Summer Week 9: a publishing house and a school vision day.

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

This week in Class 2...

The children have started to publish their information books on Nile crocodiles. They've spent the last couple of weeks planning the text using features of a non-fiction text, and now they are putting words and pictures together to make a book. They are thoroughly enjoying the process. 

In maths, our work on fractions continues. The Year 1 children have now been taught how to find a half or a quarter of a shape or quantity, while the Year 2 children have done all of that, plus finding one third of a shape or quantity. 

Year 1 homework is here and will be in their folders. 

Year 2 homework is here and will be in their folders. 

On Tuesday the whole school took part in a morning on our school vision ('flourish like a flower of the field' throough growth, community, spirituality and the environment). Class 2 was given 'growth' to discuss so we did a little bit of work on what that meant, and on the meaning of 'potential'. We had a great discussion about what the children want to be when they are older - everything from a firefighter, to a hairdresser, to an artist, a gardener and a zoologist! We worked on our section of the whole-school display by making colourful flowers and leaves. 

For the past few weeks the children have been learning some basic tennis skills in P.E. They are thoroughly enjoying this so if you have a ball and a racquet at home, ask if you can see what your child has learnt!

In our story, the children are in the middle of solving a problem. Somewhere in the Maasai Mara, some children are playing on the edge of a watering hole. What they don't know is that there is a large, hungry crocodile lurking nearby... 

I'll keep you posted. 

I think that's all for now. Have a good weekend!

Mrs Simpson

Summer Week 8: A Maasai boma and a lot of D.T.

 Hello!

First, two notes:

The summer reading challenge: information about this was emailed home to all parents. I would encourage every child to take part as it will keep their reading going over the summer and promote reading for pleasure, which is so important. You can sign up for the online challenge or visit library.  https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/

Year 1 parents will have received an email invite to a Forest School meeting on 2nd July. I hope to see you there to tell you about my plans for next year!

In other news:

This week has seen many a trip to the shade of a large tree to listen to a story or complete some work. The sun is lovely and it really feels like summer is well underway. We've had a productive week in Class 2 and our Mantle of the Expert story is moving along well. 

The children headed out into the Maasai Mara to begin their search for the crocodile. They chose armoured jeeps as their transportation due to the potentially dangerous animals they knew they might find. It was at a river crossing that they saw a large, crocodilian footprint. As they were inspecting it, a woman approached them. She was from the Maasai tribe and had seen the footprint - she was worried because the fence around her nearby boma (village) needed some repair. The children of course offered to help, and so they created a representation of the boma, building an enkaji (hut made from sticks, mud, cow dung, straw and grass) using joining techniques,  and learning how to weave a fence around it. 

When that task was complete, we decided we needed to be more purposeful about the search for the Enormous Crocodile, so the children learnt how to make a map using symbols, a key and grid references. They identified six possible locations for the Enormous Crocodile using the grid references. 

In maths the children have started to learn about fractions. Year 1 have looked at half of a shape or a quantity, while Year 2 have looked at half and a quarter of a shape or quantity. They have learnt that 'a half is one of two equal parts' and 'a quarter is one of four equal parts'. 

Homework is very practical this week. 
* Year 1 - lots of practice of finding half or a shape or an amount, using paper shapes, playdough shapes, pieces of pasta, peas left on their plate etc. 
* Year 2 - as above, but for a half and a quarter. Please also practice finding two quarters, or three quarters. 

There is no obligation to show me this homework at all, but if you'd like to send in photos via the school office please do!

Phonics and spellings have been a bit quiet this week, as has reading, because we have been carrying out reading assessments with the children (still ongoing due to the need to do these in small groups in Year 1 and Year 2). Instead, your child will come home with some badger/squirrel books and some one-off phonics books if applicable. 

Enjoy the sun this weekend!

Mrs Simpson

Summer Week 7: to the Maasai Mara!

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

I hope you have all had a good week. We've had a very good week in Class 2 - there has been a lot going on. 

Hats!
Please make sure your child's hat is named and is in school on hot sunny days. This is particularly important on a Wednesday when we have outdoor PE for an hour in the afternoon. Thank you!

In our story the children finally arrived at Jomo Kenyatta airport in Nairobi. They were greeted by a friendly woman at the information desk. She asked them what their plans were and, when she heard they were looking for a crocodile, she pointed them in the direction of the Maasai Mara Nature Reserve. 

The children learnt about the (physical) geographical features of the Maasai Mara and made a map together. 

Tomorrow (Friday) they will travel to the reserve and see what they can find. 

In phonics the children have completed their Phonics Screening Check. Thank you for all of your help with practising this. You will be informed of how your child got on as part of their end-of-year reports. 

In spellings the children have been looking at words ending in 'sion' or 'sure'. If you want to practise them, the focus words are here. 

In maths they have continued their work on division - this time, dividing equally (so for example, 12 sweets divided equally between 4 children equals 3 each) Year 1 have mainly focussed on using concrete objects to divide equally, while Year 2 have been using arrays and writing the formal number sentences with the divide symbol. 

Everyone's maths homework this week  is to show division by sharing out in any practical way you like, and send me a photograph via the school email (or print a photograph for your child's homework folder). 

Year 1 children could:

* divide some counters equally between teddies

* divide some sweets equally between themselves and their siblings 

* divide some dried pasta equally between bowls

Practise saying the sentence  _____ divided equally between _____ equals ____ each    (eg 12 divided equally between 4 equals 3 each). 

Year 2 children could use any objects they like and divide them equally by making an array - so for example, if you have 21 objects, you could divide them equally bewtween 3 rows so that you end up with 7 in each row. Then try writing the formal number sentence using the division symbol. 

I think that's everything for now. 

Have a good week end!

Mrs Simpson

Summer Week 6: Nile Crocodiles

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

I'm not sure I can quite believe it's the final half term of the academic year, but here we are! 

Phonics Screening Check - next week
An email went home to the parents of all children taking the phonics screening check next week. Please practise with your child over the weekend. Your child won't know they are being tested - they will sit with me and read the words, which they have done several times before. 

Salcey Forest Trip
I am just finalising a few details and a letter will be with you early next week! 

PE will be on a Wednesday afternoon this half term. Mr Roberts (from Wollaston Secondary School) is coming to teach the children with me. 

This week:

The children learnt that the Enormous Crocodile (if he is indeed still alive) is likely to be a Nile crocodile. They recorded some questions they had about Nile crocodiles and then started research. One video we watched was this one - feel free to rewatch it with your children, Henry is fascinating!

We decided that we would probably need some non-fiction books about Nile crocodiles to take with us on our quest. The children started planning and writing non-fiction chapters which they will publish into books. 

In Maths the children have been working on division. They learnt to divide into groups of, for example, if they have 12 cookies and divide them into groups of 3, they will have 4 groups. The Year 2 children started learning to read and write the formal division symbol, while the Year 1 children focussed on using counters and orally rehearsing the number sentences. 

Year 1 homework is here and will be in their folders. 

Year 2 homework is here and will be in their folders. 

We also resumed the weekly maths fact challenges this week - please have a look at your child's with them, and help them to work on their focus maths facts this week. 

In phonics the children have been doing a lot of practice of reading alien and real words, ready for the phonics check next week.You will find a final QR code in their homework folders for practice. 

In spellings the children have looked at words ending in -tion. If you want to practice reading/writing these words, you can find them here. 

I think that is everything. 

I hope you all have a good weekend!

Mrs Simpson