Darwin Class

Class teacher: Miss McGibbon

Learning Assistants: Mrs Earl, Mrs Lutchman and Mrs Adiyah

This term:

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths) 

This term our STEAM focus is Science, and we will be answering the question ‘Can I develop an understanding of the living world around me?’  We will be exploring life cycles and the changes which living things go through as they grow and develop. We will be starting our journey by understanding the difference between a living and non-living thing. Then we will be looking at the changes we have already made from being a baby to now. We will continue to explore the stages of growth into adulthood and beyond and within this, the children will have the opportunity to explore how their own families have changed over time. Next, we will look at butterflies and their life cycles - we cannot wait to welcome some caterpillars to Darwin class to watch them grow and complete their life cycle! 

Prime Areas 

Personal, Social and Emotional development: The children will be learning about the attributes that help us to be compassionate which is one of our school values.  We will be thinking about how we can show compassion towards others as well as for living things in our environments such as Minibeasts. Children will be learning to be patient as they observe the lifecycle of a butterfly first hand.  As we prepare for our sports day challenges, children will be developing resilience and determination. 

Communication and Language: The children will be developing their speaking skills as they talk about how they have changed in their life so far since they were born.  They will be talking about their families and the differences or similarities between themselves and other family members.  As we closely observe the butterfly lifecycle, children will be using their oracy skills through commenting on the changes they notice. 

Literacy Key Text: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and Once There Were Giants by Martin Waddell. 

Physical development: We will encourage children to move in different ways that are similar to a variety of minibeasts. They will develop their physical skills by crawling, scuttling, wriggling etc.  Children will also be learning to move competitively as they practice races for sports day. 

Term Five Curriculum overview   

This term, we will continue to build upon prior knowledge and skills in Maths, Literacy, Understanding the World and Expressive Art and Design. At Nursery age, it is important for children to have regular opportunities to revisit what they have already learned to deepen understanding and ready themselves for new learning content.   

By the end of the term, we hope that children will become more confident at the following:   

Literacy	Beginning to be aware of the way stories are structured and telling our own stories.   Talking about principal characters and events in the stories they listen to.   Recognising familiar words and signs, such as own name.   Making up stories, play scenarios, and drawings in responses to experiences.   Beginning to understand that words are made up of sounds.    Beginning to recognise letters and their letter sounds.
Mathematics	Recognising and creating a symmetrical pattern   Counting objects with accuracy and make comparisons.   Subitising (say the number without counting) groups up to 5   Comparing size using mathematical language such as shorter, shortest, longer, longest
Understanding the world	Understanding that living things change over time.   Understanding that Living things can look very different after they have changed.   Understanding some changes can be seen – others can’t.    Understanding Non-living things stay the same
Expressive Arts and Design: exploring media and materials	Creating Butterfly artwork, exploring elements of pattern   Creating observational drawings of living and non-living things   Using a variety of tools to create art with different media.

Phonics 

This term, we will be learning the Read Write Inc (RWI) speed sounds. Children will be learning to recognise individual letter sounds and to write the letter shape by learning a simple rhyme, for example, ‘Down the tower and across the tower’ for the letter ‘t’.  We will let you know the letters that we are focusing on each week plus helpful tips that will be posted on Dojo, so that you can support your child’s learning at home. Alongside this, we will continue to develop children’s early sound discrimination skills by joining in with rhymes, songs and listening games. 

Talk Through Stories 

Our Talk Through Story sessions continue to inspire our children in Nursery. We love exploring new texts and really getting to grips with the story line, identifying the problems, the solutions and becoming familiar with the key characters within each story. This term we will be focusing on: 

• Dogger by Shirley Hughes 

• Sonya’s Chickens by Phoebe Wahl   

• Gecko’s Echo by Lucy Rowland  

Talking

Below you can find a useful document including activities to help you support your Nursery child's speaking and listening skills.