Week commencing 22.04.24

𝕀𝕟𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕤

Indoors this week, the children continued to explore different forms of transport and extended their knowledge through research. We added new resources to play including small world vehicles and figures. The children explored direction through use of bee bots 🐝 and discussed mathematical language effectively. This supported the children to engage, interact and communicate with each other whilst exploring sequences and computational thinking. 🚘 🚐 🚛🚂

𝕄ℕ𝕌/ 𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕙𝕟𝕠𝕝𝕠𝕘𝕪/ 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕪/ 𝕊𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖

The children enjoyed exploring planting through mailable materials. Some children selected mint and lavender leaves from our garden to add to the dough to give it a lovely scent. They used small pots, dough and artificial flowers to create their own planting experience. 🪴 This helps to develop fine motor skills and encourages creativity. 🌱🍃 🍂

𝕊𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖/𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕪/𝕄ℕ𝕌

𝕆𝕦𝕥𝕕𝕠𝕠𝕣𝕤

Outdoors this week we have been continuing to explore houses and the various structures of our homes. Children have been using materials to create their own homes including construction blocks,  magnetic shapes and large lego. We discussed the essentials required to make a house including the use of electricity and water. Some children could identify some of the roles involved in this process including an electrician and plumber. We also discussed the importance of knowing our address in the event of an emergency 🚨 👮‍♀️

ℍ𝕎𝔹/𝕄ℕ𝕌

Ｒｏａｄ Ｓａｆｅｔｙ 🚘 🚦🚏🖐🏼

Outdoors this week we have been discussing the importance of road safety and keeping ourselves safe when in the community. This includes riding a bike, walking or in a car. We discussed the purpose of traffic lights and pedestrian crossings and what we need to do to ensure we are kept safe and free from harm. We created our  own road using chalk and included some traffic lights in our play.

“STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN” – quote by Jax

Some children also created a car wash station where they cleaned their scooters and bikes 🚘 😊

This week on indoors we have started to explore the modes of transport air, road, rail and sea. We have been using books  and ICT to research information about different types of transport. We have also started to explore distance using different types of transport.🚗🚂⛴✈️

MNU/ technology/ literacy/ Science

This week in the creative area the children have been exploring the life cycle of plants 🪴We have been exploring the process of germination and what plants need to survive.  The children have been planting sunflowers and will begin their planting in the community garden with Beth  soon🌻🎃🥕🍓 They have also been creating diagrams of the plant process and creating their own pictures of flowers/plants.

HWB/ Technology/Science

In the outdoor area this week, we have been discussing and creating our own homes using the construction resources. We have been exploring our address and where we live, using Google earth to investigate this further. We have been discussing the different foundations when creating a home and through number formation designing our own door signs. We have also been exploring shape and using mathematical language throughout.

HWB/ Numeracy

Indoor learning:

This week the children have continued to explore animal habitats and construct models of them independently, showing the knowledge they have gained in their learning.  They enjoyed a lotto game matching the animals to their homes.

They have also began exploring Easter, listening to Easter stories and  learning songs using the Promethian Board. They have been dressing up in the Imaginative area, enjoying the Easter/Spring costumes.

Number recognition and formation writing has been a focus indoors and the children are showing their writing skills ready for P1.

In the art and craft area the children have been creating their own pictures of jungle animals and are continuing to make lovely patterns of colour and shape. They also explored the Easter Bunny story and drew their own Easter Bunnies, some children also used their cutting skills when making their pictures.

On Monday we went our Community Walk, it was very wet so we were all dressed for the weather in our waterproofs and wellies, we turned left going out the school and went up to the Hilltop where we used our binoculars to look down into Mauchline and beyond, we also looked for birds and insects. There was a lot of road signs to see and we were very good at using our road safety rules of stop ✋ look 👀 and listen 👂.

They have been exploring planets, where they learned the names of them and were practising their dribbling skills going in and out the planets. They have also been using their problem solving skills when making “jet packs” ….what materials to use, how to stick them together and how to fasten them onto their backs???

Indoors

This week we have continued exploring our interest in animals and further explored animal habitats and animal pattern. We have been learning about the tropical jungle and forest in Africa and the Wetlands and Waterways. We explored shape and pattern throughout this learning and also enjoyed lots of imaginative play and construction/problem solving. We created our own African necklaces in the art area, focusing on pattern and colour and also drew our own jungle scenes.

We continued to expand our learning through research using iPads and the Promethean board. The children learnt some new words this week such as; endangered, species and extinct!

“Endangered means there isn’t many animals left in the world”

“Species is the different animals”

“It means there’s none left”

Links to the Curriculum; Social Studies, Science, Technology, Numeracy, Expressive Arts.

Outdoors

This week we have began exploring space. The children were keen to take part in the planet hop where they discovered things about the different planets, this is part of our focus outdoors in line with the book “How to catch a Star”. Some children made their own rocket-ships using magnetic shapes then expanded on this by making larger rockets that they could sit in. Lots of imagination and team work through construction too.

Links to the curriculum; Science, Health and Well-being, Numeracy, Literacy

Out in the Community

We explored the local community when out a walk and discussing the importance of road safety and keeping ourselves safe when in the community 🚦 We also popped in to the local shop to say hi to the shopkeeper 😊

Our woodland Wednesday we continued to expand our focus on insects and used our investigation and exploration skills to find them.

During both of these visits we focussed the importance of listening to an adult, road safety and keeping safe , the purpose of the green cross code, stop, look and listen ✋👀👂 recognising key traffic signs and noises.

Links to the curriculum; social studies, health and well-being, science

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
Beth✨

I n d o o r s

This week in the ECC we have continued with our interest of jungle animals and we have been using the interest research engine to research different facts about jungle animals 🦁 🦓 🐅 🐘 

Through exploring small world jungle animals it sparked wonder and questioning…

“Can pandas climb”

“Why do zebras have stripes”

“How tall does a giraffes neck have to be to reach the trees”

We then used the internet to research our wonders and discovered our findings.

We continued to explore the story of Handas Surprise and some children were able to retell the story and create their own handa story 📕 📚.

Links to the Curriculum; Literacy, Expressive Arts.

For STEM week this week, we set STEM challenges in relation to exploring the jungle and constructing our own designs. Most children were able to complete the STEM challenge.

As part of STEM week this week the children have been using their problem solving skills to see who could create the largest fruit tower, setting challenges and achievements for themselves 🍎 🍌 

Links to the Curriculum; Technology, Engineering Disciplines, Health and Well-being.

O u t d o o r s

Big well done to everyone who took part in our STEM Home Link challenge to create your own boat. A lot of hard work, problem solving and engineering skills went into create these boats, well done to everyone such great effort 🛥 🚤 

Outdoors this week the children have tried and tested their boats to see if they could float or sink.

I n d o o r s

This week in the ECC on the lead up to World Book Day we have been exploring the story of Handas Surprise, predicting what happens next, retelling the story and exploring the characters in the story.
One of our parents also attended the ECC and read a story to the children as part of World Book Day 📚 

This has led onto the children exploring the culture of Africa and African families and researching different facts around this.  A staff member within the ECC was born in Africa and shared her experience with the children and also her African resources/family culture 🌎

Links to the Curriculum; Literacy, Social Studies.

 

C r e a t i v e / N u m e r a c y

Linking to the story of Handas surprise, the children have been exploring in a fruit shop within the numeracy area, taking on the role of a shop keeper, exploring and using money.

In the creative area the children have been painting real life fruit paintings and discussing the different fruits in Handas surprise story 🍌 🍍

Exploring the story Handas surprise outdoors, opportunities to explore the real foods from the story in the mud kitchen, working upon our cutting skills and utilising our imagination 🍎 🍌 🍍 

Then further extended the children’s knowledge through exploring more imaginative stories, focusing on the smartest giant in town. We focused on using our imagination to retell the story and we even created our own boots using junk modelling materials and tested out boats to see if they could float or sink 📚 🛶 

Outdoor learning…..we have continued to explore construction and den building. We have created our own houses, gaming rooms ,slides and bridges. We have also been extending our learning about capacity in the mud kitchen and water tray. The children have shown an interest in ring games and have worked hard on their team building skills.

At the woods we are continuing to work on our problem solving skills, decision making and risk assessing. This week we have started to explore insects. 🐛🐞🪳.

Indoors…..In the art area the children have been recognising the initial letter in their name through environmental print, stampers and dough  moulds. They having been using their name cards to help with letter recognition.

The children are beginning to learn all about animal habitats and have been using  the Promethian Board to research this. They have also been creating their own animal stories, being the author and illustrator.  The “Curiosity Case” has been popular with the children where they have been exploring a variety of items like magnets, torches, a laptop and talking clipboards.

Just a wee reminder that Thursday 7th March is “World Book Day” and the children can wear their pyjamas to promote bedtime reading or a costume of their favourite character.

Thankyou to the parents who have volunteered to come into the ECC and read a story to the children.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Jan.

March 2024 Stay and Play Session

Please find attached information with regards to our upcoming Stay and Play session in the month of March. This Stay and Play session is tailored around STEM week where you will have a variety of STEM challenges to complete with your child during the Stay and Play session. If the day allocated for your child’s group doesn’t suit then we are happy for you to join another group that week and if you can notify a staff member of this. Hope to see you all there for fun filled STEM challenges.

Learning Together Groups 2024

Following from parental feedback in relation to being involved in learning experiences with your child in the ECC delivered by our champions. We have organised a variety of ‘Learning Together Groups’ in the month of April and May for you to be a part of with your child. These ‘Learning Together Groups’ link to our Curriculum for Excellence outcomes and range from Creative/Drama, Exploring the Great Outdoors, All Things Literacy and Communication, Health and Wellbeing and All Things Numeracy. Your child must be accompanied by an adult to take part in the ‘Learning Together Groups’. We hope to see you all there. Further information with dates and times below.

Week beginning 19.02.24

🄸🄽🄳🄾🄾🅁🅂

In the creative area this week, all children have had the opportunity to explore letter formation. Children were given the challenge of recognising the initial letter of their name before attempting to write their full name using a variety of materials. This supports with fine motor skills including pencil control and pincer grip. Some children also used the play dough to create letter moulds which supports children’s hand eye co-ordination and encourages focus and concentration. 🔡✏️

𝕃𝕀𝕋 𝟘–𝟚𝟙𝕒 𝟘–𝟚𝟙𝕓

We have enjoyed exploring our ‘curiosity case’ which contains various technology objects including torches, talking boxes and magnets of various sizes. The children enjoyed exploring the environment identifying objects that stick to the magnets. We are also beginning to explore farm animals and their habitats based on the children’s interests observed within the playroom. Some children have been creating their own stories relating to animals, sparking imaginative skills and creativity.

𝕃𝕀𝕋 𝟘–𝟚𝟙𝕒/𝟘–𝟚𝟙𝕓 𝕋ℂℍ 𝟘–𝟘𝟙𝕒/𝟘–𝟘𝟛𝕒 𝟘–𝟙𝟙𝕒

𝒲𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝒟𝒶𝓎 📚 🐉 🧚‍♀️ 🐈‍⬛ 📕

ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴅᴀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴀɪʀ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ʙᴇʟᴏᴡ;

In the ECC we will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 7th March 2024. Children are welcome to attend the ECC in their pyjamas to promote bedtime reading or if they wish to dress up in their favourite costume or their favourite character in a story they can do so as well. Children are welcome to bring their own story book to share with their peers.

Any parents/carers who wish to read a story to a small group of children in the ECC on this day and haven’t already signed up please speak to a member of staff and we will provide you with a time slot to attend the ECC.

You are invited along to our Book Fair-

Once again we are holding a book fair at Mauchline Primary School. It is the perfect time for you and your child/children to browse some fantastic books from Scholastic Books. Please remember to bring along your World Book Day Token.

The book fair in school will be open at these times:

• Monday 4th March 2.00pm – 3.00pm
• Tuesday 5th March 9.00am – 10.00am
• Wednesday  6th March 9.00am – 10.00am
• Thursday  7th March 2.00pm – 3.00pm

You can use your book token to get £1 off any full price book, just as long as the book or audiobook costs at least £2.99.

The World Book Day book tokens are valid from 15th February – 31st March 2024.

If you require further information please speak to a staff member, thank you.

🄾🅄🅃🄳🄾🄾🅁🅂

Outdoors this week, some children enjoyed creating their own gym using the construction resources. They enjoyed taking part in physical activities and discussed the importance of being healthy and active. All children worked together and shared the resources well, demonstrating team work 💪🏻. We have also been exploring capacity and enjoyed creating  potions in the water tray. Children used various containers to measure the volume of water and discussed their findings using appropriate mathematical language including full/empty. In the mud kitchen, some children have been busy creating recipes using real ingredients and discussing quantities and numbers throughout. 🥕🥦 🫑 Children have also extended their interest in numbers by exploring number recognition and identifying numbers in play. This supports with children’s numeracy, mathematical and problem solving skills.

The staff at Mauchline ECC wish all our children and families a lovely weekend and we will see you on Monday. 😊

𝐿𝒾𝓈𝒶 x

A short week this week due to school holidays and in-service day. However, there has been lots of learning taking place.

Outdoors 

Our Mud kitchen has changed into a cafe where experimenting and exploring has been happening making their own recipes.

Looking at architectural buildings using the iPad has been popular in the construction area looking at different shapes and styles.

Using small world to retell and role play familiar stories. Moving on to sequence familiar stories then making their own.

Indoors

We celebrated Valentine’s Day and made creative masterpieces to share with our loved ones.

As it is Chinese New Year, we explored the celebration on the promethean board, made a visual display and role played with Chinese crockery and chopsticks.

Continued using blocks to build houses and  introduced smaller blocks increasing concentration and creativity with challenge to draw their constructions.

Creatively we continued exploring the cycle of the butterfly incorporating shape and number.

CFE areas : Literacy, Science, Technology, RME, Health & well-being, Numeracy.

Hope you have a lovely weekend

Lynnette x