Alverstoke Infants School,

Autumn 1999.

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Year one and a new and busy Autumn term! We have chosen this term to look at the fun topic of Teddy bears. This will obviously include a walk to a local park for a picnic.

The year one team of Caroline Bainbridge and Julie Williams is greatly supported by Kate Averre and Brenda Wheatley(two very experienced Classroom assistants). We are always happy to answer any queries, no problem is too small.

To support your child with their topic, we have included some areas of the curriculum we aim to cover.

English - Reading and writing.

Now that the Literacy hour is in full swing, the teaching and learning of this area of the curriculum will be a little different. The children will be reading in a small group, taught by the teacher to use a range of techniques and as a class using 'big books.' We are encouraging the children to write both their names correctly and unaided. Each week there will be a notice up on the Year one 'parents board,' outside the Year one classrooms, which will detail the focuses for the week. New targets will be set during this term and these will be written into your child's message book.

Topic ideas:-

Reading and enjoying teddy stories, poems and rhymes.

Listening, retelling, sequencing familiar stories.

Writing about, and labelling teddies.

Writing a class poem about our teddies.

Maths

This term maths work will follow the structure of the Numeracy Strategy. This places a high emphasis on developing the children's mental strategies therefore, we have 5 sessions of mental maths a week with 3 of these sessions extended to develop their further understanding and recording skills.

Topic maths will include:-

Measuring teddies

Sorting and comparing teddies

Collecting data on teddies and producing simple graphs and charts about them.

Science

This term we will be looking at Materials, this will include observing,sorting,describing materials and establishing what they are made of,

Exploring magnets, making paper and melting chocolate!

Information, Communication ,Technology

This term we will be teaching and extending a variety of computer skills including;

mouse control

learning to print

using a concept keyboard

and adding print to a picture.

Religious Education

We will be learning about and celebrating Harvest and Christmas, as well as reflecting and talking about other celebrations.

Physical Education

Our games focus is on hand, foot and ball control, using direction and speed.

In gymnastics we will be focussing on travelling and developing the children's movements. In dance we will be exploring bear like movements as well as traditional dance activities.

Design and Technology

This will build on the children's already acquired skills; cutting and making a moving teddy, using different fixing materials to make a lunch box and handle and evaluating what they've made.

Music

This will link closely to the topic of teddy bears and will include skills such as maintaining a steady beat, patterns, voice changes (dynamics) and learning songs.

Art

This will include painting, collage and exploring colour. We will be extending their skills of colour- mixing, using texture and work with clay.

History and Geography

We will be looking at old and new, through the topic of bears, this will involve sequencing events and your teddies!

We will be looking and keeping a record of the weather and observing the seasonal changes.

We will be discussing the location of our school and an ideal setting for our teddy bears picnic.

 Please could you make sure that your child brings their P.E. bags including T- shirt, shorts and plimsols into school on Monday and that it stays in school all week. For safety all long hair must be tied back, please provide a scrunchy to keep in school. Please remove all jewellery on their P.E days (see timetables attached).

As the children are now in Year One we ask you to leave them on the playground before school, unless you are sharing their work in the classroom. This helps the flow of people through the school and also develops your child's independence.

To support our topic we are asking the children to bring in their teddy or appropriate toy,to stay at school (not their favourite bear or any other toy).

The book bag changing days are as follows:-

Mrs Bainbridge - Monday and Thursday.

Miss Williams - Tuesday and Friday.

Homework: more information will be given at the meeting on Monday 13th September at 2.30pm.. Dates for your Diary:-

Monday 13th September :- Autumn New Entrants Full-Time 2.30pm

Year 1 Parents Introductory Meeting.

Wednesday 13th October :- 9am Harvest Celebration

followed by Open hour.

Tuesday 19th October :- 9am-4.30pm Year 1 Settling In Meetings

Week Beginning

Monday 25th October :- Half Term Holiday.

Monday 1st November :- School closed for Staff Training.

Wednesday 15th December :- 2pm Year 1 Christmas Assembly

Friday 17th December :- 1.30pm END OF TERM.

Wednesday 5th January 2000:- 8.50am Spring term begins.

We look forward to an enjoyable term and thank you for any support you can give.

Your sincerely

The Year One Team.