English
Phonics
The children will develop their sound knowledge through a range of activities. Children will learn two new graphemes each week and embed knowledge of these through reading words and sentences and applying into writing. At the start of each half term, a list of graphemes (phonics sounds) and vocabulary that will be taught over that half term will be sent home. The weeks will be numbered so you know which ones to practise that particular week. The phonics screening test takes place in June. Please see these links for phonics games to support learning at home;
http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html
http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/phase-4-games.html
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/5-7-years/letters-and-sounds
Writing
Throughout the term we will continue to develop the ability to write effective sentences, including a range of punctuation, conjunctions, adjectives and adverbs. We will do this through the traditional tale ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and a non-fiction report about toys.
Reading
Children will take part in daily guided reading sessions. The main focus of the session is to teach children strategies for reading unknown words and to read with increasing fluency and pace. It is also important the children understand what they are reading. The sessions will also involve asking questions about the main events and characters from story and retelling the story.
Children also have the opportunity to read their home reading book to a teacher, teaching assistant, student or volunteer. Their book and reading record will be sent home every night and should be returned to school every day. Please make sure reading records are signed when you have read with your child at home. The books will be changed on a Friday and will focus on the phonic sounds taught that week.
Handwriting
The children will continue to work on the correct formation of letters; including descenders and ascenders, ensuring that the letters are placed correctly on the line. The children will have stand-alone handwriting sessions every week in order to practise their handwriting. As your child becomes more proficient, please encourage them to practise these skills when writing in their homework book. When the children are ready, we will begin to introduce pre-cursive handwriting.
Mathematics
In Maths this term, we will continue to develop their understanding of place value. Your child will learn to compare groups using language such as equal, more / greater, less / fewer, compare and order numbers, count forwards and backwards from different starting numbers and represent numbers to twenty in numerals and words, and partition teens numbers into tens and ones. Our other units of work will be Addition and Subtraction, Measurement and Money.
Maths Learning Journey
Children have a copy of their Maths Spring Learning Journey targets in their Homework books. These track and support individual progress in Maths and provide the children with personal targets. Attainment against these targets are monitored and evaluated within school. Please also support your child in reaching these targets with regular practice at home. We cannot stress enough how important these mental skills are for your child and how invaluable they will be to them when they move into Year 2.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=16&AgeGroup=2
Science
The children are learning about materials during this term. Our Science Learning Challenge is ‘Which material would make the best umbrella?’ The children will make predictions, explore materials and their properties, and explain their choices.
See knowledge organiser on our Year 1 page.
Geography
Our Geography is called ‘What is the weather like in the UK?’
The children will learn how to:
- locate the four countries of the UK on a map and begin to locate the four capital cities of the UK
- identify the country they live in
- identify the four seasons
- describe some seasonal changes
- identify the four compass points and use the compass directions to describe the location of features
- Observe daily weather patterns and explain what the weather is like during each season of the UK and the appropriate clothing for each season.
History
Our History unit is called How have toys changed?
The children will earn how to:
- Discus their favourite toy using language related to the past and ask questions about toys in the past.
- Make comparisons between toys in the past and present.
- Sequence artefacts from different time periods
- Identify changes between teddy bears today and those from 100 years ago and describe how toys have changed over time.
Computing
This term the children will be learning to create pictograms and block graphs using data they collect. They will learn the advantages of using computer programs to collect and present their data. They will also learn how to take a photo and print it, record and play sound. They will learn about landscape and portrait photographs and when it is best to use them, framing photographs and what the subject of the photograph is.
P.E.
In P.E. the children will be focusing on gymnastics and will learn to use control when balancing and rolling to do these movements with quality. They will focus on balancing on different body parts and creating high and low to the ground balances. They will learn how to do pencil, teddy bear and egg rolls. They will move on to creating a sequence of 2-3 balances and rolls.
R.E.
In R.E. we will be exploring what makes some places sacred. We will consider places that make them feel safe and give simple reasons for why these places make them feel safe. We will find out more about places of worship and look for similarities and differences between pictures and artefacts of three different places of worship - church, synagogue and mosque. We will describe places of worship whilst considering why they are important to believers.
Art:
The children will be focusing on sculpture. They will make individual sculptures using card to make towers by cutting, rolling and folding, 3D drawings by shaping card and choosing colours carefully, make the tree of life using card and make a giant spider sculpture as a class.
DT:
The children will learn how to join fabric together to make a pencil case. They will explore different joining techniques such as staples, glue and safety pins. They will then choose their preferred joining technique to make a pencil case out of felt and decorate it.
Music
We will follow the Charanga scheme of work, learning about rhythm and pulse and creating our own music.
Homework
A homework book will be sent home every other Friday and needs to be completed and handed in by the Monday of the second week. This will give the teacher time to mark it and set new homework. The homework will consist of two main tasks: record the words containing the graphemes being taught into sentences and a Maths activity. There will be an additional challenge activity that will be linked to a foundation subject.
If you require any further information regarding the curriculum for Year 1 please speak to your child's class teacher.
