Red Class 2023 - 2024

Week 2 (w/b 22/04/24)

This week we have been continuing our learning about Florence Nightingale in History. We thought about the different opinions of Florence from the doctors, nurses and soldiers. In Computing we created pictures of Florence Nightingale on the laptops using a paint programme. We also explored the app ‘Puppet Pals’ and had a go at making our own videos. We had a special visitor in Red Class this week. Jimmy the tortoise came to visit and we were able to ask his owner some questions about tortoises in preparation for our tortoise report writing. Red Class also retold our story ‘How the Tortoise got his Shell’ to Jimmy. In Art, we have been learning collage techniques and created a collage using different materials.

Week 1 (w/b 15/04/24)

Red Class have had a great week back at school.  Our new topic is ‘Lady with the Lamp’ and we have begun our learning about Florence Nightingale. We learnt about her life and character in History and thought about the important people to Florence using concentric circles. We had a visitor come to talk to us about Florence Nightingale and her life too. In Art we created observational drawings of Florence.  In English, we have been exploring the story ‘How the Tortoise got his Shell’. We have been writing questions, responses, descriptions and created a story map. 

Summer 1

Our topic this half term is ‘Lady with the Lamp’.

Week 6 (w/b 25/03/24)

In RE this week we have been exploring the Easter story and thinking about the happy and sad parts. We went on an Easter trail and acted parts of the story out. In Maths we have been learning how to divide. We voted for our favourite book from this half term and the winning book was ‘Bug Hotel’!

Week 5 (w/b 18/03/24)

We discussed and concluded our investigations in Science this week. Red Class recapped what a plant needs to survive by sorting cards. We enjoyed watching our plants grow and got to take them home. Red Class had their final Solent Mind session on Wednesday and thought about things that make them happy.

Week 4 (w/b 11/03/24)

This week our plants started to grow! All the seeds grew, even the ones planted upside down.  We made observations of our plant investigations in science and explored what was growing in the Wild Area. On Thursday 14^th March, we went on a Science Walk to Manor Pond. We looked for seasonal changes and used our senses to explore different places. In Computing we programmed a Beebot to move around our Beebot map in groups and recorded this by ordering cards.  In Art we painted the chimneys of Esso Oil Refinery as part of our Lowry inspired artwork.  We explored our emotions in Solent Mind session this week.

We fundraised for Red Nose Day on Friday 15^th March and had a yummy biscuit.

Week 3 (w/b 04/03/24)

Red Class studied maps in Geography this week and learnt about how Holbury has changed over time. In Computing we designed Beebot mats in a small group. We had fun thinking of things/places in Holbury we could add. We enjoyed creating candle holders for Mother’s Day on Wednesday, thank you to the PTFA!

On Thursday 7^th March we celebrated World Book Day. Red Class dressed up as their favourite book character, wrote a character description, took part in a book sharing and even got a mug of hot chocolate!

Week 2 (w/b 26/02/24)

This week in Computing we have been learning about programming. We have been programming the BeeBots and exploring what they can do. In Geography we looked at maps of Holbury and identified where we live. We then discussed how far away from school we live.  We have been problem solving in Maths and thought about what happens when we add an odd and an odd number together.  Our seeds have started to grow and we were able to discuss this stage of germination in Science. We measured the weight (in non-standard units) of objects in the classroom using the balance scales.

Week 1 (w/b 19/02/24)

Red Class have had an amazing first week back at school.  Our new topic is ‘Our Area’ and we have been thinking about Holbury. We began our Geography learning with a walk around our school grounds. We completed a map of the inside of the school and then followed the map around the grounds adding drawings in the correct places. Later on in the week we went on a walk round Holbury, played eye spy and spotted features. We created a tally of features we saw and had a great time. In Art, we experimented making brown using blue, yellow and pink. We later learnt about tints and shades when we add white and black. In English, we have been exploring the story ‘The Magic Porridge Pot’. We have been writing questions, letters, prepositions and sentences on the laptops.  In Science we learnt about the parts of a plant and set up an investigation to find out about germination.

Spring 2

Our topic this half term is ‘It's Our Area and We're Proud of it’.

Week 6 (w/b 05/02/24)

We have had a fantastic week! In RE we have been learning about Hindu Tradition and remembering. We explored the festival ‘Holi’ and thought of how Hindus remember Vishnu. We created a shrine in the classroom and threw colourful paint. We then shared an item that helps us remember someone and thought about when we remember and why. In Art we continued learning about pointillism and filled in an outline using the technique. On Wednesday, we held our Listen2Me Music Concert playing the ukulele. In Science we did an investigation to find the softest material. This week we have also been thinking about Chinese New Year and had a go at making a dragon.

Week 5 (w/b 29/01/24)

This week in D.T. we had a great time making our vehicles. We all made our chosen axle, either fixed or moving. In Maths, we learnt about capacity and volume and explored the language ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. In Art, we created artwork based on Georges Seurat’s pointillism.

Week 4 (w/b 22/01/24)

On Monday, we had a special visitor who shared some Victorian toys. We got to play with the toys to find out how they worked. We reflected on our learning about old and new toys to conclude our History. In Design and Technology we have been exploring vehicles and axles. We had a go at making a fixed and moving axle. In Maths, we have been comparing the weight of different objects using balance scales.

Week 3 (w/b 15/01/24)

We have had a very enjoyable week learning about toys. On Thursday we invited our parents and grandparents to school to share their childhood toys. It was great to hear about toys from the past and ask questions. Thank you to the parents and grandparents who joined us to enrich our learning.

In Art we did some colour mixing and had fun making different colours.

In English last week we wrote letters to the St Barbe Museum in Lymington to ask them to visit us and share their old toys. We got a reply, and this week St Barbe Museum came and delivered an Old Toys workshop. We learnt about Victorian toys and got to explore lots of toys from the past. It was fantastic!

Week 2 (w/b 08/01/24)

This week we have continued to learn about toys and we have looked at some toys from the past. We wrote to a local museum to invite them to our school to share their artefacts. Red Class learnt how to strum and pluck in their ukulele lesson this week and played some songs. We made our own toy in English this week and created wanted posters in order to find it. In Art we experimented making dots using different objects in preparation for our pointillism artwork inspired by George Seurat.

Week 1 (w/b 01/01/24)

We have had a great first week back at school. Our new topic is ‘Toys’ and we all brought a toy in to school to talk about. Red Class loved learning about each other’s toys and what they can do. We began thinking about what modern toys are made of. In Art, we used our observational skills to draw our toy and used the different art pencils. This half term, our role play is a ‘Toy Workshop’. In Science, we learnt about different materials and sorted materials from the classroom. In Maths, we have been ordering numbers, finding the missing numbers in a sequence and finding one more and one less of a number.

Spring 1

Our topic this half term is ‘Toys’.

Week 7 (w/b 11/12/23)

Red Class have had a lovely last week of term. We finished our RE unit about Christmas and acted out part of the story. In Art, we used different everyday materials to print a picture of an animal with. On Tuesday, we had our Christingle Service at All Saints Church, Fawley. We then had our Christmas Lunch at school with all the trimmings and crackers!  On Wednesday, we performed at our Listen 2 Me Music Concert. On the last day of term, we watched the Prazin’ Hands Christmas show, had our Christmas parties and the Christmas disco. Red Class also generously donated to the Waterside Foodbank through our ‘Reverse Advent Calendar’.

Have a lovely Christmas break Red Class. We return to school on Tuesday 2^nd January 2024.

Week 6 (w/b 04/12/23)

We have been learning about the Christmas story in RE this week and exploring signs of Christmas. In Science this week we learnt about our senses. We enjoyed looking at the Christmas tree, listening and guessing animal sounds, touching different materials and tasting and smelling different foods.

Red Class performed very well in our school nativity ‘Are We Nearly There Yet?’

Week 5 (w/b 27/11/23)

This week in Art, we created a collage of an animal in the style of Matisse.  We wrote reports in English and learnt different ways to subtract in maths. Red Class enjoyed learning how to play Christmas songs on the xylophones and chime bars in music. This week we started getting ready for Christmas and wrote instructions on how to decorate a Christmas tree. Red Class have also been busy rehearsing our Christmas performance ready for next week.  On Friday 1^st December we had a Christmas craft day. We created three different decorations ready for Christmas.

Week 4 (w/b 20/11/23)

Red Class have been learning about Islam this week as part of Inter Faith Week 2023. We learnt about the special book, place and clothes that are important to Muslims. We explored Ramadan, how Muslims pray and created a prayer mat based on the one we looked at in class. Red Class also tried some food that some Muslims may eat during Eid al-Fitr.

Red Class continued their tuned percussion in Music this week and played the glockenspiel, chime bars, metallophone and xylophone.

On Wednesday 22^nd November we held a Pet Extravaganza. We observed the different animals and asked the owners questions. Red Class had a great time. Thank you to all the families who shared their pets.

Week 3 (w/b 13/11/23)

We have had a fun-filled week! Red Class continued to learn about animals as part of our Awesome Animals topic. We learnt about how to group animals in science and explored new words (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, birds and insects). In Art, we drew an animal using the art pencils to create different effects. We have been adding in maths and recording our working using dienes. We also learnt how to tell the time (o’clock and half past). In DT, we made and evaluated our fruit / vegetable salads. Red Class had a great time following their design and creating a yummy salad. On Thursday, we took part in ‘Be Bright Be Seen’ day. We met Basil the bird and played some games thinking about how to stay safe when out and about. Red Class learnt how to cross the road and about how bright colours are easier to see. We loved looking at our bright/reflective clothes in dim light.

Week 2 (w/b 06/11/23)

This week in Design and Technology we explored different fruit and vegetables and how to prepare them. We used peelers, knives, graters and juicers. We made numbers using 10s and 1s in Maths this week. In Computing we experimented on a paint programme and used the different tools. On Friday we commemorated Remembrance Day and came to school dressed as evacuees.

Week 1 (w/b 30/10/23)

Red Class have had a lovely week back at school. We began learning some new Phase 5 phonics sounds (ir, ie, ue and u) and wrote some words containing these sounds.  We had our first Listen2Me music lesson and had a go at playing the chime bars, glockenspiels, xylophones and metallophones. In English we learnt the story ‘The Three Little Pigs’ and created a story map together. Red Class made stick puppets and acted out the story. In Art we explored different art pencils and thought about the difference between them.  Our topic this half term is ‘Awesome Animals’ and we have enjoyed acting out scenes using the animal toys and going in the ‘Pet Shop’ role play.

Autumn 2

Our topic this half term is ‘Awesome Animals’.

Week 7 (w/b 16/10/23)

We have had a great last week of term. Red Class developed their balancing skills in gymnastics and moved around the apparatus in different ways. In RE, we learnt about what Christians believe God is like. As part of our learning we created a hugging man to remind us of the story ‘The Prodigal Son’ and the father hugging (forgiving) his son when he returned home. We have also been thinking about forgiveness and when we have been forgiven.  On Thursday 17^th we went on a Science Walk and explored the class garden, field and Wild Area. We made observations on what we could see and hear.

Have a lovely half term Red Class. We return to school on Tuesday 31^st October.

Week 6 (w/b 09/10/23)

In Art this week we painted our clay tiles in the style of Gaudi (we used lots of bright colours!) We have been learning about instructions in English. We followed instructions to create a fish puppet. Red Class then wrote their own instructions on how to come into school.  In Maths we have been subtracting. We played skittles and found out how many were left. In D.T. we made our stable structures. We followed our designs and used tape and art straws to make a piece of playground equipment. On Thursday 12^th, we enjoyed a Prazin’ Hands puppet show about looking after our world. On Friday 13^th we had our sponsored fun run.

Week 5 (w/b 02/10/23)

This week we explored stable structures in DT. We looked at our play trail, what the equipment is made of and how it is secured. We then made our own stable structures with a partner using art straws, card and tape. In Science we concluded our investigation into what a plant needs to grow. The seeds grew by the window and in the cupboard when they both had water. The seeds with no water did not grow. We made observations about how the seeds with no light were yellow and weak whereas the seeds with light and water grew the best. In PE we travelled across benches in different ways and jumped off the PE tables remembering our jumping skills. In Art we designed a building in the style of Gaudi and created this on a clay tile. We have been adding in Maths using different resources to see the different representations of number. In Computing this week we learnt about how technology works in a supermarket and acted out the stages using cans of beans.

Week 4 (w/b 25/09/23)

This week we have been observing our seeds grow as part of our science investigation. The seeds with no water have not grown, but the seeds with no light have grown! We have been exploring number bonds this week in Maths and continuing to write about the story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ in English. In Art we used different tools in the clay to see the effects. 

On Wednesday 27^th October we had our Harvest Festival. We shared our paintings and sang some of our favourite songs.

Week 3 (w/b 18/09/23)

We have been learning about addition in Maths this week. We used the laptops to add animals, used Numicon, bears and bricks to combine two amounts. In Geography we explored maps of the local area and learnt about the ‘key’. In English, we have been learning the story ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’. We acted out this story and sequenced the events. In Art we learnt all about Gaudi and designed buildings inspired by his work. We have been reading books by Jeanne Willis. This week we read Cottonwool Colin and made our own Colin. Red Class also enjoyed their PE lesson using the benches and tables.

Week 2 (w/b 11/09/23)

This week we have been exploring number in Maths. We have been making numbers in different ways, ordering and counting forwards. Our topic this half term is ‘Our School’. We have been building the school out of Duplo and writing information for children joining our school. We went on a tour around the school and ticked off what we found. In Art, we drew an observation drawing of the school using different pencils (B, 2B, 4B). In Science we identified seeds and bulbs and made predictions.

Red Class went on a Geography walk this week around Holbury. We spotted different features on our walk and sorted them into physical and human when we returned to school.

Week 1 (w/b 04/09/23)

The children have had an exciting first week in Year 1.

We have been learning sounds in Phonics and working on reading fluently in our reading sessions.  In Art we created an observation drawing of a building using different pencils to draw lines, shapes and shade. We enjoyed gymnastics in PE this week and developed our balancing and jumping. Red Class went on a walk in Science to identify different trees in our Wild Area.

Well done Red Class!

Autumn 1

Our topic this half term is ‘Our School’.

This half term (Autumn 1) we are reading books by Jeanne Willis.