Welcome to the Toucans Class!
Staff
Teacher: Fran Marshall
TAs: Charlotte Taylor, Joanne Brice, Joanne Ryan and Nicola Meyers
Mid Day Leader: Sam Grundy
Newsletter
Hairy, Scary Beast
What a start to 2024 we have had here in the Toucans!
Through our topic story ‘Monkey Puzzle’ we joined a lost little monkey and his quest to find his Mum. We went through the jungle escorted by a friendly butterfly and met some interesting wild life. We met a big grey elephant, a feathery red parrot, a fluffy brown bat, a slimy green frog, a scaly slithery snake and a fat black spider. All before we met the butterfly’s children…to our surprise they didn’t look anything like the butterfly! We were relieved by the end of the story where the monkey was not only reunited with him Mum but dad too!
This half term we have been developing our fine motor skills and early handwriting skills through our Move and Mark sessions. We begin warming up our hands by exploring the dough by rolling, pinching and squeezing while actions are displayed on the class computer. We then choose a ribbon or piece of material to use our hands and arms to explore a specific movement to an upbeat piece of music. Then finally using paint brushes with different materials we create the movement again on a small scale to begin to form certain marks.
In our weekly ‘I Wonder’ sessions we have been exploring Chinese New Year. We sat together as an adult presented us with a dragons head, a Chinese lantern and a range of Chinese spices. We then listened as the adult used the different materials to tell us all about the exciting celebration. We even got to try on the dragons head before having the opportunity to explore noodles, spices and different teas while listening to relaxing Chinese music. In our creative sessions we continued this learning by creating our own dragons by using different markers and crayons. We also used red card and gold paint to make our own Chinese lanterns!
Through our ‘Understanding of the World’ sessions we have been exploring different small world animals and materials linked to different animals and their habitats. We have been exploring different farm animals with straw and wood chippings, sea creatures with water and jungle animals with leaves and artificial grass. We have been very lucky to have the ‘Living Eggs’ project in school this half term. We have been over to the outdoor classroom over at Halcyon Way school where we able to observe real life chicks! We even got to handle them and watch them as they were fed and watered. What an ‘eggs-perience’!
In our morning routine we have been developing our personal care skills. We have our very own named personal care kits containing a toothbrush, toothpaste and a flannel! With help from our teachers we have been working on our toothbrushing skills. We are now able to tolerate having a toothbrush and toothpaste in our mouths and will now even brush some of our teeth independently! When we have finished we then use our own flannel to wipe our faces clean.
From us all in the Toucans we hope you have a very restful half term break.
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.
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 –
- Read a story book with your child, if possible focus on stories that centre on foods and different plants, flowers or trees. Our topic story is ‘Handa’s Surprise’ if possible share this with your child, you can access the full animated story on youtube.
- When we return it is the run up to Easter. If possible let your child explore different Easter themed foods, from hot cross buns to eggs…from chocolate ones to hard boiled! You could make or decorate your own Easter decorations… an Easter bonnet or an Easter card.
- Look at photos of friends and family. Do they recognise familiar people? Can they recognise themselves? Look at photographs, images or use a mirror. Do they respond to their own name?
- If possible take you child out into the community – go to a local shop or supermarket. Can they spot the different fruits and vegetables? Can they help you buy some groceries?
- As the evenings become lighter and Spring approaches create your own mini garden with your child. If you are fortunate enough to have a garden, use a small space to plant seeds and flowers. If you are limited on space use small planters inside to plant cress or chives to create your own herb supply!
- Encourage your child to help prepare meals. Can they help to wash up? Can they help to cut, chop and stir? Can they help to use different kitchen appliances from hand held mixer and whisk to a blender? If possible explore a wide range of fruits and vegetables…make a smoothie or a salad together.
- Play with you child – encourage interaction by using their favourite toys/games/TV shows. Can they accept you into their play? Can they take turns?
- Encourage your child to dress and undress themselves. Can they choose their own clothing? Can they choose appropriate clothes for the warmer weather? Shorts and t-shirt? Hat and sunglasses? Can they help to put on their sun cream?
- Using play, meal and snack times build on their communication skills. Can they make a choice between toys, foods and drinks?
- Encourage your child to brush their teeth. Can the put the tooth paste on their brush? Can they put the brush into their mouth?
- Encourage your child to wash and then dry their hands.
- Encourage your child to help to wipe down/clean surfaces in the home
- Encourage your child to help to tidy away. Do they know where things are kept?
- Practise the key Signalong signs
If you and your child are learning from Home, please access any of the activities suggested here or on the Medium Term plan, but activity suggestions will be sent each week to help you via Seesaw.