Weekly Learning Focus
Nursery started a new theme this week: Plants. Each child planted their own seeds in a pot in the classroom.
Palm River Academy · Hội An
Early Years Weekly Newsletter
Quarter 2 · Week 25 min read
This week both Early Years classes learned about plants.
Nursery planted their own seeds. Kindergarten checked on the chia seeds they planted last week, found out how a leaf breathes, and made cards for Vietnamese Women’s Day. Both classes made mango and banana fruit leather in Cooking. Halloween Dress-Up is next Friday, October 30.
Nursery
Exploring Plants
Discovering Plants
Children looked at real plants and used their senses to see, touch and smell them. They compared plants with flowers, plants without flowers and plants that grow fruit, and found the parts of a plant: stem, leaves, flowers, fruit and roots.
English in Action
Children listened to “The Seed Song” and watched a short video, “How Plants Grow.” They learned the words plant, seed, flower, leaf, stem, root, soil, water, sun and air. They reviewed the letters Cc, Kk, Ee and Mm through songs, stories and games, and practiced counting and naming numbers and colors. Building flashcard towers and hunting around the classroom had them listening, speaking and following instructions. Children are growing more confident at recognizing letters and words, and at answering in English.
Maths
Children counted classroom objects up to 10, named basic shapes, and compared objects by size: big and small.
Make & Create
Children painted sunflower stems and made Halloween ghosts by gluing white toilet paper around large paper circles. They used the words for plants, colors and Halloween while they worked.
Moving & Playing
Children ran to find flashcards and tapped each one when the teacher called out the word. In morning activities they practiced running and jumping. Planting kept their hands busy too: scooping soil into pots, planting seeds and watering them.
Growing Together
Children were excited to join in. While planting, they helped one another scoop soil into the pots, and they practiced sharing toys during play.
Looking Ahead
Nursery will keep exploring plants and learn more about the parts of a flower.
- PhonicsReview the letters Rr, Hh, Dd and Gg, their sounds, and the first sound in familiar words.
- Fine Motor SkillsTracing, mark-making, playdough, letter hunts, matching games and crafts.
- Listening & SpeakingFollowing instructions, new words, and answering simple questions.
Kindergarten
Caring for Plants
Weekly Learning Focus
Kindergarten learned the letter sounds Gg and Oo, counted and recognized numbers 21 to 50, and kept learning about plants: how to care for them, and how a leaf breathes.
Phonics & Early Reading
Children learned the sounds Gg and Oo through an animal rescue game and practiced forming both letters. They read Pet Panic, spotting the sounds they know and blending them into words, and practiced writing the letter Rr. At Show & Tell, children showed a robot and a racing car, saying what colors they are and where they came from. Their friends asked questions and they answered.
Maths
Children found and circled numbers on an A0 sheet, made numbers on calculators, and put magnetic numbers in order.
Understanding the World
Children reviewed the parts of a plant and what each one does, then learned the four stages of the chia plant’s life cycle: seed, germination, seedling and mature plant. They checked the chia seeds they planted in eggshells last week and recorded what they saw in a Chia Plant Growth Journal. They also talked about caring and uncaring ways to treat plants, and learned the steps to grow one. Each child made a short presentation on how plants grow and gave it in English in front of the class.
Science & Investigation
To find out how a leaf breathes, children put a leaf in water, left it in a sunny spot, and used a magnifying glass to see the tiny bubbles on it. They learned that leaves have tiny holes called stomata that let gases in and out, and the words leaf, oxygen, carbon dioxide and bubbles. They practiced watching for changes, saying what they saw, and making predictions.
Vietnamese Women’s Day
For Vietnamese Women’s Day (October 20), children made “Bloom with Love” cards for their mothers, grandmothers and other people they love. They drew and decorated the covers and wrote their messages inside in English.
Morning Movement
Children exercised and played with tweezers and balloons, cardboard and balloons, and rings and balls, working on coordination and balance.
Growing Together
Children watered the class plants every day and took responsibility for helping them grow.
Looking Ahead
Kindergarten will keep learning about plants and how to care for them, and will do a short quiz on the alphabet.
- PhonicsLearn the sounds Ll and Ff, and the tricky words I and the.
- MathsReview numbers 1–50 and find the numbers before, after and between.
- Understanding the WorldContinue Caring for Plants.
Cooking
Nursery & Kindergarten
Both classes made mango and banana fruit leather this week. Children reviewed the words chop and cut, learned puree and blend, and picked out the letters in mango, banana and water.
Family Reminders
- Tuesday: Please bring one favorite item for Show & Tell.
- Friday: Please pack a change of clothes for Water Play.
- Friday, October 30: Halloween Dress-Up. Children are welcome to wear their favorite Halloween costume.
Thank you for being part of our learning community. We look forward to another week of discovery, creativity, and growing confidence in English! 🌈
Warm regards,
Palm River Academy English Center
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