Welcome to Holly Class!

Welcome to Holly class website page!
We are a mixed Year 1 and Year 2 class.  
 

Miss Rogers, Mrs Chapman and Mrs Evans work in Holly class ☺️

Miss Rogers     Mrs Chapman       Mrs Evans

AUTUMN TERM!

Our topic for this term is 'Our Wonderful World'.  We will be attempting to answer our big topic question "What makes our world wonderful?"

We practise our essential English and Maths skills everyday in a number of ways!  We independently work on our individual targets each morning as we come in to school, and complete daily RWI phonics sessions and Maths Meetings.

In Maths lessons, we will be starting by looking at place value, to ensure we understand lots of different representations of numbers, and start looking at how to count numbers to 100 by making groups of ten.   Then we will use our knowledge to look at different ways to add and subtract.  We will also be working on a range of skills including counting, shapes, money and telling the time in our daily Maths Meetings.

How many tens are there in 56?  Can you use < > and = to compare numbers?

In English, we are going to carry on our daily RWI phonics lessons to help us learn our sounds and how to decode words by looking for the 'special friends', saying the sounds, then reading the word.  In our weekly 'Superhero Writing' lessons, we will also be working on our sentence writing skills, checking to make sure we have used all our correct punctuation - capital letter, finger spaces and full stops and trying to use adjectives and conjunctions to make our sentences even better!

What adjectives would you use to describe a cat?  How would you describe a dolphin?

In Science, we are going to be learning about materials.  We will try to identify some different materials, learn their names, and describe them using their properties.  We will look at what materials are used for different objects before comparing their suitability.  We will use this learning to carry out an investigation to make a raincoat for Mrs Evans' dog Bailey, and also help Miss Rogers design a new travel mug to keep her cup of tea hot!
What materials do you already know?  Is cardboard a good material to use to make an umbrella?

In Art, we are going to be learning all about the French artist, Paul Cézanne.  We will find out about his life, before studying his paintings and discussing what we like or don't like about them.  We will practise our sketching and paint mixing skills before attempting our own landscape paintings in Cézanne's style.

Do you know any other famous artists?  What are some warm or cool colours?

In Geography, we are going to be learning about the wonders of the world!  We will be learning the names of the continents and oceans to help us use the maps and atlases to locate the different wonders of the world, and studying some major rivers and mountains of the world.  We will also be thinking about the difference between human-made features and physical or natural features.
Can you find out which wonders of the world we might be looking at?  Do you know which is the highest mountain in the world?

In History, we will be starting with a whole-school topic - standing up for what is right.  We will be thinking about what this tricky phrase means, and thinking about ways to stand up for ourselves and others.  In Key Stage 1, we will be looking at some very important historical figures who tried to stand up for what they believed in - Rosa Parks and Nelson Mandela.
Have you ever heard these names before?  How do you think you could help somebody else?

In PE, we are going to be dancing!  We are going to be thinking about our coordination and creativity.  We will learn to apply air patterns, jumps and shapes into dance phrases.  We will look at other elements of dance, such as tempo, space and movement, working towards some group dances based on fireworks.
What shapes can you make with your body?  What kind of dancing do you like best?

In PSHCE, our topic will be 'Being Me in My World'.  We will think about what we are good at and how to help other people feel welcome as we start a new class together, as well as how we can make our school and class community a better place.  We will discuss how we can respect other people's feelings and work well with a range of people.
What makes you special?  What do you feel you are good at?

In RE, we are going to be learning about Judaism.  We will think about symbols that are special for Jewish people and look at some special objects and artefacts that Jewish people use.  We will find out about the Jewish creation story and listen to some other important stories from the Jewish faith.  We will also find out about the Shabbat and why Jewish people celebrate it weekly.
Have you ever seen a Jewish church?  Do you know what it is called?

USEFUL INFORMATION

Homework

At our school, homework is set in the form of a 'menu'.  This will have a range of activities to give you choice and flexibility, e.g. you can choose more creative activities on quieter weekends when you have more time.  One task should be completed from the menu each week.  
In Holly class, homework will be set on a Friday, and is due back by the following Wednesday.

Parent Forecasts

Our Parent Forecasts will be available below for you to see a brief overview of some of the learning we are planning to do each term.  This is not exhaustive, but just to give you a flavour of what we will be up to!  If you have any questions about this, please come and see us.

Our PE day
Holly class PE day is Friday.  We also do PE with Mr Whitehead on Thursday afternoon for Creative Curriculum.  However, we may have to change our slot because of things happening in school, or we may sometimes get an extra session.

Please make sure you bring your PE kit on a Monday morning and leave it in school all week in case of any changes.  Children should also have earrings removed in advance, and long hair should be tied back for safety.

Remarkable Readers

At Kirkby Avenue Primary School, we believe reading to be extremely important.  Reading underpins so many other areas of the curriculum and supports the children in developing their imagination.  To support your child with their reading, we ask that you listen to them read at home as often as possible and record this in their ‘Reading Record’. 

Our new Reading recognition system, Remarkable Readers, aims to ensure that all our children are remarkable with their Reading throughout the year.  Each time a child reads they achieve a ‘Reading Point’.  Depending on age, this could be:

• Reading at home to an adult
• In school independently
• At home independently

Reading Points are cumulative and will be added up weekly throughout the year.
 

35 points = Bronze Award (Certificate & message home)

70 points = Brilliant Bronze Award (Certificate, message home & prize)

105 points = Silver Award (Certificate, message home & prize)

140 points = Super Silver Award (Certificate, message home & prize)

175 points = Gold Award (Certificate, message home from Mrs Clifford & book prize)
210 points = Glittering Gold Award (Certificate, message home & Afternoon Tea in the Reading Nook with our Reading Ambassadors)