Spring Term 2017 – Woodpecker Class Newsletter

Dear Parents

Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed the holiday and got plenty of rest.

This term we are focusing on the whole school topic ‘Storms and Shipwrecks.’

English: We will be reading Michael Foreman’s text ‘Jack’s Fantastic Voyage’and focusing on his use of story-telling and descriptive language. We will look at how the author introduces the character as well as how the story builds. The children will use this to help them write their own sea voyages. I will be reading Robinson Crusoe to the children. After half term we will be writing our own non-chronological reports about Australia and looking at Jeannie Baker’s text ‘Where the Forest Meets the Sea’.

English Targets can be found in the cover of your child’s reading record.

Maths: This half of the term we will be looking at place value, the four calculations (+/-/x/÷), fractions, money, capacity time and geometry. Please remember to practise the maths targets found inside the cover of reading records.

Science:In Science this Spring, Woodpeckers will be studying Plants, with a view to learning about common garden, wild plants and trees and what they need in order to grow. They will also begin to collect data and to observe changes across the four seasons. In the second half of the Spring term, our thoughts will be with Living things and their habitats, as we explore the plants and animals living in our locality.

Topic: Within the whole school topic ‘Storms and Shipwrecks’ we will be focusing on different types of weather, naming oceans and seas and looking at Grace Darling. After half term we will move onto looking at Australia.

Big Q:Our big Q this term is ‘Do we Need Special Places?’ We will be talking about our own special places, what makes them special and how we feel when we are there. We will then move on to talking about church and synagogues - looking at similarities and differences. Nearer Easter we will look at the question ‘Can stories change people?’

P4C / PSHCE: Our PSHCE focus this term will be onrecognising, naming and showing our feelings, feeling safe and keeping ourselves (including our bodies) safe.

Computing: Our focus will remain on learning basic keyboard skills. Many of the children are very familiar with touch screen applications but far less familiar with the use of a qwerty keyboard and mouse.

Music:We will be studying rhythm and pace, linking this to the flow and movement of water and learning some sea shanties

PE:PE will continue to take place with our sports coaches.

Art/DT: This term we will continue to learn about colour mixing and use of colour and pattern. We will also be making ships in jars. We would be really grateful if you could send in any empty jars. After half term we will be looking at pointillism (using Aboriginal art as our influence).

Homework:As per last term, homework can be found in the front of green homework books. Phonics homework will be set on Monday, due Friday. Additional year two homework will usually be set on Friday, due Wednesday.

Reading: Please ensure you are reading with your children at least five times a week, and recording this in their reading records.

Spellings: All pupils will continue to have 3 special spellings. These are personal to each child and are taken from high frequency lists or identified as errors in their writing. Not only does the spelling need to be learnt – they need to remember what the words are, as time does not allow us to read each child’s individual spelling out to them.

Labelling: By the end of last term a lot of labels had been washed off. Please could you kindly check all items are clearly labelled – thank you.

Workshops for Parents:

Monday 16th JanuaryYear 1 Phonics meeting for parents @ 3.10pm

Tuesday 17th JanuaryYear 2 SATs meeting for parents @ 3.10pm

Please do not hesitate to come and see me or send a note/email via the office if you have any worries or concerns.

I am looking forward to working with you and your children again this term.

Kind regards

MyfinaShuff