To all Moonbeams (big and little people)
As the two weeks beginning 25th May and 1st June are the two designated holiday weeks in Trafford, we will be having a break from the home-school learning, feedback, assemblies and phone calls that have become part of our provision since the Easter Holidays. I hope that the more relaxed opportunities that have been afforded by our Government allow brief moments away from home for our families too and I hope this time is enjoyed by us all. Our provision for Key Workers etc will remain unaltered. We have provided a list of websites that may be useful to you over the holidays and this can be found in the downloads section.
22.5.20 Congratulations to Olivia H and Thomas for earning the certificates in our Virtual Assembly today!
20.5.20 I am so excited to share with you some of the activities our little people have been doing as part of the home learning journey - see photographs at the bottom of the page. Keep those fabulous emails and photographs coming Moonbeams - I am so proud of all your efforts; little and big people!
19.5.20 I have removed some of the "Caterpillar Watch" photographs to make way for some more exciting photographs tomorrow...
Week beginning Monday 18.5.20
Welcome to a new week of home learning, it is the last week of our food topic and we are ending on a sweet taste, all about CHOCOLATE!
Find practical ideas, suggestions and activities in the ebag under Week 7 and have fun.
Take care of yourselves and each other
Mrs Hardman
15.5.20 Congratulations to Dylan and Himani who won our certificates in today's virtual assembly!
14.5.20 I just had to share the scene I saw from my house today - see photographs below. We see two swans swimming by on the canal every day and we feed them each evening - but look who was with them today: six babies - cygnets! I shall try to get more photographs as they grow in the coming weeks.
12.5.20 Well it took me a long time to spot any tadpoles in the FS garden pond this morning and an even longer time to get a photograph - but eventually I did - see below! Mr Norris told me that it will be a few more weeks until the transformation into froglets happens but I did notice the bodies were fatter and the tails wider (with fins either side) today.
8.5.20 Congratulations to Soraya and Neo - our certificate winners in this week's virtual assembly! Have a lovely VE day and Bank holiday weekend everyone.
7.5.20 The tadpoles are thriving in the Foundation Stage pond - no changes into froglets yet - no legs and the water was too green to get a clear photograph ! Make sure to tune in to tomorrow's virtual assembly - it's another girl and boy as the certificate winners!
6.5.20 Joshua your home made pie looked amazing yesterday - I hope you enjoyed it at teatime! Keep your eyes peeled for photographs of the Foundation Stage pond tomorrow - do you think I will find froglets? I hope so!
5.5.20 Thank you Bilal for your lovely voice message after you won the "Citizen of the Week" certificate on Friday. I am really enjoying chatting with you all on the phone - I know it seems strange when your parents say "It's Mrs Hardman ringing to speak to you" but it is a lovely way to keep in touch and as soon as I hear your voices I can picture your little faces!
1.5.20 Last day of caterpillar watch today - see the beautiful butterflies they have become below...
Well done to Bilal and Isabella - today's certificate winners!
30.4.20 Look at days 9 - 12 of the caterpillars/cocooons: they are going through some big changes now...
Congratulations to our well done/citizen certificate winners so far: Evie, Owen, Fedya and Maya - tune in to our virtual assembly at 2.45pm tomorrow and see who has earned a certificate this week...it could be you!
Keep the fantasic emails and photos of your home learning journeys coming - I love to see what you are doing and your smiley faces!
27.4.20 Keep up with Caterpillar Watch - changes are happening daily in the photograph section below...
Parents you know your children better than anyone else and I encourage you to make the most of this time, explain to your children in the simplest of terms the situation we currently find ourselves in, then set about enjoying the experiences as a family that are ahead of us all.
Remind your little people that I am still here to help them and I shall miss them all but let’s look forward to the fabulous re-union party we will have when we are all back together again!
If you want to keep to a familiar school routine dorwhilst at home then you could follow our Reception pattern of the day. But this is just a guide to give you an idea of what we do in class each day it is NOT a timetable for you to follow at home. Please understand that I share it only to support – I am not suggesting you turn your lounge into Moonbeams classroom! I am very aware of how many of your little people say “nothing” or “can’t remember” when you ask them about their busy school day so maybe it will be of a help to you:
9 – 9.30 Handwriting and Fab 5 sentence writing (for Fab 5 we give the children a picture then they talk with a partner about what they see before writing their own sentence – ask your child the Fab 5 rules: Capital letter, sound talk, finger spaces, neatest handwriting, full stop.)
9.30 – 10.30 Literacy focus – read a story/non-fiction text then write: draw and label a character, make a story map of the events using toys or drawing, retell the story in sentences, write a shopping list, write a letter to someone special…
10.30 – 11 Physical activity – have a run around the garden, ride your bike, bounce on a trampoline, hunt for bugs, follow an online PE session
11.00 Phonics – practise using your keyring or use online resources and activities on Twinkl, Phonics Play, Busy Things. Write some of your key and tricky words – segment and blend the sounds and letters.
11.30 – 12.30 Lunchtime
12.35 – 12.55 Practise fine motor skills by drawing – follow instructions using online sites such as Squiggler, How to draw a … (on YouTube) or just draw things you see around your home.
12.55 – 1.20 Maths focus – count in 2s, 10s and 5s, can you recognise coin amounts? – role play being a shop keeper and customer, label some of your toys with prices and find the right coins to pay, sort some toys by size or things around the home by their shape, length, weight. Have you got a big clock or watch that you can use to learn how to tell the time? Busy Things website has lots of interactive games for Maths.
1.20 -3.00 Explore a variety of activities for:
Physical Development – throwing/catching a ball, balancing, skipping, complete a jigsaw, make a den.
Creativity – paint a picture, do an observational drawing, build a model, cooking, sing, dance.
Knowledge and Understanding of the World – find out about people, places, things that interest you, use Facetime or Whatsapp to catch up with grandparents, explore your favourite animal and where it lives.
3.00 Storytime – read anything and everything to your little people, as often as possible!
I have included some links to the interactive online resources mentioned but there are many more available to you – most sites are offering free use during this period – just google Early Years or Foundation Stage home learning.
I gave every child in school on Friday a workbook and pencil (there is a box in the school reception/office area for children who were absent) – this is all you need to record the adventures from your learning journey at home – there are blank pages for art, maths, photos and lined pages for writing.
Parents there is no need for you to do any printing out and above all please be kind to yourselves and do not feel any pressure to keep up the work that a teacher would do each day in school! There are 7 areas of learning within the Foundation Stage curriculum – choose the activities your little person enjoys the most and focus on those, make this family time count and have fun!
We are all in unchartered waters and we will learn with each other, along the way, how things work best.
My parting message to you is a quote I read the other day “After all this is over, all that will have really mattered is how we treated each other” so please take care of yourselves and each other. I look forward to seeing you all again and in the meantime you can email me at moonbeams@oldfield-brow.com.
Mrs Hardman
https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk
https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk
https://wwwtwinkl.co.uk