Autumn Term 2nd Half
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the second part of the Autumn term. The children have really settled in well and as I mentioned to them just before their holidays, I am so incredibly proud of how hard they are working. Year 2 is a big step up in terms of workload and they have all embraced their new challenges with enthusiasm. This particular half term is really magical in KS1 with our preparations for the Nativity and Christmas. It’s a real privilege to spend this part of the year in the company of such Christmas fanatics! As always, if you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to pop in and see us and we’ll do our very best to help.
Best wishes,
The Year 2 Team
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AUTUMN TERM LEARNING – SECOND HALF |
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English |
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We’ll start this half term with a focus on writing about key celebrations. We’ll be investigating the Gunpowder plot and writing the story for ourselves. We’ll then also be describing the magical spectacle of a firework display using all of our senses. We’ll then move on to our main focus this half term which is a range of writing based upon ‘A Christmas wish’, a BBC Christmas advert from a few years ago. Through this writing, we’ll be covering all the key elements of punctuation and grammar required in Year 2 and practising making our handwriting beautiful. |
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Maths |
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This half term, the children will continue to focus on place value and counting in steps of 2,5s and 10s. They will place numbers on a landmarked line and use the > and < signs to order numbers. They will learn the strategy of adding 10 more or taking away 10 and then use this to become secure in adding 11 and taking away 9. They’ll begin to add and subtract 2 2-digit numbers and look at different coins and alternative ways to make £1. |
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Physical Development |
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This half term, the children will focus on making up interesting games whilst practising their throwing and catching skills. In gymnastics, the children will build upon their balancing work and start to examine pathways including straight, curved and zigzag. |
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The Gunpowder Plot & Pioneers |
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This half term, we will start by focussing on the whole school investigation of the Gunpowder plot. We’ll be taking a democratic vote to decide whether Guy Fawkes should be pitied or pardoned. Following this, we will be looking at Pioneers, most notably George Stephenson. We’ll consider the Victorian age as a whole and interview Queen Victoria herself on the rapid changes she oversaw. As part of our focus on the Victorians, we will visit St John’s museum and allow the children to experience Victorian clothing, laundry and what it was like to be in a Victorian classroom. Following this, we will turn our attention to more recent space pioneers including Buzz Aldridge and Neil Armstrong. The children will consider what it must have felt like to be around at the time of the first landing on the moon. |
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R.E. |
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In RE, our focus will be on Incarnation and we will spend time on understanding the Nativity story. The children will consider why Christmas is special to them, how Mary must have felt at the annunciation and what activities Christians engage in to celebrate Christmas. They will be looking at the teachings of Jesus and observing the charitable works many organisations do at this time of year inspired by their faith. |
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Science |
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The children will become ‘Masterchefs’ this term and will learn all about different kinds of food, the types of ingredients available, how to be safe and hygienic in the preparation of food and how to present and taste a variety of food. I’m sure the children will thoroughly enjoy getting their aprons on and cooking! |
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Art, Design and Music |
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This half term is always filled with music and singing due to all the lovely Christmas songs the children learn for the nativity. In addition, our school Music leader, Mr Gillespie, will be taking the children for music lessons on a Friday afternoon. We hope the children will benefit from his considerable musical knowledge and it will help them with their transition to Key stage 2 when it comes! The children will also be participating in some wonderful Christmas art opportunities, from making cards to creating Christmas houses in a snowy village. |
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Special Events and Activities |
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Tuesday 5th November – Whole school Gunpowder plot investigation day. Thursday 21st November – School trip to St John’s museum, Warwick Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th November – Young play leader training Tuesday 10th December – Nativity dress rehearsal (am) & Nativity at 6pm. Wednesday 11th December – Nativity at 6pm. Thursday 12th December – Warwick Arts Centre – Father Christmas Thursday 12th December – Christmas disco Wednesday 18th December – Christmas Eucharist & Christmas dinner Thursday 19th December – Christmas biscuit decoration Friday 20th December – Toy day & Christmas jumpers & break up for Christmas holidays. |