Monday 9th November 2015
Dear Parents and Carers,
This week we are exploring Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light, as part of our topic this term ‘Let’s Celebrate.’
Below is a selection of activities your child will be taking part in this week, and some suggestions as to how you can support your child at home. We feel that
informing you week by week of what your child will be learning, instead of half termly is more useful, as childrens interests change so quickly!
* Celebrations talking tub – objects to stimulate discussion of childrens own knowledge and experience of weddings, christenings, birthdays, Bonfire Night,
Remembrance Day...
* What is Diwali? Who celebrates Diwali?
*How is Diwali celebrated? Exploring food, clothing, customs and traditions.
* Mixing powder paint to create bright colours
*Creating rangoli patterns using shapes
* Listening and responding to the story of Rama and Sita
* Making barfi cake
*Making a diya (lamp) using clay
* Exploring who we remember, and why we remember on Remembrance Day and the significance of a poppy
* Jedi writing – forming letters n and p
* Recognising and writing the key word ‘the’ and writing simple labels, e.g. the pen, the dog, the cat
* Exploring capacity in the water tray, and filling different sized containers with pasta
* Finding one more and one less than an amount to 10
* Following the children’s interests we will be introducing a school role play area (we have observed the children pretending to be staff!) and a wedding theme in
the home corner.
How can you support your child at home?
*Talk to your child about their experience of attending a wedding (if applicable) What did they wear? Where did the wedding / reception take place? What
special clothes were worn? What food was eaten?
*Bring in a photo of yourself at a wedding (if applicable)
* Ask your child to explain what they have learned about Diwali and how it is celebrated
* Ask your child to count out up to 10 objects at home – pasta shells, pencils, sweets – take one away / one less – how many are left? What if I add one more?
* Use words at home such as full, half full, empty and overflowing when pouring, filling and emptying containers – this could be fun at bath time!
*We are practising the formation of letters n and p this week in our Jedi writing sessions, so please practise as much as possible at home. Please ensure your
child has the correct grip, and remembers the ditty ‘down Nobby and over his net’ for ‘n’ and ‘down the plait and up, and over the pirates face’ for ‘p’ – these
letters can be found in your child’s yellow book.
Could parents and carers also send in any voluntary contributions towards toast which we continue to offer at snack time -£1 per half term.
Many thanks for your continued support.
The Foundation Team