Welcome to the Year 1 Class Page
Here, you can follow our learning journey in Beech Class, both in and out of the classroom. We are looking forward to having a very busy and exciting year!
Autumn 1 2022
Our topic for this half-term is 'Into the Woods', where we will be looking at seasonal changes, weather patterns and map reading. Our main text, in English, is 'The Gruffalo' by Julia Donaldson.
Maths Investigation Day
During our whole school Maths Investigation Day, Beech Class worked on some sorting, pattern and 3D shape investigations. We had lots of fun using classroom equipment and natural materials from outside to help us.
Sorting Investigation
We investigated lots of different ways to sort objects. The children used categories such as colour, shape and size to sort their equipment. Some children even sorted Numicon into odd and even numbers.
Pattern Investigation
We used lots of different equipment and also objects from nature to explore repeating patterns. The children were able to use colour, shape and size repeats and were extremely creative. They also coloured patterns and made finger print patterns using paint.
3D Shape Investigation
Our final investigation involved the children using wooden blocks and 3D shapes to find out which ones they could use to build a sturdy tower. They tried lots of different combinations and discovered that some of the blocks and shapes would not balance. This meant the towers fell over.
Gruffalo Faces
This half-term, our main text in English is 'The Gruffalo' by Julia Donaldson. The children made some lovely paper plate Gruffalo faces with Miss Windeatt. They had to think very carefully about his features and where to put them.
P.E. - Gruffalo Dance
In our Dance sessions with Mrs. Barlow, Beech Class have been thinking about how each of the characters in 'The Gruffalo' move. They have practised these movements and made up a whole-class Gruffalo dance.
Seasonal Changes
In Science, Beech Class have been looking at how the seasons change throughout the year and the weather that is typical in each one. The children painted some seasonal trees and we made a large display using some of them.
Visiting the New School Library
Beech Class visited the new library. We had lots of fun looking at the books and discovering the exciting places we could sit.
Computing - Using Laptops
In our Computing lessons, we learned how to turn the laptops on, log on to the Year 1 pages and use the mouse to click on the icons on the desktop. We then used 'Word' to write and save a sentence about The Gruffalo.
We also use the iPads on a regular basis. Here, Beech Class are spending some time working on Numbots, developing their skills in Maths.
Maths Week - Time
Our theme during Maths Week was time. The children took part in lots of fun activities which enabled them to develop their knowledge and understanding of time.
We learned about the different parts of the day, including morning, afternoon, evening and night, and sequenced some everyday activities, according to when they take place.
We also timed one minute and tested how many times we could carry out different tasks. These included star jumps, touching our toes, writing our names, drawing a face and building cube towers. We learned that one minute is not very long!
Towards the end of the week, we learned to tell o'clock and half past times on an analogue clock. We recorded the times by drawing the hands.
We really enjoyed making our own clocks using paper plates. We used these to tell the time too.
We also made some wrist watches. The clock faces were laminated so that we could draw different times on them. We then moved around the classroom, asking each other what the time was!
Finally, we played a game of time bingo. We really enjoyed our Maths Week and learned lots of new skills.
Autumn 2 2022
This half-term, our topic is 'Heroes'. Our main text in English is 'The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man' by Michael Chabon. In History, we will be studying Grace Darling and Florence Nightingale, finding out why we still remember them. In Art, we will be making our own superhero capes and in Design Technology, we will be designing some super spoons to help us fight the baddies!
Science Day - 'Ourselves'
Our theme for Science Day was 'Ourselves'. We started off by thinking about the different parts of the human body. We drew around one of the children and then added labels to the correct body parts. Next, we had a go at labelling our own version.
Next, we learned about the senses and went on a senses treasure hunt around the school. We looked for things we could see, hear, smell, taste and touch.
Spring 1 2023
Our topic this half-term is 'Taking Flight'.
In Geography, we will be studying maps, along with the continents and oceans of the world. In History, we will be looking at the lives of the famous aviators, The Wright Brothers and Amelia Earhart.
Our main text in English is, 'Little People, Big Dreams: Amelia Earhart. Please see the Year One Spring Term Newsletter below for more information.
Science Week - January 2023
Beech Class' theme for Science Week this year was 'Everyday Materials'. We began the week by naming and sorting lots of different materials that we see every day.
After learning the names of the materials, we looked at different objects and identified which materials they were made from and thought about why. We found that some were made from two or more different ones.
We studied the properties of our materials and used adjectives to describe what they looked like, how they felt and how they behaved. Some of the words we used were hard, soft, rough, smooth and bendy. We learned some new words too, including rigid, opaque and transparent.
After identifying the properties, we learned which materials were natural and which were manufactured, or made by people. We sorted them into the two groups.
Finally, we investigated which material would be best to make an umbrella for a teddy. We tested four materials to see if they were waterproof or not. In the end, we came to the conclusion that plastic would be the best material because we found that it was waterproof but also flexible enough to put the umbrella up and down!
On the last day, we showed the whole school what we had learned and how hard we had worked in the school's Science Fair. We had a very busy but very fun week and we learned lots!
Book Week 2023: Magical Creatures
Our theme for Book Week this year was 'Magical Creatures'. The story Beech Class looked at was called, 'There's No Dragon in this Story' by Lou Carter and Deborah Allwright.
Dragon Character Predictions
We began the week by looking at pictures of the main character, the dragon, and reading a few pages of the story. In groups, we predicted what the dragon might be like, based on what we had found out so far.
Magical Puppets
We made our own magical character puppets and put on some puppet shows.
Drama: 'Zog and the Flying Doctors'
We had a fun drama lesson with Chestnut Class, where we watched some scenes from 'Zog and the Flying Doctors' and recreated them in groups.
Dragon Blowers
To finish the week, we made some fun dragon blowers out of card and tissue paper. When we blew through the card, the dragon's fire billowed like real fire!
Creative Arts Day 2023
Beech Class learned about the dutch artist Piet Mondrian (1872-1944). He was famous for using lines, shapes and primary colours. We had a go at producing our own drawings, based on his pictures.
In the afternoon, we produced some wonderful collages using lines and also shapes in primary colours.
Amberley Museum Trip
We had a lovely time visiting Amberley Working Museum and we learned lots of things about transport in the past. In the morning, we spent some time looking at different parts of the museum. We were very lucky to watch a man wood turning. He showed us how he made a handle for a bathroom light.
In the afternoon, we we saw the classic fire engines and learned about their history. Next, we were shown how to make a wooden wheel for a cart.
At the end of the day we were very lucky to have a ride on a small diesel train with no windows and then a 100 year old bus with no roof!
We had a great day and really enjoyed our visit.
Summer 1 2023
Our topic this half-term is 'Street Detectives'. We will be studying the local area and naming and labelling a variety of plants. Our main text in English is 'Dragon Post' By Emma Yarlett. Please see the summer newsletter below for more information.
Active Maths Day 2023
Beech Class were very active during Active Maths Day!
Our first activity involved us using our minds and bodies to do some adding. Some of us had a number sentence on a piece of paper, while the others had the answers. We had to move around the classroom and match the additions to the totals. We did really well!
For our next activity we went onto the field. We split into six teams and had to run to a basket to collect an addition or subtraction card. We took it back to our team mates, solved the number sentence and wrote the answer on our sheet, Then the next person went to get a card. We repeated this until we had all the answers.
Next, we used chalk on the ground, and natural objects, to make part whole models and practise our number bonds.
For our final activity, we used the outside area to find lots of natural materials to use to make repeating patterns. Some of our patterns were very creative!
Red, White and Blue Day - May 2023
To celebrate King Charles III's coronation, Beech Class took part in Bartons' Red, White and Blue Day. Everybody wore red, white and blue clothes and we took part in some 'royal' activities.
Coronation Tea Party Maths
To start the day, and to get our brains switched on, Beech Class had to solve a tea party maths problem. They imagined that they were setting cups out for a tea party, making sure each row and column only had a red, white and blue cup. It was quite a challenge but everybody solved it!
King Charles Time Line
Next, we learned some facts about King Charles' life. We found out when he was born, who is family is, along with some other important information. We then made a time line of events.
Coronation and Union Flag Collage
In the afternoon, we learned about what we could expect to see at the coronation. We looked at some of the important artefacts used and talked about what they symbolised.
In the afternoon, we made a collage of King Charles' head using flags. We had a great day and learned lots.
Outdoor Learning Day
Our first activity was Maths. We had to find some sticks and stones outside, and use them to make pictures. If the sticks were worth ten and the stones were worth one, we had to add up the value of our pictures. This consolidated the work we have been doing in class on partitioning numbers.
Science - Identifying Trees
In the afternoon, we went onto the field to look at the trees in the outside area. We studied the bark and the shape of the leaves to try to find out which trees they were. We also made leaf rubbings to help with the identification.