Music class on the deck 
Excursion to France Miniature 
Forest team parachute activity
Birches learned around the theme ‘All About Me,’ in which they explored what it means to be human, themselves, and a part of something bigger than them. Have a look at all they accomplished this term.
MATHEMATICS
We built the foundation for visualising abstract concepts often observed in mathematics through concrete manipulatives and an introduction to number sense. Have a look at some of the work we’ve done throughout the term.
Objectives we achieved this term:
Place Value
We have learned to…
- count to and across 100, forwards.
- count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals; count in 2s, in 5s, in 10s and in 3s.
- given a number, identify one more and one less.
- identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations, including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than, fewer, most, least.
- read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in numerals and words.
- do addition and subtraction bonds to 20.
Addition and Subtraction
We have learned to…
- read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (–) and equals (=) signs.
- add and subtract one-digit and two- digit numbers to 20, including zero.
- solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems.
LITERACY
In Literacy we learned about ourselves and others, focusing on what it means to be ‘me’ and what it means to be ‘somebody else’. We read books such as How to Be A Lion by Ed Vere and The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. Additionally, we built up our phonics to be able to create all sorts of words with short vowels and regular consonants, and we will build off of that work as the year progresses.
Objectives we achieved this term:
Phonics
We have learned to:
- Read accurately words which consist of regular consonants and short vowels.
- Blend two consonants together which make a singular sound, such as ‘drip’ or ‘lick’.
- Read basic exception words such as ‘the’, ‘as’ and ‘she’.
- Segment spoken words into phonemes.
- Interpret ‘nonsense’ words which follow phonetic rules but are not technically words in English.
Reading and Writing
We have learned to:
- Comprehend, discuss and interpret the story which we are listening to.
- Order and sequence events as they happen in the story.
- Recreate a narrative through pictures, role play and discussion.
- Predict what might happen next.
- Clarify the meanings of words by linking new meanings to known vocabulary.
SCIENCE
To link with the theme ‘All About Me,’ we learned about our bodies and the world around us through nature. We focused on plants, animals and healthy living.
Objectives we achieved this term:
Plants
We have learned to:
- identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees.
- identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.
Animals
We have learned to:
- understand principal features of living things.
- identify different types of animals.
- classify animals, depending on their nutrition and reproduction.
Healthy Life
We have learned to:
- appreciate exercise, eating the right amount of different types of food and our basic needs.
- understand the advantages of eating healthy food and doing exercise.
- identify each season of the year, know their features and the cause for these changes.
- identify seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- prepare a recipe using the food of each season.
HISTORY / GEOGRAPHY
This term Birches learned about prehistory in order to answer the question of where humans come from. We’ve learned about the basics of evolution, the domestication of various animals such as the wolf or the wildcat, and how societies looked before the Agricultural Revolution.
Objectives we achieved this term:
We have learned to:
- see how humans lived on a daily basis within a hunter-gatherer society.
- understand the physical evolution of humans into what we are today.
- appreciate the origins of life through a process called evolution.
- know how wolves and other animals were domesticated into dogs and various farm animals.
- see how large history is before human history.
- appreciate how nature plays a large role in humanity’s history.
SPORT – SWIMMING AND DANCE
Birches swam and danced for sport this term with specialised instructors trained and experienced in those respective fields. It was both impactful and delightful, a balanced mix of learning new techniques and having some lighthearted fun in the process.
ART / D&T
We related our art theme to what pupils were learning in history and science, namely the artwork that pre-modern humans would have created and artwork related to the different seasons. Additionally, we created our own class eco-bins to build conscientiousness of recycling and taking care of our environment.
Objectives we achieved this term:
- to use drawing and painting to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
- to use recycled objects and other various materials to creatively design and make products.
- to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.
