Squirrel Class    

2022 - 2023

Miss Samson, Mrs Ilett and Mrs Martin.   

As the school is unexpectedly closed tomorrow I have attached a few activities the children can complete at home. These will be phonics based activities, number based activities and a creative activity.

Phonics activities
Log on to phonics play - resources - then use phase2,  phase 3 or phase 4 - and choose from Buried treasure, Dragons den or Picnic on Pluto. (These are all few resources you do not need to log in). The aim is to use phonic skills to read the word and decided whether they are real or not. The children have played this at school so should recognise it!!! The focus is more in identifying the sounds in the words and blending more than knowing if it a real word or not. 

Number based activities.
Last week we learnt about doubling and halving, so I have found an online game that will support further learning and consolidation of doubling and halving.
Log on to top marks hit the button - play game - on this screen children can practise their doubling skills to 10, halving skills to 10 - although we have really been focusing on doubles and halves to 5 but the can can practice their skills to 10.

Also on this website the children can practise their number bond knowledge to 10  - make 10 and as a challenge make 20.

If the children wish to put any of this knowledge on to paper then they are more than welcome to and upload to tapestry or bring in when we are back together.

Creative activity - 
We have been working on creating an underwater scene in our outside bubble. It would be lovely for the children to create a picture, model, painting, junk model etc of an underwater creature that could be put into our bubble to make it look more like real life under the sea. At school this week we have made jellyfish which are already displayed in the bubble. What other sea creatures could you do?

This week we have also been learning about the life cycle of the butterfly. The children can draw a picture to show this life cycle or a different life cycle possibly of a frog, tree, chicken, human or one of their own choice (this doesn't need to be too complicated, we completed the life cycle of a butterfly in 4 stages - egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly). I am sure there are many simple websites that the children could use to help them with activity - I usually put EYFS after the main subject so they should hopefully be at the correct level for them!!

If the children wish to complete any other activities then please feel free to put these onto tapestry as I would love to see what they have got up to on this unexpected day off.

If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me either on tapestry or by email - Jsamson@palmarsh.kent.sch.uk.
 

Helicopter stories

“‘Pretend’ often confuses the adult, but it is the child's real and serious world, the stage upon which any identity is possible and secret thoughts can be safely revealed.” Vivian Gussin-Paley, The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter (1991)

Why Helicopter Stories?
Research has consistently shown that story-telling is a powerful tool for learning. As well as developing communication and language skills, stories further our personal, social and emotional development by helping us to make sense of the world and to make links between ourselves and others. Before becoming readers and writers, telling stories helps us to learn about language patterns, narrative structures and rich vocabulary, and most importantly, sparks and nurtures our imagination so that when we are able to write, we can express the unique stories and ideas we have swirling around in our heads!

Helicopter Stories are used in our Early Years setting at Canon Barnett to facilitate and encourage all these marvellous skills. This approach turns children into storytellers and actors, as they re-enact their own unique stories in whole group sessions. This document gives an overview of how our Helicopter Story sessions work, and includes a small selection of stories which aim to show the impact Helicopter Stories have made in our Nursery and Reception classes.

How do Helicopter Stories work?

During the course of the day, children can choose to tell an adult their story. The adult scribes the story word for word and reads it back to the child. The day continues as normal, and stories are re-enacted later that day in a Helicopter Stories session.

In a dedicated Helicopter Stories session, act out the stories children have contributed throughout the day.

The impact of Helicopter Stories in our Early Years
Anecdotal evidence shared between Early Years staff has shown a highly positive impact on children since we introduced Helicopter Stories. Here are some examples of the positive impact helicopter stories have within the early years curriculum.

Communication and Language
Listening to children telling us their stories allows us a deeper insight into children’s knowledge about language and their understanding of story structures.

Literacy - Reading
There are very often ‘stories within stories’ when children share their ideas with us. Inspiration frequently comes from traditional tales, books we have read in class and stories children may have heard outside of school, in a way that might not be evident in everyday talk.

Literacy – Writing
We know how important it is in the Early Years for children to see adults writing, however in this digital age the opportunities for purposeful writing as an adult seem few and far between. The beauty of Helicopter Stories is that children are constantly exposed to seeing adults writing in a truly meaningful way – what could be more purposeful than writing down the very words that children are saying so that their ideas can be realised on the Helicopter stage? One of the great surprises about introducing Helicopter Stories was just how keen children are to write down their stories. If they do not want to wait for an adult, they just get on with the job themselves!

Personal, social and emotional development.

Taking turns, sharing ideas, developing confidence in group and whole class situations, taking risks and many more aspects of the Early Years curriculum are covered in one simple and very enjoyable activity.

Why not ask your child to create a helicopter story at home with you, write it down word for word - don't worry about incorrect grammar or sentence structure, this will develop over time, let them bring it in and we can then act it out together during our helicopter story sessions. 

To see the weekly planning for

Drawing Club

Marvellous Maths

Sound System time 

Poem, songs and Makaton

Please see Tapestry.