It’s been a busy start to the new school year in Class 2. We began by writing all about ourselves so we could learn about one another in the class and wrote adjectives to describe our personalities.
In literacy, we looked at a wordless book called ‘Flotsam’. We used our inferencing skills by predicting what we thought the story was about and what might happen based upon the information we could see on the front cover. We wrote speech bubbles for what we thought characters might say considering there were no words. We wrote a setting description based on the wild pictures in the story and then retold the story by writing our own version using the events we interpreted from the book. We also learnt how to write instructions. We looked at the importance of them being in chronological order, being simple and clear for others to read and how they needed to be bossy! We made fairy bread and then wrote instructions for how to make it. We completed work on the Great Fire of London by writing a fact file where we had to research facts and use our projects from home to share what we had learnt. Finally, we wrote free verse poetry based upon Christmas.
In maths, year 1 children learnt about place value within 10 where we counted forwards, backwards, recognised numbers as words, compared, ordered and so much more! Another unit was addition and subtraction within 10, using our prior learning on place value, we used number bonds and the part-whole model to help us write number sentences. Shape was also looked at. We learnt about 2D and 3D shapes, where we named them and their features and created patterns using a range of these shapes Year 2 children also learnt about place value within 100, addition and subtraction and shape. In place value, we looked at tens and ones by partitioning, compared, estimated, ordered and counted in 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s. In addition and subtraction, we used bonds to 100, added and subtracted from and across a 10 using two 2-digit numbers and worked out missing number problems. In shape, we counted sides and vertices on 2D shapes, counted faces, edges and vertices on 3D shapes, sorted, made patters and drew lines of symmetry.
Science was based on seasonal changes. We looked at the four seasons, understanding the changes that take place in each. We investigated how we can measure rainfall by completing an experiment where we recorded our findings. We also looked at day lengths, weather forecasts and diaries, deciduous, coniferous and evergreen trees, as well as both an Autumn and Winter walk to look for signs of each season.
In geography, we looked at holidays and destinations where we also completed projects at home based on our experiences. We learnt about destinations, weather patterns, physical and human features, as well as using resources such as photos and maps. We created our own holiday destination to include a range of features we felt tourists would look for when choosing where to go on holiday.
In history, we looked at the Great Fire of London, where again, we completed projects at home to find out some facts before we begun our learning in school. We shared our projects which helped us look at the housing and how London is different in the present compared to the past when the Great Fire of London happened. We looked at the key events so we knew the order of events and how the fire started. We learnt about what life was like in the 17th century, sources of information and how London has changed since the Great Fire of London in 1666.
In art, we completed a unit called fabricate. We had to create an under the sea placemat by weaving paper and adding decoration. We also made a paper bay using the weaving technique, which we found quite challenging! We then moved onto designing, creating, dying and evaluating a batik. We stuck to the under the sea theme by planning what our batik would look like. We drew the design in our sketchbooks, used muslin and wax-resist sticks to trace our chosen sea creature and then used ink and paintbrushes to dye certain parts of our coasters. We then evaluated them to figure out what we felt we did well and maybe some things we would change and improve if we did it again.
DT was all about moving pictures. We explored a range of books containing different mechanisms and discussed how these made the book interesting. Each week we focussed on a different mechanism: levers, sliders and wheel mechanisms and practised using this technique for a book. We then chose at least one of the mechanisms we had explored to design a pager for our class Christmas book to share with Class 1 children. We then made our pages using a range of resources. We invited Class 1 in so we could share our pages and get their thoughts. From this, we then evaluated our own pages from the feedback and our own opinions.
Our first question in RE was ‘What is it like to be a Muslim?’ We learnt about Allah, Mosques, the 5 pillars, the Qur’an, stories from the Qur’an, Ramadan and Eid. We were also lucky enough to go on a school trip to Jamia Mosque in Derby where we got to find out all the features and rituals for Muslims. Our second question was ‘How is Jesus the light of the World?’. We looked at our feelings associated with light and found that light had more positive feelings than dark where most were negative. We then looked at the link to the Christian creation story where God separated light and dark. Light and Jesus was looked at, with references to the Bible and our own experiences in worship. We spoke about light at Christmas and the Star of Bethlehem where we created our own stars as Christmas decorations.
Our focus in PSHE started with ‘What makes a good friend?’. We learnt how to make friends with others, how to recognise loneliness and what to do about it, how to be friendly and what makes a good friend, how to revolve arguments and asking for help if we feel unhappy in a friendship. We then moved onto our second question, ‘What is bullying?’ We learnt about how words and actions can affect how people feel, how to ask and give/not give permission regarding physical contact and how to respond if physical contact makes us uncomfortable or unsafe, why name-calling, hurtful teasing, bullying and deliberately excluding others is unacceptable, how to respond if this happens in different situations and how to report bullying or other hurtful behaviour, including online, to a trusted adult and the importance of doing so.
In PE we have looked at athletics – circuit training – where we learnt how to hop, skip and jump, the importance of balancing and being in control of our movements. We also looked at standing jump/long jump, 25m sprint, javelin/shuttlecock throw, races and target throwing. Ball skills (throwing and catching) was also something we learnt. We focused on rolling and stopping a ball, throwing underarm, throwing overarm, catching and bouncing and catching a ball.
Computing started off with online safety. We looked at how to use the laptops safely and correctly. We then learnt how to log onto Purple Mash, speaking about sharing logins with others, how to access our work area and becoming familiar with Purple Mash topics and tools. We then moved onto pictograms, by looking at data in pictures, creating a class pictogram and recoding results. We looked at a unit called ‘Lego Builders’ where we had to follow instructions. This linked to our literacy topic. We had to follow and create simple instructions on the computer and consider how the order of instructions affects the results. Our final unit was on technology outside of school where we looked at what technology is and the types of technology we would find and use outside school, sometimes even on a daily basis without realising.
