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Beech Class

Teaching Team: Mr Mackinnon, Mrs Mackinnon, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Dain 

beech@st-barnabas.kent.sch.uk

 

Spring Term:

Year 2 Curriculum Information

 

Working with your child this term will be Mr Mackinnon, Mrs Mackinnon, Mrs Johnson and Mr Thornton.

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A Knight’s Quest: How will our hero save the day?

This unit of study explores the facts and the fiction surrounding knights and castles. We will read a range of texts which involve castles, knights, queens, princes, princesses and monsters. We will use these stories to help create a fantasy kingdom of our own. We will create a story map and plan a quest for our knight. Pupils will use scientific enquiry to help give advice to our hero as to which potion to choose from a selection of different mystery ingredients to help them on their quest. We will write a set of instructions for our knight, a series of character descriptions as well as a number of short sections of narrative which tell our class story. We will help to inform our fictional look at Knights and Castles by examining the facts. We will use historical enquiry skills to examine both knights and castles throughout British history. We will focus particularly on the Norman invasion and explore the role that knights and castles played in the Norman invasion and settlement of Britain. Pupils will build a puppets with a moving element and use them to retell our stories. We will place the Norman invasion of England into chronological context and explore the concepts of invasion and settlement. We will investigate the battle for the English crown in the year 1066.

In addition, your child will be learning about the following:

English and Communication – Instruction writing, Character descriptions, Narrative

Maths – Multiplication and Division, Fractions, Properties of Shapes, Money and Statistics.

Science and Computing Material Changes, Green Plants, Robot Algorithms and Data Presentation.

RE – The Gospel and Salvation

Design and the Arts – Music and musicality, Designing a structure with a moving part.

Sport, Exercise and Health - Athletics, Core skills and Invasion games.

French- Introducing French Culture, Numbers (to 20) and Vocabulary

Pupils in Beech Class will also complete daily Phonics, Guided Reading and Mastering Number sessions.

Please support your child’s learning with:

Home Learning – We aim to provide an integrated programme of home learning which utilises your child’s reading record, homework book, class blog and class email. Full details of exactly what your child’s home learning programme looks like was sent out at the start of the year. If you would like this information to be sent out again, please let us know.

Reading – In Beech Class, we expect pupils to read at home for at least 10 minutes, 5 times per week. We ask that parents sign the reading record each time their child reads and indicate when a new reading book is required. We will change pupils reading books twice each week- on a Tuesday and a Friday. However, we ask that book bags and books are brought to school every day. New book bags can be purchased from the school office. If there is a problem with your child’s book, reading record or reading in general, please contact us via the class email address.

Just a few reminders

PE Kit It is essential that your child has a house T-shirt, shorts and plimsolls or trainers in school every day so that they can participate in PE activities. In addition, long tracksuit type trousers are useful in the Winter months for outside PE. Long hair needs to be tied back for PE so please ensure your child wears a hairband to school. Also, earrings need to be removed or covered with tape during PE lessons. If your child is unable to remove their own earrings, please provide some microporous tape to cover them. This term, PE will be on a Wednesday and Thursday. Please ensure that your child’s belongings are labelled.

Water Bottles

In order to help your child stay hydrated and be ready to learn, please make sure that they bring a labelled water bottle to school with them every day. We kindly ask that bottles are filled with water only- rather than juices or squash.

Pencil Cases

There is no need for your child to bring in any additional stationary. If your child requires any additional resources for a specific learning task or activity we will let you know in advance so it can be arranged.  

Toys and Games

In order to help us avoid any unnecessary distractions from our learning and stay safe, we kindly request that toys and games from home are not brought into school.  

 

If you have any concerns or queries about information included in this letter or any other matter relating to your child’s education, please do not hesitate to contact us via the class email address: beech@st-barnabas.kent.sch.uk

 

Many thanks,


The Beech Team


Autumn Term:

Year 2 Curriculum Information

 

 

Fire and Ice: What was it like to live in London in 1666? 

This unit of study looks at the city of London in the Year 1666- a year of Fire and Ice! 1666 saw the Great Fire of London and The Freezing of the River Thames. We will use skills of historical enquiry to explore a variety of sources of information to learn about 17th Century London. We will also use skills of geographical enquiry to use aerial photographs and maps to recognise landmarks and the physical and natural features of London. We will also make comparisons between modern and 17th Century London. We will examine the chroniclers of the age by examining and analysing primary evidence. We will focus our attention on two specific moments in history and learn about them in detail. We will use our writing skills to produce pieces of descriptive writing and first-person recounts charting these events. We will learn about the properties of different materials, their suitability for different purposes and the effect that extreme heat and cold can have on them.

In addition, your child will be learning about the following:

Maths – Understanding place value, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division and Fractions.

ICT – Computing systems and networks, IT around us and creating media using digital photography.

Science- Properties of everyday materials.

RE – Creation and Incarnation

Design and the Arts – Creating pieces of mixed media art.

PE- Core skills and movement, invasion games, gymnastics and infant agility, dance.  

 

Please support your child’s learning with:

Home Learning – Home Learning books will be sent home in the week beginning 11th September. We are aiming to provide an integrated programme of home learning which utilises your child’s reading record, homework book, class blog and class email. Full details of exactly what your child’s home learning programme will look like in Beech class will be sent home in a separate home learning letter. All relevant usernames and passwords will be stuck into your child’s home learning book.

Reading – In Beech Class, we expect pupils to read at home for at least 10 minutes, 5 times per week. We ask that parents sign the reading record each time their child reads and indicate when a new reading book is required. We will change pupils reading books twice each week- on a Tuesday and a Friday. However, we ask that book bags and books are brought to school every day. New book bags can be purchased from the school office. If there is a problem with your child’s book, reading record or reading in general, please contact us via the class email address.

Just a few reminders:

PE Kit It is essential that your child has a house T-shirt, shorts and plimsolls or trainers in school every day so that they can participate in PE activities. In addition, long tracksuit type trousers are useful in the Winter months for outside PE. Long hair needs to be tied back for PE so please ensure your child wears a hairband to school. Also, earrings need to be removed or covered with tape during PE lessons. If your child is unable to remove their own earrings, please provide some microporous tape to cover them. This term, PE will be on a Wednesday and Thursday. Please ensure that your child’s belongings are labelled.

Water Bottles

In order to help your child stay hydrated and be ready to learn, please make sure that they bring a labelled water bottle to school with them every day. We kindly ask that bottles are filled with water only- rather than juices or squash.

Pencil Cases

There is no need for your child to bring in any additional stationary. If your child requires any additional resources for a specific learning task or activity we will let you know in advance so it can be arranged.  

Toys and Games

In order to help us avoid any unnecessary distractions from our learning and stay safe, we kindly request that toys and games from home are not brought into school.  

 

If you have any concerns or queries about information included in this letter or any other matter relating to your child’s education, please do not hesitate to contact us via the class email address: beech@st-barnabas.kent.sch.uk

 

Many thanks,


The Beech Team