Miss Buchanan's Blog: May 2017

Wednesday 31 May 2017

Skip Counting ~ Preparing for Multiplication

These games all help to reinforce the basics of counting in groups, which is the foundation for completing multiplication problems.

At Year 1 level, being able to skip count in 2s, 5s, and 10s to solve a range of multiplication problems is what they need to grasp.

Feel free to practise these games at home to help reinforce this essential skill.

Solving Arrays by Skip Counting

Fruit Shoot - Finish the Skip Counting Sequence

Finish the Skip Counting Sequence

Number Bubbles Skip Counting

Saturday 27 May 2017

Author of the Week ~ Anabelle

Each week one of our fabulous writers will be published here on our classroom blog, in celebration of their hard work.

Before a butterfly can flap its adorable wings it has to be an adult. When it is an adult then it flaps its wings to go and find a leaf. When the eggs hatch, they become caterpillars. The caterpillar takes between 5 to 10 days to emerge out of its egg. The caterpillar eats fresh and poisonous leaves. Did you know that some caterpillars are poisonous and when predators eat them they both die, and that is very sad. Did you know that the predators for monarchs are birds, praying mantises, and other big animals too? Caterpillars transform into a chrysalis for 2 weeks and then it goes through a process called metamorphosis, which means that something changes into something completely different, which is a butterfly. Did you know that butterflies eat nectar from flowers? For butterflies the nectar is yummy but for us it is not nice. Butterflies have tiny scales covering their wings, WOW! Did anyone know that butterflies were so interesting!

By Anabelle

We were working on using technical vocabulary in our writing this week, and informing our reader with interesting facts about the butterfly lifecycle. Anabelle has explained each stage of the butterfly lifecycle in detail, and used a wide range of technical vocabulary. She even explains what these words mean, in case the reader doesn't know. This is a fabulous piece of writing Anabelle, keep up the great work!

Space Explorers ~ Discovery Time

This week in Discovery Time, Rooms 6, 7 and 8 we're thinking about space. The children had the choice of a range of activities which included designing their own space rocket, creating an alien, making marbled paper planets, or a range of other independent tasks.

Here are some photos of the process of marbling our paper that we did in Room 6.

The children's expressions are classic!

Sunday 21 May 2017

Author of the Week ~ Lucy

Each week one of our fabulous writers will be published here on our classroom blog, in celebration of their hard work.

Dear Oak Tree,

Please don’t lose your leaves. Why are you dropping your leaves? Are you freezing cold? Although I like playing in your leaves. I like jumping in your leaves like a frog jumping in the pond. Sometimes I enjoy swimming in your leaves like a dolphin. I suppose it will be a sad time with your leaves falling. I hope you will be ok in the winter. I have lots of questions. I hope you have a good winter.

Love from Lucy

Lucy has put a lot of thought into this piece of writing, and added lots of descriptive detail. I particularly like the phrase "Jumping in your leaves like a frog jumping in the pond". We were working on using a range of sentence starters in our writing, and Lucy has definitely achieved this, which helps to add interest and variety to her writing. Keep it up Lucy!

Dear Oak Tree...

Last week, we wrote letters to the Oak Tree, which is a prominent feature on the Junior Side.

The children asked the Oak Tree questions, thought about what it might be like for the tree to lose all of its leaves, and what they like to do with them. With the Autumn weather well upon us, these timely pieces of writing are sure to make you smile!