Welcome to Year 2
Our Class Teachers are Mrs Levinsohn and Mrs Sumser
Year 2 Autumn 2 Website:
Our Curriculum
Geography - Polar Regions
This half term in Geography, Year 2 will be exploring the fascinating frozen worlds of the Arctic and Antarctica. The children will use maps, globes and photographs to locate the North and South Poles, investigate their icy landscapes and discover why these regions are so cold. They will learn about the animals that live in these extreme environments and how they have adapted to survive. We will also explore how people live in the Arctic, why scientists and tourists visit Antarctica, and how the Antarctic Treaty helps to protect this special part of our planet.
Key Enquiry Questions:
Why are the North and South Poles so cold?
Where are the North and South Poles, and what are their landscapes like?
Where is the Arctic Circle, and how does it change throughout the seasons?
What is Antarctica like, and how extreme is its climate?
How do Arctic animals survive in such a cold environment?
How do Antarctic animals adapt to their environment?
How do people adapt to living in the Arctic?
Why do people visit Antarctica, and how is it protected?
Science – Fighting Fit
In Science this half term, Year 2 will continue to learn about how to stay healthy in our Fighting Fit unit. We will explore how animals, including humans, have offspring that grow into adults and find out about the basic needs for survival—water, food and air. Children will also learn about the importance of exercise, hygiene and eating a balanced diet to keep our bodies healthy and strong.
Maths
In Maths this half term, Year 2 will be learning about multiplication and division. Children will recall and use multiplication and division facts for the 2-, 5- and 10-times tables, use arrays and repeated addition to solve problems, and begin to understand that multiplication can be done in any order, while division cannot. They will also learn to recognise and sort odd and even numbers.
Focus Objectives:
Recall and use multiplication and division facts for 2, 5 and 10 tables
Understand that multiplication is commutative, but division is not
Recognise odd and even numbers
Solve multiplication and division problems using arrays and practical resources
English
Our core text this half term is The Dragon Machine. Children will be inspired by this imaginative story to create their own descriptive writing, focusing on sentence types, correct use of punctuation and developing their use of subordination.
Writing Focus:
Write sentences with different forms (statements, questions, exclamations and commands)
Use the present and past tense correctly and consistently
Use subordination to extend ideas
Use punctuation correctly, including question and exclamation marks
Art – Self Portraits in the Style of Picasso
Children will study the artist Pablo Picasso and learn how to create expressive self-portraits in his distinctive style. They will experiment with line, shape and colour to create artwork that reflects their own individuality.
Music and Drama – A Rootin’ Tootin’ Nativity
This half term, the children will be busy rehearsing for our Christmas play, A Rootin’ Tootin’ Nativity! They will learn festive songs and dances and practise performing confidently in front of an audience.
PSHE – Health and Wellbeing
This half term in PSHE, Year 2 will be exploring our new topic, ‘Connecting with Others’. The children will learn to celebrate similarities and differences, recognising that everyone is unique and deserves kindness and respect. We will explore different families and friendships, including how to manage disagreements and treat others with care. The children will also learn about personal boundaries, how to recognise bullying and the importance of speaking up when something doesn't feel right. We will focus on identifying trusted adults and developing the confidence to ask for help when needed, helping children to build safe, kind and caring relationships.
RE – Christianity
Children will continue to explore Christian places of worship, focusing on the key features of a church, what happens there, and why these spaces are so special to Christians.
Spanish – Vamos a Cazar un Oso
Children will enjoy retelling this familiar story in Spanish, learning new vocabulary linked to describing nature. We will then use what we have learnt to write our own Christmas themed bear hunt story in Spanish!
Class Novel
The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
Moving into Autumn 2, we will explore Tom Fletcher’s The Christmasaurus. Set during the festive season, this whimsical story focuses on a boy with a disability, highlighting the theme of acceptance and celebrating diversity in a positive light. The narrative encourages empathy and informs students about inclusivity, especially at a time of year when themes of giving and togetherness are so important. Reading this story will enrich class discussions about differences and the value of celebrating everyone’s unique abilities.
Our focus Children’s Rights Article for the term is:
Article 15 – Setting Up or Joining Groups
Children will learn they have the right to meet with friends and join groups and will discuss how we respect others’ choices and work together kindly in class and on the playground.
Our focus Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is:
SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing
We will be learning about ways to stay healthy—physically and mentally—and how taking care of ourselves helps us feel good and learn better.
PE Days:
PE days will be on Monday and Friday. Children will explore patterns of movement, rhythm and coordination through dance. Please make sure your child wears their PE kit on both days.
Homework:
Homework will be handed out on Fridays and should be returned by the following Wednesday.
Please check Seesaw for regular updates on our learning, key messages, and homework tasks.
Thank you for your continued support!
