Copper Valley Infant and Nursery
Academy
Class Blog for Reception
March 2025
We’ve been learning about woodland animals. We started by naming animals we thought might live in the local woods. We shared information we already knew about them and then looked at some photographs of woodland animals and named them. We talked about what we would like to find out. We watched short video clips about badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, squirrels and rabbits. We then discussed what we found out and wrote a shared list of the key facts. We used these facts to write about some of these animals. I was really impressed with the children's use of the letter sounds and correct letter formation when writing! We also enjoyed practising our colouring and cutting skills to make finger puppets and masks.
We then learnt about farm animals. After learning about chickens, we decided to carry out an investigation using eggs. We chose different materials to make egg protectors. We had great fun dropping the eggs to see if the protectors saved the eggs. Lots of the protectors worked as the eggs didn't break. Some of the children were disappointed that their protector didn't stop the egg from breaking so they chose to make another one the following day. They thought about what the other children had done to protect the eggs and were successful this time when they dropped their eggs.
We retold the story of the three little pigs and enjoyed using actions for the key story language and different voices for the characters. We also enjoyed making finger puppets to retell the story with. We made a construction site outside where the children enjoyed building together.
We've also been learning about wild flowers found in our local area. We went outside into our outside area, the field and forest area to see if we could find any flowers. We took photos of the flowers using iPads. The children took great care when taking their photos as they made sure they looked closely at what would be in the photo before taking it.
The next day we looked at some of the photos we’d taken. We named the flowers and described what they looked like using the vocabulary stem, leaves and petals. We used magnifying glasses to look carefully at daisies. We then drew pictures of what we could see. We also looked closely at dandelions and carefully chose the most appropriately sized brush to paint what we could see.
In PE we learnt how to use the climbing apparatus safely. The children showed great listening skills and followed all instructions to ensure they were safe. They loved exploring the equipment and are really looking forward to climbing again next week.
On Friday 7th March we learnt about different careers. The children really enjoyed finding out about different careers from the kind volunteers who came into school. A particular highlight was using the fire extinguisher to put out a fire!
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February 2025
We've been learning about what homes were like in the past. We talked about our kitchens now and the appliances we have in them. We discussed the fact that many of these need electricity in order to work. We then watched a short video about kitchens in the past. We talked about things that were different to our kitchens now. We learnt about how people washed their clothes using a dolly peg, washboard and mangle. We then moved on to talking about bathrooms. We watched another short video about bath time in the past and talked about the fact that most houses didn’t have a bathroom. We then sorted objects into two different sets according to whether they are found in our homes now or were found in them in the past.
We've also been learning about Chinese New Year. We listened to a story about how the years came to be named after 12 different animals. We watched a short video about how families celebrate Chinese New Year. We found out that this year is the year of the snake so we made snake masks and puppets.
In RE we talked about places that are special to us and why they are special. We talked about the fact that churches are special places for Christians. We looked at some photographs of churches and some of the objects found inside them. We also watched a short video showing some of the features of a church. We then visited our local church and drew some of the features.
In maths, we've been learning about doubles. We've been practising what we've learnt during continuous provision. We've sorted dominoes according to whether they're doubles or not, made playdough spots for the ladybirds and drawn spots on butterflies to make doubles. During some of our lessons we learnt how to compare the weight of objects and how to use balances to identify which is the heaviest and which is the lightest. We then used the balances to weigh the fruit and vegetables when selling food on the market stall.
The children have been really enjoying the school role play area. They've been brilliant at taking on the role of the teacher. They've been using what they've learnt in handwriting, maths and phonics to teach and help each other.
In maths, we've been learning about doubles. We've been practising what we've learnt during continuous provision. We've sorted dominoes according to whether they're doubles or not, made playdough spots for the ladybirds and drawn spots on butterflies to make doubles. During some of our lessons we learnt how to compare the weight of objects and how to use balances to identify which is the heaviest and which is the lightest. We then used the balances to weigh the fruit and vegetables when selling food on the market stall.
The children have been really enjoying the school role play area. They've been brilliant at taking on the role of the teacher. They've been using what they've learnt in handwriting, maths and phonics to teach and help each other.
After half term we focused on activities to develop the children's perseverance. I gave the children some challenges to have a go at. These included throwing a ball in the air and catching it with one hand, balancing a ball on a bat and walking across the hall, making a card house and bouncing a ball into a cup. They also had some that involved working together with a partner. These included walking along with a large ball pressed against their backs and keeping a hoop between them as they moved around. Most children found these activities very difficult but they kept on trying. We talked about how they were being determined like a dung beetle. We also talked about how they felt when they managed to achieve what they set out to do.
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January 2025
We've been learning about winter and the changes that occur. We started by looking at the trees and then moved onto talking about the weather with a particular focus on ice. We predicted what we thought would happen when we added cold water, hot water and salt to ice cubes. We then observed what happened and talked about whether our predictions were correct. We were challenged to see if we could pick up the ice cubes using string. We also investigated what happened when we painted the ice. We added salt and paint to see what happened.
We learnt how to use different colour and different sized brushes on a drawing app to draw bare winter trees and snowmen.
We then looked at maps. We started off by looking at a map of the United Kingdom. We looked at where England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales were located. We also identified Cornwall and discussed the fact that this is the county that we live in. We then looked at a map of our local area. We identified our school, the roads, fields, houses and woods. We then switched the map view to an aerial photograph and compared the two. Next, we looked at a map of Gunnislake and identified the features that were the same as the area around our school. We also identified where the river was and the bridge that crosses over it. We drew our own maps. We thought carefully about the colours and shapes used on the maps we had looked at to show the different features. Later in the week we compared where we live to Plymouth. We talked about Plymouth and whether the children had been there. We discussed what it was like. Were there any things that were the same as our school area? Were there any differences? We looked at a map of Plymouth city centre and compared it to the map of our local area. We then sorted some of the features found in the two different places.
Next we learnt about people in our community who help us. We looked at a poster showing lots of different people who help us. We identified the people and discussed what they do and how they help us. We then took part in various activities throughout the week which helped us learn more about some of these people. We learnt about some of the people who work in hospitals such as doctors, nurses, surgeons and receptionists. We then made a hospital and took on some of the roles of these people. The children were really caring towards each other. This was also a great opportunity for the children to practise their writing as they made notes about their patients symptoms and treatments. We watched a short video about firefighters and learnt how it's really important that they stay fit and healthy in order to do their job. We talked about the importance of smoke alarms in our houses to warn us if a fire starts and what to do if this happened.
Some of the children showed an interest in the job of scientists. We talked about the fact that there are lots of different types of scientists but they all try to find things out. During our forest school session we pretended to be scientists who could make special potions to help people. The children then collected ingredients to put in their potions and talked about how they would help people. They had some fantastic ideas!
In PE we've been practising finding our own space using the cones. We've also practised moving in lots of different ways, such as sidestepping, crawling, jogging and skipping, taking care to avoid bumping into anyone or anything. We've learnt how to make some gymnastic shapes with our bodies. Some of these included the straddle, pike, arch and dish. We've also been practising how to balance on various parts of our body.
In maths we've been learning about the composition of numbers. We've been learning how to make 6, 7 and 8 by adding 1, 2 and 3 onto 5. We've also ordered numbers. The children have been brilliant at practising these skills independently during continuous provision. One of the activities they've particularly enjoyed has been carrying out surveys to find out what their friends favourite pets and foods are. They carefully recorded the children's choices and then counted the totals. They were then able to say which was the most and least popular using the language more and fewer.
Our phonics learning continues everyday and many of the children have now moved onto reading and writing short sentences. We're also learning to read and spell words with four sounds. I've been really impressed with how they've been trying really hard to form all their letters correctly with many children now able to write neatly on lines.
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Spring 2025
Welcome back! I hope you've all had a lovely Christmas. Please see the newsletter for this term below.
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December 2024
We've been learning about the animals that live in cold places. We looked at a globe and found the Arctic and Antarctica. We then sorted the animals according to where they live. We learnt some facts about these animals and had fun playing with them in our small world area. The children were challenged to write a list of five animals they might see if they went to the Arctic. I was impressed that they all remembered that penguins don't live there. We listened to a story about Hunter the polar bear who had to be rescued from a rocky ledge and flown back to his home in the Arctic.
We looked at photographs of the Northern Lights and watched a short video clip. We then used chalk and pastels to create our own representations of them.
In maths we've been continuing to practise our subitising skills and number bonds to 5. We've also been learning about patterns and the children have been busy continuing repeating patterns using paint, chains and cubes.
We've been focusing on reading and writing CVC words using the letter sounds we've learnt so far this term. The children have really enjoyed hunting for the CVC pictures that I placed around the room. Many of the children were able to sound out the words independently and write them on their clipboards.
We've also been busy practising our nativity. The children were very brave to get up on the stage in front of an audience of their family and friends.
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November 2024
We started this half term with lots of Halloween activities. We practised our pencil control by colouring and writing Halloween cards for our friends. We also wrote and made spells and potions. We played a pumpkin throwing game where we could score 1, 2 or 3 points. The children then recorded their own scores. The children practised their scissor skills by cutting out facial features for their pumpkins.
We learnt about Diwali. We listened to the story of Rama and Sita and watched a video showing how Hindus celebrate this festival. We learnt that people decorate their hands so we worked together to create patterns on large hands and we carefully placed coloured rice to create rangoli patterns.
We learnt about Bonfire night and why we celebrate this. We created fireworks pictures and discussed how to stay safe around bonfires and fireworks.
We’ve also been learning about healthy eating. We identified which foods are healthy and which are not and why it's important to eat healthily. We did a range of activities linked to this. We listened to a story about Supertato and then drew our own vegetable characters. We also created fruit and vegetable characters on the iPad. We had a lot of fun investigating how to free the blueberries from the frozen ice! We looked at a portrait by Giuseppe Arcimboldo and identified the different fruit and vegetables we could see in the picture. We then created our own fruit and vegetable faces by cutting and sticking fruit and vegetables.
In maths we’ve been learning number bonds to 5. We’ve also been practising our counting skills every day. We’ve learnt to compare groups of objects and to say whether there are more, fewer or an equal amount.
A big focus over the last few weeks has been developing our scissor skills. We’ve done lots of exercises to strengthen our fingers. We’ve also taken part in a wide variety of activities to practise holding the scissors correctly in order to cut. Many of the children started by snipping bits of paper which they found very difficult. However, with lots of practise they can now cut out various shapes independently. I’m very impressed with the determination they have shown to enable them to do this!
After the half term we started drawing club. The children are really enjoying listening to the different stories, learning the words of the week, drawing pictures and writing codes to make magical things happen to their pictures. I'm very impressed with how many of the children are trying hard to use their phonic knowledge to write CVC words as their codes. Some of the children have been taking their pens of power outside to write codes so that the bikes have rocket boosters to make them go extra fast!
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October 2024
As we've been learning about ourselves I asked the children to draw a picture of themselves. We then looked at their pictures and discussed what was missing or what could be improved. We then came up with some success criteria to help us remember what we needed to draw when drawing ourselves. The children then had another go at drawing themselves whilst checking the success criteria. We then compared the pictures and discussed which was better and why.
In maths we've been learning to recognise 2, 3 or 4 objects, pictures or sounds without needing to count them. We’ve also started to learn number bonds for 3 and 4. We’ve been investigating different ways of making these numbers using fingers, beads and objects. In addition to this we’ve also been learning about capacity.
We’ve been learning about our fives senses. We started by investigating our sense of taste. The children tasted a variety of foods including lemon, salty crisps, celery, very dark chocolate and milk chocolate. We then talked about whether they liked the taste of the various foods. There was a real mixture in terms of whether they liked the taste or not. Some children liked the crunch and the juiciness of the celery while others thought it was disgusting!
Next we explored our sense of hearing in a variety of different ways. We went on a listening walk around the school. We closed our eyes and listened to what we could hear. We listened carefully to a piece of music and then had to decide whether we needed to move slowly or quickly, loudly or quietly. We explored making loud, quite, slow and fast sounds on the musical instruments. We also made our own shakers and had great fun dancing to some music with them!
Later, we focused on our sense of touch. We had fun putting our hands in the feely bag and describing what we could feel. The children came up with some fantastic adjectives to describe the different textures. These included fluffy, scrunchy, bumpy, lumpy, smooth, rough and scratchy. We then explored our forest area to find smooth, rough, bumpy, hard and squishy things.
When learning about sight we took part in a range of activities where the focus was to look carefully and talk about what we could see. We even practised in PE by looking where we were going to avoid others when running around really fast!!
The Rainbow Walking Water Investigation
We set the investigation up and talked about what we thought might happen. We then looked at what had happened the next day and talked about what we could see. "Wow, it’s a rainbow!" "It's green because the yellow's gone in and the blue's gone in."
Colour Glasses
The children loved making glasses with different colour cellophane. They really enjoyed exploring the environment whilst looking at it in different colours.
Mixing Colours
We investigated this by painting one hand one colour and our other hand a different colour. We then rubbed them together to see which colour they made when they mixed together. We were also challenged to paint rainbows. We had to mix the colours because we only had red, yellow, blue and white paint.
Bubble Painting
We had so much fun blowing bubbles in the paint! We then experimented with printing different patterns. We talked about all the different colours we could see.
This week we've been learning about healthy eating. We enjoyed tasting a variety of fruit kindly donated to us by Tesco in Callington.
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September 2024
We started the term by learning the school rules and have focused on being kind to each other. We looked at photographs of different people and discussed how we thought they were feeling. We talked about what makes us feel happy, sad or angry. We then thought about how we could help our friends if they were feeling sad or angry. We introduced a class reward system so that the children can add beads to the jar when they are being kind to others and when they are following the school rules. The children are very excited about this as when they fill the jar, they can bring a toy into school.
We’ve been learning about ourselves and how we are all unique. We drew around one of the children and labelled the parts of the body that we knew. We talked about the fact that we have a skeleton inside us and were introduced to 'Mr Bones' a skeleton model. We identified some of the parts e.g. skull, spine and rib cage and talked about why they are important. We then made skeleton pictures by cutting art straws and placing them on black paper. Our inside role play area has been a doctors surgery. The children have been brilliant at taking on the different roles such as doctor, patient and receptionist.
In phonics we’ve been learning letter sounds and have started to blend the sounds together to read simple words. Fred the frog always joins in with phonics and the children have really enjoyed meeting him. We've also started to learn how to write the letters. Some of the children have been taking part in daily dough gym to help strengthen their fingers to enable them to hold a pencil correctly.
In maths we’ve been learning to recognise 1, 2 and 3 objects without needing to count them. The children are getting very speedy at representing the number of objects using their fingers. We’ve also been practising our counting skills by counting objects using 1:1 correspondence. We’ve learnt to sort and match objects and to identify what is the same and different.
In PE we’ve learnt how to keep safe whilst in the hall. We practised moving around the hall safely without bumping into anyone or anything. We’ve been practising fundamental skills such as running, jumping and moving in different directions.
In music we listened to a variety of different music from classical to pop. We showed how it made us feel using our facial expressions. We then moved in different ways in response to the music. The children were very good at identifying whether the music made them feel happy or sad. We also learnt to sing a song together, gave ideas on how to change the words and used instruments to express different feelings in the song.
During forest school sessions we’ve learnt how to carry sticks and branches safely. We've enjoyed climbing, swinging and building during these sessions so far.
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Welcome to Reception 2024
We've had a lovely start to the new term. All the children have settled in brilliantly and have been having lots of fun making new friends. You will find a newsletter giving you important information about this term below.
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Our Values...
Creative
We are bold and innovative in our approach to find new solutions to the challenges we face.
Curious
We are inspired by the awe and wonder of the world.
Responsible
We take responsibility for our actions in an environment of mutual respect.
Enthusiastic
We are passionate about learning.
Excellent
We are the best we can be.
Determined
We overcome all barriers to reach our potential, developing a capacity to improve further.
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