Nursery: Blog items
Weekly Vocabulary Challenge – The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Date: 11th May 2020 @ 8:07am
This week we are looking at one of my favourite stories. It is about a caterpillar who ‘pops’ out of a tiny egg, he then eats lots of food and builds himself a cocoon. At the end of the story the caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly!
Can you guess which story it is? That’s right, it’s ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.
We will also be using this book in our Maths learning later in the week too.
Click on the link to watch Miss Heritage talk about the fruits and read and the story ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.
In the story the caterpillar eats lots of different fruit and foods.
Can you talk about the different types of fruit in the story and use words to describe what they are like?
Use the Superhero Speaking Cape Symbols from class to help you (see photo below)
Pause the video: Can you use shape words to describe the different fruits and food the caterpillar ate?
Shape Vocabulary: describe the shapes – round, curved, tall, pointy, wide, short
Pause the video: Can you use texture words to describe the pictures?
Texture Vocabulary – soft, smooth, bumpy, silky, rough, shiny
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Challenge: Your challenge this week, is to use our ‘Speaking Superhero’ vocabulary to look at and explore different fruits. (You may have some different fruits from the story at home, that’s fine too!)
Have a look at the fruits you have, name them, talk about how it looks and feels, then use words to describe what they are like.
Look carefully, you may be able to use different words to describe the fruit when it has its peel on and off e.g. a banana.
Does your fruit have pips, or seeds or a stone? Or does it have spikey leaves like a pineapple? Can you describe what it is like on the outside and compare how it is different to the inside?
You could be creative with your fruits. Maybe you could use your fruit to make a fruit salad or fruit kababs or even try creating a very hungry caterpillar! Have a look at the pictures below for some ideas!
Have fun and make sure you send in photos or videos of your learning to:
Weekly Connected Curriculum Challenge: Celebrating Special Times
Date: 11th May 2020 @ 7:46am
This week we are going to be thinking about special times that we share with our family and think about celebrations!
What special times do you celebrate with your family? Have a think and tell your adult.
A special time we enjoy celebrating is our birthday!
Click on the link below to listen to the story of ‘Kipper’s Birthday’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm1BXicbFeU
In the story Kipper prepared a birthday party.
This week we are going to pretend it is your favourite teddy / toy's birthday and celebrate!
Your challenge this week is to think about the following so you can plan and prepare for your teddy / toy’s birthday:
How are you going to celebrate? What will you do?
Maybe you would like to have a party, or maybe you would like to make a birthday card or hat.
What do you need to do to prepare a party? Where is the party going to be? What food do you need? Maybe you could make some decorations or even bake a cake!
Think about how old your teddy/toy is going to be.
What special number do you know? How many candles do you need to put on your cake?
Can you draw a picture of a cake and put on the amount of candles for your special number?
Can you make a birthday card, hat or a badge to show your special number?
Amazing!
I can’t wait to have a party for my teddy! I going to start planning it now and later in the week I will post some pictures of my teddy bears birthday party!
We would love to see some pictures of you and your favourite teddy / toy celebrating too. Remember to send them to nurseryhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk
Monday 11th May – Maths: Describing shapes
Date: 11th May 2020 @ 7:32am
Last week you completed lots of fabulous shape work with Mrs Ganner.
We are going to start this week by continuing your super work by talking about and using lots of words to describe the shapes of objects and use vocabulary to describe them.
Now I have been on a shape hunt in my garden. Take a look at the video (describing shapes below) and see if you can join in and use ‘Speaking Superhero words’ to help me describe the shapes I find.
Today’s challenge is to use super words to describe the shapes of objects. Have a look around your house or go outside and see what shapes you can find.
Use your ‘speaking superhero words’ to talk to your grown up and describe the different shapes you see.
Shape vocabulary: wide / narrow / long / thin / round / curved / straight / short / tall
You can also use the ‘Speaking Superhero’ cape symbols from class to help you (see below)
Have fun!
Date: 11th May 2020 @ 7:16am
This week we are going to continue learning about rhyme.
Remember rhyming words sound the same at the end.
I have a great story for you to listen to today. It is called ‘Oi Frog’.
Have your listening ears ready, so you can find the pairs of words that rhyme.
Click on the link below to watch and listen to the story ‘Oi Frog’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPDyXsSbxOY
I hope you enjoyed the story and heard lots of rhyming words.
Did you hear and say and the pairs of words that rhymed? You can watch and join in with the story again if you choose to do so!
Today’s challenge is to look carefully at the pictures from the story below. Use the pictures tell your grown up the pairs of words that rhyme.
For example, in this picture the rhyming pair is dog and frog.
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Can you draw a picture of your favourite rhyming pair?
We love seeing your work, so don’t forget to send a picture to: nurseryhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk
Have a great day!
Date: 7th May 2020 @ 1:32pm
We have had a phenomenal response to home learning this week! I am so happy to have received so many photos from you all.
🌟 We are so proud of our Outstanding Home Learners🌟
Remember, Miss Heritage is looking forward to doing the blog next week so if you didn't manage to send your photos in this week, don't worry, she'll put them up next Friday for you.
Have a fabulous bank holiday weekend!
Stay home, stay safe and we'll see you back here on Monday.
From Mrs Ganner
BONUS BANK HOLIDAY CBeebies Reading Challenge
Date: 7th May 2020 @ 1:14pm
CBeebies Reading Challenge
Olly Murs reads ‘Toad has Talent’ for the last of our bedtime stories this week.
It’s about a Toad who thinks he hasn’t got any talent and he’s nervous of entering the talent contest. Just like last night’s story there are lots of action words, ‘wiggled, jiggled, bend, twist, cartwheeled, slipped.
What talents do you have? What would you do?
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OLLY MURS READ THE STORY
Choose your own bedtime story over the weekend. Will you reread one of the ones we read this week or will you choose a new one? Head over to CBEEBIES to choose one of your own
Night night sleep tight
From Mrs Ganner
BONUS BANK HOLIDAY Maths Daily Challenge
Date: 7th May 2020 @ 1:08pm
Maths Daily Challenge
Our last challenge of the week is my favourite one. You’re going to create an amazing piece of art!
Straight Shapes Shape Challenge
Look at the photos attached to this blog. What shapes can you see? All of the shapes are straight sided shapes. Can you name them?
You could use chalks or paint or felt tips to make your own straight shapes picture - make the straight lines with a ruler or masking tape like the one in the photos.
Next week Miss Heritage is going to set lots more fun challenges.
Have a lovely weekend
From Mrs Ganner
BONUS BANK HOLIDAY Phonics Daily Challenge
Date: 7th May 2020 @ 1:04pm
Phonics Daily Challenge
If you didn't make a sound monster, look at my video of how to make one:
WATCH ME MAKE A SOUND MONSTER HERE
Sound Monster Challenge - p,i,n
Complete your phonics challenges for this week by finding groups of objects beginning with ‘p’ or ‘i’ or ’n’ and then practice writing the letters.
WATCH ME PRACTICE MY HANDWRITING HERE
|
Say the sound |
Name the letter |
Write the letter |
|
Bounce pppp pirate |
letter p |
down the plait and over the pirate’s face |
|
Bounce iiii insect |
letter i |
down the body, dot for the head |
|
Stretch nnnnnnnnet |
letter n |
Down Nobby over his net |
Have an amazing weekend and Miss Heritage will be back next week with more fabulous phonics challenges. Have you mastered isolating initial sounds and writing them to label objects yet? If not, it’s O.K. you just need to keep practicing at home with your family.
Mrs Ganner
Date: 7th May 2020 @ 10:28am
Good morning,
Yet another lovely sunny day! I'm looking forward to getting out in the sun later although I actually got a little bit sunburnt yesterday! Remeber that suncream!
Today's challenge is a creative one, I'd like you to try a bit of origami. Origami is the art of folding paper and while it can be a bit tricky, it's also quite a nice relaxing activity once you know what you're doing and you end up with something that looks amazing. You could even make a few things and use them to decorate your house!
What you need for all origami is a square of paper, either plain or patterned. If youre not sure how to turn a piece of paper into a square then have a look here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxi1dIWRws
Then you could take some time to decorate your paper if you like before you fold it.
Then this is a fairly simple one to get started, a butterfly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWjEYlMZnhE
Just follow each instruction carefully and the good thing about watching a video is that you can rewind it as much as you like! If you're not a fan of butterflies then feel free to have a look for something else on the Red Ted Art channel.
Here's my butterfly that I've just made. It's not perfect but it's the first time I've ever done it so I was quite impressed with myself!
As always I'd love to see pictures of what you've made or of any past challenges, e-mail EALhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk to send them or even just to let me know what kind of challenges you prefer so I can make sure I'm doing ones that people like :-)
Past challenges
Thanks to all the children who have sent me pictures, you've all been very busy which is great to see!
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CBeebies Reading Challenge - Thursday 7th May
Date: 6th May 2020 @ 7:23pm
CBeebies Reading Challenge Thursday 7th May
George Ezra finds out about a ‘Kitchen Disco’ tonight. The party fruit in this story did some amazing actions like ‘spins, jumps, dives, shake-it, wiggle, bouncy bounce.
Will your fruit have a kitchen disco tonight?
Can you shake it like a mango? How else can you and the fruit in your bowl move?
Night night sleep tight
From Mrs Ganner
Maths Daily Challenge - Thursday 7th May
Date: 6th May 2020 @ 7:19pm
Maths Daily Challenge - Thursday 7th May
Today were going to look at how we can create our own shapes from something I’m sure you have been collecting over the week - toilet or kitchen roll tubes. Tubes are round and curved but they are also flexible so you can squash them into whatever shape you want to create. Will you make straight edged shapes or curved? Are there any shapes that are curved and straight?
Shape Toilet Roll Challenge
Look at the picture of toilet roll shape printers and work together with your adult to make your round, curved toilet roll tubes into new shapes. You choose which shapes – it’s your challenge.
Dip the end of the shape roll into paint or food colouring or even muddy water and make prints. You could do your printing in the back garden, on the pavement, on paper or material - anywhere your grown up says you can. I had to use tomato sauce for the red in my picture and I didnt have paper so I used kitchen roll!
Talk about one of the shapes you’ve printed to see if your grown-up can guess which one it is. You’re not allowed to say their shape names! You have to describe it.
Show me your shape pictures and all of the other things you’ve been creating this week by emailing
nurseryhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk
Another shape challenge coming up for maths coming up soon.
See you tomorrow
From Mrs Ganner
Phonics Daily Challenge - Thursday 7th May
Date: 6th May 2020 @ 7:11pm
Phonics Daily Challenge - Thursday 7th May
Today we’re going to create and make a friend to help us play a fun phonics game. Then we can practice making groups of objects that have the same sound. We’re not linking the sounds to our names for the rest of the week so when we write the letters today and tomorrow we will NOT be writing capital letters any more.
Sound Monster challenge - s,a,t
Make a sound monster, like the one in the photo, using any box you have at home. This one is a tissue box with eyes and teeth and a tongue glued on to it. I’m going to call him Sammy Sound Monster. What are you calling your monster?
Then feed your monster some objects that begin with its’ favourite sounds. The challenge is to find things beginning with ‘s’ or ‘a’ or‘t’ and let your monster snack on them! Make sure there are lots of silly sound effects too!
Remember to practice writing the initial sound too:
|
Say the sound |
name the letter |
write the letter |
|
Stretch sssssssnake |
letter s |
slither down the snake |
|
Bounce a a a apple |
letter a |
round the apple, down the leaf |
|
Bounce t t t t tower |
letter t |
down the tower, across the tower |
I’ll be back tomorrow with some more sounds to find
From Mrs Ganner
Date: 6th May 2020 @ 10:44am
Good morning,
Another sunny day! 
First all of all I want to thank everyone who has sent in pictures of them doing my wellbeing challenges, it's fantastic to see and hear about how you're enjoying doing them! Have a look at the Past Challenges bit at the bottom to see some photos.
Today's challenge is another one to get you moving and do a mini workout. Sometimes it can seem a bit scary or time consuming to do a whole workout so these mini workouts are perfect if you want a quick break from doing school work or even from just watching TV if you fancy a stretch! All of these little energisers from Go Noodle are between 2 - 4 minutes long so perfect for something to wake you up in the morning or as a break from whatever you are doing.
Here are a few that I like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4DnPhR9_mo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KReaoKLA-4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALrdpsWYoJs
Or just go to YouTube and type in Fresh Start Fitness to see a variety of mini workouts.
Remember to email EALhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk with any photos of you doing any of the challenges.
Have a lovely day!
Mrs Glover
Past Challenges
So many fantastic photos of what you've all been up to, well done!
CBeebies Reading Challenge Wednesday 6th May
Date: 5th May 2020 @ 4:26pm
CBeebies Reading Challenge Wednesday 6th May
Today’s story, 'No Matter What’ is read by Suranne Jones. It makes me feel happy when I read this story and there are so many rhyming words in this book too – just like in yesterday’s book.
Can you tell your grown-up some words that rhyme and then keep adding more to make a rhyming string?
I found two words that rhymed ‘small, all’ and then Mickey and Minnie helped me play a game to create more ’all’ words like ball, fall, call, nall, sall, rall, zall - yes that’s right I included some silly billy rhyming words too. Send a video in of you playing the game with your family.
Maths Daily Challenge - Wednesday 6th May
Date: 5th May 2020 @ 4:21pm
Maths Daily Challenge - Wednesday 6th May
Yesterday we looked for shapes that you could touch and trace around in your home. Today I want you to go outside with a grown-up and take a piece of paper and a pencil with you please. Find a safe place to look at your house. If it’s raining take a photo and look at it inside. Look at the pictures of houses I’ve attached to this blog. Is your house exactly the same? Is there one that is similar? Is it completely different? Talk to your adult about what you can see.
'My House' Drawing Challenge
What shapes did you see on your house? Is the main building a square shape or is it rectangular? Maybe it’s a tall shape or a wide shape. Trace the shapes of your house in the air whilst holding your pencil. Stand far enough back and using your whole arm. Ask a grown-up to help you if it’s a bit tricky. Now draw your house on paper. Are you going to colour it in using the same colours as your real house or will you choose your favourite colours? I think I’d like a rainbow roof and spotty bricks in my dream house
I hope you enjoy your maths challenge today.
I’ll see you around on here tomorrow, don’t be square, make sure you’re there (sorry about that rubbish joke)
From Mrs Ganner
Phonics Daily Challenge - Wednesday 6th May
Date: 5th May 2020 @ 4:11pm
Phonics Daily Challenge - Wednesday 6th May
UPDATE Thursday 7th May :
WE HAVE BEEN SENT FAMILY PHONICS CHALLENGE VIDEOS
from 2 of our amazing families.
👀 TAKE A LOOK 👀
Can you remember reading ‘Alfie’s Alphabet’ yesterday? I’ve attached a photo of the drawing that I made of my family. Did you remember to do one of your family? Do it now if you forgot and then take a look at how to complete today’s activity.
Active Alphabet Challenge
Click on the YouTube link to join in singing and dancing to the alphabet song.
Then look on the A-Z photo attached to see if you can complete your initial sounds active challenge. I’d love to see a video of you doing it. Can your whole family complete their initial sounds actions? There is a video of me completing my ‘V’ challenge too.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more phonics fun
From Mrs Ganner
Date: 5th May 2020 @ 12:42pm
We have had some new players on the NUMBOT website and app!
Well done to everyone who has started playing the games. If you haven't had your log in details yet you can get them by sending a request in to our home learning email:
nurseryhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk
Here are the players who have played so far:
NNH
Ott E-101, Jay Milliplex, Bolt Numberclone, Vesper Sigma-1
NVG
Gold Aeroplex, Tiny Earthtron, Merigold Digitar, Sparky Hydra-2.1, Junk Stellatronic, Z.O.E Autopod, Joy Stellastar, Krypton Aqualon, Stone Ultramorph
Keep watching updates on the blog to see who has been playing these fabulous number games! Will you join the robot number challenges?
CBeebies Reading Challenge Tuesday 5th May
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 2:55pm
CBeebies Reading Challenge Tuesday 5th May
I hope you enjoyed last night’s story, I know I did. Our second story of the week is read by Robert Webb and the story is called ‘The Big Animal Mix Up’ In this book lots of the animals get all mixed up in a really funny way and there are lots of pairs of rhyming words in it. I spotted ‘fur,purr’ and ‘laugh,giraffe’
Can you tell your grown-up some words that rhyme in the story?
Night night sleep tight
From Mrs Ganner
Maths Daily Challenge - Tuesday 5th May
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 2:29pm
In Maths this week we are going to be naming and describing shapes. First of all I’m going to read you the shape book from our maths area in school. You will have seen this book before and talked about what you can see with your friends when you have played with it in class. Watch the video then complete the challenge.
Shape Hunt Challenge – naming shapes and tracing around them
Did you notice how I traced around the shapes in the book? If you look around inside your house you will be able to find shapes to trace around too. Notice if the shapes have curved or straight edges. Draw the shapes you find and see if you can match them to the shapes in the book using the photos attached.
What kind of shapes have you found? Are they straight or curved? Can you think of other words to describe your shapes?
I’m going on a shape hunt now. I’ll be back tomorrow with more marvellous maths games
From Mrs Ganner
Phonics Daily Challenge - Tuesday 5th May
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 2:27pm
Phonics Daily Challenge - Tuesday 5th May
To start our week of Phonics learning, watch the video of me reading ‘Alfie’s Alphabet’. This is one of my favourite books by Shirley Hughes because we see lots of people and objects in Alfie’s life that link to the letters of the alphabet.
Alphabet Challenge
I’d like you to start thinking about the initial sounds that are in your life. What sound does your name begin with? Can you find that page in ‘Alfie’s Alphabet’ and point to the capital letter on that page?
Find the pages for your family and say their name then say their sound then say the name of the letter
e.g. Alfie, a, capital A
Draw your family and label each person with their initial sound capital letter. You’ll be able to use this drawing with the action challenge I set for you tomorrow.
My family’s Christian names begin with A, M, S, V. Can you remember what my family’s names are?
Take a look at 'My Family' below and have fun drawing yours.
I’ll post another phonics challenge tomorrow
From Mrs Ganner
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 11:28am
Good morning everyone,
I hope you all had a good weekend and are ready to work hard on your learning (and your wellbeing!) this week.
Today's challenge has actually come from a website that Mrs Hughes sent to me to look at so thank you Mrs Hughes!
Today I would like you to think about resilience which means keeping strong and bouncing back even in a difficult situation. I'd like you to design a Shield of Strength.
Think about what your strengths are, especially the ones that can help you at the moment while we're not in school, and write or draw (or both!) onto a shield. Here is my shield that you may want to use for help: 
I have attached a template of the shield in case you want to use it but otherwise you can just fraw a shield on a plain piece of paper.
As always I would love to see your challenges so please send them to EALhomelearning@ravensbury.sch.uk
Mrs Glover
Past challenges
Thank you to Shawnakaye who has sent me a couple of photos of things that make her smile!
CBeebies Reading Challenge - Monday 4th May
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 8:30am
CBeebies Reading Challenge Monday 4th May
Today Angelica Bell is going to read ‘Nobot the Robot with No Bottom’. What a funny title and what a funny book! It made me giggle when I read it. Another reason I like it is because the animals are very creative with their uses for Nobot’s bottom! Tell your grown-up what you like about it and why.
Can you send me some photos of you using an object in interesting and different ways?
Night night sleep tight
From Mrs Ganner
Weekly Vocabulary Challenge ‘Baby Animals’
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 8:28am
Describe the Baby Animals Weekly Challenge
I bought this book from Home Bargains last week for you. I know how much you like animals. You might have some animals like these at home. We call them pets. I haven’t got any pets but if I did, I’d love to have a dog. Dogs are silly and they like cuddles, which is a bit like me! Tell your grown up what you know about pets. How do you look after them?
Watch and listen to the Show Me Video and join in pointing to the words as I read the story. You’ll need your listening ears too because I’m going to ask you lots of questions.
http://www.showme.com/sh?h=9hZkYee
Use the Superhero Speaking Cape Symbols from class to help you (see photo below)
Pause the video: Can you use shape words to describe the animals?
Shape Vocabulary –describe the shapes – round, circular, tall, pointy, wide,
Pause the video: Can you use texture words to describe the pictures?
Texture Vocabulary– fuzzy, soft, fluffy, silky, squidgy, smooth
Challenge:
Find groups of objects in your house and sort them by shape or texture. Can you describe your objects using interesting vocabulary? I’ll post the groups I found on Friday
I hope you find lots of objects to put in your groups. Maybe you could have some spiky objects or some hard objects. Make sure you send in photos or videos of your learning to
nurseryhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk
Have Fun
From Mrs Ganner
Weekly Connected Curriculum Challenge 'The Family Book - Creating Family Art'
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 8:08am
Creating Family Art
This week we will be learning about our families and there are lots activities you can choose to do after listening to the story I am reading for you. Watch the video of me reading 'The Family Book'
Choose one or more of the challenges that your family would like to complete with you and then send your photos to us
nurseryhomelearning@ravensbury.manchester.sch.uk
Exciting Science Challenge (You need a packet of Skittles sweets)
Do the ‘skittlescope experiment’ together and use your speaking skills to find out what will happen.
First of all watch the video and talk to your family as you find out together. Explain what you think is happening and try to work out what will happen next as you watch this video. Then retell the video and carry out the experiment for yourself using your super scientist skills.
Messy Outdoor Art Challenge (see photo below)
Create a picture on an old bed sheet using paint filled balloons, your feet, hands and body! Use your hands to move the paint and draw your family’s faces. Can you write your name too? Talk to your family about completing this challenge, listen to each other and decide if this is something your family would like to do. Hope the weather doesn’t stop your fun! After creating your art, hang it up on the fence outside and see what happens when it rains next.
What happened to the colours as they mix?
Do you think your art will look the same as the children’s in your class at school? Why do you think that?
Artist’s Creative Colour Mixing Challenge (see photos below)
Use a paintbrush to experiment mixing new colours using 2 or more paints. Use these colours to paint a picture of something you like. You might want to paint your family or your house or a pet or another rainbow for your window? You can choose anything you want because you are the artist.
The picture below is by an artist called Banksy and he created it to honour the NHS workers. I love how the ‘S’ is like the Superman logo because our NHS workers are all Superheroes.
I can’t wait to see your photos!
Have an amazing time learning with your family
From Mrs Ganner
imoves fun for the body and mind
Date: 4th May 2020 @ 8:04am
Note to parents:
Before I post our weekly challenges I want you to join in with one of the fabulous videos from imoves with your child. They are a brilliant company who have made lots of their videos available for parents and teachers for free during this Covid 19 school closure. The videos are fun ways to teach your child about exercise and keeping your mind healthy too. One of my favourites is the worry monster but your child can choose their own.
Active Challenge
Click this link and then find a video like the one in the photo or choose one of your own
https://imoves.com/the-imovement
If you like this video you could try some of the other Active Blasts for children Ages 4-7
Have a blast!
Mrs Ganner
