Phonics:
We have now finished our initial sounds in Nursery’s Foundation to Phonics! We have covered over 21 different sounds throughout the year to help the children identify and use them, preparing them for the next step in early reading next year in Reception. We have been recapping these sounds this week by choosing objects from our box and using their initial sounds.
Literacy:
This week, we have been reading the story ‘Who Sank the Boat?’ by Pamela Allen. The book has sparked many conversations and debates across the class by working out who sank the boat from the characters in our story. Many children believed it was the last character, a little mouse as light as a feather, who sank the boat, whereas some children believed it was because all the characters got in the boat and they were too heavy. This prompted us to create our boats using junk modelling materials and to see what materials work best. We later gathered that cardboard was not a good option, as by the end of the day, it was all wet and soggy.
Maths:
Our maths carpet sessions this week have seen us introduce ‘capacity’. To help us understand this concept, the children were taught a song, ‘pour it in and pour it out’, in tune to ‘London Bridge is falling down’. We have had a few experiments this week using the new language: ‘full’, ‘empty’, ‘half full’. Pouring water into cups, the children learned that when the water is at the top, it is full. When there is no water, it is empty, and when there is an equal amount, it means half. But what would happen if a full cup of water had more? One child said, “It will explode”, whilst another added, “It will fall out.” We tried this in an experiment and discovered the water overflowed!
Enhanced provision:
Will it sink or float? Introducing our new story encouraged the children to identify objects which would float or sink. Using objects from around the room, we predicted what would happen to them. “I was surprised the big dinosaur floated!”
There has been lots of creativity and imagination happening in the Nursery this week. Following the children’s interest, our week started with make-shift shields and swords, with the end of the week changing to paper aeroplanes, so much so, the children enjoyed flying their planes on the field.
Child’s voice:
‘This week I have enjoyed’…
“Paper aeroplanes!” – J.W
