Welcome to Life at KPS for Year 2

Mrs Sandhu and Mrs Birring warmly welcome you to Year 2.

The aim of this page is to highlight some of the fantastic learning that has been happening in Year 2, this page will be updated monthly, with photographs and information about the learning we have completed during the month.

We hope you enjoy looking through these updates and do discuss your child’s learning with them to celebrate their success. We look forward to any suggestions you may have to make your child’s learning a pleasant experience.

October 2021

Art

This term we have been looking at Rana Safadi the impressionist. We found out that she painted lots of paintings that are displayed in many galleries around the world. Children discussed how she uses bright, bold colours to demonstrate how she feels. We are learning to use some of her painting techniques which include painting dabs or blobs, creating lighter tones and darker shades. We also used a range of colours to express how we feel. Some children explored bright bold colours and changed the tone of the colours, making them lighter and darker. We used watercolours to paint the sea and the sky. Children enjoyed blending the different colours together to make the sky meet the sea.

English

In English the children have been learning how to write a sentence containing a subject, verb and object. For example, I went to the park – I is the subject, went is the verb and park is the object. The children are focusing on the country Jordan and are beginning to use these sentences in a fact file. They are also learning about suing he connective ‘and’ to join sentences together. In this case, Petra is an ancient city in Jordan and is made of red sandstone.

Geography

In our Wonders of the world topic we have been looking at the ancient city of Petra in Jordan. The children have begun the topic by asking what they would like to know about the country. What language is spoken there? being one example. They have had an Arabian food tasting experience where they had the opportunity to make Naan bread and eat with various dips eaten in the Middle East. They have looked at pictures of transport, clothing and landmarks to find similarities and differences between London and Petra.

Maths

In Maths, we are learning about fact families, in particular number bonds to 20. The children have been using the addition and subtraction symbols to complete number sentences to remind them of their number bonds. They have been introduced to the word ‘inverse’ to associate with opposite symbols in Maths. They have used ten frames and counters as manipulatives to help reinforce their learning.

Music

I am pleased to say that singing has now resumed in both class music and as a whole school

So far this term, year 2 have been learning how to beat and follow a pulse and rhythms through following body percussion pieces and selecting different rhythms from songs which they then repeat on chime bars and drums.

In addition, they have also written and followed their own rhythms using the Kodaly method.

Panjabi

In Year 2 we have been learning the first 2 sets of Panjabi letters, and their corresponding sounds. Children have been using these letters and their words beginning with these letters like (A AK, s syb, h hQ …). Children have also begun to make Mukta words with these letter sounds, furthermore, recognise which words we refer to as Mukta words. In this term we have also been learning the names of the body parts in Panjabi. To make our learning more interesting children have been using actions and flash cards to remember the names of their body parts in Panjabi. This term children have been learning the story of Bandi shorr and shabads related to this day.

Physical Education

In PE this term the children have been working on their balancing skills. They have been practicing different balances and learning how to hold balances for longer periods of time.

They have then tried to use these balancing skills to play River Cross.  River Cross is a team building activity where children have to work together to solve problems.  Through the game they learn that working together helps to achieve the objective and if they help each other by sharing their ideas and solutions they will get to the end point in the quickest time!

PSHE

In PSHE, we have been thinking about the different ways we could be responsible in class and school. Children talked about tidying up and taking care of each other in and around school. The discussions helped children to understand and accept these responsibilities mean that we can come to school to learn safely and happily. These discussions also made children acknowledge the things that we could do in our classroom to make it a better place to learn. Children took ownership of their class rules and agreed to a class charter. Children enjoyed listening to “I’ll do it!”, by Brian Moses and Mike Gordon.

Religious Education

This term the children are learning about Christianity. We began the subject by asking the question What is kindness? There was a rich discussion about whether it is possible to be kind all the time and if there are things that make it tricky sometimes. This lead onto The Samaritan story which features in the Bible. Children watched a video and became aware that the meaning of Samaritan is to be helpful. They then had the chance to sequence The Good Samaritan story in the form of a mini storyboard.

Science

We have been looking at Materials as our Science topic. Children have been exploring non-fiction text and having discussions around materials. Children demonstrated their knowledge of materials by looking at the rubber material of wellies and had discussions around why rubber is waterproof and looked at other objects that were also made out of rubber. Children have enjoyed looking at everyday materials and their uses. We have been busy going for a material hunt around school and looking for things made out of different materials ie plastic, wood, metal, fabric etc. Children have been looking at materials and their properties and using scientific vocabulary such as transparent, flexible, brittle etc to describe what they have found. Children were fascinated with the absorbency experiment and enjoyed testing different materials to see if they were absorbent or not. Children recorded their results in a table and were able to talk about them to an adult.

Sikh Studies

In Sikh Studies this term, pupils have been learning about the 8^th Guru, Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji and what happened in history during the small pox epidemic in India during the 1600s. Children have been learning facts about Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji and also the story about what the 8^th Guru did during the smallpox epidemic in India.

They have then used what they have learnt to write either their own story in 3^rd person of Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji during that period in time or a diary entry in 1^st person of someone living in that time during the epidemic.