Reception English Plans (Set A)

These sessions start with the children themselves and their experiences. They share information and write imaginative captions and labels, using books as stimulation, Simpkin by Quentin Blake, Little Monster Did It! by Helen Cooper, and Whatever by William Bee. They remember themselves as babies and create amazing self-portraits.

Fiction: fantasy and reality - Children talk about journeys they've made, local and long-distance. Using the books Through the Magic Mirror by Anthony Browne, The Shopping Basket and The Magic Bed by John Burningham, On the way Home by Jill Murphy, and Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett the children explore and write about fantasy journeys. An Animated Tale about a swallow leads on to work on animal journeys and migration.

Penguin poems kick off this unit enabling children to read and write shape poems on mountains and arctic/antarctica creatures. Linking to continued topic work on journeys, children think about hot and cold climates, insulation and what to wear!

Inspiring unit on traditional tales linking to topic work which includes winter festivals. Looking at 'goodies and baddies', using storytelling as a structure, The Rainbow Book of Nursery Tales by Sam Childs, First Favourite Tales: Red Riding Hood by Mandy Ross and Vera Southgate Or: Lift-the-flap Fairy Tales: Little Red Riding Hood by Nick Sharratt and Stephen Tucker, First Favourite Tales: The Gingerbread Man by Vera Southgate. Children end by telling and writing a traditional tale. You will be amazed at the outputs.

Using some poems, Bedtime Fears by Mike Jubb, Light the Candles by Andrea Shavick, Light the Festive Candles by Aileen Fisher and I’m not afraid of the dark by Kenn Nesbitt, children explore their feelings about the dark and then relate these to Hanukkah and Christmas. Use an Animated Tale to think about the meaning of Christmas. Children look at candles, cook, make Advent calendar and stars and create a Christmas poem present.