Castle Room News

Over this fortnight, the focus will be on Literacy as we encourage the children to recognise and practice writing. We will create different opportunities for the children to practice writing, not only their own names whilst labelling their works, but also while writing emergent lists and more.

In the Home Corner we have added a pet shop roleplay as we bring together the information we have learnt about pets over the last few weeks. We will be looking at signs for the different pets and items for us to buy to look after our pets. We will encourage the children to create 'pet profiles' as we buy our pets, name them and talk about what they need and like. We will 'write down' key facts and use signs and posters to recognise the key words around the topic of pets.

Mrs Thompson is creating a ‘Gallery of Self-Portraits’ in the creative area. The children will have the opportunity to look closely at their facial features such as eye colour, skin colour, what features we have on our face e.g. nose, ears and compare them to other children in the classroom. Their self-portraits can be created via painting, collage making or mark making with felt tips/ crayons providing numerous opportunity for supporting pencil grip, making marks for a purpose and creating confident marks such as circles, horizontal and vertical lines, waves etc. she has provided various books which relate to the body parts for the children to explore, discuss and become confident in the understanding that books provide information and facts. The children’s self- portraits will be displayed in a ‘gallery form’ for everyone to view and enjoy at the beginning of next term.

On the finger gym, Mrs Thompson has also provided a variety of marks such as zig zags, horizontal lines and spirals with objects for the children to form the above marks. These marks follow on from squiggle whilst you wiggle program so it is embedding the marks previously learnt

Miss Aitchison has added ‘The St Giles Post Office’ to the classroom. We will encourage the children to write letters, with a focus on developing and supporting a comfortable pencil grip, using the opportunity to re-examine the grips that the children use; alongside developing the skills to make marks that look like letters. The children will need to write for a purpose, whilst the grown ups in the room will scribe alongside them.

Miss Misha writes ‘ The children will have the fun opportunity to practice their fine motor skills by creating their own blossom tree using different sizes paint brushes and variety of colours. They will have pictures that they can look at and real tree branch taped on to the paper. This will support their cognitive and sensory development as well.
Another opportunity for the children will be painting lilac tree by observing the real white and purple petals of the flowers and their long green leaves. For this activity they can use both paint brushes and stamps (made of kitchen roll and bubble wrap).’

The first book of the week is called The Kings Pants, the story of King Charles and his fabulous collection of pants for every occasion. A pair for space, a pair for coronation and even a survival pair which are edible in emergencies. When the Kings Pants get accidentally sent in the post all over the Kingdom, how ever will he get them all back?

Our first song of the week is called The Royal Family Finger Song, a simple but fun song that introduces song of the key figures from the royal family, the king, queen, princess, prince and even a jester. https://youtu.be/pcEIz0YAUhk?feature=shared 

The second book of the week is Oliver’s Fruit Salad, another story about our friend Oliver who this time doesn’t want to eat any of the fruit from Mum’s kitchen because in Grandpas garden they pick it all fresh. How will mum convince Oliver to eat anything if it is not fresh?

The second song of the week is from The Wiggle, Fruit Salad Yummy Yummy. A wonderful song that sequences the steps from preparing the fruit to enjoying every bite! https://youtu.be/LYYGD56CxTw?si=CdR0YZ764mjjIC7Q