Summer 1 2024

Our main theme for learning

this half term is…

‘In the Garden’

Aims:

• To talk about living things using their sense of sight, touch, smell and hearing.
• Begin to recognise some common plants and minibeasts by their key features.
• Talk about their experiences of animals (Both pets and animals they have seen locally).
• Begin to know the names of where some common British animals live.
• Begin to compare and contrast similarities and differences between animals and where they live.   

Key vocabulary to understand and use in a sentence: 

animal, minibeast, bird, insect, bee, wasp, ladybird, slug, snail, woodlouse, earth worm, centipede, millipede, spider, caterpillar,  butterfly,  larvae, pupa, robin, wood pigeon, blackbird, magpie, blue tit, squirrel, fox, mouse, nest, drey, hive, tree, pond, plant, flower, dandelion, buttercup, daisy, petals, stem, leaf, root, seed, alive, living, soil, water, sunlight, grow, beak, wings, legs, tail, swim, fly, shell, cocoon, chrysalis, life cycle

Key Knowledge: 

• Plants grow from seeds.
• Plants need sunlight and water to grow. 
• Names of common plants.
• Names of common minibeasts.
• Caterpillars like to live on top and underneath leaves.
• Butterflies lay eggs, caterpillars hatch from the eggs, caterpillars spin a chrysalis and turn into a butterfly. 

Spring 2 2024

Our main theme for learning

this half term is…

‘Shapes are Everywhere!’

Aims:

• Recognise 2D and 3D shapes using informal and mathematical language: flat, round, straight, sides, corners and common shape names.  
• Combine shapes to make new ones.  
• Link shapes together and talk about what they see, using the language of numbers and size.  
• Talk about patterns around them and create their own patterns. 
• Know the names of different buildings locally and from children’s experiences, including in books.  
• Speak in sentences, describing what they see in books, photographs and in real life.  Ask questions to find out more information. 
• Understand and be able to use common positional vocabulary - under, next to, on top, above, below, in between.

Key vocabulary to understand and use in a sentence: 

sort, match, shapes, circle, square, triangle, rectangle, cube, cuboid, pyramid, cone, sphere, big, small, round, curved, straight, flat, roll, stack, slide, pile, corner, side, 2D, 3D, corner, face, side, edge, end, equal, pattern, buildings, under, next to, on top, above, below, in between.

Key Knowledge: 

• Shapes are all around us.
• Names of common 2D shapes - rectangle, square, triangle, circle, 
• A triangle has three sides.
• A square has four sides all the same length.
• A rectangle has four sides; two of them are short and two of them are long.
• A circle has a curved line.
• Different shapes are useful for different purposes, for example, a circle could be a wheel or a sun and a triangle could be a roof.
• Shapes can be combined to make new shapes, or bigger shapes.
• Buildings are made up of shapes - the rooms, windows, doors and roof.
• Understand and be able to use common positional vocabulary (under, over, next to, on top, above, below).

Spring 1 2024

Our main theme for learning

this half term is…

‘Stories’

Aims:

• To enjoy listening and responding to stories and repeat simple story book language. 
• To develop an awareness of rhyme in words. 
• To understand key concepts about print.

Key vocabulary to understand and use in a sentence: 

book, title, author, illustrator, story teller, character, story, made-up, imagination, real, beginning, end, left to right, place.

Key Knowledge: 

• Stories can be retold, pictures tell a story and words tell a story.
• Stories can be about real people and places, or they can be made up.
• Print has meaning.
• Print can have different purposes.
• English is read from left to right;
• The names of the different parts of a book.
• Page sequencing.
• Stories can be based on real events and imaginative ideas.
• Characters have names.

Seasonal changes - Winter

• In winter the weather turns colder.
• In winter we have frost on the ground and water freezes.
• In winter it may snow.

Autumn 2 2023

Our main theme for learning

this half term is…

‘Let's Celebrate!’

Aims:

• To talk about our own experiences of celebrations.  
• To share knowledge of festivals celebrated with family, friends and groups.  
• To develop an understanding of the range of purposes for celebrations.
• To know where celebrations might take place. 
• To listen and respond to what other people say, talking about the same theme of conversation.  
• To speak in a full sentence, using new vocabulary. 
• Ask simple questions to find out more information. 

Key vocabulary to understand and use in a sentence: 

celebrations, family, friends, special, birthday, bonfire night, fireworks, music, wedding, Christening, party, Christmas, Easter, Hanukkah,  Diwali, Eid, New Year, patterns, Mehndi, Rangoli patterns, churches, temples, mosques, shape names – circle, triangle, square, rectangle, positional vocabulary – on, next to, on top, under, behind, in front.

Key Knowledge: 

• Harvest is when the farmers gather their crops. 
• Bonfire night is on the 5th November. People celebrate with bonfires and fireworks. 
• Diwali is the Hindu and Sikh festival of light. 
• Remembrance day is on the 11th November and we remember people who died in the wars. There is a time of silence at 11.
• We can help others through charities.

Autumn 1 2023

Our main theme for learning

this half term is…

‘All about me’

Throughout this topic, we will have the opportunity to get to know each other and make some new friends. We will look at the unique things about us such as what we look like and where we live.

Aims:

• For children to develop positive relationships with children and adults in nursery.  
• To share their knowledge of themselves and others, including their family.  
• To find out about what we enjoy in nursery, talking about our play, things we like and dislike and our achievements.  
• To talk about how we are feeling.  
• To listen and respond to what other people say, talking about the same theme of conversation.  
• To speak in a simple sentence.  
• To ask simple questions to find out more information.

Key vocabulary to understand and use in a sentence: 

family, Mum/Mummy, Dad/Daddy, Grandma, Grandad, aunt, uncle, cousin, friends, special, unique, feelings, happy, excited, sad, sharing, caring. 

I like… 

I feel happy when I…

Ways to support your child this half term:

*Support your child to wash their hands thoroughly. We sing ‘1,2,3,4,5, once I caught a fish alive’ at nursery to support them to wash for 20 seconds.

*Talk about special events and experiences with your child, for example, birthdays, holidays, days out.

* Talk about the seasons. Discuss what the weather is like in summer and autumn. What clothes do we wear?

* Look at photos of family members and talk about who they are.

* Talk about similarities and differences within their family.

* Let your child help match up their socks. Talk about the colours and patterns.

* Sing nursery rhymes together. 

* Play games together that encourage sharing and turn-taking.

* Encourage your child to tidy away their own toys.