Willow Class Page
Welcome to Willow’s Class Page!
Our teacher is Mr Sesemann .
Please explore the pages below and the Class Information Page to help further support your child at home and to find out what learning and fun we are having!
Our Class Text: The Tunnel
By Anthony Browne
Another renowned classic from author Anthony Browne. We will be focusing on the idea of a magical portal to another world with this novel. Where would you like a magical portal to take you? Children will focus on writing with verbs, conjunctions, progressive verbs and utilising the punctuation that they have learned already.
If you enjoyed this, why not try…
Our Class Text: George’s Marvellous Medicine
By Roald Dahl
An absolute classic by world famous Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl is well known for his vast vocabulary and funny stories. We shall be using this book to expand our vocabulary as well focussing on punctuation such as: full stops, capital letters, and exclamation marks. Our learning will finish with a hot write describing Grandma’s reaction to drinking George’s strange concoction.
If you enjoyed this, why not try…
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
Our core text this half term is ‘Lost and Found’ by Oliver Jeffers.
We are exploring themes friendship and loneliness, writing and describing our emotions, using adjectives, nouns and verbs in our writing, and we will be writing a letters to the boy and the penguin!
If you enjoy reading about the boys adventures in this story, why not check out some more of his adventures….
Topic - Toys
We have been learning about Toys from the past and comparing them to our toys we play with today.
We were looking at how toys change as we grow older. Miss Roche asked us to think about different toys with wheels. We could think of toy cars, toy trains, toy prams, and bikes.
Here we are discussing how wheels change as we grow up. We used a timeline to order them from wheels we use as babies (0 years old), to wheels we use as 5 year olds.
Toys from Around the World at Horniman Museum
We visited Horniman Museum for a workshop on different toys from around the world. There were different toys from Russia, Kenya, Guatemala, China, and France; then we got to play with them!
World Book Day 2024
Willow were joined by local author and illustrator, Fiona Woodcock. Fiona read us her newest story ‘Silver Linings’, then she taught us how she makes her illustrations. We used rubber stamps and ink to make out the character’s body, then we added details with pencils. You can try this at home too, you can make stamps using sponges or potatoes!
Arts Week 2024
For Arts week this year, we focused on ‘Surprise’ by Henri Rousseau.
Willow studied the form and shape of the leaves in the image. We used rollers and ink to print our own drawings of leaves.
Have a look at what we made!
Smoothie making
As part of our RSHE, Science and DT learning on healthy eating; our catering team from Caterlink came to visit us and teach us how to make smoothies.
Some of the smoothies were delicious!
Some smoothies were not delicious…
Willow in Reception - Here We Are!
Willow Class are reading Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers. We discussed all the amazing things you can do on our planet Earth. We recorded a video to show some out-of-world visitors, explaining what they can see and do- and even eat! Please enjoy.
We listened to ‘What a Wonderful World’ and watched the wonderful videos of our planet. We wrote our own verse of the story. Try singing in the same tune..
I see snowy mountains, red poppies too, I see them bloom, for me and you, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world
I see the sun and the moon, fluffy clouds, the bright moon, and I think to myself, what a wonderful world
Spikes on a cactus, so sharp to touch,
On the faces of the children in Willow Class, shaking hands, saying buenos dias
Can you write your own version for the rest of the song?
Willow Class have been enjoying having some fluffy visitors in our class. We have watched 4 ducklings hatch and learnt about how to care for ducks and what they need to keep safe. The children have loved cuddling them and watching the ducklings take their first swim!
Ducks in Willow Class
Spring is here!
Willow Class have been busy spotting the first signs of Spring. We have seen ladybugs, been busy digging and practising using our gardening tools and making Easter themed crafts. The children enjoyed making blossom potions and using herbs from our playground to add different smells.
Evil Pea on the loose!
On Monday morning, the children came into the classroom but it wasn’t the same as usual… someone had completely messed it up! We spent the morning looking for clues, then found out it was The Evil Pea from Supertato.
The children have enjoyed making traps, writing messages, making wanted posters and exploring all things superheroes.
Evil Pea stroke again when he sent us a letter and a picture telling us he had kidnapped the vegetables again! Willow Class were quick to write him messages back, pleading with him to let them go.
Trip to The Golden Hinde
Willow Class visited The Golden Hinde. They loved being on a real pirate ship and were able to remember facts we had learnt in class. They also learnt where the real poop deck was and that the pirates would sleep with the animals too! They had a go at dressing up, loading the canons and steering the ship.
Keeping our teeth healthy
The children were talking about and discussing what pirates needed to do to keep their teeth clean and healthy. They knew they needed to brush them twice a day and we looked at how to brush our teeth to make sure we don’t miss any teeth out.
Pirates!
The children have enjoyed learning about pirates and role-playing as them. They have been hiding treasure, making treasure maps for their friends, building pirate boats, counting treasure and sorting magnetic treasure.
A Gingerbread Man experiment
‘If The Gingerbread Man had swam across the river, would he have sunk or floated?’
The children enjoyed predicting what they thought would have happened. They then watched the experiment outside. We found that at first it floated, then after Miss Graham made a ripple in the river, it sunk. Poor Gingerbread Man!
Show and tell
We have started show and tell in Willow Class. This week’s theme was ‘my favourite book’. They have been able to express why it is their favourite book and shown us their favourite book. On Thursday, we read Max's book 'Angry Arthur' and enjoyed discussing potential ways of helping Arthur to calm down.
The Gingerbread Man
We have been reading and exploring The Gingerbread Man. We have been making different sized bridges in order to help The Gingerbread Man cross the river without having to ask the fox for help!
Trip to the Horniman to visit the David McKee exhibition
Willow Class visited the David McKee exhibition to follow up on our learning of the book Elmer. The children enjoyed the sensory experience including dressing up as the characters of his books, exploring the funny mirrors and smelling interesting smells.
Lunar New Year
We have been learning about how people celebrate the Lunar New Year. We learnt about the zodiac race and how it is the Year of the Rabbit. We have been busy building dragons, racing animals, making lanterns and painting cherry blossoms. Happy Lunar New Year!
Making and eating porridge
We have been reading and exploring Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We made the porridge by putting oats in a bowl, adding water to the bowl then pouring the mixture into the saucepan. We heated it, and added either honey or jam. Lots of children said it was ‘just right!’ whilst some said it was ‘too hot!’
Nativity
Willow Class played angels in the school’s KS1 nativity. They stood confidently on stage and sung their song whilst doing the appropriate actions. Well done Willow!
Snow at Horniman
We enjoyed playing in the snow. We made sledges and snowmen, and enjoyed discovering all the frozen water in the playground.
Trip to the Post Office
We visited the Post Office to post our letters we wrote to someone who lives in our homes. The children enjoyed posting their letter and seeing how a real Post Office works!
Trip to the theatre
Willow Class went to the Albany Theatre to watch a Winter themed play. They enjoyed the falling snow and singing the songs! They travelling on the overground and enjoyed looking out the windows.
Willow Class in space
Reception have been in Space this week and last! We have been busy learning about the moon's craters, the different temperature of the stars, measuring, counting, building rockets and space stations with fuel and making machines! Willow class have learnt that a jellyfish, cat, dog and a monkey have all gone into space!
