We are scientists
This half term, we have been learning all about materials and their properties.
Firstly, we identified and described lots of different materials all around us making sure we knew the difference between the object and the material.
For example, this is a table. The material it is made from is wood. Hard, smooth and opaque are some of its properties.
Here’s the vocabulary we have been learning and using in this topic.
Are all objects made out of the same material?
We thought about an object (spoons) that can be made out of different materials – wooden spoon, metal spoon and plastic spoon. We discussed the properties and uses of each spoon and why that material had been used. This made us think about other objects that can be made from different materials – chairs, clothes, bags, shoes and lots more!
Is all paper absorbent?
After an initial prediction, this comparative investigation involved dropping water onto different types of paper to see how much water was absorbed by the paper.
The children made some great observations reflecting back to their predictions.
Alongside this learning about materials, we are using our working scientifically skills to observe over time. Every week, we measure the temperature using a thermometer and record the weather and later in the year we will use this data to look for any patterns.
This deciduous tree is in our front playground and we are taking weekly photos to observe how the tree changes over time across the different seasons.
Help at home: ask your child how they think the tree will change and when those changes might happen.
Living and Learning: being safe
In our Living and Learning lessons, we have been thinking about being safe in a variety of situations.
Here we are sorting some activities, that all have an element of risk, depending on whether they pose a low or high risk. There were some different opinions and the children were able to justify the decisions they had made.
We also played this hazard identification game to spot and learn about potential risks when at home.
The wires are going across the carpet. Someone might trip up over them.
The candles are burning close to the curtains so they might catch fire.
There’s a hot drink near the edge of the table. Someone might knock it off and it would burn them.
Our reading fluency text this week also has a being safe theme.
The NSPCC Speak out Stay safe assembly gave a very clear message about being safe and in our weekly circle time, the children were all able to say how they would seek help (Start Telling Other People).
Help at home by reinforcing these important safety messages ready for your homework this week.
The NSPCC has also developed an adapted version of their assembly for parents/carers to use at home with their children and some resources that can be used to enable further discussion whilst doing activities with your children.
You’ll also find online safety information for families of children with additional needs and disabilities.
Childline also have a website with age-appropriate advice for primary school children on topics such as bullying. It also has games and other interactive tools.
Exploring our locality
On Friday, as part of our topic, Year 2 went on a walk around the local area. We planned a route around Moortown and decided to stop at five different locations to rate the noise, safety, traffic, litter, plants/trees and recycling bins in each place. The children were extremely safe and followed our school rules on our walk. We had some great discussions about what we noticed and will be evaluating our results next week.
Skipping school
Today, we welcomed Katie from skipping school into school for the morning. Year 2 have had a fantastic morning learnings lots of different skills in preparation for the skipping festival in the summer. Over the next few months, we will be practising all the different skips we have been taught in PE lesson and at playtimes. We really encourage children to practise at home too. Skipping ropes are available to purchase from school.
Well done, Year 2!
A HUGE well done to all the children this afternoon for performing so well in their second class assembly of the year. Thank you for coming to share this with them.
We are very proud of their confidence to speak in front of such a big audience and for taking responsibility to learn their lines and the songs and poems.
There’s a class reward for them tomorrow!
Class assembly reminder Wednesday 18th January
We look forward to welcoming you to our second class assembly next Wednesday.
The children are looking forward to sharing their learning.
The assembly starts at 2:40pm. We hope to see you there!
Living and Learning: drug education
In our latest Living and Learning lessons, we’ve been learning about safety around medicines and household products.
We considered:
What are medicines?
What do they look like?
How are they used?
Why do people use them?
The children had lots to share about their experiences of taking different medicines and what they are used for.
Using different scenarios, we thought about what would be the best things to help. Sometimes a hug, some water, rest, a tissue or sleep can be enough to help someone feel better and medicine might not be needed.
Then, we considered safety rules at home and how to keep themselves and others safe.
We sorted the following safety rules depending on whether they were true or false or if it depends on the situation.
In some more scenarios, we thought about why the situation was unsafe and what the character could do to prevent a danger.
We shouldn’t take someone else’s medicine. It is just for them.
Medicine should only be given by adults.
These might be tablets so they shouldn’t touch them.
They should tell an adult they have found them.
Help at home: please reinforce this key safety message at home. Make sure your child is aware of possible dangers at home, such as medicines and household products, and how to seek help if they need it.
Spring term after-school clubs
We are geographers!
This half term, our topic will focus on Geography. Our topic is called ‘The streets around our school’. We will be focusing on the environment we live in, any local issues and finding solutions to issues in our locality.
We are becoming geographers – a type of scientist who studies the Earth. Geographers study the land (the physical features of the Earth) and the people who live within it (the human features).
To kick start the topic, we have been reading the book ‘Here we are’ by Oliver Jeffers. Talk to your child about the important messages in this book.
We looked on Google earth to see where we lived in comparison to the whole Earth. We know that we live in the continent Europe. The country England and the city Leeds. We looked at Moortown Primary School and Moortown park on Google Earth.
Try going on Google Earth at home. Can you find your house and places you like to visit?
Have a happy and healthy Christmas break
Well done to the cast of Wriggly Nativity! It was great to welcome you into school to watch our first in person Christmas production for a few years.
We hope you agree that the children did a fantastic job and we are very proud of them all.
Mrs Taylor, Mrs Lake and Mrs Roth would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and we look forward to seeing all the children in 2023!
