10 January 2014
This week’s homework is creative homework.
A mini-topic based on a book called Meerkat Mail has led to lots of research about animals and different countries. Year 1 have shown excellent research skills and have shown a lot of interest in atlases and maps. This homework will let them show what they have found out but don’t forget to let those creative juices flow – it can be presented in any form.
I can show what I know about an animal from another country.
This homework needs to be handed in by Wednesday 15 January 2014.
10 January 2014
The homework this week is practice makes perfect and is due in on Wednesday 15 January.
I can write an algorithm to solve a problem.
As we have been learning about computing in our mini-topic, we thought it would be a good idea to practise our programming skills by writing an algorithm to solve a problem. An algorithm is a set of instructions designed to solve a problem or perform a specific task. Computer programs use algorithms to carry out different functions. However, for this homework, we won’t be needing any digital devices!
Stuck in the children’s books is a 5×5 grid with a start and finish point on it. The children have to write an algorithm (set of instructions) to guide a sprite (a computer graphic – but for this you could use a coin or a counter with an arrow marked on it) from the start to the end point. Their algorithms should contain the following vocabulary: forward, 90 degrees, clockwise, anti-clockwise.
Computer programmers strive to write the simplest algorithms so children should be encouraged to find a route with the fewest steps possible.
Once they’ve finished this, they could write another algorithm to guide a family member from one part of the home to another.
Please drop in to see me if you have any questions!
10 January 2014
We’re kicking off with practice makes perfect this week, focusing on the skills we have learnt in our maths lessons.
I can use my number skills.
Work through the tasks in your homework book to partition, sort and round numbers. Remember what we’ve learnt this week!
06 December 2013
This week’s homework is talk time.
We all take light for granted every day and Year 1 have been investigating different sources of light. This week, we have discovered which were the best sources of light with some fair testing. We would like you to discuss the following question before Wednesday 11 December:
“Is it right that some people live without electric lights in their homes?”
06 December 2013
The homework this week is a moral talk time homework and is due in on Wednesday 11 December.
We all have electricity in our homes but should we be more aware of how much electricity we use?
In our mini-topic, we have been learning about electricity. We now want you to think about how much we use electricity and the cost of this both economically and environmentally. Children should be considering how we could use less electricity in our day to day lives and also other sources of energy we could be using (solar power, wind power, etc).
06 December 2013
This week is talk time homework.
Should everyone have the right to electricity in their homes?
Although we all have homes with electricity, not everybody does! Do you think it is fair that not everybody can access electricity? Discuss this with somebody at home and we will have our own discussion in class next week.
29 November 2013
The homework this week is creative. The children are invited to respond to something from either a cultural or spiritual perspective.
I can respond to a book I’ve recently read.
We’d like children to present their responses about a recent book they’ve read. We’re interested to hear your child’s opinions and any connections they might have made between the book and their own life. This book review might include pictures, an interview (you could write a fictional script between an interviewer and a character), a letter (eg to or from a character, or perhaps even the author) – anything which might include your child’s responses!
However, your child might prefer to do the following:
I can show what Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah, Christmas or another festival means to me and my community.
Before half-term, some children in school will have celebrated the Muslim festival of Eid. A couple of weeks ago, some children in school celebrated the Sikh and Hindu festival Diwali, and more recently, children of Jewish faith might have celebrated Hanukkah. Finally, in a few weeks, Christians (and many non-Christians) will be celebrating Christmas. We invite children to respond to the sentence above – they might include a recount (like a diary entry), pictures, an interview (perhaps in a script).
22 November 2013
This week’s homework is Talk Time and is due in on Wednesday 27 November 2013.
I know what bullying means and how to stop it.
At the start of this week we had anti-bullying day with classes having the chance to talk about what is bullying, what are the different types of bullying and how can we stop it.
As part of your discussion you may find our school definition of bullying useful, as agreed by our School Councillors:
Bullying is when you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, more than once and on purpose.
Alongside this definition we have used the following prompts for the children to remember:
- Several
- Times
- On
- Purpose
- Start
- Telling
- Other
- People
The purpose of Talk Time homework is to encourage a conversation around current learning. Any notes made in their homework book should be there to aid them as a prompt when it is discussed in class the following week. For this reason, teachers tend to give verbal feedback during their homework feedback session in class.
08 November 2013
This week’s homework is practice makes perfect.
This week’s learning in maths has been all about counting and recognising numbers. It’s really important that your child knows the value of each digit in a number eg they need to know that a 16 is actually a 10 and a 6, one ten and six units. While they are doing their homework, talk to them about the numbers they are writing and make sure they are writing them the right way round.
This homework needs to be handed in by Wednesday 13 November.
08 November 2013
This week our homework is practice makes perfect.
I can tell the time.
We have been learning how to tell the time this week. All of the children have completed similar tasks in lesson but a bit of extra practice will make sure we’re ready to take on a challenge next week. Give them every opportunity to be telling the time throughout the day too, especially for o’ clock, half past and quarter past.
This homework is due on Wednesday 13 November.
Have fun, you marvellous mathematicians!