Term Two Review – Miss Johnson’s Junior Infants

Welcome back to school! I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable Easter break. We had a very busy term from January to March. Here are some of the things we were working on.

English:

We discussed the themes: toys, winter/spring, weather, day and night and occasions such as, Chinese New Year, Pancake Tuesday, Valentine’s Day, World Book Day, Mother’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter. We continued to learn our Jolly Phonics sounds and tricky words. We played games based on the Big Box Words. We read the story “Dear Zoo” and made predictions. We also read “The Big Box”. As Teacher read the story of Mr. O’Kelly’s Chocolate Factory, we visualised the story and drew a picture of what we saw in our ‘movies’. We started to learn our letter formation. We can now write c, a, o, d, g, q, r, n and m. We celebrated World Book Day by bringing in our favourite books and showing them to our class.

[Show as slideshow]

[Show as slideshow]

Maths:

We played counting and number games. We created sets of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. We learned how to write the numerals 1-5 using our number formation rhymes, which can be found at this web address:

http://www.communication4all.co.uk/Numeracy/Number%20Formation%20Rhyme%20Cards.pdf.

[Show as slideshow]

We sequenced familiar nursery rhymes into beginning, middle and end. We discussed and sequenced things that we do in the morning, lunchtime, evening time and bedtime. We discussed activities that we do on various days of the week.

Gaeilge:

We learned lots of new Irish vocabulary based on An Aimsir (weather), Éadaí (clothes), Caitheamh Aimsire (hobbies), Lá ‘le Pádraig (St. Patrick’s Day) and An Cháisc (Easter). We listened to the stories “An Seilide”, “An Fear Sneachta”, “An Rás” agus “Coinín na Cásca”.

S.E.S.E.

We discussed the toys that the children played with at different stages of their lives and toys from around the world such as the Russian dolls. We read the stories “Tom Crean’s Rabbit” and “The Mitten”. We read the story of the Chinese zodiac and sequenced the story. The children also read stories based on transport, including “The Train Ride”. We read the story “Night Monkey, Day Monkey” and discussed things we see in the day and night. We read the story “When Adam Goes to Space” and identified the moon, sun and stars. We discussed the story of St Patrick. We read the story “Dora’s Eggs” and identified animals and their babies.

Art/Music:

We looked at Brueghel’s ‘Children’s Games’, and created our own art work of games the children play nowadays outside.  The children also painted a picture of a toy that they like to play with. We designed our own town maps including roads, traffic lights etc. We coloured Chinese dragons. We brought in our favourite book and drew pictures of the story. We made Mother’s Day cards practicing our cutting and sticking skills. We created Irish flags for Proclamation Day. We painted spring flowers in the style of Andy Warhol’s pop art.

We used body percussion and instruments to compose music to go with the song ‘Big Green Frog’. We learned the songs “Rolaí Polaí”, “Dia Dhuit”, “It’s Raining It’s Pouring”, “Amhrán na bhFiann” and “Lá le Padraig”. We also learned the rhyme “Hands up high, hands down low”. We learned the song “Little Tommy Taylor” and kept the beat on our laps and instruments.

Aistear:

Our Aistear theme for January was ‘’The Toy Shop”. The children got an opportunity to play in each station: Imaginary Play (roleplay as shopkeeper, customers, store manager etc.), Construction (designing and making toys for the toy shop) and Creative Play (creating catalogues for the toy shop).

[Show as slideshow]

12►

Our Aistear theme for February was “The Train Station”. The children got an opportunity to play in each of the four stations: Imaginary Play (roleplay as train driver, conductor, sales assistant, customers.), Small World, Sand Play and Creative Play.

[Show as slideshow]

We have started our next Aistear theme, “The Garden Centre”.

S.P.H.E/P.E.:

We did Athletics through the station teaching approach. The stations incorporated agility ladders, sprinting, jumping, jogging, throwing, hurdles, travelling on hands and feet, animal walks etc. We also did gymnastics through the station teaching approach – rocking and rolling activities, balances, forward roll, using apparatus etc.

[Show as slideshow]

We discussed our 5 senses. As part of the Stay Safe program, we discussed touches. We also discussed safety around medicines. For friendship week, we discussed how to relate to one another and the importance of caring and sharing. We discussed ways to show our love and did an Assembly based on how we can share love during Lent. We discussed the feelings of loneliness and anger and how best to deal with these feelings. As part of RSE, we discussed signs of new life in spring. We also discussed new babies and about how the children have grown since they were babies.

[Show as slideshow]

English:

We discussed the topics of school and homes. We have started learning our Jolly Phonics sounds. We read the stories “Kitty Kit” and “The Sandpit”. We also have been practicing our writing patterns. We brought in our favourite toys to school for “Show and Tell” in preparation for the Late Late Toy Show last Friday.

Maths:

We were learning about height and length. Using our maths equipment, we made things that were short & long and tall & short. We drew pictures to illustrate this. We are also learning about 2D and 3D shapes.

Gaeilge:

We have been learning lots of new Irish vocabulary based on Bia (Food) agus Sa Bhaile (Home). We listened to the stories “An Tornapa Mór” & “Cinnín Óir agus na Trí Bhéar”.

S.E.S.E.

We read the nursery rhyme “Little Miss Muffet” and the story “The Three Little Pigs”. We discussed what happened in the beginning, middle & end. We talked about our journeys to school and drew a map of our journeys with all the places we go by on the way. We did an experiment with smarties. Children brought in photos of their homes and described them to the class. We read a book about homes around the world. We discussed the function of various rooms and furniture we might find in these rooms.

Art/Music:

The children used their oil pastels to draw pictures of a time when they feel happy. They also designed their own dream schools and homes. We have started to construct our dream homes. We have started to practice for our class Nativity on Thursday 17^th of December.

Aistear:

Our Aistear theme for November was ‘School’. The children got an opportunity to play in each of the four stations: Imaginary Play (roleplay as teacher/principal/secretary etc.), Small World (classroom and small figures), Construction (building schools) and Manipulative Play (making lunches with playdough/Marla).

S.P.H.E/P.E.:

We have been practicing throwing and catching beanbags, throwing to a target, throwing and running to catch, trapping the beanbag in pairs and passing a ball around body parts. We discussed the feelings – happy, sad, scared and worried. We listened to stories and children identified the prominent feeling in the stories. We read and discussed stories involving situations where they may feel safe or unsafe.

**News**

We have a new visitor in our classroom for the month of December… an elf! We have named him Elfie Snowflake. Elfie watches all the children during the day and at night-time he flies back to Santa to report to him all the good deeds the children have done during the day. He has promised that he will come back every morning and we have to find him in his new spot.