Spring Week 6: Half way through the academic year!

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

Firstly - Year 1 TT Rockstars
Following a couple of requests I have added the Year 1 children to Times Table Rock Stars. There is no requirement for Year 1 children to know their times tables (though they do need to count in 2s, 10s and 5s)  but it never hurts to get ahead if your child is keen! A letter including their login details will be in their purple folders. 

Secondly - Reading books
Your children will come home with a couple of free choice reading books to keep them going over half term. A reminder - if their chosen book seems to easy for them, take the opportunity to develop your child's fluency and expression, and ask them lots of comprehension questions. If their book seems too difficult, read the book to/with them. Free choice reading books are more about children having their choice of book than about the book being perfectly matched to the children's reading ability. 

Thirdly - Spellings
I forgot to send a reminder about spelling booklets this week. I've updated the spelling booklets I found - please ensure your child's home spelling booklet is their purple homework folder when we return after half term, and I'll update any I have not yet done. 

The U.K. 
As part of our Mantle of the Expert story the children have been learning a bit about the U.K. I have explained that the U.K. wasn't actually formed 1000 years ago (when our story is set) but nevertheless we are learning a bit about the capital cities, weather and features of each country. So far we have looked at England and Scotland. 

In maths:
Year 1 have continued their work on number bonds to 20 and have also looked at doubles this week. 

Year 2 have continued their work on multiplication with a close look at the 2x tables. 

Both year groups can spend time on TT Rockstars for their homework over half term!

In phonics and spellings we have been checking where the children are up to. I have updated their home spelling booklets accordingly (assuming I found them in their homework folders of course). 

Forest School this week:

We were joined this week by Emma, Seth's mum, who kindly donated ten trees to us and helped the children to plant them! Everyone had a go at digging the holes (if nothing else, February has made the ground lovely and soft) and we are looking forward to watching them grow. 

The children also enjoyed our new tyre swing and climbing rope, and a group of children got to work building an elaborate den. 

A few children were too cold again - hopefully the weather is going to warm up next half term, but please do make sure your children have layers underneath their waterproofs, a warm coat, waterproof gloves and thick socks. 

Spring Week 5: relatively quiet.

 Hello Class 2 Parents,

It's been a fairly quiet week here in Class 2...

A PE note:
P.E. will be on Wednesday instead of Tuesday next week!

Some Good News! - Marble Jar. 
The children have once again filled up their marble jar. The treat they have voted for is a film afternoon with their teddies and a snack. On Friday, children may bring in one small teddy for the day. 

In our story the serfs returned home from a long day out in the fields to find they had been evicted from their cottages for 'not working hard enough'. As they were discussing what to do next, a stranger approached them. She told them she was a queen (she had the crown to prove it) but had lost her castle and kingdom. She invited the serfs to travel with her, help her to find some new land and build a new castle. Of course they agreed. 

Currently, the children are deciding whether to go to England, Wales, Scotland or Ireland for this, learning a bit about each country. 

In maths:

Year 1 have continued their work on addition and subtraction. They have started to learn about number bonds to 20 and how they related to bonds to 10 (eg 7 + 3 = 10, so 17 + 3 = 20).  

To help with this, they can play this game (select the target number as 20). As they play, help them to use their bonds to 10 to help. If your child finds bonds to 20 too much of a challenge, you can practise their bonds to 10 using the same game. 

Apologies also for giving you the wrong link last week! If you haven't already found the correct game, you can find Whack-a-Mole here!

Year 2 have been looking at arrays this week and using them to write and solve multiplication sentences. Their homework is here and will be in their folders.

In phonics the Year 1 children have been looking at ir, ur and er - digraphs which all make the same sound and all have an r in, which helps! 

In spellings the Year 2 children have been learning to spell the days of the week and numbers to 20 (a revisit from the end of Year 1). They have chosen the word list this week, picking out the trickier ones (it not 'six' and 'ten'!). I have added the list to The Spelling Shed as usual. 


In other news:
* we have been learning about dynamics and tempo in music. When you are listening to a piece of music with your child, ask them about the dynamics (loud or soft) and tempo (fast or slow). 
* we have moved on in P.E. to begin learning some basic outdoor team skills (orienteering in its full version!). The children had a great time this week learning that the more they work as a team, the quicker a challenge gets completed!

I think that's all for now - have a good weekend!

Mrs Simpson