Drama to inspire writing
On Thursday, Year 2 brought their class novel ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ to life with a drama session led by Sam from Leeds Playhouse. The children took part in lots of fun games and loved becoming some of the characters from the story. Each child got to act out being a ‘Wild Thing’ just like Max in the story. All the children were extremely imaginative in their acting skills and we plan to use this creativity to inspire our writing.
Tennis for Kids
Chapel Allerton Tennis and Squash Club are launching their Tennis For Kids courses at the club from this week (Thursdays and Saturdays).
These sessions are aimed at children between 4 and 11 years old. and both members and non-members are welcome to attend.
Tennis For Kids is a great way for kids to learn the basics of the game whilst having fun and interacting with other children at an affordable price.
Somebody swallowed Stanley
Somebody Swallowed Stanley is a brilliant picture book telling about the tale of Stanley – a jellyfish unlike other jellyfish, because he is a plastic bag – and what happens to him when creatures of the sea try to eat him. Some manage to spit him back out, but one of the creatures isn’t so lucky, until a brilliant young man comes along and saves the day. The book has provided a great link to our current materials science topic.
This week, we brought the story to life with a drama session led by Sam and his team from Leeds Playhouse. We enjoyed fun games and we became the characters from the story. It was great to see the creativity of the children and how they were taking ‘safe risks’ with their learning.
If your child enjoyed the session, Leeds Playhouse run drama classes for children on a Saturday (details will be coming home in book bags). They have asked us to pass on the following message.
If any of the young people who would like to join Playhouse Youth are from low income households they can apply for a bursary by contacting Ellie Manners (playhouseyouth@leedsplayhouse.org.uk).
Taking safe risks in judo
This morning, Year 2 welcomed British Judo instructor Dan to give us a taster session of judo and to find out about the new judo club running locally.
Even in the short taster session, the children took some ‘safe risks’ to master new judo holds.
Here are the details for the new club taking place on a Saturday morning at Moor Allerton Sports and Social Centre.
Lexia
Today, the children have brought home information about Lexia and a reminder of their login and password.
Lexia is a computer based program that builds reading skills and complements your child’s learning in class.
Where possible, we encourage the children to access Lexia at home to support this learning. Your child will make much more progress if they can regularly use this programme at home on either a computer or tablet.
Children should aim to achieve Level 9 by the end of Year 2.
If you have any problems accessing Lexia at home, please let us know.
As always, thank you for your support in continuing learning at home.
Judo taster sessions
This week, every class will be taking part in a judo taster session led by a British Judo coach.
These sessions will take place on Monday and Tuesday so please remember to have PE kit in school and take earrings out on these days.
We look forward to learning some new skills.
Mindfulness Matters
Following a very busy morning packed with learning, Year 2 settled down to enjoy some mindfulness.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is simply… noticing what is happening right now.
Mindfulness is taking notice of how your body feels and what your mind is doing. When we notice what is happening around us, it can help us to calm down when feeling sad, angry or frustrated. Mindfulness helps us deal with tough emotions and can make us happy and feel good.
Today, the children focused on their breathing and what happens to our bodies when we ex and inhale. Following this exercise, the class were calm and focused all afternoon.
We’re ready and responding in Year 2
This week, Year 2 have continued to demonstrate great listening and learning skills as we settle in to new routines and lessons. Being ready and responding to feedback are the two 8Rs for learning we are focusing on this week. Our 8Rs for learning promote good learning behaviour.
We’ve started to follow daily routines including putting reading books in the reading group baskets. Books will be changed on a Monday and a Thursday but it is important for children to have their books at school every day in case they are reading with an adult. Please do briefly record in their reading record books when your child reads at home.
This week, we met our own material monster, named ‘M and M’, as we begin our new science learning all about materials.
‘This is a peg. It is made from wood and metal.’
‘This is a __________. It is made from _______.’
‘This is a __________. It is made from _________.’
What is the bell made from?
What materials have been used to make the door?
This learning supported our english work of rehearsing sentences. We encourage the children to speak/answer questions in full sentences and then to check their sentence makes sense.
Meanwhile in maths, our focus has been numbers to 100.
In this learning, we’ve used our base 10 resources to create numbers and record using digits and words.
A great start to the week, Year 2!
Platinum award
At the end of each year, schools are invited to apply for their School Games Mark. The School Games Mark rewards schools for their commitment to and development of competition, school sport and physical education.
We’re very proud to announce that our application has been verified and we have been awarded Platinum award.
Platinum award is open to schools who have achieved Gold award for the previous four years.
We have achieved this award due to encouraging a large number of children to participate in sporting activity; providing a variety of different sports; partaking in competitions; involving children in leadership activities and having many local links with external clubs and establishments.
Thank you to staff who have accompanied children to these events or run after-school clubs this year. Thank you also to Mrs Russell who provides excellent administration of our clubs and sporting events and competitions. Thank you as well to all parents/carers who have helped with transport and supported at our events this year.
Finally, well done to all pupils who have tried out a new physical activity either at an after-school club or as part of a competition or participation event and to those children who have represented our school so well this year.
Welcome back
It was great to see so many smiling faces today when the children returned to school following the summer break. The class quickly settled into Year 2 and followed all their new routines. All the adults were impressed by the ‘readiness to learn attitudes’ on display.
This afternoon, we thought about our upcoming new topic learning. Using some clues, the children were asked to predict what our new topic may be. Through some drama, the class observed all the clues and shared their ideas.
Below are some of the clues.
I wonder if there is some water?
I think that there are untamed animals.
The vines could be a forest.
The BFG has huge feet.
I think there are monsters.
The lesson was great fun and full of great predicting and interpreting skills.
Our new topic is based around…
There’s so much more in this book than just the reading. It’s a simple story with a few characters and a whole lot of imagination. It’s an amazing story to read out loud.
Where the Wild Things Are is a well known, classic children’s book. It works because of its simplicity, and its underlying charm, as well as the originality of its illustrations.
Our topic will be driven by design and technology culminating in the making of a sailboat. Also, there will be links to reading, writing and maths within our lessons. Vocabulary, linked to DT and the text, will become more familiar to the children as we move through our topic sessions.
