Foxes

WELCOME
 
Foxes Class is part of the Brookfields satellite group and is situated at The Grange School in Runcorn. This is the second year of this venture for our school and the Foxes team are very proud to be pioneers in this school development. We have now been joined this year by the Bumblebees class.
 
The pupils have settled into school extremely well and are enjoying the resources and space both in their classroom and outdoors.
 
Staff:
  • Shelley O'Connor - Teacher
  • Vicky - Higher Level Teaching Assistant
  • Karen  /  Sonja - Classroom Assistants
  • For spring term we are joined by Valarie - Classroom assistant
Pupils:
  • Reception and year one age pupils
  • 6 boys and 2 girls
Our topic this term is 'Cbeebies'. We will learn along with our favourite characters about topics including colours, numbers, shapes, sounds, sharing and people who help us.
 
Our aims over this term for the pupils continue to incorporate:
  • Leaning to develop effective communication supported through a total communication approach.
  • Social skill focus to develop sharing and working alongside or playing with our peers.
  • Independence and self help skills around eating, drinking dressing.
IF YOUR CHILD HAS TO STAY HOME TO SELF ISCOLATE  PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION
 
Hello Foxes Children and your families
 
I know things are a little different right now. Regulations and restrictions may mean that you are at home with your family and cannot attend school. If this happens then it is important that you please keep up to date with what is happening with school via the website, Facebook, parent text and if required emergency contacts. Please use the school website for guidance under coronavirus section.
 
My main message to you all is BE KIND TO YOURSELF. Take each day as it comes and stay safe with your families. Keep in contact with friends, families and other parents from school if you choose to: be a support and use others for support.
 
Winter is now upon us and may bring with hope some dry bright days, if you can and enjoy nature and fresh air:
Touch ice. Jump in puddles. Can you make a tree rubbing with crayons and paper? Can you blow bubbles and try and catch them? Can you use chalk and make marks on the wall or floor? Can you kick, throw or catch a ball? 
If you can get out and about, go for a walk in a quiet place. Look for signs of early spring - I have spotted snow drops and daffodil shoots already. 
Be active - use some of the sensory exercises listed below or join in action songs that you can find on you tube. If you copy actions to fun songs Foxes children may copy or tolerate you gently supporting them.
 
You will find activities to try at home at any time on this page listed below, on other class pages [see Butterflies for age appropriate] and also in the home learning section of the school website.
 
Take care and stay safe and stay in touch,
 
Love Shelley and the Foxes Team xxx
HOME LEARNING SONGS 
 
Here are some of the you tube songs that Foxes like to use:
 

Good morning song   - Dream English

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9Q7Y3t4m3g

 

Phonics song 2- KIDS TV 123

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BELlZKpi1Zs

Keep fit alphabet - Jack Hartman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFa0b_IIRac&t=15s

Makaton alphabet - Mr Tumble

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMog84sQp3o

Story song The three little pigs -  Cocomelon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2s7cz6p7jew&t=23s

 

Number song – KIDS TV 123

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0dJWfQHF8Y

Keep fit counting - Jack Hartman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TgLtF3PMOc

Colours - KIDSTV123

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQASh8bbkUY

 

Home time song - The singing walruss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LDArAJf7-c

HOME LEARNING  - SPECIAL INTEREST ACTIVITIES - ANIMALS
 
Songs:
Old mcdonald
Baa baa black sheep
5 little ducks
 
Activities:
Paint, colour or draw your favourite animal.
Find toy animals / soft toys that - pate, farm, jungle, woodland. 
Use construction i.e. duplo or sticks to make a den or home for your toy farm animal.
Sing 5 little ducks in the bath or during water play 
 
Shows:
Cbeebies has many shows and songs linked to the topic of the farm https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/search?q=farm
 
Stories
 
SENSORY HOME LEARNING IDEAS
 
Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills, and social interaction. This group of activities focuses on activities for physical movement [gross motor movement].
 
Information to note: up and down or spinning movements are alerting and side to side movements are calming. 
Be careful with spinning activities unless your child seeks this to avoid injury or disorientation. 
Be careful not to lift, push or carry objects which are too heavy - this includes for your child and yourself.
 
 Activities
  • Balance walk along masking tape on floor and walk in straight, curved and zig zag lines
  • Wall pushes
  • Pushing or pulling objects /stretchy bands
  • Push ups
  • Hand Squeezes
  • Superhero poses
  • Animal Walk - move in different ways - Cbeebies 'Andys wild adventures' help with this
  • Stretch like a bear or swing like a monkey
  • Follow the light/Follow the sound – The child’s whole head/body follows the movement of a torch

  • Sway in time with chill out music

  • Back and forth rowing - sing row the boat
  • Spinning (3 seconds in each direction)
  • Skipping

  • Jumping Jacks / star jumps

  • Arm Spins
  • Musical statues
  • Hopscotch
  • Scooter rides
  • Trampette
  • Balance / roll over / sit on gym ball
  • Walk over stepping stones [can chalk these on the floor]
  • Create indoor slides using cushions
  • Carry a backpack containing a favourite toy - not too heavy!
  • Ride a bike
  • Balance on a log

 Below are some activity links from Gross motor movements and yoga. Please do not physically put your child in these positions, show the image / model it yourself if possible.

 
COMMUNICATION HOME LEARNING IDEAS
 
Communication activities -Here are a few activities that support this area. It is by no means exhaustive.  Not all these activities will suit all pupils. If you need any further guidance, please contact Shelley. 
 
Routines Boards – Use visual boards with single-step actions to help children learn common routines. You can create a board for as an example - brushing teeth [draw or print images]
 
Practice Sharing – Play is an important activity for non-verbal children. While your child is engaged in play with an object such as a toy car or tea set, occasionally take the toy from them [for short times]. Then help the child learn ways to communicate that they would like the toy back. This may be through the use of vocalisations, symbols, sign language, or body language. Praise success of positive communication. Other games such as Mr potato head and pop up pirate can encourage sharing and taking turns too. 
 
See and Say – Animal sounds is a great way to introduce verbal communication. Hold the toy animal and make its sound. Remember to name the animal too i.e. cow says mooooo
 
Modeling – Using pictures of emotions such as sad, happy, angry, and hurt, the child and adult take turns modeling the emotion shown on the picture. Using a mirror is fun with this game to see their expression.
 
Sensory Bags – Sensory bags are a great way to help non-verbal children develop coordination, learn concentration and use multiple senses while exploring their environment. Sensory bags can be made with a variety of materials including rice, flour and water, pasta etc. 
 
Build a Sandwich –  learn steps and details through the use of pretend assembly play or real building of a sandwich using simple language i.e. put on cheese.
 
Same and Different – Sorting, matching and classifying are beginning steps to communication, whether verbal or non-verbal.  Use toys, pictures of apps for matching games.
 
Shopping - naming object as they are put in the basket [Extension task - can the child list symbols / worlds for what is in the basket?
 
 
Home learning- Myself and our senses activities 
 
Hello Foxes class and families,
 
In school this term we have been learning about ourselves and our 5 senses. We have enjoyed learning about different smells, trying new foods, feeling a range of textures, looking at pictures and objects that interest us and listening to instruments and songs. 
 
Here is a link to a senses song you can listen to at home- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXXiyIGqliE
 
Here are some ideas for each sense to try at home: 
 
Sight-
-You could look at books or pictures which interest you at home
-You could go on a treasure hunt around the garden or your home looking for different objects on a list eg- leaves, grass, flowers etc. 
-Create a sensory bottle to shake and look at- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7zp7KbxbKY 
 
Sound-
- Make a sound bottle by adding rice or pasta to shake
-Explore your kitchen cupboards to find pans and spoons to hit to make different sounds 
 -You could play this sound game listening to which animal makes the noise - 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucuXAYMYttc
 
Touch- 
-Explore different materials at home such as- clothes, carpets, flooring, towels etc. 
-Make jelly and touch it to see how it feels in your hands 
-Follow the instructions to make playdough, you can roll it, poke it or make a model with it. You can also add cinnamon to add smell and food colouring to make it look more interesting- https://divascancook.com/how-to-make-homemade-playdough-recipe/
 
Smell- 
-Look around your home to find different bottles you can smell eg- perfume, coffee, body lotion etc. 
- Explore your garden to find lavender, flowers, mint etc which will have strong different smells. 
- Use the playdough recipe above to create smelly playdough to enjoy by adding essential oils like lavender or spices such as cinnamon.
 
Taste- 
-Create a plate of different fruits to look at, feel and taste. You could make a fruit face to make it look more appealing to eat. 
-Explore foods of different textures such as yogurt, crisps, vegetables and rice pudding 
-Try foods of different tastes such as- salty foods, spicy foods, sour foods and sweet foods. 
 
If you try any of these activities at home we would love to see them, you can attach photos to my school email address - Shelley. 
 
Halloween activities 
 
This week in school we have completed interactive Halloween activities. We have explored spooky spaghetti (cook spaghetti and add food colouring), enjoyed counting pumpkins and glow in the dark skeletons and listened to the story 'Room on the broom'. 
 
Here are some Halloween activities you may want to try at home over half term- 
 
-You could go on a Halloween walk looking for pumpkins in peoples windows and encourage counting.
-Buy a pumpkin to decorate by painting it and adding glitter and put it in your window for other children to see during their walks. 
-Create a Halloween sensory feely tub using spaghetti, jelly and pasta. Adding food colouring and plastic spiders and eyes to make it fun. 
 
Here are some Halloween counting songs to listen to at home- 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpO8_FMWcHA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToeaHKxqKWA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJsQpFX5uM4
 
Here is a link to the story room on the broom which we have looked at in class- 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uQulEnxsRo
 
Please take pictures and email to Shelley if you try any of these activities over half term. 
 
 
 
 
 

This week is World Nursery Rhyme Week and we are delighted to be taking part. The initiative, which was launched in 2013, promotes the importance of nursery rhymes in early childhood development and education with a particular focus on how nursery rhymes boost early language and literacy skills.

The rhymes for the week are as follows:

Wheels On The Bus

Five Little Speckled Frogs

Hickory Dickory Dock

Old MacDonald Had A Farm

Miss Polly Had A Dolly

We have a number of activities planned throughout the week including:

  •        Hearing rhymes
  •        Singing Rhymes
  •        Reading familiar rhymes
  •        Creative activities based around the rhyme characters
  •        Sensory learning activities incorporating wet and dry textures.
  •        Role playing / acting out rhymes
  •        Making choices for which are our favourite rhymes
  •        Accompanying rhymes using instruments

Singing nursery rhymes is a wonderful activity you can enjoy doing together at home. Which are your favourites? Share these with your class teams.

Please access HOME TASKS - WORLD NURSERY RHYME WEEK on the task bar for more resources and activities. 

You can also access free resources at: www.worldnurseryrhymeweek.com    

The happiest of new years to you and your families. 
 
Our new topic is Cbeebies.
We will begin with Mr Tumble and colours [week 1 and 2] , Telebubies and sounds [week 3 and 4]  leading on to Mr Maker and shapes [week 5 and 6]  up to half term. 
If you child has a favourite Cbeebies Character please let us know.
See the Cbeebies website for songs, games and episodes https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies
 
Colour activities:
  • Name colour objects as you play i.e. red car, yellow banana
  • Make groups of objects to play with that are the same colour.
  • See resource below - colour mats and sorting pictures.
  • Use construction blocks such as wooden blocks or duplo that are single colour.
  • Use paint and mix colours.
  • Make single colour play dough and press fingers in to make marks.
  • Use food colouring in water for water play or make ice cubes that contain juice or food colouring.
  • Colour or paint over pictures using one single colour.
  • See resources below for a powerpoint on colours with Mr Tumble.
Colours of the day - RED  BLUE  YELLOW   GREEN initially 
 
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQASh8bbkUY
           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0HZNaM7gTg
 
Watch:  Mr Tumble https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVFnkEtU8Z8
              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxofSBj7qvk
 
 
11.1.2021   Please remember to take from these activities those that suit your child and your family. I am available for support each school day.

Foxes plan for the week is to continue with the Mr Tumble colour activities outlined as above.

We will move from primary colours to secondary colours and identify green, orange and purple. We will explore objects that are of this colour in and around school / home. As your child holds any objects say the colour and the name i.e. green cucumber.

In maths we will sing the following rhymes:

  • 5 Green Bottles
  • 5 Currant buns
  • 5 in the bed
If you have any counting objects that link to the rhymes i.e. empty bottles or biscuits  or soft toys with a blanket, support them in seeing one being taken away.

As part of our colour activities for literacy we will be joining and stacking duplo and wooden blocks with a learning focus of looking carefully to join two blocks together. If this is not achievable yet, then have fun knocking towers down 

We will use playdough and make marks using our fingers and tools, if you make your own dough at home try adding a scent such as vanilla essence for a sensory experience. An alternative to this is sprinkle flour or salt on a tray and model making marks in this.

We will also be painting, the adult can make comments when colours are mixed accidentally or purposefully to make a new colour. I guarantee we always end up with brown when paint mixing!

Action songs and kids disco will make us smile for movement activities, I find it best to choose your favourite tunes to dance along too as music is good for all our bodies and our minds. My daughter is currently loving the Spice Girls so I am reliving my youth at the weekends :) 

You are all amazing and I am so proud of each and every one of you.

Week commencing: 18.1.2021   
Please remember to take from these activities those that suit your child and your family. I am available for support each school day via email whilst the team are isolating.
 
Foxes plan for the week is to focus on what can you hear? We will be exploring different sounds and making our own sounds [hee hee Foxes love to make noise!].
 
At home try exploring your kitchen cupboards and see what you can use to make different noises. Use pots and pans, wooden and metal spoons to bang and tap to make a noise. 
Make sounds with your own body by clapping, stamping, clicking and different mouth noises such as ooohh, eeee, tongue clicking. Pause to see if there is any imitation of sound.
 
In maths this week we will be focusing on grouping. If you have bubbles, we would like you to blow bubbles to show lots and some.  Say lots and count as you pop them with your finger. Here is a bubble counting song-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CI29h-AXDM
You can also do this with any object eg- play with lots of toy cars and show 1 toy car or lots of teddies or some teddies. and say less teddies.
 
If you have dried pasta or rice at home try making your own shaker using a cup and some paper to cover the top- see picture below for an example. You can use your shaker to shake along to different music. 
 
Use different Cbeebies episodes to join in the dancing and songs along with your favourite characters to stay active and moving around. Here are some of my favourites for you to enjoy- 
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvEtwhui1k0
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2LN-GOyEg4
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cevJQi9iLQY
 
What other ways could you make sounds? try using a stick and banging it on your fence outside or jumping in puddles to hear the splash [for those self isolationg remember we cannot go outdoors beyond the garden]. 
 
If you try any of the above home learning tasks please remember to email me any pictures as I would love to see the fun you are getting up to and add them to your child's assessment.
 
You are all continuing to be amazing. Lets do this together one step at a time.
Week commencing: 25/01/2021
 
Hello everyone, 
 
Please continue with the above tasks focusing on sound. I enjoyed hearing the stories about your little ones making noise at home - apologies for any headaches ;) In class this week we will be using musical instruments to make sounds. We will use them in different ways i.e. scraping, banging and shaking. We will find instruments under a hidden cloths and our grownups will be looking to see if we turn towards the direction of sounds. Do you have musical instruments at home?
 
If you can get out for a walk try listening to the sounds in your environment. Enjoy a nice walk in the snowy weather and explore the cold temperatures by touching ice, crunching the ice/snow under your feet or maybe make your own ice at home for the children to explore. Personally I am hoping for sunny days  - hee hee.
 
Take a look below at our snowy themed train tuff tray maybe you can recreate this or similar at home. We used a light sprinking of flour to simulate the snow, icing sugar or foam works well too. 
 
Hope you are all doing well, please keep emailing your pictures over to me on email and if you have any problems please ring or email me, hope you all enjoy another lovely week. 

Week commencing- 01/02/2021

Happy February everyone, hope you are all well.

Our focus in class for the next two weeks is 2D shapes supported by Mister Maker. Enjoy watching  Mister Maker shape episode at home -                                                                                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e883Yb8f8wA

Below are a few different shape songs you can listen to-                                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTeqUejf3D0                                             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAE79M9lCbg

Can you explore in your house or garden and find different shapes. For example can you find a round clock, a square window or a rectangle door?

Mark make to draw different shapes by using your finger in flour, foam or paint. 

If you have a shape sorter at home can you practice picking up your shapes and posting them.

Can you make a shape picture being supported by an adult to cut different shapes out and glue them on a piece of paper. 

Have a look at the twinkl links below for shape colouring activities to engage with. 

We hope you have another good week at home, speak to you all soon.

Week commencing 09/02/2021
 
Hello Foxes,
 
Please remember next week is half term, if you require any support please use the school email. 
 
For this week please continue the activities on shape shared above and look on the whole school home tasks tab for activities around Valentines day, Chinese new year and Pancake day. 
 
Don't forget to email over any pictures for the foxes team to see.
 
Have a lovely week and enjoy your half term.
 
Week commencing 22/02/2021
 
Hello Foxes,
 
Happy Spring term, we hope you are all well and enjoyed the half term. 
Our topic focus for the next two weeks is Cbeebies numtums and the number blocks, focusing on all things number related. 
 
Here is a link to the numtums Cebeebies page which includes episodes, games and activities to engage with at home: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/the-numtums
 
Here is a link to the number blocks Cbeebies page which incudes episodes, number songs and simple activities to join in with at home: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/numberblocks
 
Home activities:
- Can you lay your blocks out and count how many you have, to challenge further add more blocks or take away to see how many are left. 
- Sing number rhymes together including: 5 little ducks, 5 speckled frogs, 10 green bottles, 5 current buns.
-Can you practice writing numbers at home in flour or foam by putting some into a tray or on a plate and use your finger to write the numbers. 
-Can you order numbers 1-5 or challenge further and order 1-10. Write the numbers on paper, cut them out and order in a line. 
 - Count physical actions such as jumping, stomping or star jumps.
 
Below are a few printable number activities you can also try at home. 
 
Hope you all have a lovely week, if you need us do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email. Do not forget to send any pictures by email of what you have engaged with throughout the week for evidence- Thank you.