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Year 2

Spring Term 2024 

Our topics this term are Nurses and Seasides.  A flavour of some of what the children will be learning and experiencing during these topics is given below.

Nurses

During Literacy this term, we will be looking at a range of texts. Our new text for this term is ‘Pandora’. Through this story, we will be completing some descriptive writing looking at using expanded noun phrases, fronted adverbials and a variety of sentence types. This story is all about helping others in need and as part of our ‘Nurses’ topic we will be focussing on the jobs of nurses and the history behind their roles. We will be writing letters to nurses thanking them for all their hard work. We will also be revisiting our knowledge of non-chronological report writing and completing some pieces based on our other curriculum subjects such as Science and RE.  

In Numeracy, we will learn about the measurement of time and how to tell the time using an analogue clock. We will understand hours, minutes and seconds and will use this knowledge to read times to the nearest half an hour and fifteen minutes. We will then continue our learning of place value, looking further at the properties of numbers and using apparatus and visual aids to support learning. We will continue to explore different addition and subtraction strategies and develop our partitioning skills. We will then learn about fractions and identify the fraction of an amount and shape.

In Science, we will be learning about animals including humans. We will describe the importance of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food and hygiene. We will describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food. We will discuss what should be included in a healthy diet and what should be limited. We will create our own Eatwell plate. We will plan and evaluate our own meal. We will continue to develop of working scientifically skills including observing closely, using simple equipment, performing simple tests, identifying and classifying, using our observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions and gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.

In History, we will explore how we can find out about the past. We will discuss who Florence Nightingale was and why she was important. We will understand who Edith Cavell was and why was she important. We will discuss why Florence and Edith became significant. We will understand why Florence and Edith acted the way they did and how they helped to improve hospitals.

In Computing, our topic will be robot algorithms. We will use logical reasoning to predict the outcome of sequences of commands and test our prediction with floor robots. We will then create different algorithms to reach the same outcome.

In Art, we will understand what collage means. We will explore who the artist Matisse is and the style of his work. We will create a piece of artwork in the style of ‘Matisse’ and understand how different techniques and materials can be used to produce a collage.

During Music, we will use space as stimuli to investigate music. We will use our voice and a range of instruments to create a range of sounds, and add dynamics to our work to understand how atmosphere is created. We will look at more instruments, and explain how they can be played in different ways. Through listening, we will compare different pieces and develop our musical vocabulary. At the end of the unit we will create short melodies called motifs, and will work in groups to create a performance, making sure we are working as part of a group.

In PE, our indoor sessions will be dance. We will explore space and how their body can move to express an idea, mood, character or feeling. We will expand our knowledge of travelling actions and use them in relation to a stimulus. We will build on our understanding of dynamics and expression. We will use counts of 8 consistently to keep in time with the music and a partner. We will also explore pathways, levels, shapes, directions, speeds and timing. During our outdoor PE sessions, we will be developing the basic skills involved in net and wall games. We will develop our understanding of the principles of net and wall games such as using the ready position to defend our space and sending the ball away from an opponent to maximise our chances of scoring. We will learn to play games honestly, abiding by the rules and showing respect towards our opponents and teammates.

As part of our learning in RE, we are looking at Special books. We will look at the similarities and differences between different religions and beliefs and find out why some have special books and what they called. We will look at why the books are special and how the books are treated in different religions.

In PSHE, we will be covering the topics ‘Practise makes perfect’ and ‘Helping someone in need.’ We will be able to name ways we can improve in an activity or sport. We will understand the importance of trying hard and not giving up. We will discuss how we can help other people. We will be able to recognise kind and thoughtful behaviours and actions. We will recognise and name emotions and their physical effects. We will know the difference between pleasant and unpleasant emotions. We will understand that feelings can be communicated with and without words.

Seasides

During Literacy this term, we will be exploring stories with familiar settings. After reading The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch by Ronda and David Armitage we will sequence the beginning, middle and end of the story to be able to write our own retell. We will also use the story as inspiration when writing our own alternative version where we will focus on using a range of interesting adjectives and conjunctions to develop our writing. We will learn about the features of recipes and as part of our DT work we will be creating our own recipes for a picnic. Later we will complete our term by exploring the wonders of the sea through a wide range of poems. We will compare poems and use imagery along with our own experiences to create poems. 

In Numeracy, we will revisit and develop our understanding of place value, using partitioning and counting on methods to deepen knowledge. We will then continue our learning of multiplication and division and will demonstrate methods of commutativity to solve problems. We will explore measurements of mass and capacity and will develop knowledge of this topic by practising strategies to answer word problems.

In Science, we will be exploring living things and their habitats. We will explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive. We will identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants and how they depend on each other. We will identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including micro-habitats.

In Geography, we will be answering the question ‘What does a map show us?’ We will use and construct basic symbols in a key and understand the need for a key. We will recognise and identify basic OS symbols. We will follow a route on a plan view map. We will use an atlas to locate places. We will draw a simple map of a real or imaginary plan.

In Computing, our topic will be programming animations. We will begin to understand that sequences of commands have an outcome and make predictions based on our learning. We will use and modify designs to create our own quiz questions in ScratchJr and use blocks of code. Finally, we will evaluate our work and make improvements to our programming projects.

In Art, we will take inspiration from the artwork of artists such as L.S.Lowry, JMW Turner and Claude Monet and create our own seascape. Within our seascape artwork we will include the skill of tie-dying and we will explore using layers too. Throughout the term, we will also have the opportunity to develop our sketching skills.

In Design Technology, we will link our learning to our science and healthy eating. We will be able to name the different food types and sort a variety of food into their correct food group. We will use tally charts, pictograms and block graphs to find out our favourite fruit and vegetables. We will describe how eating the right amount of food is important to be healthy and create a healthy lunchbox/dinner.  We will design, make and evaluate our own healthy seaside snack.

During Music, our topic is Traditional Western Stories. Through listening and practical work, students will be introduced to the different instruments of an orchestra. They will be able to identify them and start to understand how they work. They will then play a piece as if they are following a conductor, as part of a “classroom orchestra”.

In PE, our indoor sessions will be based around fitness. We will take part in a range of fitness activities to develop components of fitness. We will begin to explore and develop agility, balance, co-ordination, speed and stamina. We will be given the opportunity to work independently and with others. During our outdoor PE sessions, we will develop our sending and receiving skills including throwing and catching, rolling, kicking, tracking and stopping a ball. We will also use equipment to send and receive a ball. We will be given opportunities to work with a range of different sized balls. We will apply our skills individually, in pairs and in small groups and begin to organise and self-manage our own activities.

As part of our learning in RE, we will be looking at how different religions celebrate festivals. We will look at what the different festivals are called and how they are celebrated. The children will be asked if they celebrate any festivals themselves and if they could share with us what they do.

In PSHE, we will explore the topics ‘Image sharing’ and ‘Computer safety.’ We will understand how our online actions can affect others. We will be able to name the positive and negative ways you can use technology. We will discuss the ‘golden rules’ of computer safety. We will discuss the importance of limiting screen time and having a healthy relationship with technology.