Beech Newsletter Term 4 – ‘Meerkat’s Marvellous Mission’

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Dear Parents,

Welcome back, I hope everybody had a great half term break. This term we are beginning an exciting new topic – Monty’s Marvellous Mission. We will explore the different animals that can be found on each continent including Africa, Australasia and Asia. We will use clues that our class Meerkat (Monty) gives us from his suitcase! The boxes below explain the areas we will be looking at and some of the work we will be doing in teacher focussed activities and group work. We are also focussing on handwriting and reading activities.

We have updated the Reading Caterpillar in our classroom! If the children read at home or at school five times they can move themselves up the Caterpillar, and each time they get to the Caterpillar’s head they receive a sticker on their picture! The children with the most stickers by the end of term will earn a special reading certificate!

They can swap their book twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. If they finish their book before that please ask them questions about the book, or they can read you a book from home (please record this in their book).

What does the character feel like? Why?
What did you learn?
Does this remind you of anything you have done or any other books? Why does it remind you?
What do you think will happen next?

It is World Book day in week 2. The children can dress up as their favourite book character!

Literacy

Poetry

Non – chronological report

Storytelling and writing

Mathematics

Fractions

Times Tables

Reasoning

Shape and Space

Money and coins

Using mathematical vocabulary

Science

Scientific Investigation

Exploring birds, making bird homes and bird feeders. Predicting, measuring, planning, observation and making conclusions.

Expressive Art & Design

Art – Drawings of animals and animal prints

Making African themed bracelets

DT – Animal face masks

ICT

Handling data about favourite animals, pets and animals found in different continents.

Animal Top Trumps.

Physical Development

Team building skills

Religious Education

Exploring different feelings about Easter.

Is Easter Happy or Sad?

Learning songs and preparing for Easter Service.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Our responsibilities

How we treat and look after the natural environment

Geography

Meerkat – he is going to tell us about his travels/

Equator – learn about this using globe

Name the seas and the continents,

Home Project

This term we are focusing on Animals from different countries. We would love the children to do a project about their favourite animal. This could be a mask, poster, PowerPoint, model, booklet or painting. They can bring it in when it is complete and can share with the class. All children will have the opportunity to share this with the rest of the class.

Reading

Please read with your child every evening, even if it is just for 5 minutes. We read individually with the children once a week, so it is really important that the children bring their book bags, yellow reading record and their reading book into school every day. We also have small group guided reading sessions each week.

When reading with your child please acknowledge the fact that the book has been read by signing and dating in the comments book, or you may like to add a positive or helpful comment in the reading diary. Books are changed twice a week. This is so that the children can enjoy answering questions about the book rather than rushing through books. Please feel free to record in the reading record if your child has read another book in addition to the school book.

Spellings and homework

Every Friday the children will bring home their new spellings to learn. Please ensure your child learns their spellings for their spelling quiz, which takes place the following Friday.

Thank you for your continued support with homework. This really is a great way for you to consolidate learning in class and a chance for you to share in your child’s learning. Please ask your child to read the Year 1 and 2 Common Exception words. All children need to strive to be able to read and spell all the words correctly by the end of their year group.

Maths

Homework this term will be times tables focussed. Please can Year 2 learn their times tables out of order. These are recorded in their times tables books. They will be assessed every Friday. By the end of this year the aim is they know their 2, 5, 10, 3 and 4 times tables off by heart, out of order and recall answers instantly. Some wise owls may even go beyond this and learn their 6 and 7 times too!

Year 1 and Year 2 –Every child has their own log in to the Mathletics website. The children can get Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates for doing lots of Mathletics tasks. I will print out and give to children to take home. Please let me know if you have any questions about Mathletics.

Useful Websites

www.ictgames.co.uk and www.topmarks.co.uk for Literacy and Maths games.
www.phonicsplay.co.uk Phase 4 – 6 games, blending sounds and words.

Reminders

Please can you make sure your child brings in a water bottle and their book bag each day.
Can the children please always have a coat in school as the weather can be unpredictable.
Our PE days are Mondays and every fourth Friday but PE kits should be in all week.
Wellington Boots – Please can all children have a set of Wellies in school at all times, this is so we can use the field and outside areas when it is wet and muddy.

Topic website (linked to animals)

Key Questions

Can you recite your x2, x5, x10 times tables?
Can you talk about your favourite animal and explain why?
Can you name a continent that our Meerkat has been to?
Can you tell me which different sentences we can us and what punctuation can end a sentence?

We hope you all have lovely term supporting the children in their learning and can see how much they have learnt already. Please do not hesitate to come and speak to me if you have any questions,

Thank you for your support,

Mrs Woods