New Literacy Module: Traditional Stories
For the rest of the term, Year 2 will be plunged into a world of dragons, princesses and wizards. How much does your child already know about fairy tales and traditional stories? See what stories or characters they can take away from this picture below. 
This would be a great time to introduce (or re-visit) stories at home like ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ etc. How well can your child describe the main character and how well can they describe the villain?
Maths: Understanding Data
This week in Maths we have been estimating weight and length. Ask your child to describe to you what weight and length are and how they can check their predictions.
The children also carried out an investigation this week to find out what was the most common amount of letters in their first names. Ask your child if they can remember which one was the most popular and which one was the least popular letter. Go to the BBC for a great game all about interpreting data.
Maths: Understanding Data
In Maths we have been collecting data on Class 2’s favourite toys and showing our findings in bar charts. Some of the bar charts the children have created this week have been incredible. They can answer questions about a bar chart, too: What is the most popular toy? What are the two least popular toys? Also, they can draw a pictogram to show their findings. In one of our lessons, we wanted to find out Class 2’s favourite football team. Disappointingly, Manchester Utd was the most popular team so I took that out of our findings. Here, Cubes group represent our data in the form of a 3-D bar chart.
Literacy: Instructions
Follwing on from writing their own instructions, Class 2 have had the opportunity to make something. We decided to make some sandwiches so why not ask your child for your favourite one and they should be able to make it for you! Here are some pictures of the fun learning:
To tie in with our topic this term, Toybox, the children this week will be learning how to make a paper aeroplane – so I apologise in advance if your home turns into a landing strip. At the end of this week, ask your child to instruct you to make a paper aeroplane and see if they can use:
- time connectives (then, after, first, finally etc)
- numbers for a list
- ‘bossy’ verbs (place, fold, put, bend, touch, go)
Class Novel: A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch
Following on from our first class novel (‘The Worst Witch’), Class 2 have entered into the world of Mildred Hubble again in ‘A Bad Spell for the Worst Witch’. If you answer a question right about the story then you become one of the lucky ones to wear Mildred Hubble’s own hat!
Those who wear the hat are said to inherit her magical powers. Luckily none of the children have turned me into a frog yet!
New Literacy Module: Instructions (Video)
The children have started their new literacy learning, which is all about instructions. We have been practising reading and writing instructions, and even doing the actions!
Tomorrow we are going to see if we can write some instructions on how to make a sandwich!
Reading with your child
The commitment of parents / carers to reading with their child at home is fantastic. It’s clear to see in the classroom that children are becoming more confident with a variety of different texts.
We now have a ‘Reading Basket‘ where your child can place their book if they feel they are ready for a new one. If your child has finished reading the book given, however, I suggest that before they change their book they demonstrate to you a further understanding of the text by completing one of the following activities:
- Hot seating the main characters. This is where your child takes the place of a character in the book and is asked questions relating to their feelings. Alternatively, you could become one of the main characters and get your child to ask you questions.
- A book review. I have templates available or you could just do a review with your child orally.
- Reading without pictures. Ask questions about the text whilst reading through the book with the pictures covered. Can they find the word which describes how the main character is feeling? If you want to have some ideas of questions to ask the children when they are reading, please feel free to speak to me.
Also, remember that reading other texts, aside from reading books, is also very important. The children will benefit reading material that is in their everyday life. Books from the library, comics and even magazines are a great way for children to become accustomed to alternative texts.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask and thank you for your support with your child’s reading.
Maths this week: 11 October
Children have been practising their number bonds to 10, 20 and 100.
Go to this website to practise number bonds to 10.
Too easy? Go to this website to practise number bonds to 20.
If you’re really confident why not practise number bonds to 100.
Literacy this week: 27 September
Maths this week: 27 September
In Maths, the children this week have been working on 3-D shapes, money problems and number patterns. They will benefit from practising their money skills on this fun game on the BBC.
Here are some of the children showing how they can do some complex patterns:
