Welcome back! We hope you have all had a lovely and relaxing Christmas. We wish our families a very happy new year!

Our topics this half-term are 'Starry Night' and 'Winter Wonderland.'

In the Starry Night project, we will explore the differences between the world at nighttime compared with daytime, through a range of exciting and creative activities. We will learn about nocturnal animals and how they find food when it is dark. Children will find out about people who work at night and the different jobs that people do when we are asleep. They will discuss bedtime routines and the importance of a good night’s sleep. They will explore the night sky and find out about the Moon and stars.

Ideas to support your child at home:

*Look at the night sky and see how many stars you can see each night.
*See how the Moon changes shape each night.
*Go on a short walk after dark or go into the garden. Take a torch to light the way. Discuss how things look different in the dark.

In the Winter Wonderland project, children will explore the seasonal changes that happen during winter. They will find out about the different weather associated with the winter season and explore changes that happens to water as it freezes.  We will be looking at what happens to plants and animals during cold weather and explore places in the world that are always cold and snowy, including the animals that live there.

Ideas to support your child at home:

*Go on a winter walk and talk about how the environment has changed since the summer months.
*Put bird food out in the garden or on a window ledge and observe the birds that visit.
*Leave water out in a shallow container overnight on a cold night and see if the water freezes.
*If it snows, build a snowman, and take a photo of it to share with the rest of the class.