Ladybirds: Clay Play & Reading

We have had a very busy start to the term with a number of new children who we have been so pleased to have with us.  Friendships are being made and the settling, which is a very big jump for some of the younger ones, is going well.

We have a lot of plans for the term even though it’s quite short.  The children have been practising clay modelling, making small pots, in Clay Play.  The practise helps the children have the hands on experience before using the clay that will be fired – some of the children have already started this.

Our reading has introduced two creatures that sleep through the winter: a tortoise (A Loud Winter’s Nap) and a bear (Bear Snores On).  A lot of our conversation as a whole group has been about the nature of Winter, what it’s like and what we do that’s different in Winter weather.

In maths we have introduced the idea of using a tally count and have already put this into effect when voting on which book I should read (Bear Snores On beat The Cat in the Hat 12 votes to 6)!

We have been exploring the school as part of Understanding the World and our geography focus, looking in the different rooms and classrooms – thinking about what is different and how the building can be walked all the way round on the inside.  The children had not seen the school completely and it there has been a lot of expressions of wonder going into the Key Stage 2 classrooms.

There will be more cooking and welly walks this term, as always the inspiration for how we deliver what we want the children to grasp comes from their own interests.