Summer 2, Week 5 and 6
A lovely couple of weeks here in Year 2!
Last week we spent the day at Cotswold Wildlife Park as part of our ‘Africa’ topic. We spent time exploring a range of different animal’s native to Africa, investigating the types of natural habitats the animals live in. We discovered some of the natural behaviours these animal’s display. We heard lions roar, saw monkeys being silly and penguins chilling. We also got to see some of the plants Africa has that are a lot less common in our country such as cacti. The children had a lovely day exploring the park and would like to thank the park and the volunteers accompanying us for making the day possible! For more pictures make sure you have a look on our class page! https://cropredyprimary.co.uk/cotswold-wildlife-park-pictures/
In maths we have enjoyed learning about statistics including tally charts, pictograms and bar charts etc. The children have enjoyed manipulating physical objects such as match sticks while practicing their skills of making tallies. We have now started out last topic of the year – position and direction where we are consolidating our knowledge of key vocabulary such as left, right, between, forwards, backwards.
In science we have continued working scientifically, conducting a new experiment – do wooden or plastic materials float better on water? The children have really enjoyed these practical lessons exploring what it is like to be a scientist and how they conduct fair tests, plot data and write conclusions.
We are looking forward to next week where we will be making a moving monster in DT and leaning all about why Canada speak French during our MFL lessons.
I am very grateful to the children for making my first year at the school so memorable and enjoyable. Amazing progress has been made. They really are a special class, and I wish them the best heading into Year 3!
Summer 2, Week 3 and 4
We have been very busy in year 2 over the past couple of weeks!
We have started our new maths topic of time – a tricky concept to grasp but I have been amazed by how much the children have learnt in such little time. We began the topic by introducing O’clock and half past before moving on to quarter past and quarter to and have reached the stage where we are practicing telling
the time in 5-minute intervals!
In science we have continued to work scientifically! The children have learnt how to conduct a fair test –keeping all variables the same except the one we are testing. We investigated which type of paper towel could absorb water the quickest – keeping the volume or water, time and size of paper towel the same and changing the type of paper towel. We then concluded out results using a bar graph and writing about what we found.
During the heatwave we have had a brilliant time taking part in our Building Bridges session, inspired by our school value of building bridges to a brighter future. We moved around different activities Some of us enjoyed sketchin
g famous bridges and doing bright, careful colouring, while others got busy building railway track bridges for trains to travel across. We also created amazing Lego bridges and strong Duplo bridges for cars. There was even a cosy reading station where children could relax and enjoy a quiet moment before joining the next activity.
We are now looking forward to our school trip on Monday to Cotswold Wildlife Park! The trip links nicely to our topic of Africa – exploring some of the African animals they have at the park
Summer 2, Week 1 and 2
A great start to the final half term of the year in Year 2!
The children have returned to a very wet forest school. They weren’t afraid to get wet and muddy evidenced by the photos below!
In maths, we are enjoying learning about volume and capacity where we have used jugs and cylinders tomeasure in millilitres and litres – another wet lesson!
In English, we are continuing our work on Africa – writing a narrative comparison on Cropredy and The Masai Mara. The children have loved watching a live stream of the Masai to inspire their writing, making sure to include expanded noun phrases and paragraphs.
We have also had an amazing afternoon celebrating the range of talent we have in Year 2. I was so impressedby the enthusiasm and passion shown by the children, it was a joy to watch!
Summer 1, Week 5 and 6
A very busy couple of weeks in Year 2!
As you are aware, Year 2 completed their SATs this week. I am incredibly proud of the children for the fantastic effort and positive attitude they showed during their assessments. They approached each paper with confidence, resilience and determination. Their hard work throughout the year has truly shone through, and I could not be prouder of everything they have achieved.
In addition to this we have also been busy in many other curriculum areas too:
In science we have enjoyed writing up the results of our experiment, investigating the differences in plant growth with and without light. We explored the similarities and differences between the two plants, concluding that germination can happen without light, but to maintain healthy growth, light is required.
In PSHE we have completed our unit working on relationships by celebrating all our special relationships we have. To show our appreciation we created cards to a loved one to tell them how important they are. Some children even decided to write a poem of appreciation!
Summer 1, Week 3 and 4
We have had a lovely past couple of weeks in Year 2!
In Humanities we have continued our geographical work – this week focusing on the points of a compass and creating our own mnemonic to help us remember. We then explored the school grounds using our compasses identifying the different directions.
In science the children are loving the practical element of our plant’s topic – this week we have been learning all about the germination process starting with water, warmth and light awakening the seeds and ending with the taproot emerging. We then had a look at a seed in the middle of the germination process to end an enjoyable afternoon.
In English we have started our new learning journey – writing an explanation text on how plants grow. To get a feel for what we need to write we practiced our oracy using drama techniques such as hot seating, freeze frames and collaborative acting.
Summer 1, Week 1 and 2
What a lovely start to the new term we have had in Year 2! The children have returned full of enthusiasm for our new topics and ready to learn!
In maths we have begun our topic of length and height where we have explored the school measuring different objects, thinking about whether we need to measure in cm with a ruler, or in metres with a metre stick.
In science the children have loved starting our new plants topic where we have worked scientifically to test whether plants will germinate and grow in a dark place. We have had some lovely afternoons in the sunshine planting our seeds and watering them daily.
In Humanities we have enjoyed starting our new topic on Africa – where we have begun exploring the geography of our world naming and locating the seven continents.
If you have not already done so please head over to the Year 2 class page on the school website where you will find the overview of learning for this term along with a letter to parents. Also, on the school website you can find the best way to support your child through SATs which Year 2 will be sitting this term. Please keeping practicing the past papers on the website to help consolidate the learning they have done so far!
Spring 2, Week 3, 4 and 5
A lot of amazing learning in Year 2 over the past couple of weeks!
In maths we have continued our work on multiplication and division, using multi-link cubes to share and group numbers based on division number sentences. The children have made use of their times tables to help them with their division facts and have spent time consolidating key vocabulary such as commutative – learning that just like addition, multiplication is also be calculated in any order.
The children have loved the practical element of science this term. This week we have spent time exploring our school grounds looking for living things we can use to create food chains. Mr Stratford hosted a competition for the best individual or group to come up with the most interesting food chain based around a living thing found on the school grounds.
In humanities we have been enhancing our map work skills looking at the different oceans of the world, using atlases to help us plot these oceans on a world map. We then discussed which oceans Christopher Columbus and Ernest Shackelton would have crossed while exploring and whether Neil Armstrong would have needed to cross any oceans to get to the moon – an interesting talking point!
In English we have started a new learning journey writing a biography on Mae Jemison. We began this by using our art skills to inspire our research of Mae Jemison. Mr Stratford and Miss Tritton were left speechless by how amazing our artwork was that we made an ‘emergency display’ in the KS1 corridor to showcase our skills!
Spring 2, Week 1 and 2
With multiple appearances from the sun it finally feels like Spring is here in Year 2! We have been taking full advantage of the weather and enjoying lots of practical learning outside.
In Maths we have begun our new unit of ‘multiplication and division’ where we have started off by looking at equal groups. After discussing what makes groups equal, we went outside to make equal groups using equipment found around the school.
In Humanities we are still enjoying learning about ‘Great Explorers’. We have spent the last couple of weeks comparing explorers and the places they have travelled to. We made use of Venn diagrams to compare the similarities and differences of Armstrong and Columbus and then we used a map of the world (and a picture of the moon) to compare the locations of the places they have travelled to.
In RE we have also started a new unit this term, learning about Palm Sunday and the Holy Week. The children have enjoyed incorporating the use of drama into their learning to gain a deeper insight into the events of Palm Sunday.
In Science we are now learning all about ‘living things and their habitats’ where we have focused on microhabitats at forest school as well as exploring the rest of the school grounds looking for things that are alive, dead or things that have never lived.
Year 2 also thoroughly enjoyed World Book Day yesterday where we were able to celebrate all our poems we carefully recited this week. I am so proud of how brave and how clearly the children spoke while reciting their poems. It was so lovely to hear changing tones and expressions throughout their poems.
Spring 1, Week 5 and 6
Another busy couple of weeks in Year 2! I have been so impressed with the resilience and determination the children have shown this term. Every child is working so hard and is producing some amazing work as a result.
In Art the children have finished making their collages. They have loved exploring different techniques to create different kinds of scenery. We’ve spent a lot of time manipulating resources to fit our piece and explored how we can reshape and rotate materials.
In science, we have been busy exploring animals. This week we have been looking at different kinds of offspring, including live young and those hatched from eggs. We played a matching game where we matched the animal to its offspring before creating a diagram of a frog’s life cycle.
In maths, we are now focusing on money. So far, we have we used notes and coins to make a certain amount. Mr. Stratford’s auction has regularly been open for business where numerous items were sold at a certain prize. The bidders then had to make sure they had the exact amount of money.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with me this week at parents’ evening. It was great to catch up on how the children are doing. Please spend some time looking at the SATs materials on the school website with the children. Having that familiarity with a test paper will help them begin to understand how to answer a range of different questions.
Have a lovely half term!
Spring 1, Week 3 and 4
Another busy couple of weeks in Year 2!
The children have loved our “shapes” topic in maths. We’ve been doing lots of practical learning on the unit, giving the children the chance to sort 3D shapes and make patterns with different shapes too. We have used our knowledge on sides, edges, vertices and faces to group shapes based on these properties.
In English we have begun our work on instructions. To understand what instructions are, we spent a lesson writing to Mr Stratford telling him how to make a ham and cheese sandwich. We learnt that it is important to make instructions clear and precise to avoid any confusion such as putting a whole tub of butter on one slice of bread!
In humanities, the children are thoroughly enjoying learning about “Great Explorers”. We have covered the adventures of Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstrong so far. Mr Stratford has been completely blown away by the passion and enthusiasm Year 2 have towards humanities. Their ability to retain and recall knowledge is outstanding!
We have also been spending a lot more time focusing on key reading and comprehension skills over the past few weeks. Please continue reading with your child at home. It really makes a huge difference!
Spring 1, Week 1 and 2
A very busy couple of weeks in Year 2 to start the new term! We have thoroughly enjoyed sharing all our Christmas stories and settling back into routines.
Art – the class have enjoyed experimenting with texture as we start our new art topic painting. The pictures below were created with different tools such as lollipop sticks, crunched tissue paper, straw, string and rope as we explored texture this week. No paintbrushes were used!
Maths – We have begun learning all about shapes in maths where we have identified 2D and 3D shapes and explored sides and vertices. The children have been extremely engaged in this topic, and it is so lovely to see children so focused during maths lessons. Next week we will continue our work on shape and focus on lines of symmetry, drawing 2D shapes and investigating patterns.
British Bee Association Visit – last week, Year 2 was visited by the British Bee Association to conclude our science topic on biodiversity. The children learnt lots of valuable information about bees and were given the opportunity to try on beekeeper suits, handle equipment and taste and compare honey. The children (and Mr Stratford) loved every second of it and we thank for association for organising volunteers to give up their time to visit us.
For lots more pictures of our bee afternoon, please see the Year 2 class page on the school website!
Autumn 2, Week 5 and 6
It has been another exciting couple of weeks in Year 2!
In English, we have finished writing our persuasive leaflets – convincing people to visit London. To practise our persuasion, we enjoyed picking an object from around the room and convincing our peers why they should buy it. We focused on giving statements about the object including facts and opinions and used rhetorical questioning as a selling technique.
In Maths, we are still engaging with our addition and subtraction unit. We have spent a lot of time consolidating our knowledge and practicing different mental and written strategies to help us. We have recently subtracted a two-digit number from another two-digit, using base ten (dienes) to physically subtract from a number to gain a deeper understanding. This week was also our long-awaited Nativity performances! The children were amazing! They all have done incredibly well learning lots
of songs, dances and lines. Every single student had part of the Christmas story to share and are now experts on why Christians celebrate Christmas. Some of the children even played dual roles which is an amazing achievement and proves their commitment to making the show happen despite lots of illness over the past week. We thank you all
for coming and hope you enjoyed watching the show!
Autumn 2, Week 3 and 4
What an amazing couple of weeks we have had in Year 2!
On Monday we visited the Tower of London which the children were so excited about and loved every second of! We explored numerous parts of the tower including the Jewel House where we got to see all the different Crown Jewels – a collection of different crowns and royal possessions still used in ceremonies today. After exploring the different parts of the tower, we were then met by Margaret Penn (the real-life neighbour of Samuel Pepys) who took us back in time to 1666 when The Great Fire of London started. The children were captivated by her knowledge and wowed her with their understanding!
In English, we have started our new learning journey writing a persuasive leaflet, convincing people to visit London. We have enjoyed engaging in oral activities such as hot seating, giving speeches and group work to prepare us for our written task, enabling us to gain a deeper understanding of persuasion. We look forward to writing our leaflets next week.
In Maths, we have been super busy learning how to add and subtract one and two-digit numbers from other two-digit numbers. A tricky task that we will continue to consolidate throughout the year. I have been super impressed by the resilience and determination of the class. Their love of mathematics continues to blow me away every day!
Forest school/science – despite the weather, the children are blooming in forest school. Their love of nature is inspirational! Over the past couple of weeks, we have made our very own bug hotels – giving important minibeasts somewhere to rest over these colder months. We have also developed our knowledge on bees, conducting a fact hunt while making our very own bee models.
Nativity – the children have continued to enjoy rehearsing for our Nativity. Their excitement grows stronger by the day! A friendly reminder that the children need to bring their costumes into school by Monday 1st December ready for dress rehearsals. If there are any issues with sourcing a costume, please let me or a member of the team know. We are now at a stage where we will be rehearsing without our lines. Please can the children keep practicing at home to perfect their part of the show! We cannot wait to perform for you!
Autumn 2, Week 1 and 2
It’s been so lovely seeing how well Year 2 have adjusted back into school life over the past two weeks. We are fully engaged in our new English learning journey where we are learning all about narratives. We have read books on Paddington Bear and have started to write our own narrative about Paddington visiting our school! The children have written some amazing sentences using commas in a list, exclamation marks and co-ordinating conjunctions.
In Humanities, we are still enjoying learning all about The Great Fire of London where we have investigated who was to blame for the fire. We have created wanted posters based on the evidence we have and have started to explore different artefacts linked to the fire.
The children have started forest school for the first time this year. We have learnt key collaboration and communication skills while also linking our learning to our new science topic of biodiversity searching for minibeasts living at our school! We worked scientifically making a prediction on which minibeasts we would see the most, recording our investigation using a tally chart and then wrote a conclusion.
We have also started rehearsing our nativity ready to perform for you. Please can I kindly ask that the children keep learning their lines at home to support our rehearsals.
Autumn 1, Week 7 and 8
We’ve had another great couple of weeks in Year 2! The children have all shown such resilience with their learning, despite the long eight-week term.
In maths, we have consolidated our knowledge of place value, looking at counting in 2s, 5s, 10s and 3s, using a range of resources to assist us with our counting. We have now started our addition and subtraction unit where we have been looking at fact families, related facts and number bonds to 100 (using tens).
In English, we have done lots of writing this past week, writing a letter to the Lord Mayor of London instructing him on how he could extinguish the fire, as well as our diary recount, explaining the events of the fire from our own point of view as if we were in London in 1666. The children continue to amaze us with their writing capabilities!
In science, we have come to the end of our ‘uses of everyday materials’ unit where we have explored how certain materials can change shape by bending, twisting, squishing and stretching. We have then investigated why it may be useful to change the shape of certain materials.
We hope you all have an amazing half term; the children have worked incredibly hard and we’re so proud of them!
Autumn 1, Week 5 and 6
Over the last two weeks, Year 2 have enjoyed the start of their diary recount, creating a diary entry as if they were in London in 1666 when the fire broke out. So far, we have explored how a diary recount should be written in the past tense, first person and should be chronological, using time connectives to help us.
In maths, we have come to the end of our place value topic where we have expanded our knowledge to comparing and ordering 2-digit numbers. We used a range of objects and math resources to help us do this and we look forward to starting our addition and subtraction unit next week.
We have also been very busy in science where we continue to look at the uses of everyday materials. Over the past couple of weeks, we have tested material suitability – looking at why some materials are more suitable to certain roles than others. We investigated these roles by exploring whether materials are hard, soft, waterproof, transparent, translucent and opaque.
Finally, we have had some very successful humanities lessons where we continue looking at The Great Fire of London. We now know that the fire was able to spread so quickly because of the hot, dry conditions of the 1666 summer along with the narrow streets and flammable wooden houses. We then explored how Londoners attempted to extinguish the fire using leather buckets, water squirts, fire hooks and gunpowder and discussed how this differs to firefighting today. We were then able to link our learning to science when we investigated what a fire needs to burn (fuel, oxygen and heat). We lit a candle and covered it with a glass to show that starving the flame of oxygen would extinguish it.
Autumn 1, Week 3 and 4
We have had another very enjoyable two weeks in Year 2! Our first English learning journey has come to an end with the children each producing a setting description based on The Great Fire of London. We have focused on using exciting adjectives to describe our surroundings, verbs to describe what the fire was doing and using our senses to describe what we could see, hear, smell and touch, all while remembering to write in the present tense – we’ve learnt a lot!
In maths, we’ve continued with our place value topic focusing on partitioning numbers into tens and ones and in phonics, we’ve consolidated our phase 5 graphemes as we get ready to transition to spelling lessons after half term. We have also spent a lot of time on PSHE learning about roles and responsibilities, rewards and consequences, and how to work as a team.
In humanities, the children have thoroughly enjoyed our Fire! Fire! Topic. We are now experts on knowing where, when and how the fire started, and we’ve learnt some key knowledge surrounding the River Thames. We’ve focused on what an Atlas is and how to use one and discovered how our local river connects to the River Thames (the same river the locals used to try and extinguish the fire back in 1666).
Autumn 1, Week 1 and 2
What an amazing start to the year we have had in Year 2! Ms Tritton and I have been amazed with how well the children have transitioned from Year 1 into Year 2 and the launch of our new school vision ‘Building Bridges to a Brighter Future’ was a huge success thanks to the children’s unlimited enthusiasm and dedication.
In English, we looked at adjectives and expanded noun phrases to create fun and exciting sentences to describe a range of bridges around the world. In Art, we looked at Monet’s impressionism style and recreated his famous ‘Bridge over a Pond of Water Lillies’ painting where we learnt how we can use water colours as a background to our oil pastel drawings (as the oil resists the water). In DT, we designed and built a bridge out of everyday materials, carefully selecting which materials would be more suitable for a bridge. In RE we explored our new school parable “The Good Samaritan” and learnt the importance of kindness, not just to our friends, but to everyone.
This week the children have really enjoyed being fully immersed in our Fire! Fire! Topic. We have learnt how The Great Fire of London started, which lane it started in and who may be responsible for the fire happening. We’ve also started our place value topic in maths – exploring and comparing different numbers and our setting description topic in writing – using adjectives and verbs to describe the fire.
