Pioneers Class

Pioneers children are Reception aged (four or five years old). Children enjoy a range of creative and engaging play based activities, as well as formal inputs, to support their development and growth. Children in Pioneers are taught by Mrs Hann, Mrs McGill and Miss Greaves.

Learning begins the minute they walk through the door. The classroom is a carefully curated collection of wonderful things to allow the children to flourish. The classroom is theirs and everything in it is there for a purpose. What they chose to do may be completely different for each individual. This is when the learning happens. The resources are ready to use and accessible and the team work together to create, to communicate, to count and to grow

Each day starts with exploration of the resources and suggestions for learning set out around the room. The Pioneers will come together for teaching. This will happen in small groups, as a whole class and often one to one. Across the day we will gather for mathematics, reading, writing and phonics sessions, to share stories and to learn about the world.

PE kits are in school all week to allow us to do PE at any time. This term, the Pioneers have dance on a Tuesday afternoon.

Mrs Gurney teaches computing on a Thursday morning.

We are rolling with phonics and children will bring a book and their reading record home each day. Please read little and often and write a message in the reading record. All reading is good reading. This is such an exciting time.

Please look out for a text message to let you know when we will go to the forest. We will use our wonderful outdoor space as much as we can and this will not always be on the same day each week.

Children’s progress and activities are recorded in their own Learning Journeys. These act as a summary of the journey children embark upon during their time in Reception and demonstrate the progress and success that has been achieved, as well as the next steps that may need to be taken.

Thursday the 26th of June – Pioneers,Here is your Learning Menu for Today.

June 25, 2020 June 25, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Latest News, Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

Spin the wheel and make a word…or two.
Can you complete the words using the sounds on the wheel.

Make your wheel at https://tools-unite.com/tools/random-picker-wheel

I have repeated the sounds to make it more exciting.
Happy Phonics Folks.

https://bam.files.bbci.co.uk/bam/live/content/zmbxprd/pdf#sa-link_location=blocks&intlink_from_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fbitesize%2Farticles%2Fzm4dg7h&intlink_ts=1592717388767-sa

Here is a worksheet for you to try.

Yesterday’s suggestion was about what to pack for a journey.
Continuing on that theme,here is a suggestion for you:
Below are photographs of a selection of tools you might need on your journey.
What would you use them for?
Which one would be good for scooping peanut butter from a jar?
Which one would be good to lift up a wiggling worm?
Which one would you chose if you needed to help a baby bird back into its nest?
I’m not sure what they are all for. Could you tell me what you think and why?
Could you use any of them to dig a hole?
Would you be able to paint with any of them?
I’d love to hear what you think.

Wednesday the 24th of June 2020- Suggestions for Pioneers.

June 24, 2020 June 24, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Latest News, Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

Count the strawberries on the plate.
Count the ponies in each photograph.
How many strawberries can each pony have?
Can you make it fair?
You can draw pictures.
You can write number sentences.
That’s maths magic!

“I went on a trip. I put my things in a brown bag. I am sure I forgot stuff. I checked my list…
In my brown bag I put…”

In the story “Rain Before Rainbows” there is a line about going on a wonderful journey.
If you were going on a journey you would need to pack a bag.
What would you take with you to go on a trip?

Look at the tings that I have packed in my brown bag. Can you list all the things.
You could use my sentence starter to play the memory game.
Are all the things that were in the bag on the 2nd photograph?
Is there anything missing?
Is anythiing differemt?
You can write a list or some sentences.

Here is you phonics suggestion for today. Revise the sounds from Monday and Tuesday and add in todays which is “ar”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I8of7AJDdaM. Flash cards

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LXkE8aWfg2E. Geraldine

Enjoy the sunshine.

Another Day in Paradise,Pioneers – Tuesday the 22nd of June

June 23, 2020 June 23, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class

Here is your new reading book.
Enjoy.

Have a go at estimation but this time use the number stick

This is pretty tricky.
Start by using 10 for the full stick and see what happens.
“If this is 10 then what is…?”

Here is a little challenge that is based on algebra.

You could make your own version using stickers,stampers or things.
There are so many questions to discuss here.
Happy Counting.

Here is a story for you:
Once upon a time,long.long ago,so I’m told, the world was black and white. After many years the Rainbow Fairies decided they didn’t like it that way and they hatched a plan to brighten things up.
Every time they saw a rainbow,the shook it,they rattled it and little by little all the tiny rainbow chips fell to the ground and covered the world in colour.
Today you can go out and see all of the rainbow chips everywhere you look.
Take a rainbow chip card and go out and search for all the colours of the rainbow in your garden and around your home.
Go on a journey. Look very carefully and match up the colours on the card.
If you have a paint colour chart,they are the best. Otherwise use my photographs or colour some squares with felt tip pens.
Happy Hunting.

Read the sentences with the -OW sound.
Can you spot all the OW words. Make a list.Have you included all of the words that are on the poster?
Take another look at the Phonics Poster Document shared yesterday.
Scroll to the end to find the -ure sound.
Talk about the words with that sound.
Watch Geraldine and Mr Thorne talk about the words.

Monday the 22nd of June-Learning Suggestions for Pioneers

June 22, 2020 June 22, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/science-ks1-ks2-wonders-of-nature-the-changing-seasons/zh4rkmn

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zkvv4wx/articles/zcx3gk7 Seymour Science explains…

https://explorify.wellcome.ac.uk/en/activities/whats-going-on/seasons Explorify is a wonderful science resource. Take a look.

Here are three short clips to introduce the changing seasons to your Pioneer. I am sure that these will bring lots of questions.
Stay curious. Happy Learning

This story is an introduction to the seasons for the Pioneers.
This sits nicely with the video clips.
Enjoy

Here is your suggestion for phonics. I suggest that this week we have a bit of revision of some of the Phase 3 digraphs. Here is the poster set that we use to introduce each of these alongside Geraldine.
Your Pioneer will recognise this document.
Today I suggest you take a look at “OW”

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Eok_d5ch0OU. Flash cards

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GJtvjxBYg7I&t=19s Geraldine

Happy Learning

Here is your suggestion for maths today.

Take a look at the Numberblocks episode.”Lair of Shares”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0006xcw/numberblocks-series-4-the-lair-of-shares

I have taken photographs of vegetables with share images.

Have a chat about what they represent. Can you draw pictures of each photograph.

Ask questions,” How many peas in each pod?”
“How many peas altogether?”
“Can we share the peas?”
” Is it fair?”

Go out and look for evidence of the summer.
Collect leaves and grasses and wild flowers.
You can make a card to weave onto with card and string or elastic bands.
Happy Hunting

It’s Friday Pioneers. Let’s Do Some Fabulous Learning 19th June 2020

June 19, 2020 June 19, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

Lego blocks are perfect for lots of maths.
Sort the blocks by the number of dots.
Ask your Pioneer to say the number sentences out loud .
Monday’s Numberblocks introduced x and the I have written “lots of”.
This is new and may be tricky so go slowly and enjoy.
Use the writing on my bubble board to help with chat.
Draw pictures.
Happy Maths

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources/phase/3/picnic-on-pluto

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources/phase/3/buried-treasure

https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/resources/phase/3/sentence-substitution-ph3

Last week I suggested Phonics Play to add to your routine.
Here is another selection of suggestions
I would also suggest to revisit all the sounds covered this week:
tr,dr,st,sc,sk.

Happy Learning

Our Award Winning Hedgehog Close Film

This little film is beautiful and contains some suggestions to make your garden hedgehog friendly. One suggestion is to leave food for a hedgehog.
Another is to provide a home, maybe in a log pile.
Perhaps you could write a sign for the hogs and make a cafe for them.
Could you find a selection of food for a hedgehog and write a menu perhaps?

Feeding

Thursday the 18th of June-Happy Learning for Pioneers!

June 18, 2020 June 18, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zkvhscw

Lots and lots of great maths suggestions for you today relating to counting in 5’s

https://bam.files.bbci.co.uk/bam/live/content/zv8nv82/pdf#sa-link_location=blocks&intlink_from_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fbitesize%2Farticles%2Fzkvhscw&intlink_ts=1591883334557-sa
Her is a Worksheet to look at together and discuss.

The counting stick is great to support counting in 5’s too.

Take a look at the photographs and talk about the bubble questions.
This is maths magic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUkvEeHVrOU&feature=emb_rel_pause Owls hunt in the dark. Take a look.

https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/?s=dark Hedgehogs too.

This link takes you to a selection of clips of hedgehogs in the dark.

These are two of my favourite nocturnal animals. It is unlikely that we are able to catch them feeding in the daytime.
Why might that be?
Do you have things in your garden that a hedgehog might fancy for dinner?

Have a read of the fascinating hedgehog facts.
Could youdo anything to help a hedgehog in your garden?
Enjoy

Read the sentences in the photographs.
Have your Phase 4 sound mat close by.
Can you spot the sounds in the sentences on your sound mat?
Can you spot any of the sounds on the sound mat in your sentences?
If you want an extra challenge open the document attached and you will find lots more.
Happy Reading

Pioneers Learning Suggestions for Wednesday the 17th of June

June 17, 2020 June 17, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

Here is a new reading book that you have never seen before.
Take your time and enjoy it together.
Happy Reading

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0006rr5/numberblocks-series-4-twenty

This is an episode we have looked at before and will be a nice little warm up to get going.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0007gcv/numberblocks-series-4-land-of-the-giants
Use your counting stick to count in tens.
Find the 10’s on a number sqare
What is 3 lots of 10?
How about 4 lots of 10?
how many lots of 10 are there in 100?

https://tools-unite.com/tools/random-picker-wheel

This wheel is the best.
It is so easy to use.
Spin the wheel,
Write a word. sound.
If you have the sounds written out on smal pieces of paper,you can take them away as you have done that
scamp,Skip.Scoop.Skill.Skin.Scab.

You can make your own spinning wheel with any combination of the sounds we have covered.
Yipee.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zsshfg8

We have been learning about day and night. Some animals like to come out at night.

Take a look at this clip.

Can you draw all the nocturnal animals that are mentioned?
You can write “Nocturnal”
Can you talk about the features of the animals?

Why do bats have big ears?

Why do you think that owls have large eyes?

Tuesday 16th June-New Learning for Pioneers- Woop! Woop!

June 16, 2020 June 16, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

All ’round the home and in the garden you may find repeated numbers that can be turned into number sentences.

The forks have 3 prongs : 3+3+3+3= 12
If your Pioneer is keen you could discuss 3×4=12
This is brand new.

The door has 4 panels
The fish have pairs of bones.

Write number sentences for the images and have a look around your home and set out some more

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0006w5r/numberblocks-series-4-sign-of-the-times

Happy Counting

My suggestion today is to revisit all the tricky words on the list and re-do the Spin the Wheel activity.
Gather together the family and maybe some toys and have a game of bingo.
If you do not want to print the bingo cards you could encourage your Pioneer to do the writing too!
Happy Phonics.

Here is my story map for How To Catch A Star.
Take a look.
Listen to the story again.
Try using my story map to help you retell the story.
Could you draw your own story map to go along with the book?

Glass – transparent (see through); hard

Examples – windows; TV screens

Wood – hard; strong

Examples – furniture

Metal – very hard; very strong

Examples – pans; cars

Plastic – can be bended and twisted into different shapes

Examples – drink bottles; school chairs

Fabric – soft; squashy; stretchy

Examples – clothes; cushions

Brick/rock – very strong; very hard

Examples – buildings; walls

Paper – bendy; light Examples – newspapers; books; posters

Cardboard – stronger than paper; not easily bended Examples – boxes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zh48d6f

There is then a short online task to do to check on the learning.
The Pioneers could read the categories and write labels to post around the house.
Happy Sorting

15th June -Pioneers. Another Great Monday.

June 15, 2020 June 15, 2020 Scott Grason-Taylor Pioneers Class, Pioneers' Home Learning

The story
This week follows on directly from last week and will have elements of learning about the moon and the stars and light and materials.
It may be best to listen to the story again- Rain Before Rainbows,to spot where in the story we are.
This story features a little boy who really loved stars and wanted one of his own.
It is beautiful.
Listen and enjoy.
Think and talk.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0006xds/numberblocks-series-4-terrible-twosday

It’s been a while since we had a look at Numberblocks so here is a wonderful one for you to look at.

Next we are going to look at repeated addition.

This episode has lots of new vocabulary and will need a few watches and possibly setting out cubes if your Pioneer is up for it.

Exciting stuff

Like any stick, A Magic Maths Counting Stick is a wonderful thing.
It can take your counting skills to the next level.
To Infinity and beyond perhaps…
If you do nat have any tape you could paint your stick or blue tac and paper would work.
The key is to make equally sized divisions along the length of the stick.
After that, you can make it as beautiful as you like but keep the divisions visible because you will need these to help with that good old Maths Magic.
Each division can change what it represents. It can be 2,5,7 or 100.
Each day we will use the numberstick for different things.
If you want an onscreen version,here is a link:

https://mathsbot.com/manipulatives/countingStick

Happy Counting Stick

First take a look at the Numberblocks Video and “How To Make A Counting Stick “
Look at each image of the counting stick and ask the talk about patterns,what comes next and what is missing.
All the helpful words and questions are on the bubble pictures.
That’s Maths Magic!

This wheel is the best.
It is so easy to use.
Spin the wheel,
Read the word.
If you have some counters and your word list you could cover the word over when you have read it.

https://tools-unite.com/tools/random-picker-wheel

Have fun
Make lots of wheels with lots of words and sounds.