Year 2

Journey to Africa

On Wednesday 27th February Class 2 took a fantastic role play journey to Africa.

We made passports for travelling, wrote lists for packing for different types of holidays in Africa and packed an imaginary case to take with us. Then we visited an airport set up in the hall, checking in, passing through passport control and security checks before boarding our plane.

Once on board we assumed the roles of cabin crew, pilots and passengers before touching down in Africa.

We then used our senses to explore our holiday destination.

Finally, we wrote postcards home telling our loved ones all about our trip to Africa and...

... there are lots of photographs of our journey in "Our Photograhs" pages

Ready for Take Off.....

Year 2 - Spring 2014 - 2

Dear Parents,

A warm welcome back!

Please find below a brief outline of your child’s learning journey for this half term.

Our topic will be: Hooray! It’s A Holiday!

In Art and Technology, we’ll be finding out:

•  About some of the pictures that are used to record holidays
•  How we can / have recorded our holidays
•  About designs for holiday souvenirs

  In Science:

•  We will become more aware of the huge variety of living things from different parts of the world.
•  We will group them.

  In Geography, we’ll be finding out:

•  Places people go on holiday
•  How they get there
•  Things people do on holiday
•  What people wear and take on different types of holidays

  In Literacy, we will be finding out about:

•  Plan and role play a trip to Africa – Meerket Mail by Emily Gravett
•  Recount our trip
•  Write and improve postcards from holiday destinations
•  Explore the world of work through becoming travel agents
•  Diaries 
•  Humorous poetry
•  Fantasy stories

  In Physical Education / Music we’ll be finding out:

•  Multi-skills activities
•  How to take part in a variety of games / sports with Lincoln
•  Continue our work with Mrs Stone in music sessions

  In ICT, we’ll be finding out:

•  Planning instructions to make things happen and describing the effect of actions
•  Designing holiday grids for the Beebots and developing them into games

  In RE, we will know and reflect on:

• The importance of the celebration of the Mass
• The readings at Mass and why we should listen to them
• That at the offertory we offer gifts to God
• That at the Consecration the bread and wine are changed into Jesus

We will also make a Lenten Tree. Each day the children will be encouraged to do something different at home or at school, whilst also learning about how other children live in Africa. At the same time this will be a great opportunity for Class 2 to help families that are less fortunate.

Find out more about this project at: www.sendacow.org/lent-challenge

In Numeracy, we will:

• Have a sense of a minute and know there are 60 seconds in a minute
• Weight – kg / g
• Addition and subtraction using the 100 grid
• Change from 50p (Counting up to find the difference)
• Capacity
• Block graphs / pictograms
• Multiplication and division – Word problems / arrays / grouping
• Number facts to add small numbers
• Mental addition and subtraction

Things to note for this half term

• Spellings will continue to be given and tested on Thursdays.
• Maths passport will continue on a weekly basis.

The children are invited to bring in holiday pictures / postcards and will be encouraged to keep holiday diaries if any trips are taken.

The children will need to bring in a plain white t-shirt to make a souvenir holiday T-shirt.

Please send it in as soon as possible in a bag marked with your child’s name.

The Circus came to Year 2 in January.

There are lots more photos in the Gallery

Spring 2014

Dear Parent,

Happy New Year!

Please find below a brief outline of your child’s learning journey for this half term.

Our topic will be: the Circus Comes to Town

In Art, we’ll be finding out:

• How to draw faces and understand expressions
• About the work of artists who have painted pictures about the circus
• Taking inspiration from famous world circuses to create artwork

  In History, we’ll be finding out:

• What circuses were like in the past
• About some of the people who made circuses famous
• How circuses have changed over the years

In Science, we’ll be finding out:

• Forces relating to pushes and pulls in circus acts as a starting point
• Forces around us in school and in toys
• How forces can change the shape of things
• How to make sure a test is fair

  In Technology, we’ll be finding out:

• Designing and making circus puppets

  In Geography, we’ll be finding out:

• Famous world circuses such as Cirque Du Soleil, The Moscow State Circus and The Chinese State Circus
• How to use maps and atlases to locate famous world circuses

  In Literacy, we will be finding out about:

• Traditional tales from other cultures
• Instructions
• Poetry about our senses

In Physical Education / Music we’ll be finding out:

• Music and movement relating to the circus performers and animals in the circus
• How to balance and make movements used in circus performance
• How to take part in a variety of games / sports with Lincoln
• Continue our work with Mrs Stone in music sessions

  In ICT, we’ll be finding out:

• How to make circus posters / tickets for Circus Sensible’s visit
• How to draw a plan for our own circus
• How to make a leaflet on the circus

  In RE, we will know and reflect on:

• How Jesus can change sadness into joy
• That we should always remember to thank Jesus for his help
• That Jesus used his power to help others
• How Jesus brought the good news of God’s love

In Numeracy, we will:

• Compare numbers using the symbols < and >
• Identify properties of numbers and use this to sort them
• Use ordinal numbers in context up to 10^th and beyond and solve problems using ordinal number
• Round 2-digit numbers to nearest multiple of 10
• Add and subtract 2 -digit numbers
• Measure and compare weight using uniform non-standard / standard units
• Have an idea of the length of 15, 30, 60 seconds, 1 minute
• Recognise multiples of 2, 5 and 10 and describe patterns /
• Record multiplication facts for the 5 times table /
• Begin to relate multiplication with division /
• Understand grouping as one model of division /
• Imagine what action would be needed to solve a word problem
• Fractions of amounts by sharing 

Some minor changes to note for this half term

• Spellings will now be given and tested on Thursdays.
• Maths passport will resume from Monday 13^th January.
• Circus Sensible will be holding a workshop for the children on Wednesday 8^th January and the children are invited to come to school in circus themed clothes on this day.

Our learning Journey for Autumn 2 2013

Welcome back!

Watch out! Watch out! There may be Vikings and dragons about in Class 2 this half term!

We have 2 great mini topics planned for this half term: ‘Time Detectives’ and ‘How Are You?’

In Literacy we will study:

In Maths we will study:

• Fractions
• Coins to buy objects up to 20p and giving change
• Counting in 2s and 10s and begin multiplication
• Doubling and halving to 20
• Adding and subtracting, 10, 11, 20, 21
• 2D shape and polygons
• Carroll diagrams and Venn diagrams
• Adding multiples of 10 to 2-digit numbers and adding and subtracting near multiples of 10

In Science and Technology we will be finding out about:

In History we will become time detectives to find out about life in Viking towns and to answer 4 key questions based on ideas from the children:

• Did Vikings really fight dragons?
• Were the Vikings just raiders and thieves?
• What did the Vikings do?
• What happened to Vikings when they died?   

To answer these questions we will be looking at different sources that can be used to find out about the past such as stories and sagas, historical sources, maps and vocabulary, eye witness accounts etc. We will also become archaeologists uncovering artefacts and even finding out what the Vikings ate from looking at Viking pooh!

In RE we will be exploring the theme - The Mysteries with the children having the opportunity to:

• Know and reflect on mysteries
• Know that there are three persons in one God and we can think about Him in different ways
• Know and reflect on God’s choice of Mary and Joseph
• Know that Jesus is God’s Gift to the world.

In Music Mrs Stone will continue to work with the children to develop their skills in this area and later in the term we will, of course, be getting in the festive spirit learning songs for a Christmas celebration.

MFL – The children will continue to have fortnightly Spanish lessons.

We will also be using ICT across the curriculum to support our learning wherever possible, undertaking activities such as using the Internet, Google Earth and developing keyboard skills when bringing work to a published format.

Finally, the children have a role play area entitled ‘Dragon School’ and we would be very grateful if parents have any role play clothes on the theme of Vikings or dragons that they could donate. It may be a great opportunity to get creative with your child and encourage them to make their own!

We also have a Take Away Pizza Parlour in our Numeracy Area to help the children to put their learning about money, time and fractions into practice. If you have any menus / leaflets or role play items that you feel may be of use, they would be greatly received! Homemade Playdoh would also be of use if you are feeling creative!

We are also on the look-out for a Viking ship for our small world area and Viking figures or dragons. Once again any donations or home- made creations would be warmly received!

We also collect small items for junk modelling e.g. small boxes / cartons / buttons / lids / yoghurt pots / newspaper etc.

Thanks!

Mrs Poole – Class 2 Teacher

In History and Geography we will be finding out about:

• The flag and countries of Great Britain
• How to use maps, atlases and ICT such as Google Earth to support our learning
• Toys then and now
• Food and shopping past and present
• How big machines such as tractors / helicopters have changed over time

 In Art and Music we will:

• Develop observational drawing skills by making self portraits and drawing toys
• Developing painting techniques using different mediums and equipment
• Singing rhymes and beating out rhythms and recording our work
• Exploring ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ music
• Attend lessons by the peripatetic music teacher

In PHSE / MFL we will:

• Celebrate difference and tolerance
• Explore the things we love and hold dear
• Sharing
• Greetings in other languages
• Attend lessons by the peripatetic Spanish teacher

In RE we will be exploring the theme The Chosen People, with the children having the opportunity to

• Know we are chosen and gifted by God and we thank god for choosing us by helping others
• Know why God chose Abraham and that he trusted God to guide him; reflect on how we trust God
• Know that God chose Moses to help his people and that we are chosen to help others
• Understand that Daniel had to be brave and have faith because he was chosen
• We will also find out about the patron saints, St George, St Andrew, St David and St Patrick as part of our red, white and blue themed week.

In PE we will be undertaking work in the areas of gymnastics and multi-skills with Lincoln, our PE specialist.

We will also be using ICT across the curriculum to support our learning wherever possible, undertaking activities such as using the Internet, Google Earth and developing keyboard skills when bringing work to a published format.

Mrs Poole – Class 2 Teacher

Welcome to Class 2!

General information for the start of the new academic year:

PE will be on Monday and Thursday but kits should be in school all week if possible.

Spellings will be tested on Friday and new spellings will be set on this day each week. A Homework Words booklet and accompanying letter of explanation will be sent home during the first week. Please keep an eye out for it in your child’s book bag.

Reading books will be issued during the second week. They will be changed on a weekly basis unless the text is very lengthy. Please ensure book bags are in school on a daily basis though, as other opportunities for extra reading may arise within the week. The colour band selected has been based on reading comprehension assessments made at the end of Year 1 for each child.

The children will also bring home a Maths Passport Booklet by the end of Week 2. A letter will accompany this booklet to explain the purpose of the booklet and how it should be used at home.

From time to time additional work may be sent home to support your child’s learning journey. We greatly appreciate your support in extending your child’s learning at home.

Please don’t hesitate to come in after school if you have any questions or queries.

Kind regards,

Mrs Poole – Class 2 Teacher

In Geography we will be finding out about:

• Places people go on holiday
• How they get to their holiday
• Things people do on their holidays
• What people wear on their holidays

In Art we will be finding out:

• About some of the pictures that are used to record holidays and artists who depict holidays in their work
• How we can / have recorded our holidays
• About designs of some holiday souvenirs

In ICT we will be

• Planning instructions (Using the Beebots)

In RE we will be exploring the theme The Church is the family of God, with the children having the opportunity to

• Know that when the apostles received the Holy Spirit they spread the Good News and that we can spread the Good News too.
• Know about the early Christian community and understand that we are part of the Christian community today
• Know that the apostles realised that God could work through them
• Know the story of Peter’s escape from prison and reflect on its meaning

In PE we will be exploring skills for simple net, striking, fielding ad invasion type games.

Finally just a couple of additional points to keep in mind:

PE remains on the same days (Tues / Thurs) but kits should be in school all week if possible.

Spellings will be given on Fridays and tested on Fridays as usual. These will reflect the high frequency words and phonic patterns studied in our daily phonics lessons.

The children may have Maths Passport Targets to work on from time to time, so please keep an eye out for these!

Thanks for all your hard work supporting reading at home! Please continue to ensure book bags are in school on a daily basis though, as other opportunities for extra reading may arise within the week. This half term we will be looking at different styles of writing such as posters / postcards / explanation texts etc in our guided reading times and following this up in Big Writing. As a consequence comments in the diary may refer to these texts rather than the reader sent home.

Please don’t hesitate to come in after school if you have any questions or queries.

Kind regards,

Mrs Poole – Class 2 Teacher

St_J_Y2_Ideas_for_supporting_spelling_at_home.pdf

Summer Term 2013

Dear Parent / Carers,

I hope you have had a lovely Easter and that the children are looking forward to an exciting Summer Term! It is lovely to be back at St Joseph’s while Mrs Howarth is on maternity leave and I am very much looking forward to meeting you all over the next half term.

This half term we will be focussing on the following knowledge, skills and understanding:

In Literacy:

In Maths:

• Ordering numbers to 100, then 200 using place value
• Investigating number facts (pairs to 20 and pairs of multiples of 10 to 100)
• Adding and subtracting 19 or 21 by adding or subtracting 20 and adjusting
• Adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers by adding multiples of 10 then units
• Telling the time to ½ , ¼ hours
• Gathering and handling data
• Handling and using money
• Counting in 3s and 4s
• Finding the difference between 2-digit numbers

We will also be working on a theme that focuses on ‘Buildings’.

In Science we will be finding out about:

In Geography we will be finding out about:

• Different houses and homes and other buildings around the world
• How to use maps, atlases and ICT such as Google Earth to locate the different countries these buildings are in

In Design and Technology we will:

• Designing and making buildings and structures

In ICT we will be

• Making a presentation about buildings incorporating text and sound and photos

In RE we will be exploring the theme of Eastertide, with the children having the opportunity to

• Know that Jesus rose from the dead and still lives to be with us
• Know that Jesus told the disciples that he would go back to Heaven but promised that the Holy Spirit would come to the Apostles and will also come to us
• Know that Jesus returned to Heaven and promised to return again and this gives us hope
• Know the story of the coming of The Holy Spirit on the Apostles

In PE we will be exploring multi skills such as agility / balance and coordination.

The children will also have opportunities to develop and follow their own interests this half term. For example, some of the children were very taken with caterpillars on a pre visit! So we are hoping to have caterpillars this half term in class so that we can observe their change into butterflies first hand!

Finally just a couple of additional points to keep in mind:

• PE remains on the same days (Tues / Thurs) but kits should be in school all week if possible.
• Spellings will be given on Fridays and tested on Fridays as usual.
• Reading books will generally be changed on a weekly basis unless the text is very lengthy. Please ensure book bags are in school on a daily basis though, as other opportunities for extra reading may arise within the week.
• From time to time additional work may be sent home to support your child’s learning journey. We greatly appreciate your support in extending your child’s learning at home.

Please don’t hesitate to come in after school if you have any questions or queries.

Kind regards,

Mrs Poole – Class 2 Teacher

Spring Term 2013 - Second Half Term

Dear Parents / Carers,

This half term we will be focusing on the following skills, knowledge and understanding.

In Literacy:

• Phonics
• Read information texts.
• Use Contents and Index page.  
• Write a Glossary about a specific topic.  
• Design poster as an information text.
• Plan and write an adventure story.  

In Maths:

• + and – a single digit number from a 2 digit number.  
• Recognise 2D shapes.   
• Symmetry.
• Handling data – sorting shapes.
• Telling time to half past, quarter past and quarter to.   
• Multiplication and Division
• Problem Solving

Over the next few weeks we will be working on a theme that focuses on ‘Water’

In Science, we will be finding out:

• Growing plants from seeds
• How much water seeds need to grow into plants
• Look at use of water in school to see if it is being wasted
• Measure how much water is wasted from a dripping tap
• How much water you can save when you brush your teeth

In Geography we will be finding out:

• How much of our earth is water and land.
• Where water is and what lives in and around it
• Different sorts of places that people live in and how where you
  live affects how you use water

In Art, we’ll be finding out:      

• How to draw waterscapes.
• Understand the difference between background and foreground
• We will study Monet – painting water scenes using similar techniques.  

Kind Regards

Mrs Howarth – Class 2 Teacher

The Circus

Dear Parents/ Carers

Over the next 6 weeks Class 2 will be following a unit of work on a theme that focuses on ‘Movement and Entertainment’ 

The Circus is Coming to Town

During this unit we will be focusing on Art, History and Science.

In Art, we’ll be finding out:

• How to draw faces and understand expressions

• About the work of artists who have painted pictures about the circus

In History, we’ll be finding out:

• What circuses were like in the past

• About some of the people who made circuses famous

• How circuses have changed over the years

In Science, we’ll be finding out:

• Which materials would make a waterproof tent

• Which materials to use for circus costumes

• About forces – pushes and pulls in circus acts

As the start of the unit we would like to hold a Circus Day where the children are invited to dress up as clowns, trapeze artists, acrobats, mime artists, jugglers, ring masters, magicians.

The day will be held on : Wednesday 16^th January

Yours sincerely

Mrs R Howarth

Spring Term 2013 - First Half Term

Dear Parents / Carers

This half term we will be focusing on the following skills, knowledge and understanding.

In Literacy:

• Reading books by the same author, e.g. Anthony Browne, Julia Donaldson,
• Use adventurous and imaginative vocabulary.
• Plan and write a story about a familiar character.
• Present information in an explanation text.
• Look at features of non – fiction texts, e.g. contents, index, alphabetical order, captions, bullet points, etc.

In Maths:

• Rounding 2 digit numbers to the nearest 10.
• Count on or back in 10s from any number.  
• Name 3D shapes.
• Weigh and compare different objects.
• Money and problem solving
• Count in 2s, 5s and 10s.

Over the next few weeks we will be working on a theme that focuses on "The Circus"

In Science, we will be finding out:

• Which materials would make a waterproof tent
  • Which materials to use for circus costumes
  • About forces – pushes and pulls in circus acts

In History we will be finding out:

• What circuses were like in the past
• About some of the people who made circuses famous
• How circuses have changed over the years

In Art, we will be finding out:

• How to draw faces and understand expressions
• About the work of artists who have painted pictures about the circus

Kind Regards

Mrs Howarth – Class 2 Teacher

Autumn Term 2012 - Scond Half Term

This half term we will be focusing on the following skills, knowledge and understanding:

In Literacy:

• Introducing longer books with chapters.
• Reading and writing instructions.
• Finding information from non-fiction texts.
• Writing explanations.

In Maths:

• Name 2d and 3d shapes and their properties
• Telling the time to o’clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to.
• Solve multiplication questions for 2, 5 and 10 times tables.
• Solve division problems
• Find halves and quarters of shapes
• Learn 2, 5 and 10 times tables.

Over the next few weeks we will be working on a theme that focuses on the ‘Vikings’

In Science, we will be finding out:

• Which materials would have been used for Viking Long Boats
• Which materials would have been used for Viking clothes
• About Forces – Pushes and Pulls in Viking battles.

In History we will be finding out: 

• How Vikings lived
• What Vikings ate
• Viking Towns

In Design & Technology, we will be:

• Designing Viking Purses
• Finding out the best fasteners for Viking purses
• Making a Viking Purse.

Kind Regards

Mrs Howarth – Class 2 Teacher