Let's Celebrate Fireworks
A new half-term brings a new theme: "Let's Celebrate," beginning with fireworks as our first celebration! Our story of the week, Hovis the Hedgehog, is a story about a poor hedgehog who lost his home on a firework night. The Bears loved listening to the story of Hovis and following his emotions as he got scared, angry, excited and finally calm when he found a new home. We made Hovis some playdough friends in our fine motor activities and built a safe home for Hovis with our different construction equipment. On small world, our hedgehog friends safely enjoyed the firework celebrations with us.
In role-play, we recreated our own firework celebration experiences. We sat around a fire wrapped in hats, scarves and gloves toasting marshmallows, drinking hot chocolate and waving our sparkler fireworks.
On the creative table, we made our pretend sparklers with foil streamers and straws, and learnt how to use sticky tape to secure our streamers to the straw. We created fireworks with chalk on chalkboards and were encouraged to think about the colours and shapes we had seen in a firework display.
On the practical table, we used sparkly collage materials, then coloured playdough and glitter to make firework scenes on the laminated black mats. We also visited the ICT suite for the first time to create a firework scene using a paint programme.
On the writing table, we made marks and patterns with fingers and sticks in bright-coloured glitter and sand. We built CVC words on firework word mats, and used our phonics to write firework food words and a description of a firework display.
Before the half-term holiday, we sent the Bears home with a little brown bag autumn treasure hunt. Back at school, we shared our autumn treasure bags with our friends. Before we took our treasure into the copse, we shared the autumnal classic story Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, and crafted our own leaf man creations. Look how fantastic they are! We created so many different characters.
On Thursday, we looked at the art of Andy Goldsworthy to demonstrate how to use natural materials to create artwork in a natural landscape. In the copse, we worked together to create a collaborative piece of art. Then, as part of our firework celebration week, we shared a camp fire with the Antelopes, and melted some marshmallows. We had to be very careful while we were standing near the campfire. Miss Hatchman was there to make sure we were safe. We enjoyed our s'mores and had a lovely warm chocolate drink.
More fireworks next week as we celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights.