Welcome to Blackbirds

Welcome to Blackbirds Class we are looking forward to learning, discovering and exploring together.

Me and You. How do you do?

We are very excited to get to know you and your family this year. We can’t wait to spend time with you in class or visiting you at home. We have been working hard to make the environment as stimulating and inviting as possible. We cannot wait for you to play, explore, investigate, discover and create in them! I wonder what you might do here.......

Thanks so much to all of you who have signed up and are already posting on Tapestry. It gives us a fantastic insight into you as a family unit and each child as a unique individual.

If you haven't already posted on Tapestry, please do have a go. Do ask if you need some help with this. We will be looking out for your posts and we are sure you will be looking out for ours too!

Here’s to a settled, happy start to a new school year.

Term 1: A place like home

We are very excited to welcome the children back and begin our very first topic... A place like home! We have lots of 'getting to know you' activities planned and lots of fun games to settle the children back into school. 

In English the children will begin writing short narratives about themselves and their families. We will share and promote good reading habits, the use of the library and class book corners. We will also be celebrating famous British children's authors as part of Roald Dahl Day. 

During Maths lessons we are going to be focusing on number and place value, completing lots of practical, hands on activities using different manipulatives to support us like, tens frames, numicon and unifix cubes. We will then move on to addition and subtraction. 

In Science we are going to be looking at living things and their habitats. The children will explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive. As well as identifying various habitats and why they are suitable. 

During Topic we are predominately focusing on Geography. We are going to be creating our own map of the school grounds and then looking at Sittingbourne town on Google maps. The children will be providing compass directions to a friend. They will then compare Sittingbourne to a town in Africa.

As you can see, we have got lots of great things planned for the children and we are so excited to begin! We hope you have all had a restful, fun summer and can't wait to see you.

Term 2: Horrible Histories

We are very excited about our new topic… ‘Horrible Histories.’  We are going to be learning about the Egyptian Era, Vikings, Guy Fawkes and Walter Tull. 

In English we are going to be focusing on:

We will continue to send home spellings each week on Tapestry for you to practise at home. Please ensure you work with your child on these spellings as it will support them with both their reading and writing.

In Maths we are going to be focusing on addition and subtraction; specifically, comparing number sentences, bonds to 100, 10 more and 10 less, add and subtract tens, adding a 2 digit and a 1 digit number, subtracting a 2 digit from a 2 digit number and adding three single digit numbers.

In Science we are learning about 'Animals including humans' We will be noticing that animals have offspring that grow into adults, finding out the basic needs of animals and humans and describing the importance for humans to exercise and eat the right amounts of different food. 

In PSHE we will be continuing 'Relationships'. We will be discussing online relationships and online reputation. We will then focus on appropriate and inappropriate touch, hurtful teasing and bulling and what to do if this is happening. 

During PE we will continue to focus on 'Dance', in our other PE lesson will be focusing on 'Ball Skills'. The children will develop their fundamental ball skills such as throwing, catching, rolling, hitting a target, dribbling with both hands and feet and kicking. They will look to perform these skills with increasing control and accuracy using co-ordination and balance. The children will have the opportunity to work independently, in pairs and small groups. 

We are very excited for this brilliant topic!

Term 3: Our Planet

Welcome to a New Year and a new term! Our new topic this term is 'Our Planet.' We are going to be focusing on learning the world's continents and oceans, atlas skills and understanding how humans impact the global environment.

In English this term we are going to be focusing on engaging with a story with which the children will empathise. They will explore themes and issues, and develop and sustain ideas through discussion. They will develop creative responses to our text through drama, storytelling and artwork. The children will write in role in order to explore and develop empathy for characters. They will write with confidence for real purpose and audiences.

In Maths we are going to be focusing on shape and money. We will continue with shape and will be focusing on sorting 2D and 3D shapes. The children will also count faces, edges and vertices on 3D shapes as well as make patterns with 2D and 3D shapes. When learning about money we will be finding different combinations of coins that equal the same amount, recognise and use symbols for pounds and pence, combine amounts to make a particular value and solve simple problems.

We will be 'working scientifically' in Science taking part in a variety of different investigations. We will be asking questions, observing closely, identifying and classifying and recording data. 

In PE we will be focusing on Fitness and Gymnastics:

Gymnastics– Children will learn explore and develop basic gymnastic actions on the floor and using apparatus. They will develop gymnastic skills of jumping, rolling, balancing and travelling individually and in combination to create short sequences and movement phrases. Children will develop and create sequences to include the use of shapes, levels and directions. They will learn to work safely with and around others and whilst using apparatus. Children are given opportunities to provide feedback to others and recognise elements of high quality performance. 

During our PSHE sessions our focus will be 'Living in the Wider World.' and Online Bullying.

We are very excited about our new topic! 

Welcome to Term 4 'Kings, Queens and Flying Machines.'

How Did We Learn to Fly?

The children are going to be developing their knowledge of events beyond living memory and reinforcing their chronological understanding by looking at significant events in the history of flight on a timeline. They will also learn about individuals who contributed to the history of flight. 

What is a Monarch?

The children are going to be finding out the role of a monarch and comparing the monarchy today with the monarchy in the past. They will then investigate how William the Conqueror became King and learn how he used castles to rule. They will study different types of castles and consider how these evolved over time.

In English, we are going to be focusing on poetry and rhyming. We will be studying the poet Michael Rosen and his rhythm and rhyme in performance poetry. We will also be reading a chocolate themed story, focusing on prediction, story structure and retelling a story. 

In Maths we are going to be focusing on multiplication and division. The children will be recognising and making equal groups. They will use x to solve multiplication number sentences. The children will need to recall and use multiplication and division facts for 2, 5 and 10 times tables, it would be great if you could practise these times tables at home. They will also being using their knowledge to solve problems using arrays, repeated addition, mental methods and multiplication and division facts. 

In Science we are going to be learning about plants. The children will be able to identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees. They will know the different parts of a plant and their function. 

During PE sessions we will be focusing on:

Sending and Receiving

and

Team Building.  

Term 5 - Art Attack

We are all very excited about our new topic… Art Attack! We are going to be thinking about inspiring artists; Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, Salvador Dali and Zaha Hadid.

In English we will be thinking about our school and our local community. We will be focusing on describing characters, writing in role, relating to our own experiences and writing non-fiction reports.

In Maths we will be focusing on fractions and learning about halves, quarters and thirds.

In Science we will be working scientifically, carrying out a variety of different experiments. 

In Topic we are going to be looking at four different artists; Henry Moore, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and Zaha Hadid. We will be creating art work using a range of techniques.  

Home Learning

Check out these links to websites and suggestions of things you can do at home....

https://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/writingRepeater/

• Use this to model some handwriting patterns or letter formation for your child to watch and copy.

Oxford Owl

• Oxford Owl is a great website with a wide range of ideas for phonics and maths. Take a look at their free eBook library too.

https://abcdoes.com/home-learning/

• Alistair Bryce Clegg (who has inspired the Early Years ethos at The Oaks) has begun to gather some practical, fun activities to try at home.

https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/have-some-fun/storybooks-and-games/

• Share good quality online stories and enjoy fun Literacy and Numeracy activities.

https://numbots.com/

• Many of our pupils are already enjoying the Numbots resource at home. You should have received your child's login details (they went home in book bags) but please get in touch if there are any problems.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=37

(Select the 'Early Years' tab from the 'Popular Subjects' menu.)

• For mixed Literacy and Numeracy activities, and links to other sites.

Other websites to try.....

Phonics Play

This website provides lots of free phonics games to play.  This website provides games to help children to practise blending and segmenting skills and sight word recognition.

Please post anything you do on Tapestry, we would love to share it too.