Welcome to Penguins

In Perfect Penguins we follow the Golden Rules and always try our hardest. 

Our teacher  is Mrs Murfitt.

Our teaching assistant is Mrs Revill 

Our topic this term is:

Hospitals and Healthcare – Who are Edith Cavell, Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole?

Mining in Mansfield – What was the impact on our community?

English

We will be reading the book ‘The Last Wolf’ by Mini Grey. We will be writing a letter about saving trees inspired by the story. During this writing unit we will focus on writing different types of sentences, using the subordinate conjunctions if and that. We will be developing our understanding of apostrophes and using apostrophes for contraction. We will also be learning about homophones and near homophones. We will be describing characters and settings, acting out different roles within the story and practise instructional writing.

Our second writing unit is ‘Grandad’s Secret Giant’ by David Litchfield. At the end of this unit we will be writing a story with a moral focus. In this writing, we will be using present and past tense, use expanded noun phrases and suffixes. We will use subordinate conjunctions when, if, that or because. We will also write sentences with co-ordinations and, or and but. During this unit we will write letters, role play and poetry.

Maths

We will be exploring a range of concepts in maths. We will begin by continuing our work on fractions. Recognising and finding a half, quarters and thirds of a shape, an amount and of a number. We will be finding equivalent fractions as well as understanding the difference between unit and non-unit fractions.

We will then be exploring measure. We will start by using non-standard units to measure and then develop the understanding of using a ruler and measure sticks to accurately measure the length and height of different objects. We will then combine our prior knowledge of comparing and ordering with our new-found knowledge of measures. In work on position and direction we will also be expanding our understanding of left and right alongside a range of turns to explain how an object moves.

We will be continuing to develop our knowledge of place value by adding and subtracting with bigger numbers and using a range of efficient strategies to answer questions. We will understand how numbers relate to one another within a calculation to find fact families. We will be using our knowledge of counting in 2s, 5s and 10s to multiply and divide. We will also be applying our knowledge of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to solve two step problems.

In work on time, we will be understanding how time is split into intervals of 5 minutes and be able to tell the time to the o’clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to.    

Reading

In our reading lessons we are going to be practising our comprehension skills by answering questions on fiction and non-fiction texts. 

Science

In Science we are finding out about how materials can change. During this topic we will learn the properties of different materials and  decide whether  it is suitable for different purposes  We will carry out comparative tests on a variety of materials, testing if a material can be bent, stretched, squashed or twisted; if a material is flexible, rigid, stiff or elastic and how a material can be shaped by pushing and pulling.  We will also compare, sort and group materials using their properties

History

In History we will carry on learning how to be historians. We are looking at Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole and Edith Cavell. We will explore how they helped to improve hospitals. Before looking at the difference between hospitals in the past and now.

The second history topic this team we are learning about is our local history. We will be looking at mining and what is mining. We are visiting Pleasley Pit to experience the equipment and tools need to be a miner. We will learn the effect mining has had on our community.

RE

In RE, we are going to be investigating what makes some people inspiring to others. We will consider what makes a leader; thinking carefully about their behaviour, characteristics and the difference they have made. We will make links to the Christian faith and how Jesus is considered to being a great leader.

Art

This term we will be finding out about the life of the artist Henri Rousseau

We will explore and use the skills and techniques used by Henri Rousseau. We will discover that Rousseau was a self -trained painter and never went to a jungle, instead he studied plants in the botanical gardens in Paris. We will enjoy exploring real plants and flowers and developing our sketching skills. We will explore famous portraits and landscapes and we will  create our own portrait-landscape picture using what we have learned about Rousseau’s skills

Design and Technology

This term we are going to be making moving monsters. We will be using pivots, levers and linages.

RSHE

In RSHE lessons we will focus on healthy bodies healthy minds along with coping with change. We will also look at equality and inclusion, how we are the same as and different from others. Anti-bullying and how to behave online and face to face will also be a focus.

Music

Our Music lessons are based around a song that we learn. During this time, we use our voices expressively and creatively by singing and accompany this by playing tuned instruments. We will be listening with concentration and understanding a range of high-quality live and recorded music and experiment with, create, select and combine sounds.

Computers

This term we will be using a computer to create our own music using Chrome music lab

 We will connect images with sounds​, use a computer to experiment with pitch

and will relate an idea to a piece of music

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PE

PE days are Wednesdays and Thursdays with Seb. Please send your child in their PE kit on these days.  Please make sure earrings are removed or covered on these days.

Our PE kit is -

                •Plain white t-shirt

                •Shorts / plain black joggers in winter

                •Plain black jumpers in winter

                •Suitable trainers or gripper socks can be worn in the hall

 Helping your child learn

During the week your child's work will be on Seesaw. Talking to your child about their learning at school helps improve their vocabulary and embeds their learning.

 Reading

Penguins will bring 2 reading books home. Reading at home helps build on the skills they are learning in school. Could you please read with your child at least 3 times a week and record it in their red reading record. Any books/magazines read at home can be recorded in their reading records. 

 Homework

Penguins have Maths and English homework every week. It will be available on Seesaw each Friday and needs to be completed by the following Thursday. In Year 2 we also have spellings. Penguins will be set new spellings on Friday to be assessed on the following Thursday. 

 Bug Club

As a school we subscribe to Bug Club an online reading scheme. Your child will have their own login where they can access books at their ability. Click on the link below.

  https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/login?c=0&l=0

Spelling Shed

Weekly spellings will be on Spelling Shed to practise every week.

  https://www.spellingshed.com/en-gb   

Maths Shed

We now have access to maths shed. You can practise your times tables and number bonds.

You can log in through spelling shed.