HEATON AVENUE PRIMARY SCHOOL FOUNDATION UNIT
Information for parents – FULL TIME
Planning for Autumn Term 1
Theme: Bear Family
Communication and
Language
Literacy
Physical Development
P.S.E.
Development
Outdoor
Play
Language Development – Stories and non-fiction books about bears, families and starting school will all be used to stimulate discussions and develop new language relating to our theme of the ‘Bear Family’.
Discussions about awareness of change over time – as we grow and develop……
The children will be given lots of opportunities to discuss what they observe and ask questions about what is happening. We
will be encouraging them to follow instructions, put events into sequence and talk about home and community. We will be
talking to the children about the ‘Bear Family’, developing their vocabulary and language relating to our theme.
Phonics - The children will be introduced to the ‘Letters and sounds’ scheme using ‘Jolly Phonics’ prompts to reinforce the
letter sounds and will begin to learn to write each letter shape. They will play a variety of games that will develop their phonics skills.
Reading – All children will bring home books (either from the library and/or from our reading scheme) to ‘read’ with you
(please read them to/with your child and encourage him/her to join in). Stories from the Oxford Reading Tree will be introduced more formally and children will begin to learn the relevant vocabulary. We will be reading a selection of both fiction
and non-fiction books relating to our theme.
Writing – Opportunities for writing in all areas of provision, role play (Goldilocks and the Three Bears), naming pictures/models. Letter formation – sand/dough. Writing for different purposes - badges, cards, invitations, letters and lists.
Moving and Handling – The children will be encouraged to actively explore the outdoor space, moving in a variety of ways
and developing their large physical skills. They will also be developing their fine motor skills – using cutters and tools in the
play dough, tools in the sand and water, creating observational drawings of bears and paintings of Goldilocks and beginning
to attempt to write letters, words and sentences.
Health and self care – The children will learn about using tools safely and effectively – indoors – sand, mark making,
model making and outdoors. We will be encouraging them to develop their independence skills for themselves, getting ready
for PE and dinner times.
Getting to know each other and continuing friendships / Agree expectations / Understanding rules and routines
Working as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly. Building confidence to try new activities and make new
friends.
Celebrating Autumn festivals from different cultures will focus on the Harvest festival as part of the Christian faith.
Empathy with the bears that come to visit our Unit and understanding their relationships.
Outdoor play will include many activities that allow children to develop their physical development in a range of structured
and unstructured play activities for example; in the playground/number chants and games, riding bikes, mark making activities and games using small apparatus (balls, skipping ropes etc.)Building large structures, collecting and displaying natural
objects as we move into autumn. Playing in our outdoor role play – The Three Bear’s House.
Understanding the World
Expressive
Arts and
Design
Mathematical
Development
The World Children will be encouraged to ask questions about why things happen and how things work as we find out about:
 Looking at food. What do I like and dislike relating to snack times? Which foods are healthy?
 Tasting porridge with different flavours and making bear biscuits.
 Investigating changes through physical forces or heating.
Technology - Using a CD player to listen to stories. Complete the ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ game on the computer.
Use the IWB – Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Using ICT – digital camera to sequence a traditional tale.
People and Communities – The children will have opportunities to develop their friendships, talk about home and community and celebrate special events such as the bear party/picnic. They will also be having a bear to visit at home and completing their entry in the bear diary.
The children will learn a variety of nursery rhymes and simple songs related to bears and ourselves. They will be use body
parts such as hands and feet to make sounds. They will become familiar with setting out and clearing away painting and craft
materials. The children will be encouraged to use their observational skills to add detail to their work, doing observational
drawings and paintings of bears and paintings of Goldilocks. Exploration of 3D materials will include development of skills
and understanding in the model making area.
Number – Counting (reciting) from 1-20 will take place every day as part of oral work which will also include number
rhymes, songs and stories. The children will have many opportunities to count objects and play games to develop one to one
correspondence and number recognition. The children will be taught mathematical language such as more/less, addition,
heavier/lighter, taller/shorter/longer
Shape, space and Measures – recognition will include Square, Circle, Triangle and Rectangle as well as introducing 3D
shapes and talking about the properties of shapes. The children will be encouraged to compare and measure objects.
You can help your child at home by:
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Reading with him/her each day and looking at words and numbers on everyday things e.g. cereal packets, adverts, street names,
car number plates etc.
Identifying letters and numbers in books as you read.
Encouraging your child to write his/her own name, identifying the letter sounds.
Helping to fill in an entry in the bear diaries and talking about the bear Family with your child.
HEATON AVENUE PRIMARY SCHOOL FOUNDATION UNIT