Rabbits' blog 5
Date: 20th Oct 2024 @ 12:15pm
20th October
It's a time of joy at school at the moment, and I don't mean because we are successfully almost completing the first half term (#Crawling!), but that there have been so many times we have enjoyed the Rabbits being rigorous. They coped well with the flu jab. I think the downpour completely distracted them from the 'nose tickle', the former lasting a great deal longer than the seconds of the latter. We've done a lot of art for our curriculum but also incorporating our 175th anniversary- hope you liked the trees in the windows and the ones on display during the open day. On Friday we had a short master class with a real life professioonal artist who is creating a tiled collage for our 175th anniversary with every child and member of staff. I think we need more clay in our lives so watch this space. Music has been a daily source of pleasure (wonder if Mrs Line would say the same about her Thursday afternoons??!) as we learnt some new songs (I'm looking ahead to our class assembly already!) and how to use a glockenspiel. #Such fun. Hope you saw the 3 videos on Twitter. Certainly made me laugh and proud in equal measure!
Maths is all about part and wholes and fact families. Fact families (number bonds, number friends) are basically a crucial element of the foundation of all maths. We have started to record our fact families as: Part Whole diagrams and number sentences. This week and into the next half term will be learning our number bonds to 10 off by heart. One of my 'go to' games is Wipeout. It can be used for number bonds, doubles, +1 -1 etc etc. Here's how to play it:
- each player draws a 9 square tic tac toe/0 and X board.
- use a dice, roll and record the practising fact family.
- take it in turns until each player has filled their board.
- repeat the process of rolling the dice but now wipe out if you have the answer on your board. If you don't, you don't do anything. Next player's turn.
- first player to wipe out completely wins.
- repeat.
This week we will play this with fact families of 5 and a bit. So each child will roll the dice and add that amount to 5 and record it. They already know 5 +1, 5+2, 5+3, 5+4, 5+5 well and it needs to be engrained to the point of off by heart. Wipeout can be played by themselves or with lots of players.
One key 'mastery' element is to ask your child what number they need to roll on their dice to wipe out '8' (etc) although I can't promise that this will encourage a competitive element of 'manipulating' the dice to get it!
In English this week we are turning to poetry in anticipation of our new book next half term. As one of the curriculum expectations is to recite poetry off by heart, I am hoping to put on a low-key performance on Wednesday afternoon (if weather is on our side). We will be ready for hometime at 3:15 and will stand outside/at our outside door and will perform our brief poem to you. We'll start just before 3.20 as we can so you are not held up to get other siblings. Get the message out so you don't miss it!
After that it will mark the start of parents' evenings. Wednesday - I'll see you in the hall. Thursday: I'll see you online. I'll phone you if the connection is bad or we get cut off before the 10min time limit.
I love my Rigorous Rabbits and we are in a great learning place going forward to Christmas. Now let's enjoy the last week and then a chance to recuperate!
Mrs H
