Year 2

Welcome to Year 2!

This year we have Beech and Sycamore classes in Year 2. You can see the teachers, Miss Whitby and Mr Johnson, and our HLTA, Miss Sullivan (who teaches the classes on Friday afternoons), to the right. We also have our TAs – Mrs Coulson, Mrs Smith and Mrs Gee – to support us throughout the week too.

The Spring Term is always an exciting one as we have settled into the routines and expectations in Year 2 and are ready to apply ourselves with growing independence in our learning activities! We also prepare for our first school residential to Tattenhall in March where we will participate in some fantastic activities.

Our main theme for Spring 1 is ‘What Can We Learn From Events in the Past?’

Our book this term is ‘The Dragon Machine’ by Helen Ward. We will be doing lots of drama, storytelling and learning facts about dragons to help us in our writing – this will also link with our work as scientists. We will be reading ‘The Dragonsitter’ by Josh Lacey as our class novel.

As writers, we will learn to:

Write sentences with different forms: statement, question, exclamation, command.
Use subordination (apply because, introduce when).
Use present and past tenses correctly and consistently (some progressive)Read aloud with intonation.
Use punctuation correctly – exclamation marks, question marks.

At the end of the half term, we will be writing our own story based on the style of the author.

We have daily phonics lessons, which introduce new sounds, spelling rules and a new Rainbow (common exception) word each week.

As mathematicians, we use Power Maths and are currently learning to:

Recognise 2D and 3D shapes
Count the sides and vertices on 2D shapes
Learn about symmetry
Count the faces, edges and vertices on 3D shapes
Sort 2D and 3D shapes

As scientists, we will be exploring everyday materials. We will examine and investigate different materials; describe the properties of everyday materials; identify and describe the suitability of everyday materials for particular uses; explore how paper changes when left in water and investigate how materials can be shaped.

As geographers, we will be learning to use simple compass directions (North, South, East and West) and locational and directional language e.g. near and far, left and right to describe the locations and features and routes on a map. We will also be exploring a bird’s eye view and understand how aerial photographs are used to create maps. We will plan perspectives to recognise landmarks and basic human and physical features, then devise a simple map.

As historians, we will be learning about significant event in the History of Britain (The Great Fire of London) and it’s impact on society. The children will learn to sequence a set of events in chronological order and give reasons for their order, recount some interesting facts from an historical event (such as where the ‘Fire of London’ started) and answer questions by using a range of sources (e.g. newspaper, diary, information book).

As sports players, we will be learning how to play attack v defence games and improve our understanding of simple defending and attacking tactics, while continuing to develop an understanding of the transition from defence to attack. The children will learn to move in to space when attacking
and tag the opposition when defending, will understand the consequence of breaking the rules and not applying tactics succesfully. They will develop strong collaboration skills by working with their
own team effectively and playing fairly against the opposition, applying a competent understanding of honesty as they play by the rules and keep the score.

As musicians, we will listen and appraise music, learn about the rap style of music and begin to find the pulse. We will copy back rhythms and pitch, learn a song and play notes on the glockenspiel.

Please take a look at the Knowledge Organisers (to the right) to find out more about what we are learning this half term. Why not take a look at our Twitter account and use #year2uhps, #beechuhps or #sycamoreuhps to see some of the exciting work we have been doing in class.

This half term we will also be taking part in several exciting visits and activities, including some feathery friends joining us in school, a multi-skills festival at EPSV and a special SPAG workshop and assembly.

Top tips for Year 2

Reading:

Reading books and records can be returned to school any day of the week. We will then change the books and send them back home as soon as possible. Please read books and discuss them together more than once before returning.

As part of our reading we use Accelerated Reader at Upton Heath. For children on this system, each time they finish a book there will be a short quiz to take to show their understanding. Year 2 are keen to compete for the weekly awards with the rest of the school and we are sure there will be lots of quizzing happening.

Home Learning:

In Year 2, we use Seesaw to facilitate home learning each Friday. Please ensure your child’s account is active (ask if you aren’t sure) and you use your child’s login (not parent login) to see and reply to Activities. We will also use Seesaw as a form of communication.

Every Friday we will post a log of what the children have been learning that week, along with suggestions for supporting their learning further.

We also encourage children to access the NumBots, TTRS, School Jam and Anima Phonics websites to support their learning and help develop key skills. We encourage all families to look for opportunities to support their child’s learning outside school. This can be through reading and phonics practice, number work, watching educational programmes on TV, use of apps and learning about the world around them.

All children have their Times Table Rockstar / NumBots / School Jam passwords (in front cover of the Reading Records) and should remember to regularly log on and play.

We also teach phonics daily using Anima Phonics (there is a guide in the middle pages of the Reading Record for you to refer to aswell).

Wednesdays in the Woods (outdoor learning):

Every Wednesday, the children in Year 2 go up to the school mini woods to enjoy some outdoor learning and Forest School activities. This is the highlight of the week for many of the children and gives them the opportunity to develop and grow in a different environment. Children will need to come to school dressed appropriately in non-uniform with suitable outerwear. They will also need to bring in a pair of wellies or sturdy boots, which are kept in school for the half term.

PE:

Both classes will have 2 sessions each week. One with the class teacher (Mondays) and the other on a Friday afternoon with Activity 4 All. Children should come into school wearing full PE kit appropriate for the time of year on those days. Full school PE kit consists of: plain white t-shirt, dark shorts / joggers and jumper. Pumps for indoors and trainers for outdoors.

Please refer to the Knowledge Organisers (see right) for our current topics and what we are covering throughout this half term.

If you have any questions about anything, please do not hesitate to ask a member of the team or contact us via Seesaw Messages.

Thank you for all you do to support your child’s education and development at home.

Together everyone achieves more.

The Year 2 Team.