This Week's Book

While we have been off school, I been busy in my garden planting lots of different fruit and vegetables. Some of my strawberries are now ready to pick and I've also been lucky enough to have some fresh rhubarb, spinach and lettuce. There is a lot more to come but they are not ready to pick yet. I thought that the book Oliver's Fruit Salad by Vivian French would be a good story to base our learning on this week. 

Your first task is to read or listen to the story (see link below) and talk to a grown up about what happened in the story. Have you ever tried growing any fruit? If you remember, when we were in Nursery, Cariad wanted to plant one of her apple pips. I am still taking good care of the plant at home and hoping one day it will start growing apples. Maybe you could try doing this yourself at home this week? 

Literacy

Describing Fruit

What is your favourite type of fruit? Why do you like it so much? Fruit is really healthy for our body. Can you choose a fruit and describe it using different adjectives (describing words)? Here are some examples:

The banana is yellow, soft and sweet.
The strawberry is red, juicy and delicious.

Maybe you can draw the fruits you have described?

Writing a shopping list - literacy

I made a fruit salad earlier in the week with Efan and Maia. If you were going to make one, what fruit would you put in it? You may want to think about which fruits were most popular when you completed your tally chart.


Whenever I go shopping, I need to write a list of items that I need to buy as I always forget some! Can you write a shopping list for your fruit salad to make sure you don't forget anything? You can use the template below or simply write it up on paper. Remember each new item needs to be on a new line when writing a list.

Writing a recipe

Many of you this week have made delicious fruit salads. Today we are going to be writing a recipe for our fruit salad. Look at the example below and talk to a grown up about the features of it i.e. a list of ingredients, how you make it, the instructions must be in the correct order and use time connective words such as first, next, then and last.

Can you write your own recipe for your special fruit salad? You can use the template below or write it out on paper. Don't forget to draw a picture of it to show how good it looks!

Phonics

This week we are going to reinforce the sounds 'ai' and 'oa'. Use the videos below to recap these sounds with your child. Can you make a list of words which contain to sound 'ai' and 'oa'?

Maths

What is your favourite fruit?

What fruit do you like the best? What about other people in your family? Can you complete the tally chart to show which fruit people in your family like the best by writing in 5 different fruits and filling in the tally? Maybe you could ask other family members over the telephone. The more the better! You can either use the tally chart below, or simply draw one out on paper. 

Which one is the most / least popular fruit? 
 

Making a graph - maths

Earlier in the week you completed a tally chart to show your families favourite fruit. You will need to use this chart to complete this activity. We are going to be transferring the data from the chart and turning it into a graph.

Using the template below (or draw it out on paper) for your graph. Write each of the fruits along the bottom and colour in the correct number of squares to show how many people like each type of fruit. Once you have finished, look at the graph and ask your child questions such as 'which fruit is the most / least popular?' 'How do you know?' 'How many people like apples?' 'How many more people like strawberries compared with bananas?'

Telling the time - maths

We are going to do a little revision on telling the time today. Click on the link below and select the 'analogue clock' option. Revise with your child the features of a clock. What numbers can you see? How many hands are there? Are they both the same length? Look at the position of the numbers then play the game. Your child has to work out which number is missing from the clock face. 

To extend this learning you could use a clock at home or the clock link below. Set the time to 3 o'clock and explain to your child that the long hand always points to the 12 when we're telling the time to the hour and we look at the number the short hand is pointing to. Repeat with different times (all o'clock).

Big Maths Learn Its

Can you complete the maths learn its within the time?

Knowledge & Understanding

What do plants need to grow?

All fruit and vegetables are grown. Some underground, some above ground and some on plants, bushes or tress. What do plants need to grow? For this experiment we are going to learn that plants need water to grow and hopefully your child will be able to see the water travelling through the plant. 

You will need: 
Some stalks of celery
Clear jar / jars or containers
Food colouring (you can do the experiment with just one colour or you can use more colours if you have them).

Before the experiment, discuss with your child what they think plants need to grow. Explain that we are going to see if the celery sucks up the water. Put some water along with the food colouring in a jar and place a piece of celery in it (with the bottom few centimeters cut off). Ask your child to predict what they think will happen to the celery over the next few days. Observe the changes that take place and talk about why they are happening. At the end of the experiment look at the bottom of the celery or even cut it in half. What do you see? You could take some photos to show the celery changing each day.
 

Where does fruit come from? - Knowledge & Understanding

In our country, we are very lucky to have a large selection of fruit to choose from. How many fruits can you name? Not all of this fruit comes from this country. Can you look at the fruit you have at home and see if you can find out where it has come from. You will find this information on the sticker or on the packaging. Using the world map, can you find where each of the fruits have travelled from. Discuss with your child the term 'food miles' and explain how it is always better for the environment to buy fruit that has been grown locally if you can. You can watch the video below which will help to explain what 'food miles' are.

Why do are some fruits grown so far away? (because it is hotter). Which fruit has travelled the shortest / furthest distance?

Oliver's Fruit Salad Challenges

Here are some fun challenges for you to do over the week based on the story 'Oliver's Fruit Salad'. Please feel free to add any other ideas underneath if you think of something fun that your friends may enjoy doing. 

1. Can you make a picture by printing with different fruits? Below are some ideas of what you could do.

2. When we were in Nursery class we planted some of Cariad's apple pips and they have started to grow. Can you find some apple pips inside an apple and plant them? You will have to wait a little while before they start growing, but be patient. Remember they will need soil, lots of light and don't forget to water them regularly. 

3. Can you make a delicious fruit salad? What fruit would you like to put in it? Remember to ask a grown up to help you when peeling or cutting up the fruit.

4. Making salt dough fruit. Follow the simple recipe below for making salt dough. Your child can then make different pieces of fruit using the salt dough. Once you have made the fruit, cook the dough in microwave (1 minute at a time). Keep checking it until the dough has gone hard or you can place it in the oven on a low heat. This can then be painted to make it look like real fruit. It is a good idea to apply a coat of PVA glue over the paint once it has dried.