Welcome to the Hummingbirds Class!
Staff
Teacher: Shannon Hibbert
TAs: Cheryl Crosby, Angela Mullington and Julie Graham
Mid Day Leader: Lisa Bolger
Newsletter
Food Glorious Food
The Hummingbirds have been exploring the different foods from around the world and have had a fantastic half term! They have worked really hard this half term and are all making great progress in their learning.
This term our topic has been all around Food Glorious Food, which has been great for our eager learners in the Hummingbirds class! In English our stories have been Handa’s Surprise and Pass the Jam Jim. We have loved reading and exploring these stories together. We have looked at how we can have fun with our foods and have loved exploring all the features through our sensory exploration. We especially loved tasting all of the delicious fruits from Handa’s surprise and making our jam sandwiches. We have been working hard to practise our fine motor skills to trace and write our names. In Maths we are focussing on our small group work activities focussing on a range of areas including building, sorting and recognising shapes and patterns.
In our Food Discovery sessions, we have been looking at cutting. We have been learning about how we can chop and slice different textured fruits to build and make our own fruit kebabs. We especially loved eating these! In Music we have been learning all about the pace of different types of music and using instruments to create new sounds. The Hummingbirds have been practising their movement skills in PE, taking turns and cheering one another on.
In Understanding of the World, we have been learning all about different plants and what they need to survive. We have been exploring a range of objects from the past and present and have been baking our own bread the traditional way. We have been learning to navigate around the iPad and choose our own games to explore. We have been exploring Holi and Eid in our I Wonder sessions and looking at how this is celebrated. The Hummingbirds have loved exploring the different dressing up and role play area. We have been learning to play and share with one another and have built positive relationships with our friends and staff.
In Creative Development, we have been using our topic to explore new ways of creating our art. We have got very creative in the art room making our own fruit bowls. The Hummingbirds love messy play and have got stuck into all aspects of this. We have enjoyed our Time For Me sessions especially learning about personal care and brushing our teeth.
Our favourite spaces this half term have been the Library and Soft Play. In the Library we have loved exploring different stories and practising our independent reading. In Soft Play we have been building our confidence and play skills with our friends.
Have a fantastic break,
The Hummingbirds team
Signalong
At Halcyon Way we use Signalong as a part of a Total Communication Approach, we are constantly using core vocabulary with the children to support their language development and then through each of our topics we introduce new signs and language, which extends their vocabulary further. We also have two “Signs of the Week” which helps maintain and extend key knowledge and skills of everyday vocabulary.
Each half term we will be creating a short video showcasing and demonstrating signs relavent for the current term so that you can learn the signs and further this learning at home.
Click play to watch this half terms Signalong video!
Lunchtime
If your child has a school dinner, the school menus can be accessed by clicking here. For children who bring a packed lunch, please remember to provide healthy and balanced options. We are a Healthy School and will be focusing on healthy eating and how children can make healthy lifestyle choices.
How You Can Help at Home
The following activities are suggested as appropriate homework activities which you can enjoy with your child and reinforce the learning, we are focussing on this half term.
- Enjoy sharing your child’s weekly library book. Share the story together, ask questions, discuss what you can see in the pictures, can your child make predictions about what might happen next?
- Encourage them to dress and undress as independently as possible.
- In PSHE we will be looking at being independent. Can your child wash their hands independently?
- Immerse your child in sensory materials you have around the house e.g.: oats, soap flakes etc. Encourage your child to make marks in these materials.
- Listen to and share stories with your child. Ask your child relevant questions and model language.
- Encourage your child to use their counting skills where possible. E.g., Counting each step, how many cars can we see?
Thank you for your continued support.
