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

beech@st-barnabas.kent.sch.uk

Summer Term:

Year 2 Curriculum Information

 

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

A Knight’s Quest

We will start the term by completing our learning about Knights and Castles. We will complete of class quest and explore the changes and developments in castle construction in the Medieval period. We will also explore how and why castles became obsolete.

 

At Home and Abroad

This unit of study represents a comparative case study between our local surroundings and Vietnam. As part of our Time and Place curriculum, we will explore our local surroundings, using fieldwork skills to record our findings. We will identify the UK and Vietnam on a world map and use appropriate geographical vocabulary to describe their respective locations. We will use geographical enquiry skills to compare and contrast our local surroundings with Ho Chi Minh City and other selected Vietnamese locations- with a particular focus on climate. We will also use a range of source materials to make geographical discoveries.

As part of our Science and Computing curriculum, we will develop our scientific understanding by exploring the plants and animals in our local habitats and considering what they need to grow well and how they have adapted to suit their environment. We will use food chains and webs to explore the interdependence of plants and animals in our local environment. We will also use data collection and presentation tools to sort and record information relating to the animals in our local environment.

As part of our Design and the Arts curriculum, we will create puppets with moving parts. We will also explore concepts relating to traditional pieces of Vietnamese art. We will use local resources to produce charcoal and use this to represent traditional Vietnamese scenes. We will use traditional Vietnamese tales to learn about Vietnamese culture. We will explore how symbolism can be imparted into ceramics and design tiles which reflect key elements of Vietnamese culture. We will explore Vietnamese cuisine and make pieces of traditional Vietnamese food.  

As part of our English and Communication curriculum, we will write a recount of our experiences. We will use letter-writing skills to make contact with Vietnamese pen pals from the British Vietnamese International in Ho Chi Minh City. We will also create, send and receive a class email. We will also read and respond to poems and short stories set in familiar and unfamiliar locations.

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

Maths- Fractions, Time, Statistics, Position and Direction

Science and Computing- Green Plants, Habitats, Data Presentation, Programming

Religious Education – Judaism

Design and the Arts- Making Digital Music, Water Colour, Mixed Media, Puppets

Sports, Exercise and Health- Athletics, Target Games

Modern Foreign Language- An introduction to French  

 

Please support your child’s learning with:

Home Learning– Please continue to support your child to complete their weekly home learning activities in their books or via the class blog. If you need help or support with any home learning activity please contact us directly via the class email address.  

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 Wednesdat and Thursday. Please ensure that your child’s belongings are labelled.

Water Bottles, Hats and Sun Cream

In order to help your child stay hydrated, sun safe 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. Additionally, in periods of hot weather, please ensure your child has a labelled hat and that sun cream is applied prior to their arrival at school.  

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