St Clare's Class : 2024-2025
The Year 1 Team (St Clare's Class) are Mr Fishman, Mrs Fausta and Mrs Jones
Welcome to St Clare's Class page.
Updated 29.11.24
For Year 1's second outdoor learning of the year, they embraced the natural world and focused on their senses.
They started the day by greeting nature and then had a textures guessing game in pairs; one person had to close their eyes whilst their partner gave them an object from nature. They then had to use their senses of touch and smell to guess what the item was.
After playtime, the children loved using natural materials to make their own musical instruments, which they then used to practice some of the songs from our upcoming nativity production. After that, the children had some free time to use the mud kitchen, and make some chalk drawings.
After lunch, it was all about the wind! The children made kites simply using a paper plate and a wooden doweling - they had a great time exploring the wind and the different directions that it travelled!
Finally, they enjoyed a delicious cup of hot chocolate donned with marshmallows!
Updated 25.11.24
For the past few weeks, the children in Year 1 have been learning all about the Nativity story, first hearing the story from the bible and then to help them recall the story by acting it out using small world characters.
First, the children heard the story of The Annunciation, where Mary was called to have God's baby and she said yes. The children then heard that Mary then went to visit her cousin Elizabeth in the story of The Visitation.
Finally the children heard how Mary and Joseph visited Bethlehem to get registered and that was where Mary gave birth.
Here are some photos of the children using small world characters to act out these stories.
I wonder if your child could re-tell one or all of these stories to you at home?
Updated 14.11.24
Call and Response drama game
This week the children started hearing the story of Mr. Bear who has lost his hat in Jon Klassen's hilarious book I want my hat back.
To help the children better understand the different characters in the story, they learnt a fun call and response drama game.
Here is a video - we hope you enjoy it!
Updated 8.11.24
Many thanks to all of the children who went above and beyond in their learning over half term and created some wonderful sock puppets in relation to our topic of toys, these projects are now proudly on display in our classroom.
There is still time to complete these projects and can be brought into school at any time.
Here are some close-ups of the children and their projects:
Updated 24.10.24
For the past few weeks, Year 1 have been using apparatus for their PE lessons.
They have been challenged to improve their core strength and their gross motor movements in learning how to balance, jump, land and finish with accuracy and control.
It has been wonderful to see their progress over the last few weeks and the increase in children's confidence in controlling their body.
Updated 21.10.24
Half Term Projects
To complement our learning about toys, here is a list of suggested projects that you can complete with your child over the half term holiday.
Have fun and be creative! I can't wait to see what you make!
The children will be sent home with this leaflet on Thursday or you can download an electronic copy of it now by clicking HERE
Updated 18.10.24
Year 1 Visit the Hove Toy Museum!
Today, the children in Year 1 visited the Hove Toy Museum as part of their learning about toys. The children traveled there in the school mini bus or a private taxi (which was a new experience for some!) and then enjoyed a special lesson where they learnt about the history of the museum, the Vallance family that lived there and saw some old toys that were used by the family on the property where the museum now stands.
The highlight of the day was definitely getting to play with lots of different olden toys that children played with a long time ago.
After some lunch in the sunshine, the children enjoyed exploring the Wizard's Attic and the new Mechanical Circus exhibition.
Updated 17.10.24
In acknowledgement of Black History Month in the UK, today the children in Year 1 learnt about the incredible heroism of Rosa Parks.
To help the children understand segregation, a 'bus' was made in the classroom with each child given a ticket to board. Little did they know, however, that the children had been segregated into boys and girls, with the boys forced to sit at the back of the bus and the girls at the front. This then led onto a great discussion about fair and equal rights. This activity was repeated but using other characteristics to determine where the children sat.
After this activity, the children then learnt about segregation during the 1900's when black people had to sit at the back of buses and how Rosa Parks famously stood up for what she believed in.
Updated 10.10.24
This week the children in Year 1 have been learning to compare numbers using these symbols.
They learn that the 'crocodile eats the biggest number' and used this to write number sentences using these new symbols.
Updated 5.10.23
Today the children in Year 1 had their first outdoor learning day of the school year and what a fun and busy day it was!
We started the day by using sticks to tap together and greeted nature! Then the children put on their science hats and were challenged to collect items of different textures, including shiny, scratchy and smooth. They then sorted those items into the different groups and discussed the different types of leaves around us.
After playtime they put on their art hats and looked at some pieces of 'transient art' by Andy Goldsworthy. The children then worked in groups to create their own versions of transient art inspired by the images they looked at. They then had some time to create some chalk drawings and use the mud kitchen.
After lunch, they played some team building games before putting on their history hats for the final activity. The children looked at some old pull toys and recognised that they were made from wood and string. They were then given the chance to make their own pully toy using similar materials.
The day ended with some yummy hot chocolate whilst singing some songs.
Updated 27.9.24
This week the children in Year 1 had a hands on maths activity to understand the difference between 'more, fewer and the same'
They were given cards with these words and had to use multilink cubes to match the right words.
The children enjoyed using the cubes to consolidate their learning of these mathematical words and built upon their vocabulary in this curriculum area.
Updated 23.9.24
Dear adults,
It gives me great pleasure to confirm that the Year 1 school trip to the Hove Toy Museum has now been booked and the children will be visiting on Friday 18th October 2024
Children will be given this letter today with all the information, however if you would like to download a copy yourself please click HERE
Please note that there is a voluntary payment of £4 for the trip that can be made using Parent Pay.
Please return completed consent forms to either myself or to the school office as soon as possible.
With thanks,
Mr Fishman
Updated 20.9.24
Exploring how sound travels
This week for science, the children built upon their learning of our 5 senses as we focused our learning on the sense of hearing. The children learnt that when an object vibrates it moves particles in the air which move as sound waves towards our ears.
To help the children learnt this further we acted this out with someone making the sound, other children pretending to be the vibrating particles and of course another child being the 'ear' to receive the moving vibrations.
Updated 12.9.24
The Creation Story
This week the children in Year 1 have been learning to retell the Creation Story, understanding that it is a very special story to show us how much God loves us.
The children first heard an extract from the bible (Genesis 1:1 1-4, 24-26) and we spoke about the different things that God made.
We then used small world characters to retell this story, placing the right objects on the right days.
The children loved using the small world to retell the story and were amazed at just how many things God created.
We followed this up by creating our very own 'creation washing-line' which is proudly on display in our classroom.
Updated 6.9.24
"If you go down to the woods today...."
Today the children in Year 1 had a stunning start to their new topic of toys with a Teddy Bears' Picnic!
We started off by sitting in a circle and each child introduced their special teddy bear that they had bought in from home. The children spoke about who bought the teddy for them them, why they are special and how it makes them feel. It was unanimous amongst the whole class that their bears made all them feel safe and cozy.
After that, they learnt the famous Teddy Bears' Picnic Song and we then played 'musical (bears) statues' and 'Mr Bear's Honey Pot' which tested the children's listening and concentration skills whilst having fun!
Finally we enjoyed some delicious treats for our picnic.
It was indeed a wonderful afternoon and the picnic was enjoyed by all.
Thank you to all the adults who brought in some food to share - it was an overwhelming amount of food and the children were all most grateful!
Updated 5.9.24
Please join me after school this Monday 9th September 2024 in the Year 1 classroom shortly after 3.15pm.
This is your chance to see your child's classroom and ask me any questions. I will be discussing the Year 1 expectations, PE Days, reading diaries, Dojos, school trips and will be handing out curriculum overviews for learning in the Autumn term.
If you are not able to make it please click HERE for an electronic copy
I very much look forward to seeing you all on Monday.
Mr Fishman
Updated 3.9.24
Teddy Bear's Picnic - Friday 6th September 2024
To introduce our first topic 'toys' the children have been asked to bring in their favourite cuddly toy on Friday.
A letter was sent home today with your child but for an electronic copy of the letter handed out please click HERE
Any kind donations of food for the picnic would be most welcome, remembering that we are a nut free school!
Updated 2.9.24
Class Information
PE
PE will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays
It is crucial for health and safety that your child has a full PE kit in school at all times.
PE kits are available for purchase from the school office.
PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD'S NAME IS WRITTEN IN ALL CLOTHING!
Reading Diaries
Reading diaries will be handed out along with a book specifically selected for your child during the first week back. The book will be one they are familiar with and have read in class. Your job - as the listener - will be to simply support them and guide them through reading this familiar text to promote their fluency and speed of reading.
As a friendly reminder, you must try to read with your child at least three times every week and then write comments in their reading record on how you felt the reading went.
Was your child able to read all words accurately?
Did they segment and blend the sounds properly?
Were there any tricky or new words?
Could your child recall what they read?
Were they able to relate to the characters in the story?
These diaries will be collected in and checked on a regular basis.
Updated 2.9.24
Dear children, parents and carers,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you and your child to St Clare's Class and to a new school year. I feel honored to be your child's teacher this academic year and please be assured that I will do my very best to ensure they are safe and happy at all times.
Please do not hesitate to catch me before or after school if you have any questions, concerns or problems about your child's learning. Check this web page regularly for updates from inside the classroom!
I look forward to meeting you all and getting to know you better over the coming year.
Take care and stay safe,
Mr Fishman and the Year 1 team