.
· Recognition and formation of numbers to 10
· Continue to count, match, order sets of objects
· Continue to learn Number/counting rhymes to support number work
· Number games, flashcards, jigsaws, templates
· Computer/IWB for number activities
· Comparing objects by different criteria
· Reinforcement of 2D shapes
· Copying and creating 2/3 colour/shape patterns
· Dot-to-dot pictures up to 5/10

Language, Literacy & Communication
· Listen to stories and retell stories from memory
· Talk about favourite part of the story
· Speaking/Listening games and activities (associated with ‘Letters and Sounds’ scheme Phase 1)
· Nursery rhymes, finger rhymes, simple songs, action songs e.g class moves
· Continue to trace simple outlines/colour bold outline pictures
· Continue to recognise and write own name by tracing/overwriting/copying/writing independently
· Emergent writing/mark making
· Complete a variety of jigsaws
· Odd-one-out activities
· IWB/Plasma screen for language activities

Knowledge & Understanding of the World
· Science - Plant seeds, cooking (pancakes, welsh cakes, biscuits, etc), explore different types of footwear
· History – Daily routines, days of the week, look at old/new objects
· Geography – Look at footwear for different weather
· R.E – Easter story and other bible stories from O.T and N.T, continue to develop sensitivity and responsibility
· I.C.T – Computers/IWB/Plasma board activities and games/simple programs to develop language, mathematical and computer skills
·
Creative Development
· Art – Theme related craft activities, painting, drawing, self portraits, play dough activities
· D&T – junk models, cards for mothers day and Easter
· Music – Learn to sing a range of simple songs, general, Welsh and theme related. Use a variety of percussion instruments to make a range of sounds. Explore and investigate sounds.

Personal & Social Development
· Circle time games
· Develop awareness of less able people
· Continue to develop social skills (sharing, taking turns, table manners, etc)

Welsh Language Development
· Continue to introduce greetings/simple greetings
· Continue to count to 10
· Discuss the weather daily
· Watch Welsh Language video (‘Ding Dong’) to reinforce vocabulary
· Weekly incidental Welsh phrases (Brawddeg yr wythnos)

Physical Development
· Continue spatial awareness
· Various activities to further develop and refine fine manipulative/gross motor skills
· Making lines for hall, assembly, lunch, playtime, etc
· Outdoor activities including bikes, scooters, etc
· Put on/take off coats and zip them up
· Put own shoes on
· Practise cutting skills and refine
· Practise different ways of travelling with our feet – hopping, jumping, skipping
· Parachute games