Year 2 - Dorchester Market Trip - 26th February 2018

We have decided to postpone the Dorchester Market Trip until Wednesday 7th March due to the cold conditions.  To be outside for a prolonged period of time without a place to warm up would be dangerous.  If you have offered to help us and can still make next Wednesday please let a member of the team know. 

Year 2 - Parent's Evenings - 26th February 2018

There are still spaces for parent's evening tomorrow 27th February and 28th February if you haven't signed up.  If you can't make these appointments please see me and we can find another time that is more suitable for you.

Year 2 - Spellings - 23rd February 2018

This week Red and Orange groups are looking at homophones, words that sound the same but mean different things.  You will need to learn the meaning as well as the spelling:

Yellow and Green group will be revising the "air" sound:

Year 2 - Homelearning and World Book Day - 23rd February 2018

In preparation for World Book Day, this Thursday 1^st March I would like you to choose one of these megatastic reading challenges as well as put the final touches to your costume to wear on the day!

1.  Make a family top ten of your favourite children’s books or take a picture of your bookshelf.

2.  Take a picture of you reading in the most extreme places, bring it in or email it to me on the address given on the home learning sheet.

3.  How many books can you read in a weekend?  Make a list of your reading titles.

4.  Complete the book review about your favourite book.

5.  Build your fluency.  Set a timer for 1 minute.  How many words can you read before the time runs out.  Record your total and bring it in to school.

This week as well as superhero points I have special World Book Day stickers for the children who return their home learning

Year 2 - Market Trip - 23rd February 2018 for Wednesday 28th February

This week we plan to go to the market in Dorchester to use real money to purchase real food so that we can make a three course meal for us all to try.  The idea of this trip is to compare our market in Dorchester with one in The Gambia that we have found out about through our topic.  The children then get to use their maths skills to pay for items and get change.  Back at school we use the food to create a banquet which we can all try. 
The weather forcast says that it is going to be very cold this week.  If the weather is too cold we will not be going and we will postpone the trip to next Wednesday 7th March.  Please provide your child with warm clothing, hats, gloves, coats and scarves through next week to ensure they are warm enough when they go outside.

Year 2 - Maths Learning - Week Beginning 19th February 2018

We have continued with our learning about money.  The children have being calculating with money working out totals and beginning to give change.  Starting with very practical methods, using and manipulating coins and moving on to drawing pictures and working with number lines.  At home keep talking money, count your money or practice giving change for 10p, 20p, 50p or £1.  We continue to work on our times tables so you can also keep learning facts from the 2's, 5's, 10's, 3's and 4's.

Year 2 - Literacy Learning - Week Beginning 19th February

This week the children have been taking part in a collaborative writing competition.  The children have been challenged to write a superhero story.  They started the week by designing and describing their superhero and thinking about where the story would take place.  Then everyone worked together to plan a beginning, middle and end.  There were some fantastic and creative ideas here.  On Wednesday the children were able to write their stories either independently or by supporting each other.  We have ended up with some super stories.  Well done year 2!

Year 2 - Back and Ready to Roll - 23rd February 2018

What a super start to Spring term 2!  The children have come back refreshed and ready for the next learning challenges.  We have had a slight change to the timetable this term due to the timings of our PE lessons with our specialist PE teachers.  Each morning is largely the same: Literacy, Phonics, Maths and Reading (not always in that order).  Then in the afternoons: Monday - Humanities/Science; Tuesday - Art/DT; Wednesday - PE and PHSE (Jigsaw); Thursday - RE and Reading (PE comes before Lunch); Friday - Music and Golden Time.

Year 2 - Award Trophies - 9th February 2018

A very big well done to:
Indi-Rose - Music Award, Jasper - Sports Award, Samantha - Creative Arts, Caitlin - Star Reader, Stephen - Maths Award, Kurtis - Farrington Award, Imogen - ICT Award and ??? - Literacy Award (It's still a secret, to be revealed next half term)
All thoroughly deserved throughout this half term. 
As you may know from previous blogs we have had trouble locating 3 of our award trophies.  We have ordered new ones, but they are taking a while as we found it difficult to match the trophies exactly and get them engraved. 
For all of those children who have missed out we are truly sorry.  We will ensure that they have a super picture of themselves with their trophy which we will laminate and frame as soon as the trophies arrive.  The current holders will then get to take the trophy home for the remainder of the half term.  We know that this is not ideal and would ask all of the lucky winners of the trophies to take really good care of them and return them by the end of the half term so that nobody else misses out. 

Year 2 - Spelling and Homelearning - 9th February 2018

Over the half term holidays I have given the children a spelling and a Maths challenge.  The Spelling challenge relates to learning common exception words, words that we use a lot, but don't fit regular spelling patterns.  The idea is to learn at least 5 or 6 of the words on the list really thoroughly, please attempt more than 5 or 6 if you are feeling confident.  The Maths relates to our latest topic: Money.  You could also get the children to use real money as you go out and about this holiday.  Count the money in your money box or set up a shop at home, maybe you could sell some of your old things!

Y2 - Science Week Success - 9th February 2018

From Domes to Deep Space - What a week!  The children have enjoyed a week of Science activities.  We started on Monday learning new facts about our solar system, the planets, gravity, rocket balloons and why we have night and day.  Dr Suzie Imber Associate Professor from the University of Leicester, and winner of BBC’s recent “Astronauts: Have you got what it takes?” came to inspire us about space travel.  On Tuesday we had the Explorer Dome and found out about the sun, the moon and the stars.  On Wednesday we learned about Bubbles, Ice, we flew Drones and found out about Light and Dark from teachers from Thomas Hardye School.  On Thursday Mr G wowed us with his amazing science tricks and hands on workshop.  Inspired learning at POW.

Year 2 - Maths Learning - Week beginning 29th January 2018

This week we have been working with Money, firstly by identifying coins and then addition.  The children have really surprised us with their knowledge of coins and finding totals.  We will be continuing with this topic after half term.  If your child has a money bank why not have a count up?  You could also investigate paying for items in shops and thinking about the change that might be given.

Year 2 - Literacy Learning - Week Beginning 29th January

This week we have been preparing for the Big Write 3.  This time we wrote a story from the plans you wrote together at home last week.  The children tried to maintain their best handwriting and use the ideas they generated at home to write a fun and interesting adventure story.  There were lots of really good pieces of writing.  I have really enjoyed reading the Magic Key stories and we will continue to improve them using Purple Pens.  Some children have still got more to write!

Year 2 - Spellings - 2nd February 2018

The spellings for this week are:
Orange and Red: Looking at the el / le ending.
Table, apple, bottle, middle, squirrel, travel and tunnel.
Green and Yellow:
coin, boil, foil, oil, join.

Year 2 - Award Trophies - 2nd February 2018

It has got to that time of the term again when we collect in all of the award trophies to hand out once more.  If you have had a trophy over the last half term, please return them so that they can be awarded to the new recipients. 
Sadly over the last 18 months we have lost 3 of our year 2 trophies.  Replacements for these have been ordered and we are waiting their arrival.  Our sincere apologies if your child has been awarded one of these trophies, but has not been able to display it at home as it has not been returned.  As soon as the new ones arrive we will ensure that all of the winners have their photos taken with the trophies so that they have a reminder of their achievements.

Year 2 - Homelearning and Science Week - 2nd February 2018

Year 2 - Home Learning – 2^nd February 2018

Next week is Science Week and we have some exciting learning to look forward to. 

Mrs Thorpe has set everyone a learning challenge and I would like you to have a go for home learning.  All of your learning will be displayed in our Science fair next Wednesday 7^th February. 

You will need to make something that you can move using energy.  We have already had some entries from year 2 and would love to see some more.

Please bring your entry in by Wednesday 7^th February.

Also a quick reminder that Wednesday 7^th February is a dress up day.  Come to school as a scientist for the day!  Any kind of scientist will do so think outside the box!

Looking forward to a week of inspired learning!

Year 2 - Birding with Mr and Mrs Farrington - 2nd February 2018

We have had a fantastic afternoon on Tuesday as we had Mr + Mrs Farrington in to help us with the Great British Bird Watch.  Mr and Mrs Farrington are keen birdwatchers and volunteers with the RSPB. In groups the children went out with binoculars to see what birds they could spot. They saw a lot of different species from robins, blue tits and green finches.  Mr Allen and Sam even spotted a Coal Tit!  Well done year 2 for taking part in the bird watch and many thanks to Mr and Mrs Farrington for sharing your expertise!