Weekly News! 20.9.24
The children have really settled into their routines and have shown an incredible enthusiasm for their learning. It’s truly a joy to see how they are embracing “Year 2 life.”
We've been busy exploring new topics and engaging in activities that spark their creativity and curiosity. It’s heartening to witness the children working collaboratively, sharing ideas, and supporting each other as they navigate their learning journey. They have displayed remarkable resilience and have demonstrated a genuine love of learning this week. Keep it up Year 2!
English
This week we have been focusing on reviewing and practising the sounds we have already learnt, while also introducing some fantastic new sounds to the children. It has been wonderful to see how brilliantly they are recognising their special friends and using Fred Talking to engage with their reading. The confidence they have shown in reading words is truly commendable.
In addition, the Year 2 children have been applying their Fred fingers to help write words in their books. We have also been practising our red words. This is just a reminder that it's important to know the red words to develop their writing and reading skills further.
In Mrs Winchcombe’s English group, there has been a strong emphasis on using expression during reading sessions and clarifying any words that students found challenging. This skill is vital for enhancing their reading fluency and comprehension.
As always, your support at home plays a crucial role in your child’s learning. Encouraging them to read aloud and share their writing with you will reinforce the skills they are developing in class.
Reading
Reading at 3 - Every Friday at 3 our doors will be open for you to come in and read with your child, please note, this will be for the full 15 minutes and children should not leave any earlier. Their books will be set up and ready for you to come in and enjoy listening to their wonderful reading.
Reading folders – Some children will continue to bring home two books, one being a RWI home book. Children are expected to try and read this three times during the week to ensure they are building on their reading fluency. The RWI home books will be changed, by an adult.
The other book (with the coloured sticker) should be changed independently by the child themselves - first thing in the morning is a great time to do this!
Some children have been moved onto the accelerated reader programme. We will continue to assess and move more children onto this when they are ready. Children can change these books after they have completed the quiz online. The AR login can be found here… https://global-zone61.renaissance-go.com/welcomeportal/1892319
For a guide on how to use Accelerated Reader please click here… https://www.chiltonprimary.co.uk/accelerated-reader
Please ensure that the reading folders are placed in the reading trays/baskets, so we can read with your children and ensure books get changed. Thank you for your support with this!
Please listen to your child read as much as possible at home and record this in their reading records. Every week, one child from each class will receive a reading certificate in our Chilton Heroes assembly.
Maths
In maths, we have been focusing on the concept of addition. To begin with, we recapped our understanding of adding single digits, using both a number line and a 100 square. The children enjoyed circling the first number in a number sentence and then making 'jumps' across to show the amount needed to add on. This hands-on approach has proved to be very effective in reinforcing their skills.
Building on this foundation, we progressed to adding tens. Using base 10 blocks, the children had the opportunity to visualise addition in a more tangible way. We also explored the 100 square further and noticed the pattern of jumping down when adding tens, which was quite an enlightening moment for many!
Additionally, I introduced some tricky word problem challenges, which encouraged the pupils to apply their addition skills in different contexts. It was wonderful to see them engage with the problems and think critically about the strategies they employed.
Next week we will be continuing to look at addition.
Thematic
What a wonderful week we have had in our 'Sow and Grow' topic, where the children have engaged in a captivating seed investigation!
This week, we embarked on an exploration of what seeds need to grow successfully. The children posed intriguing questions such as, "What happens if a seed doesn’t get watered?" and "What if it lacks sunlight?" To delve deeper into these queries, we set up a practical experiment where pairs of students were given two seeds. One seed will be treated correctly, receiving all the essentials for growth, while the other will be subjected to our chosen omitted factor—be it water, sunlight, or something else. This hands-on approach will allow us to compare and observe the changes over time.
Before commencing our experiments, we gathered as a class to make predictions about how each seed would fare. This sparked lively discussions and encouraged critical thinking. We then advanced our learning by examining, sorting, and comparing various plants. The children had the opportunity to observe a selection of plants that were alive, dying, and dead. Each plant was labelled with its age, prompting fascinating discussions on how they changed over time. The use of magnifying glasses further enhanced their observation skills, allowing them to closely investigate the intricate details of the plants.
To wrap up the week, the students reflected on how plants evolve over time and reviewed their knowledge from Year 1 regarding the seasons and their impact on plant growth and seeds. It was gratifying to see them connect their previous learning with our current explorations.
Love to Learn
For this week we would love you to practice your adding 10 skills! You can use this 100 square to help you.
21 + 10 13 + 10 34 + 10 45 + 10 52 + 10 66 + 10 78 + 10 87 + 10
Challenge:
23 + 20 49 + 30 33 + 20 29 + 30
