Year 2

What will Year 2 be doing this term?

English

We will start this term by looking at some traditional Aboriginal Dreamtime stories from Australia, such as 'Why Koalas Have Stumpy Tails,' 'Tiddalick the Frog' and 'Rainbow Bird.' The children will have the opportunity to read, discuss and compare the stories before sequencing the main events and retelling the stories in their own words. We will then go on to read 'Fox' by Margaret Wild and Ron Brooks, which is a beautiful book about friendship set in the Australian outback. There is a lot of lovely language to discuss before the children will write diary entries in role as one of the characters from the story.   

• add numbers using concrete objects, pictorial representations, and mentally, including a two-digit number and ones, a two-digit number and tens, two two-digit numbers and adding three one-digit numbers
• solve problems with addition and subtraction 
• recall and use addition and subtraction facts to 20 fluently, and derive and use related facts up to 100
• show that addition of two numbers can be done in any order (commutative) and subtraction of one number from another cannot
• recognise and use the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction and use this to check calculations and solve missing number problems
• recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value
• find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money
• solve simple problems in a practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit, including giving change

The children will also be working on position & direction and measurement objectives:

• use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement, including movement in a straight line and in quarter, half and three-quarter turns (clockwise and anti-clockwise)
• choose and use appropriate standard units to estimate and measure mass (kg/g)
• compare and order different weights and record the results using >, > and =

Our 'Australia' topic will start by focusing on Geography. The children will use maps, globes and atlases to locate Australia and will also identify and locate the different states and territories within the country itself. They will also be looking at a range of famous landmarks in Australia and identifying whether they are a physical or a human feature. The children will also compare a small area of Australia with a small area of the UK.

In our Art lessons this half term the children will be looking at examples of different Aboriginal art and will then have the opportunity to create their own artwork using these distinctive styles. In our DT lessons, the children will be experimenting with different ways of joining before having the opportunity to design and sew a fish that would be found in the Great Barrier Reef.

PE

In PE this half term the children will be practising gymnastics skills and developing their balance, agility and co-ordination. Year 2's PE day is Thursday. Please ensure your child comes to school on Thursdays wearing their PE kit - school PE t-shirt, school jumper/cardigan, black shorts/jogging bottoms/leggings and a pair of trainers.

Important reminders

Please make sure that your child brings their water bottle, reading book and book bag into school every day. Your child may not necessarily read on the same day each week so it is really important that they come prepared every day. We cannot issue the next book until the previous book has been returned. Thank you for your support with this matter.