Year 2 | Isle of Ely Primary School

Welcome to Year 2

Caterpillar and Spider classes are our Year 2 classes at the Isle of Ely Primary School.

Who works in our classroom:

Mrs Godfrey (Mon-Tues) Mrs Silveira (Wed-Fri) Mrs Wreathall Mrs Anna Frost

Mrs Claire Harrison Mrs Samantha Lambert Mrs Diane Magroun

In Year 2 this half term, we will be learning:

Subject	Content
English	Children will learn about writing setting descriptions using the Talk4Writing approach beginning with a cold write and then moving through the imitation, innovation and independent stages. Our model text is The Tunnel and is an example of a portal story. We will be focusing on ensuring we use the spelling rules which have been taught so far and spelling common exception words correctly. We will also build a ‘settings toolkit’ to improve the content of our writing before we produce our hot writes. This half-term the children will also have a writing assessment based on a style of writing they have already learned about. During this half term, we will be reading Counting on Katherine a biography by Helaine Becker and The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt to develop our VIPERS skills (vocabulary, inference, prediction, evidence, retrieval and summarise).
Maths	Addition and subtraction (2): This unit directly builds upon what children have learnt previously and provides an opportunity for what they have understood to be applied to larger numbers. Children will progress to addition and subtraction involving two 2-digit numbers, again representing the steps within these calculations visually with different resources. Properties of shapes: This unit focuses on the properties of 2D and 3D shapes. Children will learn to describe and sort shapes based on the shapes’ mathematical properties, using the correct terminology. Children will also draw on their counting skills and their ability to compare and order numbers. In this unit, children will learn to describe and categorise shapes based on their number of sides, vertices, edges and faces.
Science	This half term, we are going to be learning about living things and their habitats. We will be learning about different habitats, such as desert and rainforest habitats and the animals that live in them. We will find out how animals have adapted and evolved to be able to survive in different environments. We will also be looking at food chains and learning vocabulary such as consumer, prey and predator and the relationship between these.
Geography	In geography, this half term, we will be looking at maps. We will start by planning a map of the school site and then having a go at drawing our own. We will also learn about cartographers, planning routes and maps, globes and the equator. This unit will be enhanced by the visit of an explorer who will talk to us about using maps in real-life situations and who will set us an orienteering challenge to test our skills.
Religious Education	In RE this half term, we will be learning about the importance of Christmas to Christians. We will explore the Nativity story, the importance of advent and how Christmas is celebrated around the world. Much of the learning will be incorporated into our rehearsals for the nativity play.
Design and Technology	We continue our cooking unit this term. Following on from the pizza making activity, this half-term we will be making gingerbread men. Hopefully some will make it home this time!
Music	In music this half term children learn about music based on a rhythmic ostinato (a short rhythm which is repeated throughout a piece of music) by studying Ravel’s Boléro. By studying Boléro the children also begin to understand how composers use dynamics (the volume of a piece of music): Ravel’s piece starts very quietly and gets louder and louder (a ‘crescendo’) and finishes very loud. They go on to study another piece which is built on a crescendo: In the Hall of the Mountain King by Grieg. By marching to the beat of the music and comparing the piece with Ravel’s Boléro they explore how the beat/pulse (the heartbeat) of a piece of music can stay at the same speed (tempo), get faster (accelerando) or slower (rallentando). By studying In the Hall of the Mountain King the children learn that music can be used to tell a story. Children then work in groups to create different parts of music using body percussion and untuned percussion instruments to portray the journey of a train. They make use of crescendo, accelerando and rallentando to reflect the movement of the train.
Physical Education	Sending and Receiving: In this unit pupils develop their sending and receiving skills including throwing and catching, rolling, kicking, tracking and stopping a ball. They will also use equipment to send and receive a ball. Pupils will be given opportunities to work with a range of different sized balls. They will apply their skills individually, in pairs and in small groups and begin to organise and self-manage their own activities. They will build on their knowledge of sending and receiving by applying their skills in different situations. Invasion Games: These are games where there are two teams and two goals. Teams try to score in the opposition goal. For example, football, handball, rugby, netball, basketball and hockey. Children will develop the principles of defending and attacking for invasion games. They will use and develop skills such as sending and receiving with both feet and hands, as well as dribbling with both feet and hands. They will learn how to score points in these types of games as well as learning how to play by the rules.
Computing	This term we will be creating media and in particular focusing on digital photography. We will learn to recognise that different devices can be used to capture photographs and will gain experience capturing, editing, and improving photos. Finally, the children will use this knowledge to recognise that images they see may not be real.
Art	This half term we will be focusing on line and patterns. We will learnt different types of lines and how lines create different effects within paintings and drawings. We will learn about visual and tactile texture and how to create this using different types of lines.
Personal, Social and Health Education	Celebrating difference: In this unit, children will be learning about diversity and how our differences makes us unique. They will also be learning about how to recognise what is right and wrong and how to stand up for themselves and others. Anti-Bullying: 11^th – 15^th November 2023. To celebrate this, the children will partake in some activities with the theme of Anti-bullying at the forefront.

Our class text is: Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker

Our PE dates are: Tuesdays and Thursdays

Knowledge Organisers:

At the Isle of Ely Primary School, we use knowledge organisers as a tool to enhance our students learning and to allow parents and carers to support their child's learning. In our knowledge organisers you will find essential knowledge, key dates, vocabulary and key figures where relevant. These can be used as a fun assessment tool which will ensure that students remember more and learn more in the upcoming unit of work.

Newsflash!

Week Commencing 16th December

We have had a very Christmassy last week of term! The children enjoyed performing our Nativity on Tuesday. I’m sure you will agree they did amazingly! Thank you to everyone who was able to attend. The costumes were all fantastic too! We took part in the Santa Dash where the children enjoyed a Christmas themed run around the playground. In DT, the children worked in groups to make gingerbread biscuits. They evaluated what went well and what they could do better next time. On Friday, we completed a Christmas maths challenge and celebrated the end of term by playing games and watching a Christmas movie. Happy holidays!

Week Commencing 9th December

This week, we have had our final rehearsals for our nativity and enjoyed performing to the school. In English, we have been learning about alliteration in poetry. We read a list poem using this and created our own Christmas version. The children also wrote their own alliterative poem about a theme of their choice. We learnt about lines of symmetry in maths. The children were able to recognise the lines of symmetry within a 2D shape and draw the reflection of a 2D shape. In geography, we have been looking at maps, globes and atlases. We practised using atlases to find continents, countries and the equator. In art, we used our knowledge of different types of lines to draw an animal.

Week Commencing 2nd December

On Wednesday, we had our movie night which the children all enjoyed. They have earned their first IOE 20 badge which will be sent home soon. In maths, we have started our unit on shape. We have been learning about the properties of 2D shapes, looking at the number of sides and vertices, and have been practising drawing them with a ruler. The children have written their hot writes in English. They have been able to follow the structure of portal stories and use the setting tools we’ve learnt. In science, we have been learning about food chains and the transfer of energy between the living things. Ask your child to give you an example of a food chain including a producer, consumer and predator. We have enjoyed practising our nativity and getting to grips with the stage. Please continue to practise the children’s lines at home with them so they can be confident with their performance.

Week Commencing 25th November

In English this week, we have written a class innovation of a portal story. The children were able to use the tools we have been learning to describe the settings. We have completed our unit on addition and subtraction in maths. Ask your children to show you the methods we’ve been learning to add and subtract two-digit numbers. We have also been learning how to solve missing number problems and worded problems using bar models and part whole models. In PE, we have been learning about invasion games and practising working as a team to attack and defend. We have been practising our lines for the nativity. Next week, we will be stepping up our rehearsals. Please continue to practise the children’s lines with them as they need to know these off by heart.

Week Commencing 18th November

This week has been assessment week. The children have all worked extremely hard to complete maths, reading, spelling and grammar tests. We have started practising our lines for the Nativity and are learning the songs with actions. In Science, we learnt about rainforest and desert habitats. The children were able to identify the features of these and we discussed how animals are adapted to their habitats. In geography, we have been learning about maps and the children created maps of our school site using symbols and a key.

Week Commencing 11th November

As part of anti-bullying week, the children took part in a House afternoon around the theme of ‘Choose Respect’. They enjoyed working within their houses to create anti-bullying badges and playing games to promote team building. In English, we have been learning tools to help us describe the settings in our stories. We have been using our five senses to describe what we can see, hear, smell, feel and taste, as well as describing the weather. In maths, we have continued to practise subtracting 2-digit numbers, including exchanging. The children have been using base ten as well as drawing representations of this to help them work out the answers. Our PSHE has been discussing similarities and differences between ourselves, and understanding that our differences are what makes us unique. The children have been given their parts for the Nativity and we have read through the script together. We will be sending their lines home soon so please practise these.

Week Commencing 4th November

Welcome back to school. We hope everyone had a lovely half term! This week, we have started learning the songs for our Nativity, along with actions. We will be giving out parts next week and are excited to start rehearsals soon. In English, we have started our unit on portal stories. We have explored the well-known stories of Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to help us get an understanding of these. We have consolidated our learning on adding 2-digit numbers and have started learning how to subtract 2-digit numbers. We have been using base ten to support our understanding of this. In science, we have been classifying things into whether they are alive, dead or inanimate objects. We have learnt what processes all living things do to in order to survive.

Week Commencing 21st October

This week, we have written our hot writes. The children all chose their own animal to write their own non-chronological reports about. The children have been learning how to add two-digit numbers in our maths lessons. We have been using base ten to support our understanding of exchanging across the tens barrier. In DT, we designed and created our own pizzas. The children enjoyed mixing the ingredients together and kneading the dough. They chose their favourite toppings to add to these and practised their slicing skills. We also attended a Diwali workshop where the children learnt the story of Rama and Sita and were given the opportunity to act this out.

Week Commencing 14th October

In English, we have innovated our model text to a non-chronological report about Rabbits. The children were able to use the tools they have learnt in their writing: lists of three using commas, present tense to describe and subheadings to organise the paragraphs. Our maths has been learning how to subtract numbers using partitioning and our number bonds. For example we can break 34-7 into 34-4=30, then 30-3=27. In RE, we learnt about the Jewish festival Hanukkah and the origins of this. We have also designed our Christmas card templates this week. The designs will be sent to you in the coming weeks for you to place your orders.

Week Commencing 7th October

It was lovely to see so many parents at our parent share on Tuesday. Thank you for joining us. This week, we have started our English unit on non-chronological reports. The children understand that these are non-fiction and include factual information. We have learnt our model text on Gorillas and can retell this using actions. In maths, we have continued our learning on addition and subtraction. We have been using our knowledge of number bonds to help us add 3 numbers. For example for 2 + 4 + 8, we would first do 2 + 8 = 10 then 10 + 4 = 14. We have learnt about hieroglyphics in history and had a go at writing our names using them.

Week Commencing 30th September

In maths, we have started a new unit on addition and subtraction. We have been learning our number bonds to 20 and looking at fact families with these. The children have planned and written their own monster stories, following the structure of our model text. Our art this week used our knowledge of tints and shades to create a painting of the settings from their stories.

Week Commencing 23rd September

In English, we innovated our model text into a new class version following the pattern and structure. Caterpillars wrote The cunning Wolf and Spiders wrote The fiery Dragon. We have been practising reading through our own work to make sure we have included our capitals letters and full stops. In maths, we have been ordering numbers from biggest to smallest. We have also been counting forwards and backwards in 2s, 5s and 10s. Our computing lesson looked at what inputs and outputs are. The children labelled parts of a robot and decided what their robots could be programmed to do.

Week Commencing 16th September

This week, we have been learning our model text The Snow Queen, using actions to help us remember the story. We have been looking at how the past tense is used to retell the story and expanded noun phrases are used to describe the characters and setting. We have boxed up the story and learnt the pattern of a defeating the monster story. In maths, we have been using number lines to count in ones and tens. We have also been comparing objects using the vocabulary more than and less than. In Science, we have been learning about our skeletons and the role it has in protecting our organs. We learnt the names of some of our bones too. Ask your child to show you where their skull and ribcage is! We have started our RE unit on Judaism and have been learning about the synagogue as their place of worship.

Week Commencing 9th September

It has been a fantastic start to a new school year. The children have settled into their new classes well and are enjoying their learning. In PSHE, we have been looking at our rights and responsibilities, as well as rewards and consequences and how this relates to our learning in the classroom and our role in our community. In maths, we have been using base ten to represent numbers to 100 and part whole models to partition them. We have also been learning how to write numbers as words. Our history this half term is about Ancient Egypt. We have found out where Egypt is and the importance of the River Nile.

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