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