Year 2

Summer 2

English

This term, Year 2 have enjoyed exploring two exciting texts linked to our History curriculum. Using one of the adventure stories- Tom the Great Explorer – as inspiration, the children planned and wrote their own versions that included bumping into fierce polar bears and hungry walruses! The children carefully included the key features of the genre such as an engaging and entertaining opening, a build-up, a problem, a resolution and ending.

To make their writing entertaining for the reader, pupils experimented with ambitious vocabulary, detailed descriptions and powerful noun phrases. They used thesauruses to improve their word choices and make their writing more vivid and engaging. Throughout the unit, the children also developed their understanding of conjunctions and fronted adverbials, using them to add extra detail and improve the flow of their work.

History

In History, we have been learning about two significant explorers: Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. The children discovered key facts about their lives, including what inspired them to become skilled mountaineers and how they achieved their remarkable success. We also explored the challenges faced by climbers attempting to reach the summit of Mount Everest such as extreme climates and the difficulty of less oxygen associated with higher altitudes. The children learned about the effects of extreme conditions and discussed health risks such as frostbite and hypothermia as climbers travel through the various base camps.

As part of our learning, we investigated the equipment used by explorers and compared equipment from the past with modern-day gear. We discovered that advances in technology have led to lighter, stronger and more effective equipment, helping climbers cope with harsh weather conditions including strong winds and blizzards.

Design and Technology

This term, our creative and resilient Year 2 pupils created their own finger puppets. The aim of the project was to design engaging puppets that could be used to entertain and tell stories to Reception children. Throughout the project, the children explored a range of joining methods and firmly decided that sewing would be the best one to use. They demonstrated excellent perseverance while developing their fine motor skills and learning new techniques to add on buttons. The finished puppets were imaginative, colourful and unique, with each one carefully designed for its intended audience and purpose. We thoroughly enjoyed using them to create our own little puppet shows in Golden Time too!

Maths

During the summer term, Year 2 have developed their understanding of mass, capacity and temperature. They have learned how to measure, compare and record using standard units and have applied these skills through practical activities.

The children were also introduced to statistics: learning how to collect, organise and present information using tally charts, pictograms and block diagrams. They have enjoyed interpreting data, asking questions and developing their mathematical reasoning skills to help them explain and justify their thinking.

Music

We have been using our voices as instruments this term and learning how vary the pitch of our singing. We learnt the lyrics to a song and explored how these notes are recorded by reading notation.

RE

In RE this term, Year 2 explored a range of significant religious stories shared by people of both the Christian and Judaism faith. The children learned about Noah’s Ark, Joseph and Jonah and the Whale, whilst discussing the important role that God plays in each for example showing forgiveness and rescuing those in need. We explored some symbolic items found within a synagogue and learnt about how they were used to practise Jewish beliefs such as the Torah, the Ark and the eternal light.

Jigsaw

Our Jigsaw topic this half term has been Changing Me. The children explored how people change and develop throughout the human life cycle, from infancy through to old age.

We discussed different types of touch and recognised that whilst some forms of touch are welcomed, others may not be. The children learned about positive ways to greet others, such as a handshake or high five, and understood the importance of personal boundaries and communicating their feelings clearly. They recognised that it is acceptable to say no when they do not want physical contact.

To finish the unit, the children reflected on their achievements during Year 2 and shared their hopes for Year 3. We also talked about the different emotions that can accompany change and recognised that feeling nervous or excited about new experiences is completely normal.

Science

This term, Year 2 have been learning about the importance of staying healthy. The children explored the five main food groups and discovered how each contributes to keeping our bodies healthy. They learned, for example, that proteins help the body grow and repair itself, while carbohydrates provide energy for everyday activities.

The children also investigated how germs can spread and carried out a practical activity to demonstrate the importance of regular handwashing. Following this, they designed informative posters promoting good hygiene habits.

To conclude the topic, we looked at the benefits of exercise and discussed different ways to stay active. The children then carried out an investigation to explore how physical activity affects pulse rate, helping them understand the positive impact exercise has on overall health and fitness.

ICT

We have been learning how to use the Scratch software on the IPads this term to give sprites a set of clear instructions. We have been learning that using the run command was important to start the series of command and looking closely how to debug the blocks to fix problems that arose.

Summer 1

Geography

In Geography, we have been using our mapping skills when looking at the atlases to identify the different continents alongside labelling the 5 major oceans that surround our Earth.  We used a variety of positional language linked to the compass points to describe the position of different landmarks. Next, we explored our immediate sense of place to think about our senses to explain what it was like to live in the UK. We compared this to a different locality- Kenya – and used our knowledge of human and physical features to answer our big question – How is the UK different to Kenya?

English

We read a book called ‘Someone Swallowed Stanley’ which is a book all about how a plastic bag accidentally ends up dumped into the oceans and causes lots of damage to marine life. We were left inspired to make a change and decided to inform others about different ways to recycle plastic so we wrote a set of instructions to inform others how to make a kite from old bags. During the second part of this term, we wrote a factual non-chronological report all about the different layers of the ocean and what creatures are found lurking in each section.

Art

In Art, we had the opportunity to evaluate the Artwork created by Esther Mahlangu an African Artist linked to our Geography topic. We created some symmetrical patterns using geometrical shapes using all of the beautiful colours that we mixed with paint. Along the way, we learnt lots about brush control selecting the most appropriate size brush for the area we were wanting to paint.

ICT

We have been creating digital music this term using the Music Lab Chrome Application. We created short rhythms using pictures to represent the type of effect we wanted to create. Using the application, we changed the pitch and dynamic of the sounds that we made alongside creating more complex melodies by changing the types of instruments used.

Maths

We have focused our learning all around measure this term, investigating length, mass and volume using the appropriate unit of measure. We used this knowledge to compare, order and solve problems involving measure.  We have become more confident at using different language to describe the position and direction of movement such as left, right, turn, anti-clockwise, forwards and backwards. We really enjoyed National Numeracy day this term too where we read the story – ‘The Perfect Fit’ and explored shapes that would tessellate to create geometric patterns. We continue to improve our recall of our 2,5 and 10 times tables with an increased focus of checking our answers using divisions facts.

Science

We have been learning all about plants this term and are able to identify the key parts of both trees and plants that flower. We enjoyed going on an outdoor hunt around school to find lots of different types and created some detail observations when we came back into the classroom. We conducted an investigation to find out what a healthy plant needs to grow and concluded that sunlight, water and air are essential.  We can order the stages of a seed’s lifecycle and can suggest some ways that seeds are dispersed.

PE

In PE we have been developing our skills in preparation for Sports Day.  We focussed on successful running techniques; how to throw with accuracy and how to use our arms and legs to propel ourselves when jumping.  We enjoyed taking part in some relay races using batons and different equipment.  We also considered how to support other people in our team and how to celebrate the successes of others as well as our own.

Jigsaw

In our relationship’s unit, we have been reflecting on aspects which make us feel safe or unsafe in different relationships around us. We have talked about differences within families and why they are important.  We talked about what made healthy friendships and how to resolve a conflict if they arise.  We also thought carefully about types of positive and negative touch and how some people might like types of touch that other people do not, such as high fiving or hugging. Lastly, we have been thinking about our circle of trust and who can help us if we need support.

Spring 

History

The children have thoroughly enjoyed our topic this term and have retained so many fascinating facts and applied these when answering our big question – How has the Great Fire of London impacted modern settlements today? We have learnt all about different sources of information and how effective they are at teaching us about the past, such as paintings and newspaper recounts. One of the main sources we looked at was the diary extract of the eyewitness Samuel Pepys. We can now confidently describe many things that are no longer used in modern settlements as a result of learning from past mistakes such as no longer using flammable building materials or building structures closely together. Using a timeline, we ordered the main events in chronological order to explain how the fire began in the bakery on Pudding Lane until it was finally gotten under control.

We have really enjoyed learning all about how fire prevention has changed over time and can now identify ways in which fires are controlled much more quickly. We are so thankful to Arnold Fire Station and the Fire Service team for coming in to discuss with us their role, their duties and even letting us sit inside the engine and handle their tools. We were also so proud of many of the homework projects that we received too so thank you for all of your efforts at home.

English

We kick-started our English topic with the purpose of entertaining our reader. We read the story ‘VLAD’ and retold the story in character as Boxton the rat and Vlad the flea as they fled the streets of London to escape to safety at the River Thames. We wrote stories that used powerful verbs, conjunctions to add detail and effective noun phrases to capture a range of senses. Next, we identified the features of the famous diary entry written by Samuel Pepys and used this to retell our own account. We looked carefully at using a range of time, place and manner fronted adverbials to capture the events in real time. We also used the first person and the tried hard to write consistently in the past tense. In the Spring term, we wrote a non-chronological report all about our personal experience of year 2 to inform others what life was like here in Rise Park. We thought carefully about using subheadings to organise the information; writing consistently in the present tense as well as using capital letters for proper nouns. Finally, inspired by our visit from the Emergency Responders, we wrote a letter of thanks to show how grateful we were. We included accurate use of questions and informed them of all of the interesting facts that they had taught us.

Music

We have been learning all about myths and legends that pass on ideas and retell a story and how this can sometimes change the story slightly. We spent time in groups replicating the rhythm using different character names to recreate our own versions. We then performed these patterns keeping to a steady beat using our thinking voices. During the last term, we have been learning all about call and response patterns. We spent some time considering how we could represent different safari sounds using varying dynamics using our voices. We then used instruments to rehearse different sounds.

Science

We started this topic by reflecting on what different animals had in common: for example, how they moved, where they lived or what they ate. In small groups, we had to group them into the five main groups. Next, we explored the different transfers of energy and considered what might happen to the food chain if smaller animals died out. Also, we went on an outdoor hunt in search of the habitats that belonged to smaller creatures. We found lots of spiders, caterpillars, ants and slugs hiding on our school grounds in long grass and under logs leaves. We took some time to think about why they lived here and decided that it offered protection, shelter and dark, moist conditions to help them survive. We can now confidently identify the different life processors and use this to identify if objects or animals are dead, alive or have never been alive. We have been so impressed with the children retaining this knowledge and using it to answer our big question- Why do animals live in the places that they do? In addition to this, we wrote an account to explain why polar bears would not be suited to a rainforest environment: applying lots of the knowledge and key vocabulary we had learnt such as temperature, herbivore and carnivore. Finally, we carried out an observation investigation where we made predictions about the preferred habitat of woodlice. We loved watching them to see if they would settle on a warm, dry, light or dark condition.

ICT

In pairs, we were tasked with giving our friend a series of short, clear instructions in order for them to follow to complete a task. We used this comparison to understand this is also how we can program a robot too. We quickly realised it was not as easy as we first thought and had to break down our algorithm into simple steps! We have really enjoyed using the Robot Mice in this unit. We are also now experts on handling data and can effectively collect information using tally charts. Once organised into a chart, we can ask and answer questions about the information shown. We then learnt how to clearly present information using pictograms and bar charts online.

DT

Inspired by interests in History, we made our very own fire engine toys for children in Reception. We researched the purpose of different vehicles, such as buses, vans and ambulances, and considered how their designs made them fit for purpose. Next, we worked together to explore different types of axels that would make our vehicle move and decided whether to use fixed or free axles. We designed our own version of a fire engine before making and evaluating it. The children in Reception enjoyed playing with our products.

RE

In RE, we thought about how a leader is someone who people follow and someone who can inspire you or motivate you to meet a goal. We learnt about religious leaders such as Moses and Saint Peter and non-religious leaders such as a surgeon, Harry Kane and a conductor. We learnt about things a leader might do like explaining things, listening carefully, helping people, giving instructions and sharing information. We thought about qualities a leader must have such as being courageous, a team player, trustworthy and empathetic. We noticed that some of these qualities linked to our school’s steps to success.

Art

In Art, we were inspired by two people: Eric Carle and Kurt Schwitters. Eric Carle wrote and illustrated the book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. We were fascinated to see how he used tissue- paper collages to illustrate his stories, while Kurt Schwitters created abstract collages and inspired us to be creative and bold with out choices. We learnt different collaging skills such as rolling, scrunching and layering and practiced these before creating a collage of a fire. We also practiced different sketching techniques such as hatching and stippling so that we could sketch houses from the past to complete our Great Fire of London final piece.

PHSE

Our first Jigsaw unit was ‘Dreams and Goals’. We learnt how to choose a realistic goal and thought about how to achieve it. In our classes, we devised a goal to achieve, like making a birthday card. We then worked as a team to make a card. We learnt that it is important to persevere and enjoyed sharing our successes with our friends. Then, we began ‘Healthy Me’. We learnt what our bodies need to stay healthy and which foods give our bodies energy. We also learnt what the word ‘relaxed’ means and thought about what makes us feel relaxed.  In our Milo’s Money lesson, we started by looking at amounts of pocket money and where we thought money came from. We then looked at a variety of different jobs and decided which job we thought would earn the most money. We were surprised when we saw how much money adults are paid for different jobs like a nurse, a pilot and a manager.

Maths

We have been working incredibly hard in Maths. At the start of the spring term, we learnt lots about money, including how to add money and find change. Then, we moved onto focussing on multiplication and division for the 2, 5 and 10 times tables. Next, we moved onto fractions. We were able to find equal parts of a shape and an amount. We can find half, a third and quarters of an amount and can count in the correct amounts to make a whole. We also know how to spot both unit and non-unit fractions. At the end of the spring term, we were busy learning how to tell the time to five-minute intervals. This term, we have also worked on two problem solving skills – working backwards to find missing number and guess, check and improve to find suitable answers.

PE

We started by developing our movement skills through a wide range of running, jumping, throwing, and catching activities taught within purposeful game contexts. We focussed on our accuracy and movement at varying speeds and directions in changing environments. Then, we moved onto movement to music. We developed our ability to move creatively and confidently to music, using dance as a way to express our ideas and feelings. We explored how to use our bodies to perform basic actions, dynamics, and relationships, while developing control, coordination, and rhythm.

Autumn 2

In Geography The Year 2 team have proven to be amazing changemakers during this topic and we cannot wait to hear back from our Local MP- Alex Norris once we make our suggestions via the mail. We kick started our topic this term with a walk around our local area of Rise Park and used a map to follow the route. Whilst walking, we were asked to consider how the land was used, alongside trying to identify different human and physical features that were found in it. When we returned to school, we then retraced our steps on aerial photographs to create our own maps using basic symbols shown on a key. At the end of our topic, we answered our big question- How can we improve our local area? There were some excellent responses that varied from controlling fast and noisy traffic flow and adding more bus routes, to painting the subway and adding bins to reduce litter.

In English, our writing purpose has been to inform based around cross curricular topic- our local area. We have researched, planned and written non-chronological reports to advise people all about what the area of Rise Park is like. We have been using powerful noun phrases to help add description as well as using varied conjunctions to give the reader extra details.

Secondly, inspired by his recent visit to the School Council, we decided to capture our ideas in a formal letter addressed to Alex Norris the local MP. We can not wait to hear his response after Christmas to see if any our suggested changes could be implemented.

As Artists, we have been helping to take care of our environment by making uses for packaging that may well have ended up in land fill. We have taken time to observe the work of Michelle Reader, who also uses recycled materials to create 3D sculptures inspired by nature and animals. We learnt all about the impact of waste and how it can damage the environment, so were proud of our end results! Our sculptures used the different joining techniques learnt in the unit- flange and tab.

In RE, we have been thinking about what makes a good leader. We were inspired by some key religious leaders in different faiths- Moses of the Jewish Faith and St Paul and Jesus of the Christian Faith. We then realised that everyone has the potential to be a good leader and thought about how the people around us show great leadership qualities everyday such as being courageous, problem solvers and nurturing towards others. Lastly, we wrote some wise words and rules to promote a more peaceful and harmonious lifestyle.

In Maths, we have focussed on addition and subtraction. We have learnt how to add and subtract two 2-digit numbers across a ten. As well as this, we have been practising our two times tables and many of us were awarded our bronze and silver awards- a few lucky children even reached gold! We have also learnt how to describe the properties of different 2D and 3D shapes and use a vertical line of symmetry. Our problem-solving focus has been working systematically and we enjoyed solving the ‘two dice total’ problem.

As Scientists, we enjoyed making predictions about which art medium would resist a water spillage in an investigation. We discovered that the water pastels did not absorb any water on the pictures that we drew. We continued to learn all about the uses of everyday materials and why they were most suitable for certain purposes. We completed a research task all about the famous Charles Macintosh and his important discovery of the waterproof rain mac. Lastly, we were so proud of our efforts when answering our big question- Why are houses made from different materials? It really showed how much progress we have made because we were apply to apply lots of newly learnt vocabulary such as: waterproof, lightweight, twist, bend, absorbent.

In PE we have been practising our rolls, balance and jumping skills during our gymnastics topic.

Autumn 1 -George’s Marvellous Medicine

The children in Colombia and Puerto Rico have already made a tremendous start to life in Year 2 at Rise Park. We have really enjoyed reading the Roald Dahl book ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine.’

We have used this story as inspiration this half term. Firstly, we found a mystery bag that was left in our classroom, and it was our job to investigate the clues hidden inside to reveal who it belonged it. We finally solved the problem and worked out quite quickly that it belonged to Grandad from the story. We used this learning to write a character description in English. The second piece of writing was created using our very own marvellous, magical potion mixtures. The children thoroughly enjoyed mixing together various items to create an object description such as toothpaste, bath bombs, lemon, vinegar and even washing up liquids! We have focused our writing heavily on using effective noun phrases-using powerful adjectives, alongside extending our simple sentences using subordinate conjunctions (when, if, because) to give extra detail.

In Maths, we have been exploring place value. We have used a variety of practical resources such as base 10, part whole models and number lines to represent, order and compare numbers up to 100. We have also been busy recalling our two times table facts and some of us have even been lucky enough to receive our gold awards!

As Historians, we have been learning all about the life story of Jesse Boot and the significance of his work that started in our local city of Nottingham. We have been learning about timelines and plotting key events chronologically. We were even lucky enough to handle some real life artefacts from the past to understand what it is like to be a Historian.

In ICT, we have used the iPads to learn all about taking an effective photograph: ensuring that we hold it firmly with 2 hands, zoom in appropriately and decide if the frame would be better using a portrait or landscape shot. We then edited our images using appropriate lighting and digital effects to make cool and warm tones.

In DT, we were luckily enough to make and taste chilled soups- gazpacho. We liked tasting lots of ingredients such as parsley, chives and onions to decide if we wanted to use them in our own recipes. In this lesson, we learnt about how to hygienically prepare foods alongside using the bridge and claw cutting skills with knifes.

We have taken the time to reflect on what Religious Education means to us as individuals and what important values it promotes such as respect, trust and kindness. Using our art skills, we created a piece to represent what god means to us. We then looked at the Jewish faith and some important symbols, objects and celebrations in their religion such as a synagogue and challah bread.

Our Jigsaw ‘Being Me’ unit has been the perfect opportunity to reflect on our new start in Year 2. We have thought about what a worry is and how this can be managed, and reflected on our rights and responsibilities in school to ensure that we all stay safe and happy, and are able to learn.

PE this term has all been based around throwing and catching. We have been deciding whether to use under or over arm to reach a target most effectively. We have also been thinking about how to work cooperatively as a team – giving out friendly and supportive feedback to our group.

As Scientists, we learnt all about the suitability of everyday materials as well as describing their properties. We also carried out an observational experiment to see which material was the most absorbent.

Summer 2025

English

This term, we have really enjoyed reading two stories that were linked to our History topic. Firstly, we retold our own version of the adventure story using the key features of this text type to write the opening, build up, problem, resolution and ending. We tried hard to ensure that we entertained our reader to match the purpose of the genre by adding in lots of emotive vocabulary and description. We created lots of powerful noun phrases using the thesauruses to up level our choices. Throughout the unit, we also thought carefully about how we could use different conjunctions and fronted adverbials to capture extra details.

This term, we have really enjoyed reading two stories that were linked to our History topic. Firstly, we retold our own version of the adventure story using the key features of this text type to write the opening, build up, problem, resolution and ending. We tried hard to ensure that we entertained our reader to match the purpose of the genre by adding in lots of emotive vocabulary and description. We created lots of powerful noun phrases using the thesauruses to up level our choices. Throughout the unit, we also thought carefully about how we could use different conjunctions and fronted adverbials to capture extra details.

History

We have really enjoyed learning all about 2 significant explores from the past- Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. We learnt all about their life stories particularly what inspired them to become experienced climbers and plotted some key events on timeline using our chronological ordering skills.

Next, we learnt all about what challenges people might face when they take on this tricky challenge including the negative consequences it may have on your health as you pass through each base camp such as frost bite or hypothermia.

We spent some time studying the equipment which was needed and explored how this has changed over time. We noticed that modern day gear is now often made using different materials, is lighter and is much more advanced to support the extreme climates found there such as strong gales and blizzards.

We ended our unit by answering the big question to decide if we would rather be a modern day explorer or one from the past. Take a look at our work to decide whether you would prefer to take an adventure in the past or present day.

DT

For DT in the summer term, our creative Year 2 children designed and made their very own finger puppets! The purpose of the project was to create engaging puppets to help tell stories to Reception children.

Pupils explored a variety of joining techniques, with a particular focus on sewing, developing fine motor skills and patience along the way. The results were fantastic—each puppet was unique, colourful, and carefully crafted with storytelling in mind. A brilliant example of design with purpose!

Maths

This term, Year 2 have been learning about mass, capacity, and temperature, building their understanding of how to measure, compare, and record using standard units. They have also been introduced to statistics, where they have explored how to collect and organise data using tally charts, pictograms, and block diagrams.

The children have been developing their reasoning skills by asking and answering questions about the data, helping them to make sense of information in a clear and structured way.

RE

This term in RE, Year 2 have been exploring important religious stories from Christianity and Judaism. They have learned about Noah’s Ark, Joseph, and Jonah and the Whale, and discovered the messages and meanings behind each one. The children also learned about the Torah.

To help deepen their understanding, the children took part in story retelling using puppets, bringing the characters and events to life in a creative and engaging way.

Throughout the unit, we reflected on how these stories are valued by both Jewish people and Christians, and how they help shape beliefs and traditions. We also discussed the importance of respecting different beliefs and recognising that everyone is entitled to their own views and faiths.

PE

This term we have been learning lots of important skills when working together as a team to play cricket effectively. We have been practising our batting, bowling and fielding skills alongside perfecting our aim using the tennis balls.

Jigsaw

This half term in Jigsaw our topic has been ‘changing me’.  We have thought about the way we change throughout the human life cycle from babies to when we are elderly.

We have talked about different types of touch and how some touches people like and others don’t such as tickling or holding hands.  We thought about how we can greet someone with a positive touch such as a hand shake or a high five.  We also know that sometimes we might not want people to touch us, such as giving us a cuddle and it is ok for us to say “no, I don’t want a cuddle right now”.  Finally we have shared our year 2 successes and the things that we are looking forward to in year 3.  We know that it is okay if we feel a bit nervous or apprehensive as these are normal emotions that we might experience at times of change.

Science

This term he have been learning all about keeping healthy. We learnt all about the importance of a balanced diet and what each of the 5 food groups provide for our body for example proteins help our body repair when it is injured and carbohydrates give us energy. We completed a practical activity to show how quickly invisible germs can spread if we don’t wash our hands frequently. We then designed a poster with top tips to stay clean and hygienic. Finally, we investigated how exercise helps to keep us fit. We discussed our favourite types of exercise before carrying out an investigation about how movement effected our pulse.

Summer 2025

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