Foundation Stage

Summer Term 1 2023

Minibeasts 

Eric Carle 

 

During this term we will be exploring the natural world through the works of children's author and artist Eric Carle. Best known for books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Bad Tempered Ladybird, Carle's books are a wonderful way to inspire the chidlren to take a closer look at the creatures that inhabit the environment. Along the way we will meet and care for some exciting creatures such as our very own in class caterpillars, giving us the opportunity to observe the life cycle of a butterfly as it happens! Through dance, drama and music we will create our own representations of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, explore sound and instruments with The Very Quiet Cricket and develop perseverance and resilience like The Very busy Spider. We will also be creating our own colourful collage and tissue paper artwork inspired by the art work of Eric Carle.   

 

The children will also be celebrating the upcoming coronation of King Charles lll through his love of nature and the outdoors. We will be out in our garden tending to the flowers already in bloom and learning how to plant and care for new seeds. We will make nature crowns to celebrate the big day and enjoy an outdoor picnic. 

 

The Very Busy Spider is our Talk for Writing text for this half term. We will sequence and retell the story using props, actions and role play. The children will explore mark making and writing in different forms such as creating story maps, character descriptions and writing captions for pictures. This term we will be focusing on writing the beginning, middle and end of a story. 

 

RE - New Life 

We start the half term deepening our understanding that we celebrate Easter because Jesus rose from the dead and that we celebrate Jesus is with us. We will think about the good news that the angels brought that day and share our own good news with each other. The children will begin to understand that Jesus gives a special gift of joy and peace and how we can give this peace and joy to others. We will share the story of Jesus going back to his Father in heaven but be aware that Jesus is still with us. 

PE 

Reception - ThursdayPlease ensure your child has a PE kit with them on this day - a white t-shirt and black shorts, clearly labelled with your  child's name. 

Nursery - Friday - Please wear suitable comfortable clothing.

 

Please ensure your child brings their book bag and water bottle to school every day. 

 

In Nursery and Reception we cover a variety of topics over a two year period. Please have a look at all the things we will be learning about over the next two years. You can also see what we are focusing on for this term.

 

Early Years Foundation Stage Long Term Planning

 Planning subject to change based on children’s interests and learning needs.

 

Two Year Rolling Cycle

Year A Year B

Term

Topic

Themes

Trips / Visitors / Events

Autumn

All About Me

Families

Friends

Feelings

Autumn Walk

Library Visit

 

Celebrations

Bonfire night

Christmas

Diwali

Eid

Hanukkah

Christingle

Church

Fire safety talk

Christmas production

Spring

Traditional Tales

Animals

Woods

Bears

Storytelling

Woodland visits

Storytellers

People in the Locality

Shops

Library

Leisure Centre

Local amenities

Transport

Locality Walks

Library Visit

Post office visit

PCSO visit

 

Summer

Minibeasts

Butterflies

Life cycles

Habitats

Garden Centre

Talking Tarn

Butterfly house

Looking after caterpillars

Dobbies Garden Centre

Tadpoles

Seaside

The beach

Holidays

Travelling

Coast Guard

Seaside trip

 

Term

Topic

Themes

Trips / Visitors

Autumn

Ourselves

Body

Health

Senses

Dentist

Nurse

Doctor

Autumn Walk

Library Visit

Gifts

Toys

Presents

Giving

Christmas

Tullie House loan boxes

Christmas production

 

Spring

Fairy Tales

Princes and Princesses

Imagination

Creatures

Storytelling

Carlisle Castle

Pantomime

People Who help us

Fire fighters

Doctors

Paramedics

Police

Air ambulance

Hospital

Various visitors into school

Visit to the fire station.

Summer

Growing

Chicks

Animals

Farm

Plants

Hatching eggs

Walby farm

Tadpoles

 

Under the Sea

Sea Creatures

Boats

Pirates

Sea life

Maryport Aquarium

 

 

Support your child's development at home...

Playdough Recipe:

  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1/2 cup of salt
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp cream of tartae
  • 1 cup of boiling water
  • Food colouring of desired choice.  

 

 

Tips for Communicating with your child:

https://www.thecommunicationtrust.org.uk/media/20506/summer_talk_-_2012_version.pdf 

 

http://www.home-speech-home.com/how-to-improve-communication-skills.html

Check out the New government site Hungry Little Minds for activities to support children's Language development from Birth to 5 years. There are loads of Great activities ideas that are easy to do at home. https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk/

Phonics:

In Nursery and Reception children are working towards or within the Read Write Inc Phonics scheme. Children who are not yet ready to access the scheme fully will access some Phase 1 phonics activities from Letters and Sounds to support them in developing their early phonics skills.

(Please see the Reading page for more information on Read, Write, Ink phonics)

In Phonics children learn the skills needed to read and write successfully and get the opportunity to apply their learnt skills. At home please make sure children in Reception regularly look at their phonics sheets in their homework file and practise saying these sounds.

Also regularly look at their reading book, which is phonetic, not forgetting to look at the questions in the covers of the book too.

 

 

 

Support Number:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=16

Number recognition games can be very exciting for your child and free too!

Reading numbers on doors, car registration plates, on letters, on clocks, on calendars. Going on number hunts around the house or garden area are great fun!

Counting games can be done whenever and wherever. Whilst waiting in queues, out shopping, sitting in the car or even at mealtimes.