Autumn 1 2023

Welcome to the Puffins!
English
Our English lessons this half term will be based on the story 'The Robot and the Bluebird' by David Lucas. The children will use the illustrations to focus on character feelings and make inferences. They will use role-play, dance and freeze frames to delve deeper into the character's thoughts and emotions. The children will use a range of resources to write a non-chronological report about bluebirds. To finish the unit, the children will create story maps from their knowledge of the story to retell the story in their own words.
Monster Phonics
This year we will be launching our new phonics scheme 'Monster Phonics'. For Year 2, this programme will focus on the Year 2 National Curriculum Spelling Programme. Tricky Witch will support us in learning different spelling patterns for known sounds. Come along to our Monster Phonics Launch Meeting to discover more!
PSHE - Jigsaw
Being Me in My World

The children will begin by identifying some of their hopes and fears for this year. They will then move on to discuss rights and responsibilities of being a member of the class and contribute ideas about rewards and consequences. They will use their ideas to create a class charter to refer to throughout the year.

 
Design Technology

The children will explore stability and methods to strengthen structures, to understand Baby Bear's chair weaknesses and develop an improved solution for him to use.

Familiarise yourself with the story by listening to the story or reading the book.

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Religious Education 
Focus: Nature and God

This half term, the children will learn how nature can be important across religions and to make links between religions. They will learn the Christian Creation story, about the importance of harvest to some Christians and Jews by learning about harvest festivals and Sukkot. The children will also hear stories from Buddhism and Islam which highlight the importance of looking after nature.

Watch an animation of the Christian Creation story by clicking on the video.

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Art and Design
Focus: Painting
This term, the children will focus on their art skill of painting. The children will explore tints and shades of the primary and secondary colours and create their own monochromatic masterpiece!
Mathematics
During this half term, the focus for our Maths lessons will be Place Value and Addition and Subtraction. The children will be working with numbers to 100 and learn the value of each digit. The children will be using concrete manipulative to develop their understanding and then this will develop to pictorial representations.
 
Support you child at home by downloading the DoodleMaths App or access DoodleMaths online. We encourage the children to access DoodleMaths daily to develop their mathematical skills and understanding. We expect the children to be in the Green Zone by the end of the week as part of their homework.
 
Click on the link: DoodleMaths
 
Mastering Number
The children will continue with their journey in Mastering Number in Year 2. The children will develop good number sense and have automativity in number facts.
Science
Living Things and their Habitats
During this term, the children will identify things that are living, dead and never been alive. They will explore plants and animals in different habitats and begin to understand why they are suitable for that habitat. The children will also explore micro-habitats and discover what is lurking beneath by make close observations. We will finish the topic by exploring food chains with different animals. Discover more at home by clicking on the link!
Physical Education
Focus: Dodging

Throughout our PE lessons this half term, the children will participate in a range of activities to develop their skills and techniques of dodging and apply this into games.

Year 2 PE will be on Thursdays. Please ensure that the children come to school wearing their PE kit on this day. Earrings must be removed for PE lessons.

Swimming will now be every other half term. Puffins will start their swimming this half term.

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History
During the Autumn term, the children will explore the question, 'What does it take to be a great explorer?'. The children will explore the achievemnts of Ranulph Fiennes, Amy Johnson, Christopher Columbus and Neil Armstring and discover the personal qualities it takes to be a 'great explorer'. Watch live footage of Neil Armstrong's moon landing...how do you think he felt?
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Geography
This term, the children will explore the question, 'Why don't penguins need to fly?'. Through stories, maps and atlases, the children will discover what live is like in Antarctica and compare this with the Arctic and Sahara Desert.
Music
This year, the children will continue with their singing journey with Rosie. They will explore singing a variety of songs, including call and response.
 
As well as singing, the children will continue to learn to play the ocarina. The children will learn new notes to play, begin to read music and perform!