Spring Term Week 4: Ice and Fire

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

We've had a very good week in Class 2 full of all sorts of things. 

In our story...
The children (in role as ordinary Londoners, going about London in 1666) saw a messenger from the King. The messenger rolled out a scroll and announced that the King (King Charles II) needed people to become volunteer firefighters, in order to make sure another Great Fire never happened again. The children were, of course, keen to help out. We did some learning about modern firefighting equipment and then compared it to 17th century firefighting equipment. Next week the children will be creating the equipment they need in order to become volunteer fire marshals. 

From fire to ice. 
Just before Christmas the children were wondering where the warmest place in school was. This week they carried out an investigation. Four ice marbles were placed in bowls in four different places (including outside). Over the course of a day, the children used their observational skills to notice and comment on what was happening. They were surprised that the ice marble placed outside didn't melt very much, despite being in the sun... so we are planning to carry out the same investigation in the summer term to see whether the results are different!

In phonics the children have been looking at 'oo' alternatives - ew and ue. Both of these are usually found at the end of words. 

In spellings the children have completed one of two weeks looking at apostrophes for contraction - don't, I'll, we've  (etc). 

In maths the children continued learning about place value. They compared two- and three-digit numbers and learnt how to play a place value game. The aim of the game is to understand what each digit is worth in a two- or three-digit number. 

If you want to practise this, there is a place value game here that you and your child can play. The lowest it goes it three digits, so Year 1 children in particular might need a bit of extra help - but give it a go! The kangaroo has to punch the numbers that make up the three-digit numbers, for example if the target number is 432, you have to find 400, 30 and 2. 

Aside from that, please continue to practise your child's maths facts with them!

I think that's all for now,

Have a good week end!

From Mrs Simpson

Spring Term Week 3: A mouse diary and an important trial.

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

Firstly - new maths challenges. 
Thank you for your support with these. The children took part in their first timed maths challenges on Thursday. I've marked them and put them into their folders. If they got them all right (or all but one or two) in the time given, I've indicated that they can move on to the next maths facts (in the A5 booklets). If not, I've marked them and they just need to keep practising this week!

While we get into the routine of this, I won't set any other maths homework this week. 

In class this week:

Phonics saw the children learning that ow, o_e and oe all make the 'oa' sound. See if you can spot these graphemes in their books. 

In spellings the children learnt a new rule:  to double the consonant before adding a suffix, if a word ends in a short vowel and a single consonant. 

eg - pat, patting, patted, hum, hummed, hummer. 

There are no particular words this week - just the opportunity to practise the rule if you want. 

In Maths we have been continuing work on place value. The children have been working on 1 more and 1 less, and 10 more and 10 less (Year 2s). They have also been comparing numbers by looking first at how many 10s a number has and then at how many 1s. We had Mrs Fairbrother and some other visitors in to see the children doing maths, and they were very impressed with their maths and their general learning, so well done Class 2!

In our story the children took part in the trial of Thomas Farriner. They already knew that The Great Fire of London started in his bakery. During the trial, they heard from different witnesses (represented by some helpful Class 4 children)  about some of the other reasons the fire was so bad; such as the hot dry summer, the river being low, the houses being built too closely together (and being built of straw and wood) and the narrow streets. 

At the end of the trial, the jury voted. It was close, but they decided that Thomas Farriner was not ultimately to blame for how bad the fire became. Below you can see a few photos of the trial. 

Half way through the half term already!

Have a good weekend,

Mrs Simpson

Spring Term Week 2: London in 1666 (and other things)

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

We've had a very good week in Class 2. 

In our story the children heard the story of The Great Fire of London. They sequenced the key events and then they stepped into the story. They were Londoners, on a hill looking over London after the fire. They imagined what they would be able to see, and how they would be feeling. 

Then a lady stepped forward and suggested that everyone return to London and rebuild their trades - the children agreed to participate. We did a bit of learning about professions and trades in 1666 (such as candlemakers, apothecaries, blacksmiths and potters) and the children chose one to take on, creating a shop front and artefacts to go into their shop. They learnt that shop fronts tended to have symbols on rather than words, as not many people could read in the 1600s. The children created their own shop sign using this idea. Next week the children will finish setting up their street of trades and I'll take some photos of the finished shops.

In phonics the Year 1 children learnt three alternatives to 'igh' - ie (as in tried), y (as in cry) and i_e (as in smile).  See if you can spot these graphemes together in books you read. 

In spellings the Year 2 children learnt how to spell the word 'war' and that this spelling pattern is in words such as warm, ward and reward. As explained last week, the children won't be doing an individual spelling challenge (instead we will go over these words as a group on Monday) but any practice helps! The words are here. 

In maths the children have been partitioning numbers into 10s and 1s. Year 1 have focussed on straightfoward partitioning, for example partitioning 62 into 60 and 2. The Year 2 children have been learning how to partition numbers flexibly, for example 62 can be partitioned into 60 and 2, 50 and 12, 40 and 22, 30 and 32, and so on. 

Maths homework. 
In your child's folder is the maths booklet I promised you last week!

Last Friday all of the children had a go at various maths challenge sheets. As a result of these, I have decided where each child will start on their maths challenges. 

In your child's book I have indicated which page they should start on, by writing 'start here' and dating it 17.01.25. Any maths facts your child already knows have a large green tick on them. 

Each week your child will take part in a 10 minute maths challenge. If they are able to complete their whole sheet, correctly, in the time given they will move on to the next set of maths facts. 

Let me know if you have any questions about this!

I think that's all for now. We've had a really busy week but I haven't managed to take a single photograph - I'll aim to do better next week!

Have a good weekend!

Mrs Simpson

Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year!

UPDATED TO ADD:
I have to apologise - I've had a major printing problem with the maths fact booklets. They will be with you next week! 

I hope you all had a good festive season. 

It was lovely to see your children's happy faces on Monday. They have settled right back in to life at school and we've had a great week. 

Important!  A homework change. 

To help boost the children's knowledge and quick recall of maths facts, I am making a change this term. 

Year 2 children will no longer have weekly spelling challenges. Instead, all children will have a weekly maths challenge. These will be progressive, with the children moving on when they are able to complete a sheet of maths facts correctly in the time given. 

In your child's homework folder is a copy of this booklet.  I will indicate on it which maths facts I'd like your child to work on. 

Please help your child to practise their focus maths facts regularly - I have given you ideas of how to do this. Your child might move quickly through the booklet, or they might need a few weeks on each maths fact.

Come and find me if you have any questions about this!

This week.

In phonics the Year 1 have been recapping the 'ee' alternatives -  ee ea y e_e ey. They also learnt that 'ie' is an 'ee' alternative.  You can help your child by spotting these digraphs in their reading books or badger books. 

In spellings  the Year 2 children have learn the spelling pattern wor - after 'w', the 'ir' sound is often spelt 'or'.  Their words are here if you want to help them to practise them - but they will no longer be doing a weekly spelling challenge in the same way ( we will, of course, practise these words at school). 

In maths the children have been working on place value to 100.
Year 1 children have been counting in 10s, recognising 'how many 10s' and 'how many altogeher'.  
Year 2 children have been looking at the pattern when we add 10s to any number - for example, 3,13,23,33,43,53....  the ones stay the same!
Both year groups spent time looking at a 100-square and writing their numbers to 100. 

In other news to start of our new Mantle of the Expert story, the children learnt that London is the capital city of England. They looked at some of the geographical features of London and made representations of them - which you can see here.  

Next, the children looked at a video showing what London would have looked like in 1666. They compared London now with London then. They focussed on what Tudor houses looked like and had a go at drawing some ready to make a representation of Pudding Lane. 

You can find out more about this term's learning here - you will have received a copy of this via email as well. 

It's going to be a good term!

Have a good weekend,

Mrs Simpson