This week we have been reading The Three Little Pigs as our story of the week. We have been trying to retell the story in our own words and have thought of some interesting vocabulary to describe the wolf. Our sparkle words (trickier words) have been gathered, squeaked and load. We will try to use these new words we have learnt again to show our understanding.

This week within the discovery area the children have been exploring technology through the coding robot.The children were able to use the directional buttons to programme the robot to direct its movements and marks. The children were keen to see what their coding had drawn and were able to come up with their own interpretations of the abstract line and shapes.The children also followed sequences of colour coded directions to make more purposeful designs providing opportunities for directional language and colour and shape recognition.

QF “It’s making me dizzy, it’s going round and round” 

MW “i pressed the green one three times, its like a lightning strike!”

NM  “ it’like a buzz helmet”

JS “It looks like handcuffs”

FM “Eeeeeeeva”

Ms “ it looks like a snail”

The children have shown an interest in dinosaurs, particularly dinosaur fossils – comparing the size of their footprints and using different sensory experiences to explore making marks/patterns (gloop, shaving foam, playdough). We also made our own salt dough fossils, using our fingers and dinosaurs to make patterns. We then explored hiding and burying the dinosaurs using slime. 

There has also been lots of conversations about different textures and smells, using descriptive language. 

“My brother found a fossil at the beach. It’s like their skeletons” GA

“The gloop is so gooey, smells like chocolate” MV

“It’s a chocolate lava volcano” “it’s stretchy like spiders webs” JL

“It’s a slippery slimy situation” SR

“It’s so stretchy” MW

“I’m burying them in it. It’s smashed up broccoli and peas” AC

At together time this week the children have been reading a variety of stories, playing games to identify the initial sound of words and practising writing their first names. The adults have taken this time to talk to the children about Ramadan. The children have learnt it is a time to reflect, to be thankful and to help others.

The children have been working on writing their own first names, carefully focusing on where the letter begins. We have also been working on the initial sound of words. This week the pictures were hidden and had to be uncovered before we could work out what they started with.

We have been exploring the 3D shapes and using them to create some building designs and towers. The children were interested in the names of these shapes and did well to match the correct shape to its picture card. We have tried to spot some of these shapes in our nursery environment.

Football has went well this week with the children developing their listening skills, team work and gross motor skills. Stephen was very impressed at how well they all followed instructions and how many goals they managed to score.

In the sewing area we’ve been busy learning about mythical creatures, including mermaids, griffins, unicorns, sphinx and dragons. We have also been trying different combinations to make our own crazy animals!

“It’s the Loch Ness Monkey – he goes underwater at darkness, that’s when he’s awake” – EK

“An ice bear” – EL

“Sphinx, that’s in Egypt” – NG

This week in baking, we have been making blueberry muffins! The children used various baking techniques including measuring/weighing, mixing and folding in the blueberries. They had to concentrate really hard when scooping the mixture into the muffin trays not to spill any. 

We are so lucky to have had a cooking lesson from Mrs Shah on how to make vegetable pakora. The children were amazing at peeling, chopping and slicing the vegetables needed for our pakora, using the knives and peelers safely.  Everyone thought they were delicious!

The children have loved our new sit down scooters in the garden which have encouraged them to think carefully about balancing their bodies as they go down the hill. Some were a little apprehensive at first but built up the confidence to have a go after watching their friends have a go. At the end of each go they had to record a tally mark to count up how many turns they had, linking our numeracy into their outdoor play.

We have had full participation at Crookfur’s Got Talent this week with the children putting on shows as superheros, princesses and magicians alongside some beautiful singing and interesting dance moves. Our audience has been most impressed!

Have a lovely weekend! See you all next week for some more fun with our Crookfur friends.

Mrs Denholm x