Foxes

Welcome to  2024 in Foxes class 
 
Term dates:
 
  • 9th February 2024 - School Closes for Half Term
  • 29th February 2024 - School Open
 
The overview for this term is uploaded above on this class page. This will outline the learning content in which will be covered during the half term in class. Any questions regarding this, please get in touch by email or phone. 
 
Sami-Leigh and the Foxes Team x x
WELCOME
 
Sami-leigh.freeman@bfs.set.org
 
Foxes Class is part of the Brookfields satellite group and is situated at The Grange School in Runcorn. This is the fifth year of this venture for our school and the Foxes team are very proud to be pioneers in this school development. We are joined with the Bumblebees class.
 
Staff [At Brookfields school the children and parents address staff using their first names]:
  • Sami-Leigh - Teacher
  • Alicia - Teaching Assistant 
  • Alex  - Teaching Assistant
  • Emily - Teaching Assistant 
  • Sara - Teaching Assistant
  • Mari - HLTA - Covering teacher during Sami's PPA (Every other Wednesday).
Pupils:
  • Reception / EYFS 
  • Year 1 
 Below are photographs of our learning spaces and surrounding environments:
Hello Foxes Children and your families,
 
The activities listed below can be used for any times of home learning or homework / holiday ideas if you choose to engage with any of the suggestions.
 
 
You will find activities to try at home at any time on this page listed below, on other class pages [see Butterflies, Hedgehogs or Bumblebees for age appropriate] and also in the home learning section of the school website.
 
Take care
 
Love Sami-Leigh and the Foxes Team xxx
Number activities
 
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. 
 
COMMUNICATION 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 Sami-Leigh
 
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?
 
 
Shape activities

We will name 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. 

 Myself and our senses activities 
 
Hello Foxes class and families,
 
It is always fun learning about ourselves and our 5 senses. Join in our 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. 
 
 
 
Nursery Rhyme 
 
 Nursery rhymes support us to develop rhyme patterns, sequence events and join in with words, actions or intonation. Please see the links below for the songs and signing versions - we will learn simple signs as we sing. 
What is your child's favourite nursery rhyme?
 
Here are some of our favourite rhymes:
  • Miss Polly had a dolly   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAbMi7DY1eo

  • Humpty Dumpty   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n_J2z-ILXo     
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lC-DlqSSY  
  • Baa baa black sheep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRHvTTOR8Ns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VGsBK94I2U  
  • Twinkle Twinkle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymOaMuP58NY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wah6__bc9bk  
  • Hey Diddle Diddle
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNERJWsYEpI
  • Jack and Jill   
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE5dAFnDrqE
 
Other makaton signed rhymes can be sound following this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VGsBK94I2U&list=PLjT4XhijakZiqAV_QjFd-8nV5CuO5Rpnz&index=6