Year 2 Garden and Project Fun

Year 2 have been having lots of fun and have been working hard this half term with our project: Beauty on our doorstep. We have linked our geography and science topics to explore our school grounds and local area. We have learnt what plants need to grow well. We did this through our experiments and through watching the germination process as we grew our beans. Well done to 2B who grew their plants the fastest; by growing them indoors with the warmer temperatures. 2R were second; they grew their beans outdoors in brighter light but with cooler temperatures. 2BT’s are growing well now after a slower start due to lower light conditions. We have put our learning into practise in our new school bed, where we are now growing other plants from seed which we shall plant after half term. We think you will agree that the children have done an amazing job adding beauty to the area outside of Year 2. We would like to thank Reece and Mrs Coomber for the generous donation of plants and bird feeders for this area and other parts of our school grounds. Year 2 will continue to look after this area and add to it as we go through the rest of the term.

Other updates: 

• Reading Challenge: We have launched a reading challenge for each week. We would like children to read at least 4 times per week at home as reading is extremely important for your child’s learning and development. You will find a card to record reading sessions in your child’s plastic reading folder. Please tick to record any reading. If children read 4 times per week, they will receive a sticker and an extra recognition point. Please ensure the reading record card is in school on a Friday as this is when we will check them. This is the same time as our library book change.
• Bug Club: We would also like your child to access Bug Club each week to support both reading and comprehension. The quizzes are an excellent way of checking their understanding of what they read and support the skills needed to develop effective reading comprehension. Each week, in our celebration worship, two children from each class will receive a certificate for their efforts.  Passwords can be found on your class stream on Google Classroom. 
• NumBots: We would also like each child to access NumBots for at least 20 minutes per week to support children’s mental recall of maths facts. It’s great fun and you can really tell the children who have been using it regularly due to their quick mental recall. Again certificates are awarded each week.  Passwords for Numbots have been given out and should be in the front or back of your child’s homework book.
• Spellings and Spelling Shed: Children in Year 2 need to spell many words correctly. You will find a list of the Year R, 1 & 2 spellings that children should know by the end of Year 2 on Google Classroom. Your child’s class teacher will speak to you about spelling at parent’s evening if this is an issue for your child. A handy list of fun spelling activities is also included on this post. Each week, we also post weekly spellings linked to the spelling rules children must learn. Please ensure children practise these at home. They are also available on Spelling Shed. 
• Speedy Tables: In class, Year 2 children are being introduced to speedy tables. Children need to know the 2, 5 and 10 times tables and division facts, both in an out of order, by the end of Year 2. These are also available to practise on ttRockstars (using the same login details as Numbots). Certificates will be awarded for these after half term.
• Maths homework: is set every two weeks and will be available on Google Classroom too. Any sheets given can be kept at home and stuck in homework books. Answers will be put up for children to check their answers on the hand in date.
• This week’s homework 21.5.21: For this week we are asking that children complete at least half an hour on Numbots and/or ttRockstars.
• Coats: The weather is very unpredictable at the moment so please ensure that your children bring a suitable coat to school as we try to go out in all weathers.

We want to thank everyone who has attended or is intending to join us for parent’s evening. Whilst this is slightly trickier with the technology, we really do value the opportunity to share with you your child’s many successes, along with their next steps. If you have not yet made an appointment (thankfully only a minority), then please do contact the school office and we will try to fit you in. Your children are all working exceptionally hard and we are very proud of them. In all areas, we can see huge improvements in what they can do which is even more amazing given the challenges of the last few months. We hope you will enjoy seeing the recent writing that is being sent home.

Please do contact us if you have any questions or concerns. You may be able to catch your child’s teacher at the classroom door but for any bigger concerns we ask that you use the year group email year2@stmarksce.org.uk and then your child’s teacher will get back to you as quickly as they can.  

We hope you all have a wonderful half term break and we look forward to sharing our new topic and work with you after half term. 

The Year 2 Team