Sycamore
Year 2
Mrs Taylor
Miss Edgar, Miss Lambe
Welcome to the Sycamore class page! Here you will find lots of information about what we are doing this term as well as information about our routines, PE days, library days and more. Firstly, let me give you some information about myself:
Teacher Bio
Mrs Taylor
I am now going into my 17th year of teaching and am very excited for the year ahead. I have three daughters, a husband and a guinea pig at home which keeps me quite busy! When I have a bit of time to myself, I love to visit my family, bake cakes or go running. I really appreciated some of you cheering me on when I ran the Bracknell half marathon recently. I have always loved reading. When I was younger my favourite author was Dick-King Smith and I loved his 'Sophie' books.
Hot and Cold Places
This term, we will be finding out about different climates around the world, particularly focussing on polar climates, desert climates and moderate climates. As scientists, we will find out about animals and their life cycles as well as discovering what animals need to survive. In art we will investigate how to make patterns using a variety of techniques including frottage, collage and printing. In DT, we will become mechanics and make our own moving fairground wheels. In PE we will be developing our ball schools and in PSHE we will think carefully about ways to stay safe. In maths we will learn how to add and subtract 2 digit numbers using formal written methods and in English we will work on creating our own versions of the traditional tale Rapunzel before moving onto some non-fiction writing about blue whales.
Our Learning
Class Routines
School gates open at 8:40 and the day finishes at 3:10. Our main classroom door for the start and end of the school day is Sycamore class door, inside the KS1 outside area.
Our regular PE lessons are as follows: Wednesday
On these days, children should come to school wearing their PE kit. We will also be doing a daily run and engaging with outdoor play in our self-led learning. Please send in wellies for pupils to keep at school for outdoor learning.
We will change reading books on Mondays and Thursdays. Please make sure your child has their reading book in school every day.
Hot and Cold Places
English: In English, we will work on writing to entertain in our traditional tales unit based around the story of Rapunzel. We will focus on adding detail and description through the use of list sentences, expanded noun phrases and interesting past tense verbs. We will then move on to writing about blue whales in non-chronological reports which will include features such as sub-headings and technical vocabulary.
Maths: In maths we will consolidate our skills of addition and subtraction before moving on to learn how to record using formal written methods. In Spring 2 we will learn all about the concept of multiplication before going on to learn some of our times tables.
Science: We will find out all about what animals need to survive as well as about the differences in offspring and life cycles. In Spring 2, we will learn about ways humans can look after themselves by following good hygiene routines, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet.
Geography: We will find out about the equator and the hot and cold places around the world. We will look in more detail at polar climates and hot climates as well as temperate climates, such as the one we live in in Great Britain.
History: During Spring 2, we will find out about the lives of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. We will consider the differences and similarities between nursing then and now before learning how both women influenced modern nursing.
Art: We will learn how to create patterns using the skills of collage, frottage and stamping.
DT: We will focus on mechanisms that move in the spring term and we will use our learning to help us create a fairground wheel and levers.
PE: In our PE lessons we will be focusing on developing our ball skills.
PSHE: Our sessions this term will focus on 'Keeping Safe' and 'Rights and Respect'.
Computing: In computing we will learn how to use Spreadsheets before finding out how to complete safe searches.
RE: We will be considering the questions 'Does everyone believe the same about God?' and 'Why do symbols and stories play an important role in religions?'
Knowledge Organiser
Year 2 Common Exception Words
Homework
Our expectations for homework are as follows:
Weekly
Reading: Reading aloud with an adult progressing to more independent reading as often as possible.
Maths: Daily practise on Numbots or TTRS.
End-of-Year
Spellings: Children should be able to spell all words on the Statutory Word Lists for year 1/2.
Times Tables: Children should be able to count in 2s, 5s, 10s, 3s. they will begin to learn 2, 5, 10x tables by heart.
Recommended Websites:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button - quickfire number games to help children learn basic number facts
http://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/ - Number games to reinforce the concept of place value
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers/ks1-collection/zbr4scw - Fun songs with actions to teach many learning concepts in English, Maths and other subjects. This is my new favourite resource!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ks1-english/z67ncqt - Loads of story telling, poetry and punctuation short films to watch.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ks1-maths/zhng7nb - Useful Maths short films to watch. Fractions and telling the time would be particularly good ones to try.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/addition-and-subtraction - Games from any of the Maths categories will really help your child practise skills they have learnt at school.
http://www.ictgames.com/mobilePage/spookySpellings/index.html - great game for learning common exception words.