You are viewing this site in staging mode. Click in this bar to return to normal site.

TOPICS/CURRICULUM

Autumn Term 1

Welcome to Year 2. We hope you have had a lovely summer holiday. The children have been so excited to explore their new classroom and have settled in really well. We are so proud of every single one of them! With a focus of learning through play, we look forward to the year ahead.

Autumn 1 Term Topic: Create - "Is it better to stand out or fit in?"

Building on Y1’s topic, ‘Can one person change the world?, in the Autumn term we will be thinking about how we can stand up for what we believe in, using art. We will be learning about a movement called ‘Artivism’ which is a form of peaceful protest/ activism through art, also known as ‘Craftivism’. The children will use a range of techniques to build towards a finale of an ‘Artivist’ fashion show. Each week, we will be exploring different questions such as ‘How do we fit together?’, ‘Is every voice heard?’ and ‘What speaks louder? Pictures or words’. We are excited to inspire the next generation of artivists and we can’t wait to see what they create!

English Learning

In English, we will use a range of books as a stimulus for our writing such as “every child a song”, “The Journey” and “The Magic Paintbrush”.

  • We will learn about formal and informal writing and have a go at writing letters in both styles
  • We will continue to learn about narrative writing and practise using capital letters and full stops more consistently.
  • We will learn ‘Tricky Witch’ sounds such as ‘dge’, ‘kn’, ‘gn’ and ‘al’
  • We will learn about homophones and suffixes

Mathematical Learning

This term we are focusing on:

  • Counting in ones, twos and tens to 100
  • Counting and estimating a set of objects
  • Place value: partitioning a two-digit number into tens and ones
  • Numbers bonds for numbers under 20
  • Learning different strategies for adding and subtracting larger numbers more efficiently

Art Learning

We will be learning about the 7 elements of art, known as ‘Big ideas’ to analyse artwork by a range of artists. For example, we will look at paper artists such as Elsa Mora to create a portrait. Our main focuses will be 3D art, printing and digital media. At the end of our project, we will put together everything we have learnt to create clothes for a KINDNESS CARNIVAL! More details on this to follow.

PSHE Learning

We will be learning: that families are composed of different people who offer each other care and support; how other people show their feelings and how to respond. We will be looking at conventions of manners and developing an understanding of self-respect.

Scientific Learning

Our topic this term is ‘Animals and their habitats’. We will learn:

  • How to compare the difference between things that are living, dead and things that have never been alive.
  • About food chains
  • Using our ‘Research station’ during Discovery time to learn how to work scientifically. We will observe, compare, group and begin to learn about carrying out our own fair tests.

Music Learning

In music we will be ‘Exploring Simple Patterns’. They will be thinking and learning about patterns in music. The children will be clapping, playing back and creating their own simple patterns in the ‘Understanding Music’, improvisation and composition activities.

Faith and Wonder Learning

We will be looking at answering the question ‘What do Christians believe that God is like?’. We will be talking about how we all see and hear things differently and about how Christians believe that they can talk to God.

Computing Learning

When picturing a computer, thoughts are often of a screen, mouse and keyboard. This unit explores exactly what a computer is by identifying and learning how inputs and outputs work, how computers are used in the wider world and designing their own computerised invention.

PE Learning

We will be focusing on gymnastics during Indoor PE: creating balances on the floor and travelling in high and low positions on apparatus.

Outdoor PE will be based on invasion game skills. Children will also be taking part in the ‘Daily Mile’ and using our new studio for fitness sessions.

How can you help?

  • Offer your time to come in and teach a skill during ‘Discovery time’. For example, sewing, typing, making a snack etc.
  • If you can spare any time at morning drop off or any other time during the day to help with reading, then please speak to your child’s class teacher. You may need to obtain a DBS check first.
  • Listen to your child read their reading book from school as often as possible. Your child can change their own book once they have read at home.
  • Complete the maths homework tasks that are provided each week
  • Keep reading stories to your child to enrich their vocabulary and enjoyment of stories.
  • Offer to accompany your child’s class school trips.

Dates to be aware of for this half term:

  • Tuesday 17th September – Individual/sibling photographs
  • Thursday 19th September – Meet the Teacher 2.30pm

 

Further dates and information may come out from the Office throughout the half term.

Keep an eye on Seesaw for Year 2 parent drop-ins and events.

Please contact your class teacher if you need any further information or have a query on Seesaw or on the email address below:

willow@stmargaretsprimary.rg.uk

cherry@stmargaretsprimary.org.uk

The Year 2 Team

Mrs Hills    Miss Haywood