Unicorn Class Blog                     Term 4 Week 1                         Week Commencing 19th February 2024

This week we have had lots of excitement about our new topic ‘Travel and journeys’. We have been exploring different ways that we can travel around the garden, these included climbing over, under and around the climbing frame, hopping, jumping, side stepping, running in a straight line and weaving in and out. We also shared and discussed a range of nonfiction and fiction books about ways that we can travel and vehicles used for travelling. Sophie shared that she had travelled in an aeroplane above the clouds. Another child asked her whether she had flown to the moon. It was then explained that aeroplanes do not fly as high as the moon. The moon is in Space and Space is much higher than aeroplanes travel. Moonie then commented that aeroplanes do not fly to the moon but rockets do.

We were also particularly interested in a book about trucks called ‘Tough Trucks’ by Tony Mitton and Ant Parker. We learnt that some truck drivers travel long distances. If the driver is tired and needs a sleep, some trucks have a special compartment in the truck, with a bed that the driver can sleep in. We were fascinated by all the different things that trucks can do such as a concrete mixer can stir its load while travelling to the site and tankers can collect milk and other liquids. We also noticed that the book had lots of rhyming words in it. 

We enjoyed playing a listening game where we heard a sound of a vehicle travelling and then had to try and work out what vehicle had made that sound. We then enjoyed watching the different vehicles travelling. We all agreed on the motorbike, helicopter, bike and train. We were unsure of the rocket launching sound but thought it was amazing to see and listen to a rocket launching after.   

We enjoyed watching ‘Come Outside’. We were amazed that Aunty Mabel had her own aeroplane and were fascinated by all her controllers and the views she could see when she travelled in her plane. We spotted and named lots of ways people travel. We were not sure of the name of roller skates and we thought it was very funny that Pippin could travel on a skateboard. We got to see the inside of a bus station when Pippin stayed on the bus. Afterwards, we enjoyed using the wooden blocks to make a bus station. However, the bus was too big and did not fit so we had to work out a way to make the station bigger. We did good problem solving and used the blocks to make the bus station bigger. We were very pleased when the bus was able to get in. The smaller cars and vehicles were able to fit into a smaller garage we made. Another building was built on the other side of the road but it was soon discovered that the road was too small for large vehicles. Mrs Fenwick explained that this happens on real roads sometimes and buildings can get damaged or vehicles can get stuck. She then went on to explain that when there is a small road sometimes there are signs that tell the driver of large vehicles that they are not allowed to drive down them. Dudley was very keen for signs to be made and worked out how to attach the signs. Later that day more children wanted to make their own signs, Dudley showed them how you can draw around the pot to get a circle shape and then cut it out. Signs were made for ‘No trucks allowed’, ‘Stop’ and ‘No buggies in here’. Marcie pointed out that a hippopotamus was trying to eat a princess. We then made signs saying that hippopotamuses are not allowed to eat princesses and we enjoyed helping to draw princesses for the sign. We have also enjoyed using big rolls of paper to make our own roads this week and used collage materials to make pictures of vehicles. We enjoyed transporting the sand using different vehicles/containers and mixing water with sand. We used the wet sand to put between the bricks to stick them together whilst making buildings. We noticed that if we added more water the sand and water mixture did not stay between the bricks so we decided to add more sand.  We also enjoyed making different sized sand castles with the wet sand. We enjoyed singing the wheels on the bus and making up our own versions too.

Mrs Fenwick and Charlotte have been impressed by lots of careful counting this week, some examples were seeing how many cars could fit into the transporters, how many people and teddies were on the bus/plane, how many children were in the classroom at register time, how many princesses were on the poster and working out how many more plates were needed for snack. We have continued to enjoy counting songs and have been learning an action number song.

This term during our SCARF sessions we are thinking about keeping safe. The first two weeks we are having a main focus on people who help and keep me safe. This week we discussed people who keep us safe and look after us. We have been thinking about feelings in our stomach that we may feel when we are happy and safe and feelings that we may feel when we are feeling sad, worried and unsafe. We discussed if you are feeling sad, worried and scared it is important to tell the grown up who is caring for you. When Gerald the giraffe was sad we were able to help by giving suggestions to help his feelings and fix the problem. 

We have enjoyed the rain, particularly splashing in puddles, watching the patterns as the rain falls into the puddles, collecting rain, transporting it using different containers and using it as hot chocolate. On Friday when it hailed we were interested in catching the little pieces of ice and watching them melt. 

We have been enjoying spotting rhyming words, making up rhyming strings, alliterations and spotting and pointing out the letters ‘s’, ‘a’, ‘t’, ‘p’, ‘i’ and ‘n’ in books. We have been continuing with oral blending and segmenting.

On our walk to Forest school we noticed some signs of Spring coming such as daffodils, crocuses and blossom growing. We were interested in getting a closer look at the crocuses but were very careful not to damage them. During Forest school we enjoyed playing hide and seek, digging, using the swings and mud kitchen, working together collecting rainwater, making puddles bigger. We enjoyed running around the walled garden after cleaning our boots.

Next week we will be continuing with our ‘Travel and Journeys’ topic with a focus on Journeys. If your child/children have a book they would like to bring into share about journeys they are welcome too.

Look forward to seeing you all next week for more exploring.

Best wishes

Mrs Fenwick