Week Ten: Monday 15th June

Hello Badgers and Squirrels!

Last week we welcomed back some children to the bubbles and although it was a  bit quiet (we never thought we would say that!) it was lovely to have a bit of normality. We also saw some amazing work and home-learning from those of you that have not returned yet. Well done to all of you and your parents for keeping going!

This week our story is about two children who get left in a forest, try to find their way home but come across a gingerbread house...do you know which story it might be? 

We hope that wherever you are learning, whether it is in a bubble, hub or at home, that you are still enjoying the challenges and trying your best. Remember, these are just suggestions - you may have even better ideas!

Please do stay in contact by emailing your class account:

badgers@holwell.herts.sch.uk  or squirrels@holwell.herts.sch.uk 

Stay safe, take care and keep smiling,

The Reception Team 

x x x x

Mrs Rice-Oxley retells the story of Hansel and Gretel

If the video does not appear above you can click here

Topic

What does this story teach us? Hansel and Gretel trusted someone they did not know and went inside a house that was not theirs...do you think that was a good idea? This is a warning about speaking to strangers. Strangers are people that we do not know. We should only ever trust adults that we know and never go anywhere with a stranger.

Here are some activities you might like to try at home:

• Design your own gingerbread house - you could do this by drawing a picture, making a collage or even by baking a house shaped gingerbread biscuit and decorating it with your favourite sweets! (You can look back to week 3 of the home-learning for a gingerbread recipe!)

• Eating too many sweets is not good for you! How about making a house from healthy food? You could use a piece of toast for the main part of the house, cut a triangle piece of toast for the roof and place it on top! What healthy things could you put on your house? You could use sliced tomatoes for windows, a strip of cucumber for the door or even a piece of carrot for the chimney! When you have made your healthy house you can eat it all up!

• The naughty witch puts Hansel in a cage! Could you make your own cage for the witch? You could use straws or lolly sticks for the bars, held together with bits of pipe cleaners, or maybe build a cage from Lego or other construction equipment? Make sure the bars are close together so the witch cannot escape!

Maths

This week we are going to be learning about subtraction, this means taking away. When we solve take away sums we take some away and then count what's left. The answer at the end is the total. 

Sometimes we solve take away sums by counting up or back to find the difference between the two numbers. If we were solving 7 - 5 = ? you could either count up from 5 to 7 to see what the difference is or start at 7 and count back 5 - both will give you the answer 2!

• Watch these Numberblocks episodes: What's the difference? is shows how you can solve subtractions sums by counting on or back to find the difference between numbers, and in The Legend of Big Tum the Numberblocks have to solve missing number sums to find out what has been taken away.

• Draw a number line from 1-10 or 1-20 on a piece of paper, your grown up draws one too. Both place a counter on the biggest number and take it in turns to roll a dice. Whatever number you roll, count backwards that number of jumps. Which number have you landed on? Your grown-up does the same with their number line. Keep rolling the dice and counting backwards. Whoever gets to 0 first is the winner! You must roll the exact number to win.  

• Have a go at this fun activity on Topmarks - count the animals, read the subtractions, take the correct number away and then choose the correct answer from a choice of numbers at the bottom. 

 Please continue with the online phonic sessions which are an excellent way to practise and reinforce the sounds we have learnt in school. These work best if you go in order, so please do not worry about 'catching up' and just focus on one sound per day. If you haven't tried them yet there is still time. They are an excellent way to prepare for Year One.  

• Draw one of the characters from the story. You could choose Hansel, Gretel, the woodcutter, the wicked stepmother or the witch. Around the picture can you think of words to describe them? Can you hear the beginning sound of the words you choose? Use your phonics to help you sound out as many words as you can. You could even write a simple sentence about your character - remembering finger spaces.
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• You might also enjoy watching the Cbeebies show of Hansel and Gretel - it is a bit Christmassy (!) but it has some catchy songs!