The Meadow class – weekly topic overview – Beetles- week beginning 29th June
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the next week
Beetles
The books we will share this week are ‘Rex the rhinoceros beetle’ and ‘The very clumsy click beetle’
Should you not have a copy at home there are links on the planning
You will also find an art activity sheet with some ideas should you need them.
Art ideas
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra!
I will include a few things in the documents section for this week
They are, as always, only suggestions to try and help with your child’s interests. Please feel free to look and take ideas that you think they would enjoy and that you can support them with.
The Woodland Trust – Beetle information-
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/beetles/
Minibeasts with Jess – beetles
British beetle guide -Countryfile
https://www.countryfile.com/wildlife/insects-invertebrates/british-beetle-guide/
UK safari beetle guide
https://www.uksafari.com/beetles.htm
Our planet – beetles
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p011kq94
Thank you for all the wonderful additions to your child’s learning journals. It is lovely to see all of the great things that you are doing at home together.
Best wishes
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
The Meadow class – Weekly topic overview- Delightful dragonflies- Week beginning 22nd June
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the next week
Delightful dragonflies
The book we will share this week is ‘ Are you a dragonfly?’
Should you not have a copy at home I will add a video on Tapestry at the beginning of the week.
You will also find an art activity sheet with some ideas should you need them
Art ideas dragonflies
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra!
I will include a few things in the documents section for this week
They are, as always, only suggestions to try and help with your child’s interests. Please feel free to look and take ideas that you think they would enjoy and that you can support them with.
Dragonflies | The Wildlife Trust
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/dragonflies
Dragonfly spotter sheet
The Woodland Trust – Dragonfly information-
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/05/what-do-dragonflies-eat/
Minibeasts with Jess – How to spot a dragonfly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzh0jshtBI
British Dragonfly Society – identification guide
https://british-dragonflies.org.uk/odonata/species-and-identification/
All things kids – Dragonflies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5-KoPvZDIU
Dragonfly – National Park Animals for Kids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7hjkPknt_M
Dragonfly in Slow Motion | Earth Unplugged
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw2dfjYENNE
Here are some of the other websites I have found for you
–A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping. There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
Thank you for all the wonderful additions to your child’s learning journals. It is lovely to see all of the great things that you are doing at home together.
Don’t forget GO in the comments section if you want to share on Tapestry!
We will also be taking part in the school sock Olympics 2020!
Sock Olympics 2020!
Your child will need a pair of socks in a named bag please. Thank you
Best wishes
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
The Meadow class – Home learning – Weekly topic overview – Wriggly worms – 15th June
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the next week
Wriggly worms
The books we will share this week are ‘Superworm’ and ‘yucky worms’
Should you not have them at home there is a link on the weekly overview for you
documents- marvellous minibeasts – Wriggly worms- weekly overview.
You will also find an art activity sheet with some ideas should you need them
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra!
I will include a lot in the documents section for this week too. For example, Maths activities, spotter guides, science experiments, colouring etc
They are, as always, only suggestions to try and help with your child’s interests. Please feel free to look and take ideas that you think they would enjoy and that you can support them with.
White Rose Maths has produced some activities based on the book Superworm. I have included the link here
Then you will need the tab at the bottom of the page — Summer Term – Week 5 (w/c 18th May)
The Woodland Trust – Worm information- Do worms have eyes? And other information
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/04/do-worms-have-eyes/
Minibeasts with Jess – worms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O40A-6Jmt4
Worms are wonderful – A very short video clip with a few facts about worms with images of a wormery and real worms
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-zc_1vjLnI
Earth worms for kids- BBC gardening information
https://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/didyouknow_worms.shtml
Here are some of the other websites I have found for you
–A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping. There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
superworm song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixt9Z2SPrKo
scholastic Super worm colouring sheet
Thank you for all the wonderful additions to your child’s learning journals over the past few weeks. It is lovely to see all of the great things that you are doing at home together.
Don’t forget GO in the comments section if you want to share on Tapestry!
Best wishes
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
The Meadow Class – Home Learning – Minibeasts – Beautiful butterflies – Topic overview – 8th June
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the next week
Beautiful butterflies
The book we will share this week is ‘The butterfly dance’.
Should you not have it at home there is a link on the weekly overview for you, which I have to the documents section of Tapestry
Art and craft ideas for our theme
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra!
I will include a lot in the documents section for this week too. For example, Maths activities, spotter guides, science experiments, colouring etc
They are, as always, only suggestions to try and help with your child’s interests. Please feel free to look and take ideas that you think they would enjoy and that you can support them with.
The Woodland Trust – butterfly information-
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/search/?q=butterflies&p=1
The Wildlife Trust also has an identification guide
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/identify-garden-butterflies
From caterpillar to butterfly – science activity
https://theeducatorsspinonit.com/caterpillar-to-butterfly-science-activity-with-balloons/
Butterflies with Jess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUEeu4moxzM
Cosmic kids – Coco the butterfly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT-s1-phgxs
Paper plate butterfly life cycle craft
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/butterfly-life-cycle-mobile-craft/
butterfly conservation
https://butterfly-conservation.org/butterflies
Butterfly conservation guides to identify and help butterflies and moths
https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/education/childrens-resources
kids growing strong- butterflies
https://kidsgrowingstrong.org/butterflies/
The children’s butterfly society has some great links
https://www.kidsbutterfly.org/
Lifecycle of a butterfly in real life ( 3 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jivWeOrCaeI
Monarch Butterfly – Wonders of Life- Professor Brian Cox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-nnc6dWUJg
Butterfly in epic slow motion | Slo Mo #22 | Earth Unplugged
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7a7ZAqWBIs
–Some great maths games on BBC bitesize
Here are some of the other websites I have found for you
–A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping. There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
The butterfly dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lkza_tRlNRE
Thank you for all the wonderful additions to your child’s learning journals over the past few weeks. It is lovely to see all of the great things that you are doing at home together.
Don’t forget GO in the comments section if you want to share on Tapestry!
Best wishes
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
The Meadow Class – Home Learning – Minibeasts – The very hungry caterpillar – Topic overview – 1st June
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the next two weeks
Clever caterpillars
The book we will share this week is ‘The very hungry caterpillar’.
Should you not have it at home there is a link on the weekly overview for you
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra! I have found lots this week to find for our theme so it should help to keep you going over the half term too!
I will include a lot in the documents section on Tapestry for this week too. For example, Maths activities, spotter guides, science experiments, colouring etc
They are, as always, only suggestions to try and help with your child’s interests. Please feel free to look and take ideas that you think they would enjoy and that you can support them with.
The literacy shed has a lovely short animated video about a caterpillars shoes!
https://www.literacyshed.com/caterpillar-shoes.html
The Woodland Trust – caterpillar information- how to identify 10 British caterpillars
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/04/british-caterpillars/
The Wildlife Trust also has an identification guide
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife/how-identify/identify-caterpillars
The hungry caterpillar STEM activity
https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/28675/hungry-caterpillar
Caterpillars with Jess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a75Jqde8k1I
Cosmic kids – The very hungry caterpillar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhWDiQRrC1Y
Caterpillar number ordering and sequencing- Top marks
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ordering-and-sequencing/caterpillar-ordering
On the art and craft activities documents there is an image showing a paper craft caterpillar racing- here is a link for the instructions
https://montessorifromtheheart.com/2019/07/11/racing-caterpillars-paper-craft-kids-diy-game/
–Some great maths games on BBC bitesize
Here are some of the other websites I have found for you
–A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping. There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
These websites are full of helpful tasks and information:
Are caterpillars an insect? And other facts
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/05/are-caterpillars-insects/
Caterpillar camouflage game and lots more from the School gardening RHS website
https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/Global-Search-Results?searchText=caterpillar&page=1
The Butterfly conservation has some lovely resources
https://munchingcaterpillars.org/resources/
Thank you for all the wonderful additions to your child’s learning journals over the past few weeks. It is lovely to see all of the great things that you are doing at home together.
Don’t forget GO in the comments section if you want to share on Tapestry!
Best wishes
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
The Meadow Class – Home Learning – Minibeasts- Bees – Topic overview – 18th May
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the next two weeks 
Beautiful bees
The book we will share this week is the beautiful song book ‘Willbee the bumblebee’. 
Should you not have it at home there is a link on the weekly overview for you
Bee art activity ideas should you need them
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra! I have found lots this week to find for our theme so it should help to keep you going over the half term too!
I will include a lot in the Tapestry documents section for the next two weeks. For example, maths activities, spotter guides, science experiments, colouring, labelling, information guides, bee waggle dance games etc
Don’t forget the number and the word of the day daily update too!
They are, as always, only suggestions to try and help with your child’s interests. Please feel free to look and take ideas that you think they would enjoy and that you can support them with.
These are some of the links you will need to complete some of the activities
—A fascinating short clip by David Attenborough from micro- minibeasts — What is the waggle dance? And why do bees do it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU_KD1enR3Q
—Now join in with a waggle dance with Jingaloo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVYh6RyzWLA
—Make a musical bee to join in with the Willbee song book with the Let’s go club
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/makes/the-lets-go-club-musical-bees
—Now listen to Willbee the bumble bee performed by Craig Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khblgewzCYg
–Listen to Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Kosakov. How does it make you want to move?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYAJopwEYv8
— Maths activities
Maths halving sheet bees bees-colour-by-number
Maths-counting-chilli-challenges-buzzing-bees-rote-counting-maths-challenge-cards
—Some maths games on BBC bitesize
Here are some other websites I have found for you
–Bees with Jess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c25tYsnd54o
William Whiskerson meets Sophie and Ben.
They visit a bee farm. William learns all about the different types of bees that live in a beehive including worker bees, drone bees and the queen bee. He then discovers how bees make honey from plant nectar and store it in honeycombs inside their hive. Finally he sees how the bee farmer collects and bottles the honey, ready to be sold in the shops. Aerial shots and general views are combined with maps and graphics to show how honey is collected on a bee farm in Devon.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/geography-ks1-how-honey-is-made/z7j76v4
—Bumble bee conservation
Fun and exciting activities designed for young children provide countless opportunities for discovery, play, creativity and problem-solving.
Online resource with lots of information about bumblebees, how to encourage them and identify those you see, plus a range of activity sheets, crafts and games for children of different ages.
https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/learning-zone/activities-ages-4-6/
–Save Our Bees
Aimed at primary level, this activity pack contains nine activities about bees. The activities link to the curriculum areas of identifying plants and animals, pollination, life cycles, food chains and habitats. They include: identifying bees and bee pollinated plants, the factors which affect growth and decline in bee populations, making bee nests, a role-play about population decline and making bee puppets. Detailed background information about bees and their conservation is provided along with notes on running the activities and links to further resources. This resource is part of the British Science Association’s National Science & Engineering Week activity pack series.
https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/34396/save-our-bees
—Everyone’s “buzzing” about bees!
Even when it’s not springtime, bees are a lot of fun for kids to learn about. There’s so much to learn about and love: they live in hives, they make honey, they help flowers, they are teeny-tiny, and they have those awesome yellow and black stripes.
https://www.kidslovewhat.com/34-of-the-absolute-best-bee-crafts-for-kids/
–A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping.
There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
These websites are full of helpful tasks and information:
https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/
-The bee spotter guide is here
https://www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/spotting-sheets
Friends of the Earth have some lovely facts and photographs of bees
https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees/bee-identification-guide
More spotter guides
https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/Resources/Spotter-Guide/Pollinating-Insects-Spotter-Guide
Thank you for all the wonderful additions to your child’s learning journals over the past few weeks. It is lovely to see all of the great things that you are doing at home together.
Don’t forget GO in the comments section if you want to share on Tapestry!
Best wishes
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
__________________________________________________________
The Meadow class – Home learning – Minibeasts – Spiders – weekly topic overview – 11th May
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the week
Sensational spiders
The book we will share this week is ‘The very busy spider’.
Should you not have it at home there is a link on the weekly overview for you.
You will also find an art activity sheet with some ideas should you need them. As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want or need a little extra!
Art activity ideas – Spiders and their webs
Spider maths activity – Different ways to make the number 8
I have also found some websites you may wish to explore.
1- A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping. There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
2- If you haven’t seen it yet there is also lots to find out about minibeasts with Jess on Cbeebies – Join Jess for a Minibeast Adventure and discover what minibeasts are on your doorstop.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/mini-beast-adventure-with-jess
3- One idea could be to investigate with your child to see if all spiders spin webs and are they all the same?
4- Ask your child to estimate how many spiders or webs they might find over the week and write the number down. Check back next Monday and see if they were close!
5. A spider’s web could be observed by placing a black piece of paper behind it, taking a photo and then zooming in.
6. No minibeast theme would be complete without spiders! Discuss spiders with your child. What is their reaction to them? Learn about their life cycle
7. Some Ideas for The Very Busy Spider
https://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/SpiderVeryBusyCircleTimeandGameIdeas.htm
Here is some extra stuff just in case you would like it!
2D-shape-spider-picture-activity-sheets
Paper-Plate-Spider-Web-With-Handprint-Spider-Craft-Instructions
life-cycle-of-a-spider-worksheet
Incy-Wincy-Spider-Prop-Craft-Instructions
Finger-Gym-A3-Spider-Web-Cut-Out
Have fun observing and investigating spiders and their webs
Don’t forget GO in the comments section if you want to share on Tapestry!
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
__________________________________________________________
The Meadow class – Home learning – Minibeasts – Snails- weekly topic overview – 4th May
Hello everyone,
Here is our new minibeast theme for the week
Super snails
A Minibeast that is often overlooked in the garden, as it loves to eat some plants! The snail offers lots of opportunities for the children to observe and learn about.
The book we will share this week is ‘The Snail and the Whale’.
Should you not have it at home there is a link on the weekly overview for you.
Below is an art activity sheet with some ideas should you need them.
As always I am happy for you to do any amazing ideas you think of with your children. I will add some other things too for those that want a little extra!
I have also found some websites you may wish to explore:
1- Watch Julia Donaldson sing the Snail and the Whale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9hmHFQlXXs
2- A simple paint website which includes adding graphics by stamping. There are different background scenes, themes such as minibeasts, animals, people, underwater and body parts. The created pictures are printable. However, no need to if you want to take a photo of the finished artwork and upload it to Tapestry to share.
https://www.j2e.com/jit5#paint
3- If you haven’t seen it yet there is also lots to find out about minibeasts with Jess on Cbeebies – Join Jess for a Minibeast Adventure and discover what minibeasts are on your doorstop.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/mini-beast-adventure-with-jess
4- Also one of Matisse’s most famous works is called The Snail. Get inspired to create snail collages from shapes by visiting the Tate Gallery and having a look
https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/make/cut-paste/collage-matisse-snail
5- One idea could be to investigate with your child to see if sea snails and land snails are different.
6- Ask your child to estimate how many snails they might find over the week and write the number down. Check back next Monday and see if they were close!
7- If you have a clear plastic sheet, take away tub or pyrex plate/ bowl – one of the activities could be to put the snail on it and observe how it moves from underneath. The children usually find this fascinating!
8- Your child may want to keep a snail as a pet for observation! This website has some top tips
https://mothernatured.com/pet-ideas-for-kids/keeping-garden-snails-as-pets/
Here is some extra stuff just in case!
/ai/ magnifying-glass-activity-sheet
My-snail-project-activity-booklet
Have fun observing snails, and let’s hope we find more snails than ladybirds!
Don’t forget GO in the comments section for sharing on Tapestry!
Take great care
Mrs Grundy
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Meadow class- Home learning- Minibeasts- Ladybirds- 27th April
Hello everyone,
The focus of our topic this week is
The ladybird
I have picked a minibeast that we should all be able to find in our gardens or our walks so we can observe them up close!
I will also add the topic page for the week on the documents section of Tapestry (see your tabs at the top)
The book I have focused on for this week is ‘What the ladybird heard’ .There is a link on the topic page to watch Julia Donaldson read it if you do not have a copy.
You have all been such great number detectives and I am sure you will be spotting ladybirds everywhere, even in the books you have at home!
But as always, I would love to see your ideas, activities and what you can find out about them.
Let’s see how many we can find over the week as a class. I am estimating 40
Thank you for taking part – I will be too!
Good luck ladybird spotting!
Mrs Grundy
The Meadow topic – The ladybird theme- 27th April
Maths activities resources
EYFS Maths Counting Challenge Spotty Ladybirds
Ladybird-doubles-to-20-activity-sheet
EYFS-maths-addition-chilli-challenges Ladybird
Art ideas
Click the image to go to the page