Friday 29th March

This week in maths we have continued our learning about measuring. First we thought about how we could easily compare the weights of a range of objects using the balance scales. We used multilink cubes to weight the items and recorded our findings. We knew that we need to add enough cubes to make the pans on the scales balance – the weight of the cubes would be equal to the weight of the object. We then ordered the objects by weight. We also worked out the difference in weight of the objects. The next day we used water trays and empty containers to investigate capacity and volume. First we thought about the mathematical vocabulary we could use to compare – full, almost full, half full, half empty, almost empty, empty. Please use these terms at home with your child.  We thought about how we can compare the volume of different containers and we realised that it is compare exactly how much each container holds. We thought about filling one to the top and pouring into the other or counting how many capfuls full they both contain. We went outside and investigated the capacity of various containers using different methods.  The next day we estimated and then checked the capacity of containers, compared which held more and which held less, and ordered them using the greater and less than symbols. We also thought about some word problems. Here are some examples: Please ask your child to compare and measure at home, and ask them some questions similar to the ones above. In Geography we have been using our Harpenden walk to think about our local area. We started by sorting geographical features into human and physical features. We then made maps of our local area, ensuring we included a compass and a key!  Please encourage your child to make maps of their home, garden or street - including a compass and a key!  This week in English we wrote a recount of our walk into Harpenden.  On Monday we put a set of photos in chronological order and then added time words to match the order. We wrote sentences on whiteboards to match the photos. On Tuesday we wrote our own recounts.  It was important to remember to write in the past. We had to remember to use the toolkit below. On Wednesday we heard a diary entry about a magic key and acted out the story. We went back in time to Harpenden in the past!  We met a girl called Jane and help her follow her map. First we went to Cock Pond  Next we went to the British School After hearing the story we drew a story map to show the sequence. On Friday we talked about and planned our own Magic Key stories using this boxing up sheet. Next week we will be writing them. All our stories begin with this Dear Diary,  Today I walked into Harpenden with my class. On the way I asked my teachers where we were going? “On an adventure!” they replied. Down the road we went until we came to the oldest house in Harpenden. As we were standing outside number 2 Southdown Road I noticed an old key in the door.  Suddenly the key began to magically glow. I moved slowly towards the key.  The key glowed brighter and brighter until it was so bright that I had to close my eyes.  A whirling wind started blowing all around me. I was scared but also excited.  Round and round and round I turned until BUMP!   As I looked around, I noticed everything was different. I had gone back in time! Just then a little girl came up to me. Her name was Jane. In her hand she held a map and she asked me if would like to follow map with her.  I said yes.  Over the weekend you may like to ask your child about theirs and find out what they find in their pocket at the end. Phonics This week in phonics we have been consolidating the digraphs ‘aw’ ‘or’ ‘au’ and ‘ore’. Can your child show you how they use their phoneme fingers to segment these words – crawl, squawk, straw, storm, transport, scorch, Paul, Autumn, August, launch, snore, more, shore and then blend them back together again? Can they spot the digraph or spilt digraph in the words above. Is there only one digraph in these words or do some have more than one?Can they read these alien words –mawp, flawt, korll, jorms, slauck, raups, quore, straun Spelling ideas. Perhaps you could get your child to think of a sentence using the words above with this week’s digraphs and the word ‘school’ and ‘friend’ to practise the common exception words. Don’t forget all the Year 1 common exception words are in your child’s Progress Book. This week with in art we completed our collaborative collages. Have a great weekend! The Year One Team

Friday 22nd March

We have had an amazing day today walking around Harpenden and seeing how Harpenden is a town and how it has changed over the years.  When walking in Harpenden ask your child to point out different landmarks and how they have changed.

We think we walked six miles today (plus all the running around at lunchtime!) 
Happy Healthy Handa would be very proud of us all!

In maths we have been continuing our learning about measuring. On Monday we considered the ‘Animal Sports Day’ question. We could give any answer, but we needed to use our reasoning skills to explain our thinking. Here is the problem for you to try at home: Please think up a similar problem for your child to use their reasoning skills to solve. On Tuesday we enjoyed a measuring ChIL. We used rules and tape measures to measure height and lengths in centimetres. We started to use balance scales to compare weights.  If you have any balance type scales at home, please encourage your child to investigate the weight of a variety of objects. Here are some examples you might like to use at home. These encourage your child to use their reasoning skills: Next week we will be using non-standard measures to measure weight and investigating volume and capacity. This week in English we continued our learning about instruction writing. On Monday we had an instruction ChIL. We could chose from a range of activities that involved us either following and reading instructions or writing our own instructions. During the ChIL we worked with the adults to edit the instructions we had written last week.  We used to toolkit (below) to see what features we had included and which we needed to improve. On Tuesday we had an instruction and Harpenden ChIL where we could choose to extend our own learning in English from this term. Home Learning Your child may like to collect some instructions to bring into class for us all to see. On Wednesday 'World Storytelling Day' we enjoyed a storytelling workshop with Mrs Fantozzi who runs ‘Drama Llamas’.  The children thoroughly enjoyed going back in time with a magic key. Ask your child what they enjoyed most. Ice skating on Cock Pond, going to the British School, helping the farmer at Yew Tree Farm, meeting Sir John Lawes or having pizza at Prezzo! Phonics This week in phonics we have been learning about the digraph ‘oo’, ‘ue’, ‘ew’, ‘u-e’ Can your child show you how they use their phoneme fingers to segment these words food, proof, scoop, gloom, glue, statue, argue, continue, cashew,jewel, Andrew, knew, cue, costume, perfume, fortune and then blend them back together again? Can they spot the digraph or spilt digraph in the words above. Is there only one digraph in these words or do some have more than one? Can they read these alien words – stroop, jues, quewm, glukes Spelling ideas. Perhaps you could get your child to think of a sentence using the words above with this week’s digraphs and the sentence starter  Put………    to practise the common exception words. Don’t forget all the Year 1 common exception words are in your child’s Progress Book. Year 1 History  - We have been learning about the events of the life of Sir John Bennett Lawes and Katherine Warrington. We had a lot of fun sorting out facts, deciding who the fact was about and attaching it to our life models.  We then asked the models questions about their lives. Following this we sorted similar facts on to paper and used these to help us in our writing. Music  -  Year 1 We have been looking at different stimuli for creating music.  Our stimulus has been water.  We have learnt how melodic lines can be smooth – legato, or spikey – staccato.  We used the glockenspiels to explore creating both sounds.  This week we have been working as a group to create the musical soundtrack to a video of a canoe going down a river.  It started slow and legato, picked up tempo and was very staccato, before calming down again. We were really successful. We hope that you have a good weekend - we think the children will sleep well after all that walking and fresh air!  Year One Team