Year One Newsletter - Autumn Term 2012 Keeping Parents Informed Dear Parents, Welcome back to the start

of a new school year. The children have a busy year ahead of them so we hope that they are well rested and ready to learn in their new classes.

Year One Theme The theme for this term is Celebrations. This theme has been divided into six units of study, each lasting approximately two weeks. Below you will find a brief overview of each unit of study with suggestions for ways in which you could support your child with his/her learning.

The Team The teaching team consists of Team Leader Mrs Clements (formally Miss Shorter) and Miss Stuart. The teaching and learning assistants are Mrs King and Mrs Hanton. Also working with individual children and small groups throughout this term will be Mrs Baker and Mrs Quirke.

Unit 1: 3.9.12-21.9.12 We begin this academic year by supporting the children with settling into their new classes and encouraging them to develop new friendships. In Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) we will be discussing and writing our own class rules. In Art the children will be learning to mix paint to create different colours and shades and will also practise printing techniques. In Literacy the children will learn to write labels and captions about themselves and their classrooms. Unit 2: 24.9.12-5.10.12 In History the children will be discussing their own history, including past events they can recall from their lives. The children will also learn to make comparisons between old and new objects and use information books to find out about old and new toys. In Literacy the children will be sharing familiar stories such as The Little Red Hen. They will retell the stories with actions and begin to write them in their own words.

In Mathematics the children will practise counting, reading, writing and ordering numbers up to 10 and beyond. You may like to help your child with this at home. They will also learn how to add two numbers by counting on from the largest number. In Science the children will be identifying objects that use electricity and finding out what electricity makes each object do.

Unit 3: 8.10.12-26.10.12 During this unit the children will find out about different places of worship in Religious Education and how they are important to different people. We shall be visiting a local church and finding out about the features of this religious building. We will also learn about the main features of a synagogue.

In Science the children will be learning to make simple electrical circuits and they are going to investigate what happens when parts of the circuit are changed. In Music the children will be exploring the sounds they can make using a range of instruments.

Unit 4: 5.11.12-16.11.12 In Science the focus is light and the children will be learning about the different things that provide light. They will investigate whether all light sources give out the same amount of light. In Design and Technology the children are going to learn how to handle and prepare food. They will taste a range of foods before deciding which they want to include in their own product. The children will design and make their food product and then evaluate it before making any necessary improvements. If you are cooking at home, please talk to your child about how you are slicing, chopping, peeling or grating different foods.

Unit 5: 19.11.12-30.11.12 Our focus in this unit of study is Geography and the children will be discussing their journey to school and learning about the local area. They will go for a walk around the local area, noting the key features they see and what they are used for. The children will also discuss how Whitley has changed over time by looking at past maps and aerial photographs of the area.

In Physical Education the focus will be on developing ball skills in order to play simple games. The children will also be creating short dance sequences with a partner. In Mathematics the children will be learning to estimate, measure and compare the lengths of different objects.

Unit 6: 3.12.12-21.12.12 As we approach the end of term, the children are going to be using Music and Drama lessons to rehearse lines and songs for the Christmas production.

Reading and Reading Target Cards As you will be aware, reading is one of the most important subjects taught at this school. You may already be familiar with our specially designed reading target cards. They have been designed to help you and your child know exactly which target s/he is working on in reading, and what s/he needs to do to progress further. We know that they will have an impact on your childs reading. Target cards should be kept with the reading book in the book bag, and we expect them to be treated carefully.

In Religious Education, the children will learn about the festivals of Christmas and Hanukkah. In Literacy the children will be reading and writing simple poems. In ICT they will be taught to use microphones to record and play back sounds and will make recordings of one another reading simple poems aloud.

Homework Your child will bring a reading book and diary home daily so that s/he can read at home. In order for your child to progress as much as possible, we ask that you read with him/her at least three times per week. Books may be changed in the area in the mornings under the class teachers guidance. Please only take books from the same colour band and series. Books should be carried between home and school in a book bag to ensure they are kept in good condition. Please ensure that reading books and diaries are kept in a safe place so that they cannot be damaged by younger children. A writing activity for the Year 1 children will be sent home each week, usually on a Thursday. This will help your child to learn to spell common words used when writing. Completed homework must be returned to school before the following Thursday, to be checked by the class teacher.

Handwriting This term, we are continuing to focus on presentation and handwriting. It is extremely important that the children learn to form their letters correctly and that they write each letter neatly. We will teach the importance of presentation, and will encourage children to take pride in their work. Attached to this letter is a chart of how the lower case letters are formed, and we would be grateful if you could use this as a guide, especially when you are helping your child with any writing at home. The children will learn the rule that all letters start from the top, except for d and e, which start in the middle.

Speaking and Listening Language is a vital part of learning, and speaking and listening plays an important role in your childs social and emotional development. Indeed, language is the key to lifelong learning and opportunity. Perhaps you could help at home, by discussing television programmes with your child, or asking them about their day in school and what they have learned. Do encourage him/her to speak clearly in complete sentences.

PE Kits Each class has three PE lessons a week. Please ensure that your child brings a named PE kit to school every Monday morning. They will need shorts (not below the knee), a t-shirt and well-fitting pumps or trainers. PE kits will go home every Friday for washing. Finally If you have any concerns or questions at all about your childs progress, please dont hesitate to make an appointment to see your childs class teacher. We are available after school most days.

Mrs E Clements Year One Team Leader