Year 2
English
As part of our topic, the children are going to listen to various traditional tales during story time and discuss the characteristics within each.
In English, the children are going to retell and innovate the narratives ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ and ‘The Monkey’s Magic Pipe.’ During their written tasks, the children are always encouraged to write sentences independently, punctuate them correctly and to use a range of conjunctions to extend their sentences (and, but, so, because, when, if). Making writing lively and interesting is also key so the children are always encouraged to use carefully chosen verbs, adjectives and adverbs to add key detail.
It is important that children apply what they have learnt in Phonics so don’t forget to keep practicing those spelling rules at home!
Maths
The children will be encouraged to apply their understanding of fractions to help them tell the time to fifteen-minute intervals (o’clock, quarter past, half past and quarter to). They will also sequence intervals of time and tell the time to five-minute intervals. Telling the time can be quite difficult, so it is important that the children use the clocks previously sent home to practice telling the time each day.
The children are also going to revisit previous taught methods to add and subtract and apply what they know to add and subtract any two-digit numbers together up to 100.
Maths in Year 2 follows a concrete, pictorial, abstract structure. Children use lots of equipment such as counters, cubes and Base Ten alongside models and images like part-part-whole models, bar models, place value grids and dotty cards. It is only when they are confident using these that they will move on to more formal methods. Children continue to be encouraged to solve problems using drawings and jottings.
If you would like help in supporting your child in maths, please look at our handy ‘Calculating in KS1’ guide.
Science
Our focus this half term in Science is Plants. The children will observe plants over time, describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants and investigate what plants need to grow. Look out for our Science investigations in class and our planters outside the KS1 classrooms.
Art
The children have an exciting opportunity to carefully select appropriate tools and materials to sculpt their own Modrock mask in the style of their favourite fairy-tale character. Once they have made their mask, they will suggest ways they can improve their work further.
Design and Technology
We are excited to announce that the children are going to make a fairy tale puppet during our ‘Learn with Us’ afternoon so please do come and join us.
Before our exciting afternoon, the children will have designed and labelled their character and have chosen the materials they want to use. After, they will evaluate their puppets by stating what they like and identify the things they would change if they were to make a puppet again.
Geography
During Geography, the children have previously used maps, atlases and globes to identify countries, continents and oceans from around the world and have identified key human and physical features. They will now apply their understanding to design their own map to show a character’s journey through the deep, dark woods. They will then use compass points and positional / directional language to write a set of written directions to help a character navigate through their setting.
History
The children are going to learn key facts about the amazing story writer Roald Dahl and then write a biography of his life.
PE
The children will work collaboratively to improvise a dance to Peter and the Wolf. They will listen carefully to the dynamics of the music and use this to inform their movements and actions. Throughout, they will be given opportunities to show their dance and listen to their constructive feedback.
The children will also continue to apply previous taught skills to take part in a range of team games.
Music
The children will take part in Music Workshop each week. During each session, Mr Eastwood will come into school to play a range of songs on the piano and the children will use their voices effectively to change the dynamics and pitch of each song and their hands to tap out the rhythm or to show the tempo.
Back in class, the children are going to use graphic scores to change the dynamics and tempo of songs.
