Maples (Year 1)

Welcome to Maples Class

Class Teacher: Miss Plater

Email: hplater@bewickbridge.co.uk

Teaching Assistants: Mrs Madhok, Ms Liu and Ms Morwood

Copy of Year 1 autumn 2025.docx

English

We will be learning, writing and innovating different text types. This term we will be studying:

How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth by Michelle Robinson (instruction writing)
Goldilocks and the One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson (narrative)

During these units we will be working hard on our handwriting and presentation and remembering all the things we need to include in our writing. We will also be developing our vocabulary and creativity!

Maths this year!

Science

For the first term in science, we will study animals including humans. We will identify and name a variety of common animals including, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals; identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivore; describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds & mammals, including pets) and identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the human body and say which part of the body is associated with each sense.

Knowledge:

Some common animals are:
Fish: goldfish, tuna, shark, eel.
Amphibian: frog, toad, newt, salamander.
Reptile: snake, tortoise, lizard, alligator.
Bird: penguin, chicken, flamingo, robin.
Mammal: human, mouse, dog, cow
Carnivore: Animals that mostly eat other animals (meat) are carnivores. Eg. lion, wolf, leopard, hyena, polar bear, cheetah.
Herbivore: Animals that only eat plants are herbivores. Eg. horse, cow, rhino, hare. Sheep, hippo, donkey, deer.
Omnivore: Animals that eat both plants and other animals are omnivores. Eg.pig, dog, squirrel, chimpanzee, opossum.
Amphibians: Amphibians live in the water as babies and on land as they grow older. They have smooth, slimy skin.
Birds: All birds have a beak, two legs, feathers and wings.
Fish: Fish live and breathe under water. They have scaly skin, fins to help them swim and they breathe through gills.
Mammals: Mammals are animals that breathe air, grow hair or fur and feed on their mother’s milk as a baby.
Reptiles: All reptiles breathe air. They have scales on their skin.
Carnivore: Animals that mostly eat other animals (meat) are carnivores.
Herbivore: Animals that only eat plants are herbivores.
Omnivore: Animals that eat both plants and other animals are omnivores.
Parts of the human body are feet, legs, arms, hands, torso, head, skin, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, nostril, eyebrow, ankle, elbow, wrist, cheeks and tongue
We have 5 senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell.
Sight: Your eyes let you see all the things around you.
Hearing: Your ears let you listen to all the things around you. Your brain is able to tell what different sounds are.
Touch: Your skin gives you the sense of touch. You can tell if something is warm, cold, smooth or rough without looking at it.
Taste: Your sense of taste comes from your tongue. You can tell if something tastes bitter or sweet. You might have some tastes you like and some you don’t.
Smell: You smell using your nose. Your nose can tell if things smell nice or not nice.

Geography

For the first half term, we will be exploring ‘The World Jigsaw’. We will be learning to name and locate the countries and capital cities within the UK. We will expand upon our locational knowledge by developing our atlas skills to locate the world’s seven continents and five oceans on a world map. Finally, we will identify hot and cold places within the world which will support our understanding of different climate zones.

Knowledge:

The United Kingdom (UK) is a union of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A capital city is a city that is home to the government and ruler of a country. London is the capital city of England, Belfast is the capital city of Northern Ireland, Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and Cardiff is the capital city of Wales. The countries of the United Kingdom are made up of cities, towns and villages.
A continent is a large area of land. The world's seven continents are Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. The five oceans are the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and Southern Ocean.
Warmer areas of the world are closer to the equator and colder areas of the world are further from the equator. The equator is an imaginary line that divides the Earth into two parts: the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Continents have different climates depending on where they are in the world. The climate of a place can be identified by the types of weather, plants and animals found there.

History

For the second part of the half term, learning will be focussed around the topic ‘All about me.’ Children will learn about changes within living memory. They will learn that life used to be different before considering changes that have occurred within their lifetime.

In every unit of history children will be learning and utilising skills in: historical enquiry; historical interpretation; chronological understanding; knowledge and understanding of past events, people and changes in the past; and presenting, organising and communicating knowledge.

Knowledge:

People that are older than me, were born before me.
People that are younger than me, were born after me.
Times were slightly different when my parents/carers were little.
Times were very different when my grandparents were little.
There was a time before my grandparents were born. Life was very different then. People wore different clothes, travelled in different ways, played with different toys and school was very different too.
Discussions of how things have changed during their lifetime.

Computing

For the first part of the term we will start by looking at how we can keep safe online and what to do when we see something we are worried about. We are also going to be looking at what AI is (awareness & exploration).

In the second part of the term children will develop their understanding of technology and how it can help them in their everyday lives. They will start to become familiar with the different components of a computer by developing their keyboard and mouse skills.

Knowledge:

If something happens that makes them feel sad, worried, uncomfortable or frightened they know when and how to speak to an adult they can trust and how the adult can help.

Technology is something that can help them and how so.
A computer is an example of technology.
Choices are made when using technology
Rules are needed when using technology

RE

For the first term in RE, we will be thinking about how the world began from the perspectives of Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism. We will discuss what is meant by creation, and be able to retell the main parts of the Christian and Jewish creation stories. Additionally, we will think about what the Hindu creation story tells some people about God. Having investigated these three creation accounts, we will make links between the Christian, Jewish and Hindu creation stories studied. Alongside explaining our ideas verbally and in writing, we will use art to express our ideas about how the world was created.

For the second part of Autumn term, we will learn about what some people believe God looks like, and understand that different people have different beliefs about God’s form and appearance. We will recognise and explain how Christian, Muslim, and Hindu people refer to God, and identify and describe one representation of God from these religions. Finally, we will show respect for differences and similarities in how different religions represent God, and explain why people use different names for God across religions.

Knowledge:

To know that to believe is when we accept something is true, especially when we do so without proof.
To know that some people believe god exists as a powerful, non-human being.
To know that in some religions, followers believe in one supreme being or god who is loving.
To know that there are different names for god.
To know that creation stories provide people with possible answers as to why we are here.
To know that followers often read religious stories.
Some people believe God exists as a powerful, non-human being.
In some religions, followers believe in one supreme being or God who is loving.
People have different ways of understanding God on Earth (incarnation).
There are different names for God.
There are different ways to refer to and represent God.
Some religious people use art, objects and special times to represent and remember incarnation (God on Earth).

DT

For the first half term and second half term our unit is Mechanisms/mechanical systems: wheels and axles. In this unit the children will be understanding how wheels move as well as being able to identify what stops a wheel from turning. They will go on to design a moving vehicle, understanding what makes a wheel and axle work. Finally, they will build a moving vehicle from recycled boxes and other resources provided based on their design.

Knowledge:

• I know that a mechanism is the parts of an object that move together
• I know that a slider mechanism moves an object from side to side
• I know that a slider mechanism has a slider, slots , guides and an object
• To know that bridges and guides are bits of card that purposefully restrict the movement of the slider
• I know that in Design and technology we call a plan a ‘design’
• I know that wheels need to be round to rotate and move
• I know that for a wheel to move it must be attached to a rotating axle
• know that an axle moves within an axle holder which is fixed to the vehicle or toy
• I know that the frame of a vehicle (chassis) needs to be balanced
• I know some real-life items that use wheels such as wheelbarrows, hamster wheels and vehicles

Art

During art lessons in the first half term the children will be learning how to draw and paint portraits. They will develop their basic drawing and painting skills focussing on control of their pencil and paintbrush as well as mixing primary colours to make secondary colours. We will be studying portraits by several artists but focusing on the work of Lubaina Hamid. In the second half term our textile project will enable the children to experience weaving and felt making.

Knowledge:

A portrait is a picture of a person. If you draw your own face, it is a self-portrait.
Red, yellow and blue and primary colours, green, purple and orange are secondary colours.
Red and yellow make orange, blue and red make purple, yellow and blue make green.
Wool comes from sheep. After being cut off, sheep's fleece is washed and combed to form roving. Felt is formed by rubbing wet roving. Weaving is one of the most ancient forms of human creativity. Strips of paper can be woven together to make a strong piece.

Music

In this unit we will exploring ways of using musical timbres and textures to illustrate a picture. We will listen to musical examples and use our vocabulary to discuss how musical images are created.

Knowledge:

That sounds can be used to represent characters or actions;
that timbre means the quality or nature of a sound;
that texture means the many layers of sound that coincide to make music.

This term, in our invasion games unit, we will be learning to develop skills such as sending and receiving with both feet and hands, as well as dribbling with both feet and hands. We will also have the opportunity to play uneven and even sided games. In the second half term, in our gymnastics unit, we will be learning to develop different shapes, travel in different directions at different speeds and levels, link isolated moves and shapes when travelling, explore rolling movements as a way of travelling and to explore travelling on benches.

Knowledge:

Invasion games

Sending & receiving: know to look at my partner before sending the ball.
Dribbling: know that moving with a ball is called dribbling.
Space: understand that being in a good space helps us to pass the ball.
Attacking: know that being able to move away from a partner helps my team to pass me the ball. Defending: know that staying with a partner makes it more difficult for them to receive the ball. Tactics: know that tactics can help us when playing games.
Rules: know that rules help us to play fairly.

Gymnastics

Shapes: understand that I can improve my shapes by extending parts of my body.
Balances: know that balances should be held for 5 seconds.
Rolls: know that I can use different shapes to roll.
Jumps: know that landing on the balls of my feet helps me to land with control.
Strategy: know that if I use a starting and finishing position, people will know when my sequence has begun and when it has ended.

Reminders

PE Kits: PE lessons will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays afternoon. Please ensure your child comes to school dressed in their PE kits, this is different to Reception. We will have a mixture of indoor and outdoor PE lessons so please ensure your child's PE kit is appropriate for all weathers.

Water bottles, and reading books should be in school everyday.

Please ensure that all items (including lunch boxes, spare clothes and water bottles) are named as this will help us to know who they belong to and return them to their owners. In Year 1, children might have occasional toileting accidents, this is why we encourage you to put some spare clothes in your child’s bag.

Home Learning

We expect children to read daily. School books need to be in school each day.

Over the course of the week, we expect children to spend time learning their weekly spellings (Year 1 common exception words and red words), and learn their Key Instant Recall Facts whist working on their home learning project.

Home learning will include:

Reading x 5 per week (10 mins)
Weekly - handwriting, spellings, maths
Topic based project (1 per term)

red-words-list-matched-to-rwi-books.pdf

Reading at home

We recognise the value of a partnership between home and school to support children in the development of their reading skills. Children who read regularly for 10-15 minutes at home will gain a great deal. Please encourage your child to read at least 5 times a week.

Tips for reading with your child:

Find a quiet space and a quiet time.
Have a look at the front cover together. Ask your child to tell you what they think the book will be about (predict).
Don’t worry if your child gets a word wrong. Encourage them to read till the end of the sentence. They might self-correct, however, if they are really stuck encourage them to use ’Special Friends’, ‘Fred Talk’, ‘read the word’.
Discuss the story and encourage their storyteller voice.

Autumn KIRFs Year 1

Maths at home

These are the KIRF(Key Instant Recall Facts) for year 1 this term.

By the end of this term, children should know the following facts. The aim is for them to recall these facts instantly.

Maples (Year 1)

Welcome to Maples Class

English

History

Computing

RE

DT

Art

Music

Reminders

Home Learning

Reading at home

Tips for reading with your child:

Maths at home

Suggested reading list: