Class 2

Autumn Term 1

Our Learning Journey

This half term we will be focusing on the following areas of learning:

Science: Our unit is 'Materials - What are things made from?' We will be identifying and naming everyday materials, describing their physical properties and comparing and grouping them.

Geography: Our unit is 'What is special about the UK?', where we will name and locate the four countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom and its surrounding seas. We will identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and we will use basic geographical vocabulary to refer to key human and physical features. 

RE: This term we will follow our Understanding Christianity unit and explore 'What do Christians believe God is like?'. We will identify parables from the Bible and look into their hidden meanings. We will explore ways in which Christians show their belief in God and we will write our own prayers.

Art: We have started the year with our drawing unit. In this unit we are focusing on portraits and looking particularly at Pablo Picasso. We will learn how to draw faces correctly and in proportion. We will then move on to altering our portraits by changing their colour, like Picasso's blue period, and then making them more abstract.  

PE: We are focusing on our Fitness looking at strength, stamina and agility. We will also be developing our Ball Skills.

English: Our book this term is the "Lost and Found" from our Pathways to Write study. This is all about a little boy who found a penguin that he presumed to be lost. We will write diary entries from both character's perspectives and create lost posters and fact files.

PSHE: This term we will look at the "Being me in the World" unit. We will explain that we all have the right to learn in a happy, safe environment and we will discuss how it was important for everyone in the class to take responsibility to make the classroom a safe and happy place. This includes writing a class charter and modelling positive behaviour.

Computing: We will start our exciting new computing scheme Purple Mash to explore online safety and effective searching.

Music: Our unit is 'My Musical Heartbeat' and our social focus will be about how we can make friends when we play together.

Autumn Term 2

Our Learning Journey

This half term we will be focusing on the following areas of learning:

Science: Our unit is 'Forces - Pushing and Pulling'. We will be observing and describing different ways of moving. We will identify similarities and differences between the movement of different objects and we will conduct an experiment to see how forces act on different objects.

History: Our unit is 'Personal History: within our parents' lifetime', where we will create a timeline of recent events in our lives. Identify important events in our family history and significant events that have happened in our life time at a national level. Finally we will put all this knowledge together to describe how things have changed.

RE: This term we will follow our Understanding Christianity unit and explore 'Why does Christmas matter to Christians?'. We will give a clear account of the story of Jesus' birth, recognise that stories of Jesus’ life come from the Gospels and decide what they personally have to be thankful for at Christmas time.

DT: Our unit is Textiles - Templates and Joining, where we will analyse existing products; investigate how to join fabrics; design and make our own Christmas stockings using templates and paper mock-ups.

PE: We are focusing on our Dance and Target Games.

English: Our book this half term is ‘Nibbles the Book Monster’ and we will be writing a diary entry in the first person based on Nibbles' adventures in the story. Throughout this unit, we will explore lots of traditional fairy tales. 

PSHE: This term we will look at the "Celebrating Differences" unit. We will explain why being unique and special is important. We will also look into why bullying might happen and offer strategies to help the person who is being bullied. This links in nicely with our 'odd socks' anti-bulling week.

Computing: We will continue to explore Purple Mash and concentrate on algorithm via our Lego Builders unit of work.

Music: Our unit is 'Dance, Sing and Play' and links to how music tells stories about the past.

Spring Term 1

Our Learning Journey

This half term we will be focusing on the following areas of learning:

English: Our book this half term is ‘The Lion Inside’ by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. We will be writing a story about a small animal who befriends a large animal in the African savannah. Throughout this unit, we will explore and describe the setting of Africa and the different African animals. 

Science: Our unit is ‘How Do Plants Grow?’. We will be looking at what plants need to grow and making predictions, observing, gathering and recording data to answer this question. We will look at the life cycles of plants and how seeds and bulbs grow in mature plants.

Geography: Our unit is 'What is in our World?', where we will be gathering information about the world’s continents, oceans and hot and cold areas. We will do this by studying maps, globes, atlases, photos and other geographical sources. We will look closely at the human and physical features of these areas.

RE: This half term we will look at the Jewish faith and explore the question ‘Is Shabbat important to Jewish Children?’. We will be focusing on what happens on Shabbat and why, and what this means to Jewish people.

Art: Our unit is Painting – We are focusing on the artist Claude Monet, where we will be looking at brushstrokes, colour tones and landscapes. We will build up to a final impressionist piece of art.

PE: We are focusing on our Gymnastics and Invasion Games.

PSHE: This term we will look at the ‘Dreams and Goals’ unit. We will be looking at how to set and achieve goals and how to tackle challenges. We will discuss and identify obstacles that make achieving goals difficult and how we can overcome these.

Computing: We will continue to explore Purple Mash and look at technology outside of school and grouping and sorting.

Music: Our unit is 'Exploring Sounds’ and links to how music makes the world a better place. 

Spring Term 2

Our Learning Journey

This half term we will be focusing on the following areas of learning:

English: Our book this half term is ‘The Curious Case of the Missing Mammoth’ by Ellie Hattie & Karl James Mountford. We will be writing an adventure story based on the structure of the book with a change of character. Throughout this unit, we will explore different rooms inside the museum in the story. We will also be looking at rhyme and poetry and non-fiction books.

Science: Our unit is 'Earth and Space: What is in our solar system?' We will be naming the planets in our solar system, identifying key information about them and exploring the sun as a star and how it enables the earth to be warm and have light.

History: Our unit is ‘Space Explorers', where we will be looking at the significant individuals, Neil Armstrong and Helen Sharman. We are really looking forward to our visit to the National Space Centre.

RE: This half term we will look at Christianity: Why does Easter matter to Christians? We will tell stories of the Holy week and Easter whilst making links with the idea of salvation. We will talk and ask questions about Bible texts and how we interpret its messages.

DT: Our Food unit is focussing on preparing fruit and vegetables. We will be exploring different fruits and vegetables and evaluating different dips. We will learn how to safely cut, slice, chop, grate, squeeze fruits and vegetables. This will lead up to us designing, making and evaluating our own healthy dips for a class picnic.

PE: We are focusing on Net and Wall Games and Fundamentals.

PSHE: This half term we will look at the topic ‘Healthy Me'. We will look at our amazing bodies and a range of ways in which we can keep them safe and healthy. 

Computing: We will continue to explore Purple Mash and look at creating pictures using a range of styles such as impressionism, pointillism, expressionism and lines.

Music: Our unit is ‘Learning to Listen’, where we will look at how music helps us to understand our neighbours.

Summer Term 1

Our Learning Journey

This half term we will be focusing on the following areas of learning:

English: Our book this half term is ‘Toys in Space’ by Mini Grey. We will be writing a fantasy story based on the structure of the book with a change of character and setting. Throughout this unit, we will explore different characters and bring them to life using role play. We will also be looking at instructional writing.

Science: Our unit is 'Plants: What can grow where we live?' We will be identifying and naming a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees. We will also identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.

Geography: We will be looking at 'What is it like in Africa?'. We will be finding Africa on different maps and we will focus on the country of Kenya. We will study Kenya's climate, human and physical features and what it is like to go to school there. 

R.E: This half term we will look at 'Judaism: Are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur important to Jewish children?' We are learning to empathise with Jewish children by understanding what Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur mean to them. We will set our own goals for things we would like to achieve in the next year and think about how we would like to improve ourselves.

Art: We are studying sculpture in Art this half term, where we will be looking at Sir Christopher Wren's architecture. We will be leading up to sculpting our own Tudor house.

PE: We are focusing on Team Building and Sending and Receiving.

PSHE: This half term we will look at the topic ‘Relationships'. We will look at know we make friends, how to solve friendship problems and what we can do for ourselves and others when we feel upset or hurt.

Computing: We will continue to explore Purple Mash and look at Spreadsheets and Coding.

Music: Our unit is ‘Having Fun with Improvisation: What Songs Can We Sing to Help Us through the Day?'

Reading

Reading is considered as part of the children's homework and is one of the most important things they can be doing at home, even if they are a fluent reader. The children should be reading a minimum of 3 times a week and completing their reading diary after each read. In their reading diaries it should be recorded the date, the page numbers, the book title and a brief comment. We ask that even if parents haven't read with their child that they still actively monitor the diaries and can comment to the teachers if they wish.

Children will always have two books from school. One is from their assessed book band or Read, Write, Inc. group, which they should be reading and working through, not only for fluency, but for understanding. They can also have a library book of choice which they are picking for enjoyment. This can be read for a bedtime read or a quiet time read in school. When children read to an adult in school they will be asked to read with their Book Band Book so this should always return to school daily. 

Reading is monitored over the term and over the year and certificates are given out for:

Bronze - 30 reads

Silver - 60 reads

Gold - 90 reads

Platinum - 120 reads

Additional reading homework maybe given out to link with a current class book or for reading for pleasure. 

Class Books 
In KS1 we read a wide variety of books, from a range of authors, at the end of the day. We like to share lots of picture books with the children to help encourage their imagination and increase their vocabulary.

Homework 

In KS1 we expect all children to read 3 times a week. We also send home some virtual links to our Read, Write, Inc. Phonics programme, which are quick and simple for the children to sit and watch on any device.

Year 2 pupils off the phonics programme, have spellings to practise each week in their spelling log books.

Children have many home learning portals which they can use alongside school. They all have logins inside their reading record cover.

Purple Mash- Children can be set a variety of different learning opportunities. 

Reflex Maths- Logins for Year 2 pupils

PE 

In Class 2 our PE days our currently Monday and Fridays. We try to be outside for as long as the weather will allow us to be so the children will always need appropriate kit for the weather. Remember that it should be red shorts, white t-shirt, dark jogging bottoms and dark sweatshirt. Please keep logos to a minimum on joggers and sweatshirts. Children should not be coming in football kits. Children will need a change of shoes for outdoor PE. 

 Children should not have any jewellery on and hair should always be tied back. If earrings can not be removed please tape over them. 

Key Dates