Living and Learning: Sun Safety
Year 2 have been learning about about sun safety in our living and learning session this week. We have been reading the text below daily to help us know how to reduce the risk of sun damage. 
The children used the text to create posters. We are going to to stick them on our living and learning display to help us remember how to stay safe in the sun.
Living and Learning: health and prevention
Across school, our current Living and Learning topic is all about health and prevention which forms part of the new statutory Health Education. Here are the objectives for the children to learn by the end of Year 6.
Year 1 and 2 will be focusing their learning on sun safety and sleep but as dental hygiene is also part of this learning, the children will soon be bringing home their own toothbrush and toothpaste.
Here is some information you might want to read with your child to talk about this at home.
Summer term
Welcome back!
We’ve already had a busy start and it is set to continue. Here is a quick overview of what we’ve already been doing and what’s coming up.
Writing
In writing, we’ve been recapping different sentence types.
Inspired by the novel, ‘The Boy Who Grew Dragons’, the children will be applying their knowledge to writing about a beast and what you need to do to grow it.
We’re going to be recapping expanded noun phrases and conjunctions. Also, the children will be learning how to edit and improve their writing so that it is ready for Year 3.
Maths
In maths, we will be revisiting a range of addition and subtraction topics.
- Adding and subtracting across 10.
- Solving addition and subtraction problems.
- Adding and subtracting within 100.
Not only this, we will be continuing number facts learning as well as practicing our 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables.
PE
The children have been enjoying learning the basics of hockey.
Science
The children will be investigating, observing and describing how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants. They will find out and describe how plants need water, light and suitable temperature to grow and be healthy. Below is the specific vocabulary that will be used in our science lessons. Talk about these words at home. Does your child know any of them? Can you child tell you the definitions?
- seeds
- bulbs
- temperature
- growth
- survival
- healthy
- mature
- plants
In our first session, we looked at the inside of a fruit and identified the seeds.
Computing Topic 
The children will be learning about computer programming. They are going to discover what an algorithm is and what it needs to work effectively. We will be creating and debugging simple programs and will use logical reasoning to predict what will happen when an algorithm is executed.
In some of our lessons, we have regular ongoing online safety messages. These are usually prompts and reminders about the important of staying safe on and offline. Asking for a person’s consent is very important and this is something we regularly rehearse.
May I take your photo?
Yes, of course you can.
Would you mind if we show your learning to the whole class?
No, I really don’t want to share it.
As well as programming, the children will be having specific lessons about the following;
Age Restrictions
• I know that some online activities have age restrictions because they have content which is not appropriate.
Digital Content
• I am beginning to understand what a digital footprint is.
Misinformation, disinformation and hoaxes
• I know that I shouldn’t believe everything I see or read online.
Fake websites and scam emails
• I know that some websites have secure markings (eg padlock symbol next to URL) that makes them more trustworthy.
Password safety
• I know that passwords are important and that I should not share them. Personal data
• I know that I’m too young to share personal information (eg full name, address, school, age) online.
Persuasion
• I know that there are adverts online which, if clicked on, may take me away from the page I’m looking at.
Online vs. offline behaviours
• I know that people should treat others respectfully when they are online.
• I know what to do if someone is mean to me or someone else online.
Impact on quality of life
• I know that being online offers lots of positives but that
there needs to be a balance between time being spent on
and offline.
Below is the vocabulary that links to the computing topic.
| algorithm | program | debug |
| computer | password | personal information |
| appropriate |
Skip into summer
This term, all classes will be taking part in the West Yorkshire Skip into Summer project with Skipping School. We are excited to be part of the 136 schools and almost 33,000 children taking part!
As part of this project, we have skipping ropes available to buy at a subsidised price of £3.
If your child would like to buy a rope, to keep learning their new skills at home, they will be on sale, outside the Year 1 classroom in the middle playground, 3:10-3:30pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Exact change would be helpful.
The Captain Tom 100 Challenge
Tennis opportunities
Wildflowers
This half term, we have been learning about plants. In this week’s session, the children were finding out about wildflowers and naming some common ones. The children then used and iPad to research and find more. Lots of children were able to name and identify at least eight wildflowers.
Yorkshire Dance virtual dance workshops
Yesterday, all classes took part in dance workshops, led by dance artist Ellen, as part of the Yorkshire Dance RE:FRESH dance festival.
From Reception to Year 6, all the children copied, explored and performed different dance moves in their workshops.
While we can’t have visitors in school at the moment, this was a great virtual project we could get involved with.
Here are some comments from the Year 1 children.
I loved it because of all the moves we did.
I loved it because I like all the animals.
I liked to see you smiling.
It was amazing and you were amazing, Ellen.
Not all heroes wear capes day Thursday 1 April
As part of our current History topic, ‘Heroes’, Key Stage 1 are having a ‘Not All Heroes Wear Capes’ themed day on Thursday 1 April.
Throughout this topic, we are learning about real life heroes, past and present. The topic is not about fictional superheroes. Instead, we have been exploring real heroes in everyday life (emergency service workers and influential heroes such as Sir Tom Moore, Nelson Mandela and Leonora Cohen).
As the children missed World Book Day, and the chance to dress up as their favourite book character, we thought this would be a great opportunity for children to come to school dressed up as a hero. It could even be someone that you know personally and consider a hero.
Please consider the following:
- instead of having the expense of buying anything new, have fun creating your hero outfit
- no face paint
- make sure their costume does not need support from an adult during the day eg when they go to the toilet
- look at the ideas below to support you in thinking of a hero or a costume think about heroes in our history and everyday heroes and not fictional superheroes
If you would like any more ideas, please feel free to talk to contact us.
A week of heroes and plants
This week, our learning has been full of heroes and plants! In Writing, we’ve continued working our superheroes, writing a super story about a meeting between them and their arch nemesis. We’ve been focussing on making sure we check for our must dos:
- Capital letters to start sentences
- Capital letters for proper nouns (names)
- Full stops to end sentences
- Finger spaces
Here’s a story for you to enjoy:
We recapped our understanding of chronology at the beginning of the week, making a timeline of a school day. Can your child tell you what’s on the rest of the timeline?
Then, we moved on to learn about two heroes from History: Leonora Cohen and Nelson Mandela. It’s been really interesting hearing the children’s views on the battles these people fought. Discuss what the children know and think over the weekend.
Our plant learning has become real this week as we got to plant sunflowers! Each of us has our own flower to grow, making sure we provide it with the light, water and warmth that it needs.
I’ve really enjoyed my second week in Year Two. It’ll be time to welcome Mr Parker back on Monday. We’re all looking forward to it.
