Our topic book Whose Eyes are These? by Virginie Gobert-Martin was a huge hit with the children this week. In the story we are shown a range of different pairs of eyes and have to try and guess which animal they belong to. The book is full of magnificent illustrations, fun text and engaging animals to be discovered in stunning scenery. It features a range of animals such as jellyfish, hummingbirds and hedgehogs who are camouflaged within their natural habitats. It encouraged the children to identify the different animals as well as to try and find them hidden on each page. It sparked several conversations and we adored observing the children reading the book independently in small groups throughout the week and watching them anticipate what they would discover next.
On our Outdoor Learning Day this week the children participated enthusiastically in a story walk. They had to work as a group to follow a series of clues and pictures of different sets of eyes displayed on trees. They discussed the different sets of eyes enthusiastically as they progressed through the walk and were able to relate it back to the animals in the book which demonstrated a good ability to retain and recall information they gained during the week.
This week our Role Play area was set up as the 345 Opticians. The children had an opportunity to try on different glasses, write prescription and appointment cards and examine each other’s eyes with magnifying glasses. Their teachers also had a chance to book an appointment and were very satisfied with the quick responses and fast treatment they received!
On Thursday, we learnt about Armistice Day and held a two-minute silence at 11am where we thought of all the soldiers who had fought during the wars. We discussed why we celebrate the day and looked at some of the traditions around it such as wearing poppies. Some of the children chose to paint poppies in Free Play and shared their own understanding and knowledge of soldiers and the army, especially those whose family members are, or were, in the armed forces.
In Science, we took inspiration from our topic book and studied a range of animals and distinguished between those that were living and those which were extinct. The Fledglings found this topic fascinating and we extended this by exploring the way human behaviour may cause extinction of certain species or how humans can protect them and increase their population. We also continued our learning about habitats and discussed where we thought each animal lived and why, encouraging the children to think about their features and which habits these were most suited to.
The children have continued to get involved in daily Maths and Phonics activities in Free Play, Focus Time, and during one to one sessions with their teachers. We sang lots of songs with Miss Josefina during Spanish, focusing on colours and animals and had fun counting ducks. She will be joining us next week during our Outdoor Learning Day and we are looking forward to learning new vocabulary related to the weather, seasons and nature!
