1. Reception Spring 2 2015 Health and self care

2. This term we will be finding out all about how our bodies work and what we need to do to keep it healthy. We will look at the benefits of healthy eating and exercise. We will also look at our amazing brains! Did you know that we are born with 100,000,000,00 brain cells? 40 – 60 months Physical Development – health and self-care. Children know the importance for good health, physical exercise, and a healthy diet, and talk about ways to keep healthy and safe.

3. Health and self-care  During the term we will concentrate on brain power, exercise and healthy foodstuff.  We will look at how our bodies feel after exercise.  We will learn how our brains work and how we link learning to healthy brain development.  We will try a range of healthy foodstuff and plan a healthy menu.  We will cook and prepare fruit salads, crunchy salads, smoothies and fruit ice lollies.  We will create our own early morning workout concentrating on using every muscle in our bodies.  Click on the link below to play a balanced food plate game with your child. http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Activity.aspx?siteId =3&sectionId=37&contentId=55 http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Activity.aspx?siteId =3&sectionId=37&contentId=55

4. 40 – 60 months Expressive arts and design: exploring and using media and materials  During the term we will use art books and artists as a stimulus to experiment with colour, design, texture, form and function.  We will read ‘the dot’ by Peter Reynolds and experiment with mixing our own colours. How big can we make our dots? How many can we paint? What other media can we use? Click on the link to find out more about this fabulous book! http://www.peterhreynolds.com/dot/http://www.peterhreynolds.com/dot/  We will also look at different artists such as Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso and Wassily Kandinsky and talk about what we can see in their paintings.  Can we create our own Kandinsky using vegetables?

5. 40 – 60 months PSED – self-confidence and self-awareness  This term we will be encourage the children to talk about what they are learning, explaining what they are doing.  We will support children to feel good about their own successes rather than relying on a judgement from an adult.  We will encourage the children to try new activities and say why they like some activities more than others. 40 – 60 months Communication & Language - Understanding  We will encourage the children to talk through how they will accomplish a task.  We will provide opportunities for the children to follow two and three step instructions.  During reading sessions we will ask ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions about the text.

6. Religious Education The children will use child- friendly online information sources to explore healthy eating and share the information they find through group discussion and the creation of a digital healthy eating plate. ComputingPhysical Development  We will continue our outdoor PE sessions to help develop our agility, balance and co- ordination.  As our topic this term is keeping healthy we will learn about how the body works.  How do our bodies feel before and after exercise?  How often should we exercise a day?  What exercise do the children do outside of school?  The children will also show increasing control over an object in pushing, patting, throwing, catching or kicking it.  During our RE sessions we will talk about people who are special to us.  We will identify the qualities of being a good friend.  We will talk about stories of Jesus as a friend to others.

7. Literacy  World Book day this year falls on March 5 th.  As part of World Book day we will encourage the children to bring in their favourite books to share.  We will read, share a do a range of activities around books such as ‘Guess how much I love you’ and ‘Elmer’s Parade’.  Phonics will continue as usual on a daily basis.  We will continue to practise our handwriting and correct letter formation in class.  Please continue to read at home with your children on a regular basis.  Please encourage your children to write independently and DO NOT worry if it is spelt incorrectly. As long as they are using the correct sounds, that’s wonderful! Mathematics  This term we will continue to learn mathematical names for ‘flat’ 2D shapes and ‘solid’ 3D shapes.  We will be developing our skills of subtraction and relating it to addition. Fitting in nicely with our discussions on the value of sharing, we will be learning to halve shapes and find half of quantities.  Please take any opportunities which arise at home to put subtraction, sharing and halving into practise.  Can your child take 1,2 or 3 chips away? How many are left now? Can s/he show you half a pizza? Can s/he give you half of their Smarties?  Click on the links below for support in the above areas. http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games /mission/mission.htm http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games /mission/mission.htm  http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games /island_chase/island_chase.html http://www.arcademicskillbuilders.com/games /island_chase/island_chase.html  http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/games/game 1.htm http://www.abc.net.au/countusin/games/game 1.htm

8. Newsflash!  As part of our topic the children will visit Odds Farm Park on Monday 16 th March.  We will spend the day visiting various activities within the park.  The activities on offer range from meeting baby animals, petting long-eared rabbits, watching lambing and kidding, egg collecting and bottle feeding the kid goats.  As Odds Farm Park has so many animals we might even be lucky enough to see a baby lamb or goat being born!