Welcome to the Flamingos Class!
Staff
Teacher: Shannon Taylor (temp)
TAs: Tom Winterburn and Danielle Woodlock
Mid Day Leader: Hannah Wynn
Newsletter
Earth, Wind and Fire
Spring term 2 was action packed and full of fun for the Flamingos! We have thoroughly enjoyed learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors however we are now more than ready to welcome some warm weather!
In our Early English sessions this half term, we looked at a number of interactive lift-the-flap books with the aim of encouraging child interest and interaction… and what a success these books were! Our favourite book was ‘Hide and Seek with Octopus’. We loved searching the page in hunt of the hiding sea animals! We completed a range of activities linked to our stories- for this particular book we enjoyed using our fine motor skills to create pipe cleaner octopi and rescue sea animals that had got their bodies caught in rubber bands!
Our Creative Development sessions this half term have involved lots of colour! One of our favourite Creative Development sessions this half term was the creation of a seascape – an accumulation of work over a number of weeks that involved the children trialling a number of printing techniques. One of our favourite techniques was marbling, which we did with shaving foam and paint!
We have thoroughly enjoyed a number of festivals over this half term. Recently, we celebrated the Hindu festival ‘Holi’. We played instruments in response to traditional Hindu music and chose colours to create our own flowers. We then went outside to throw coloured powder at each other and in the air to celebrate the Spring and welcome new beginnings!
The Flamingos staff would like to say well done to each and every one of the children- we hope everyone has a restful half term and we look forward to seeing what next term brings!
Best wishes,
Shannon, Tom and Danielle
Signalong
At Kingfisher 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.
You can view this half terms signalong video below:
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 theme for this half term is ‘Earth, Wind and Fire’. We will explore a range of stories linking to this theme. Some of our stories are ‘lift the flap books’- chosen specifically to encourage interest, enjoyment and interaction when reading. We will explore a number of interactive books this half term linked to our theme.
We will also explore picture books, which will be delivered as sensory stories to again encourage engagement and enjoyment when reading. Our sensory story will be ‘The Wind Blew’ by Pat Hutchins.
In order to support your child’s learning at home, here are some ideas linked to what we will be doing in school. If you need any more support or ideas, please send me a message via Seesaw.
Earth
- Plant your own flowers with your child. Can they use a trowel to dig a hole? Can they water plants daily using a watering can/ Can they add the water to the watering can?
- Create your own ‘mud kitchen’! Can your child fill a container to make a ‘mud pie’?
- Go on a nature walk. How many flowers can you find?
Wind
- Create your own wind catcher/rain shaker!
- Fly a kite outside
- Blow bubbles and watch the wind carry them away!
Fire
- Use water pistols to shoot ‘foam fires’
- Mark make in red, orange and yellow paint
- Explore fire trucks! What sounds do they make?
Communication and Interaction
- Explore ‘lift the flap’ books with your child. Encourage them to look under the flaps/ turn the pages independently.
- Copy me – sounds, facial expressions, body language. This will support my communication!
- Model language for me –e.g. say ‘I want…’ to help me request things!
- Encourage my independence at all times; allow me to undress myself and to dress myself. I need to be able to fasten my own clothes, zips, buttons and Velcro on my shoes
- Encourage me to share my toys with any siblings I have
- Encourage me to ask for ‘more’
- Encourage me to make choices from 2 objects when appropriate
