Summer 2018
LITERACY
Imagine that you can write about anything! What would you write?
This term we have been using our imagination to write our own creative stories. We began our learning by watching a video clip called ‘Once in a lifetime’. It was about a man in a flying ship, whose engine had broken and he had no way of returning to where he had come from. Suddenly he heard a noise and was surrounded by flying turtles. We loved discussing all the different places the man could have gone when he jumped onto the back of one of the flying turtles. We wrote character descriptions and described the setting using lots of great verbs and adjectives.
Come and read our stories to see what happens to the man and his ship.
We have also been learning about how to write a fantastic recount. We used our trip out to the Botanical Gardens as inspiration. We learnt all about how to use words to help us sequence the events such as first and after that. We used exciting verbs such as strolled and sketched to make our writing really interesting for the reader. Our writing was so amazing Mrs Binns said in assembly that it made her want to visit the Gardens at the weekend. Come and read our recounts and see if it makes you want to visit the Botanical Gardens too!
NUMERACY
We have been busy learning how to tell the time this term. We even made our own clocks to help us remember where the hands point for o’clock, quarter past, half past and quarter to. We have also been learning how to read scales and have used this new skill practically to weigh objects and measuring capacity.
Can you follow a pattern? Can you turn anti-clockwise a quarter turn? We have been learning about position and direction. We can continue a pattern and use mathematical words to describe how an object has moved.
We have also developed our understanding of movements and turns. We came up with a trick to help us remember our left and right and also how to know which way is clockwise and anti-clockwise. Ask us and we can show you! We used the large grid on the playground like a map to direct our partner from the starting point to the treasure. Luckily most of our directions were correct and our partners got there safely! We have also been enjoying using the mirrors to find symmetrical objects around the classroom like a pencil and the tap!
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD
What would you find in a Rainforest?
In Year 2 this term we have been exploring this question. So far we have used our map skills to locate some of the world’s rainforests and identify their climates. We have also learned that a rainforest has four layers and each layer has different plants and animals living in it. Ask us to show you our actions for the each layer. Which layer would you prefer to live in?
As scientists we have begun to learn about the different parts of a plant. We used real plants to investigate and name each part. We learned about the function of each part and how they work together to help the plant to grow.
We have been learning about prayer in different faiths during RE lessons. As part of our learning we have thought carefully about The Lord’s Prayer and shared our thoughts and feelings about what certain lines of the prayer mean to us. We completed some fantastic illustrations about the prayer and asked questions that demonstrated how deeply we were thinking about our learning.
In Design and Technology lessons we have designed and made a Rainforest Buggy. We have learned about fixed and rotational axles. We worked with our friends to decide which type of axle would be best suited to our design. We also had to decide which material is best to use for our axle and wheels. Would you like to travel through the Rainforest in one of our buggies? Come and take a look and see what you think.
CREATIVE LEARNING
During a busy and fun Arts Week we became model makers. We looked at the work of Nick Park and recreated some of his characters using modelling clay. We had to look carefully at the figures and think about the position and proportion of our arms and legs. To help us to do this we drew pictures of ourselves. We had fun creating our own characters and setting before using stop start animation to make our own short films. We can’t wait to show our grown film a–ups how to make an animation at our Arts Picnic.
2H are continuing with their recorder practise. They sound fantastic and will be showing off all their learning in a musical extravaganza in the hall during the last week of term.
PHYSICAL LEARNING
This term we have been enjoying our weekly trips to Upperthorpe Swimming Baths! We have improved our confidence in the water, developed our techniques and played some fun games.
We have been learning how to use the new markings on our playground. Ask us to show you how to play one of our new games.
Our learning in PE lessons allows us to take control of the level of skill we work at by choosing a colour either yellow, green or red. This means we can make our learning easier or more challenging. This term we are focussing on ball skills. The yellow skills asks us to use a large ball to roll and receive and throw and catch to partner. The red skill asks us to strike 2 balls in a rally sending one as we receive the other. Try it…it’s not as easy as you think!
PERSONAL, SOCIAL, HEALTH EDUCATION
In our Jigsaw sessions this term we have been focusing on relationships. We have been identifying different members of a family and their role within it. We have also been thinking about relationships with our friends and how to resolve a conflict if we disagree on something.
SCHOOL VISITS
There are many different types of plants growing in the rainforests and we are lucky to have some growing at the Botanical Gardens. We enjoyed a visit to the Botanical Garden where we used our observational skills to draw some of the beautiful plants in the Glass Pavilion and outside in the gardens.
TRANSITION
We are getting ready to move into Year 3 at Nook Lane Junior School. We have been sharing books with our Y5 reading buddy each week and our new teachers have visited us at school and taught us our first Year 3 lesson. We also walked down to Nook Lane for an afternoon of sports with the Year 3 children. We all showed fantastic sportsmanship and perseverance, cheering for our friends and not giving up in the heat! Our transition day at Nook Lane was so much fun. We completed a treasure hunt and enjoyed our first lunchtime experience at our new school.