This week we have been learning about what it is like to live in Africa. We looked at pictures of different African houses and talked about what they are made from.  Some houses in the African villages are made from mud and straw.  The mud keeps the house cool during the day and then keeps it warm during the night.  We compared these houses with houses in England.  We also learned about traditional African patterns.  People make patterns based on geometric shapes or take inspiration from the shapes in nature such as leaves, flowers or animals.  Many patterns are painted on walls and the sides of houses in the towns.  We enjoyed making our own African inspired patterns at the art table, full of colour and pattern.  We also talked about where people go to worship in Africa and about faiths, Christianity and Islam, being the main faiths in Africa.  We compared churches to mosques and talked about the similarities and differences.

In maths this week, we have explored the composition of 10 using Numicon.  The children used 2 or 3 parts to make 10.  We used language such as ‘6 is a part and 4 is a part.  There are 10 altogether.’  Some children were able to record their findings by writing the amounts that made 10 in a number sentence.  This is good practise to reinforcing the children’s subitising skills, as they could subitise the parts to 5 or even 6, due to the arrangement of the pieces.  They could see when they had 10 by noticing five 2s in the pattern.

This week was science week.  Each day the children took part in a variety of science experiments.  They really enjoyed learning the science behind each experiment.  We made an egg float after it had sunk to the bottom of the water, we turned the petals of a white flower, blue and learned about friction as we tested toy cars rolling down ramps with different surfaces. We also did a sweetie colour experiment, and watched how the coloured sugar dissolved into a rainbow in the warm water.  We also made a lava lamp! On Wednesday, we also rotated round Reception, Y1 and Y2 to took part in experiments in different classrooms with different teachers. Photos of our experiments can be found here: Science Week | Repton Primary School (repton-pri.derbyshire.sch.uk)

In Monster Phonics this week we learned the igh sound by Yellow I.  We read the story Rapunzel which contained lots of words with this sound in.  The children practised writing words and sentences using igh too. Please continue to read with your child regularly.  It really makes a difference to their confidence and fluency. Please also continue to use spelling shed.  Again, this really helps the children to develop confidence and fluency with their segmenting and spelling skills.

On Friday 22^nd we will be walking to St Wystan’s church (see Parenthub for information) and will require helpers to enable us to safely walk there and back.  If you can help, we would be really grateful. Please let us know if you can.  Many thanks.

Have a lovely weeked!