Squabbits
Date: 5th Jul 2024 @ 12:44pm
Friday 5th July
Mrs H here. I wanted to write a blog to all the Y1 parents to tell you about the last 2 days. We had a fine old time!
We spent all our time as Year 1 (Squabbits) and most of it in the Otters' classroom, just using the Squirrels' area for table space.
We loved looking around the 2 classrooms to investigate similarities and differences and the big chairs were a novelty! We sat where we could on the carpet, not choosing specific friends to sit next to, but any Year 1 friends. I didn't make them have to play or sit next to someone they usually don't (I wouldn't want to do that in staff meeting!) but they naturally gravitated towards each other. In fact, it turned into an informal transition time really! So in August when you/they feel a bit wobbly, remind them that they have all the tools to be fine and maybe even enjoy this next coming year!
I was impressed with the combined knowledge in phonics and maths. We revised all our GPCs done so far and practised (both days) reading words with the same phoneme and different grapheme (bruise vs few vs rude). We practised our number bonds and doubles playing Doubles Wipe Out and Shut The Box. They can tell you how to play it and it can be single player or multiple. Actually Miss Jones said that the Y2s were playing it at bedtime on their residential!
I wonder if they have told you about our musical extravaganza? We learnt a (Zumba-style) dance to Reach and then used pencils as our percussion with Act My Age (One Direction). Put the song on and see their amazing rhythm. Our focus this year has been identifying and keeping the pulse. We showed it to the Receptions yesterday afternoon and Miss Selwyn was blown away! Miss Jones witnessed the wonder this morning and loved it. If we can film it...
We also did some art meets science. As we are growing sunflowers, we learnt how to draw them, then we used water colours to paint them and the background. It was a bit of a challenge painting with 46 but we made it work. We also sketched them in our sketch books with less support this time and coloured in with a different medium. Now let's hope the real ones grow and we have drawn decent replicas.
Finally, I introduced them to The Faraway Tree. Rabbits caught them up on the few chapters, Squirrels had missed and we read about the rocking land and Saucepan man (#Next Year's World Book Day Costume for me!). The next few chapters will really get them hooked.
So it has been a great couple of days with a great load of children. I consider it a pleasure to have got to have had the opportunity to know them all better and to facilitate the wonderfulness that was Squabbits! They all really let their light shine.
Till next time...
Mrs H
