Bumblebee Class (Year 2) 2024 - 2025

Welcome to the class page for Bumblebee Class.

Here you will find all of the exciting and wonderful things that your child will be learning during their time in Year 2. If you have any questions, please use Class Dojo or speak to a member of our team at drop off/ pick up.

Thank you

Spring 1

This term our class will be looking at the book 'The Bog Baby’ By Jeanne Willis.

The story is about two sisters playing by the pond who find a magical tiny being complete with wings. The creature is a bog baby and the two girls decide to take the best care of it that they can. But, when the bog baby becomes ill, they realize that they’ll have to let it go back to the wild.

The writing outcome for this unit is to write a narrative. The children will be building upon grammar from previous units, focusing on: suffixes (ful/less), adverbs, subordination (when/if/that/because), co-ordination (or/so/and/but), expanded noun phrases, questions, commands and apostrophes. We will look t using the consistent and correct use of past and present tense.

This term we have two writing outcomes first a setting narrative and secondly a diary entry. Both outcomes will use the knowledge and skills gained from our previous term such as using the suffix -ly to turn adjectives into adverbs and form adjectives using suffixes -ful and -less. We will focus on how to use co-ordination (or, and, but, so) and using expanded noun phrases for description and specification. We will also focus on using capital letters, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks and apostrophes to show singular possession in nouns and separate items in a list.

This term in maths we will be continuing our learning about:

Money

Count money- using pence

Count money- using pounds (notes and coins)

Count money- using pounds and pence

Choose notes and coins

Make the same amount

Compare amounts of money

Calculate with money

Make a pound

Find change

Solve two-step problems

Multiplication and division

Recognise equal groups

Make equal groups

Add equal groups

Introduce the multiplication symbol

Multiplication sentences

Use arrays

Make equal groups by grouping

Make equal groups by sharing

The 2 times-table

Divide by 2

Doubling and halving

Odd and even numbers

The 10 times-table

Divide by 10

The 5 times-table

Divide by 5

The 5 and 10 times-table

Times Tables

Times tables will be taught daily as part of our mental maths lessons. We will be learning our 2, 5 and 10 times tables as well as completing daily challenges and a weekly timed quiz. All children have a log-in for TT Rockstars which is a fun, exciting website with lots of games to support the learning of times tables. Please encourage your child to practise their times tables using this website or any other games.

Everyday 8.50 - 9.20 am we will have our phonics or whole class shared reading lesson. Each child will bring home a shiny book and paper book taken from current reading level. Obviously, accidents can happen but please try and look after the books so they can continue to support our children with their reading.

Reading Expectations

Read with your child every day even if it is just 2 minutes- this can make all the difference. 
Record in their reading diaries we need to ensure that your child is recieving their vending machine or reading buddy. 
Asking your child about what they think might happen next in the story, how do they think the character is feeling, who is the author and what do they do. 
It does not have to be their paper or shiny book they read it can be any, you can read to them- change your voice for expression, bring the characters to life. 
Shiny book bag books MUST be returned to school every day ready to be changed every Monday. 
Paper books ( they are the same as what they are reading within their phonics lesson to promote confidence), they should be coming into school every day - ready to be changed every 3rd read within their phonics lesson. 

If your child has finished the reading scheme they will continue to have whole class shared reading lessons. The text we will use for this half term is 'Above and Below' by Patricia Hegarty. We will learn how to make inferences on the basis of what is being said and done, sequencing events in stories and how this information is related, make predictions, clarify new vocabulary and retrieve information using the text. We will be also discussing out favourite words and phrases from the text. 

To support the children in their reading sessions we use a strategy called VIPERS. 

Reading diaries MUST come in every day reguardless of whether or not they have been written in- we cannot replace them if they are continously being lost or not taken care of.  

Every child has a frequent reader book worm (below). For every 3 reads they complete at home they get a tick/ stamp on their worm. When the worm is full (12 ticks/stamps) they receive a free book of their choice from the book vending machine. If they fill their frequent reader worm three times then they get a free reading buddy as well. Great incentive to get reading!

Geography- Would you prefer to live in a hot or cold place?

This term we will studying Geography. We will be learning about hot and cold climates. Through comparing the UK to Kenya, the children will make comparisons, identifying similarities and differences between hot and cold places. We will learn about and investigate the weather, locate the North and South Poles and the Equator and will using atlases and globes to help us.

Your child will have 2 PE lessons each week. Their days this half term are Monday and Friday. Please ensure they come into school in their PE kit on these days.

PE

Pathways- Hands 1

This unit of work will involve gymnastics and help the children to explore and create different pathways of movement such as zig-zag and how to link different movements together.

Living things and their habitats

This half term we will be learning all about living things and their habitats. We will be exploring and comparing the differences between things that are living, dead and things that have never been alive. Children will be able to identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants and how they depend on each other to survive.  Children will be able to identify and name a variety of plants and animals and microhabitats. We will be investigating further how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.

We will also be conducting some investigations and experiments using the full range of scientific skills. 

This term in DT, we will be exploring materials. The children will learn how to make and use a template, and how to use a running stitch to join two materials together to make a pouch.

This term in music, we will be looking at orchestral instruments. The children will:

• Describe the music, explaining what is happening using language relating to emotion.
• Identify a few instruments and the sounds of different sections of the orchestra.
• Create a piece of music with some appropriate tempo, dynamic and timbre changes.
• Perform confidently using appropriate instrumental sounds.

Useful links

https://www.classdojo.com/

https://ttrockstars.com/

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=year%202%20maths

Rules of spellings for Year 2 

Weekly spellings will be added to the class dojo. A paper copy will also be handed out on a Monday. Children need to practise everyday ready for their test on a Friday. 

Homophones - Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and are spellled differently. For example, flower and flour, bee and be, hair and hare and their, they're and there. 

Common Exception Words for Year 2 - we will rehearse Year 1 common exception words and then begin to learn the Year 2 set. Please see the attached list of words to practise. Make them into games, colour them in and have fun learning them.

Contracted words - children will learn how to use an apostrophe correctly for contracted words. For example could not - couldn't, I have - I've. They will learn that the apostrophe is replacing a letter and also irregular forms of the rule. For example, will not - won't.

General Reminders:

Please ensure that your child's uniform is clearly labelled.
Children's water bottles should contain water (unless we are notified as to why) again, bottle should be clearly labelled.
Most communition will be done via Class Dojo a great way to upload and home learning, WOW moments or if you have any questions or concerns.