Melton West Primary School

Year 2

English

Reading

During Term 4 in Reading, the Grade 2 students really enjoyed exploring Nick Bland books through our author study. Students understood how to analyse and critique parts of texts written by the author. When analysing, students looked at the types of language features, illustrations, story events and types of characters that Nick Bland included in his writing. The students critiqued parts of the texts such as their favourite part in the story, the humour in the text or the author's main message. Along with analysing and critiquing texts by Nick Bland, the Grade 2 students continued to consolidate some of the reading skills already focused on this year such as retelling, making connections, inferring and questioning. The students were engaged with the Nick Bland texts and developed an appreciation for his craft.

The students also focused on nonfiction texts chosen to align with the topic of the fiction texts from the author study. This allowed the students to continue developing their understanding of the different types of nonfiction texts by identifying the genre, audience and purpose. Along with understanding how to read them and how to apply strategies to recognise what the text was about. The students enjoyed learning facts and researching new topics they were curious about. 

 

 

Writing

Throughout Term 4 in Writing, the Grade 2 students wrote persuasive and explanation texts. In persuasive writing the students learnt how to form opinions, give reasons and provide evidence as a support. They were explicitly taught the structure of a persuasive text and had the opportunity to write their own based on their interests. 

We then moved on to creating Explanation texts. During this unit we focused on creating non-fiction texts that describe how and/or why things happen, describing a process, and giving reasons and evidence for how it works.   

Throughout the term we also had a subset focusing on word choice and spelling. We identified and used interesting verbs, adjectives, and nouns, as well as found and used different and unusual spelling patterns in these words. We also continued to add entries to our writers notebook, a space where we could collect ideas and writing seeds.

 

 

 

Mathematics

This term in Mathematics, students started with some short focuses on probability and data. The students learned about the chance of something occurring, the language used when determining the likelihood of events as well as collecting data and creating graphs to represent this data. Students also focused on money, where they counted collections of the same coins and collections of different coins. Students explored fractions and revised their previous learning on mass and capacity.

Later in the term, the focus shifted to revising Place Value. Students learned to recognise large numbers up to 4 and 5 digit numbers and explored the value of numbers in each place value position. Ongoing throughout the term, students continued to revise telling the time and counting.

     

 

 

Inquiry

Throughout our unit called Great Southern Land, students explored the idea of special connections to land through detailing our own connection to special places in our lives and researching the special places important to First Nations Peoples and their own connection to Country/Land. 

The key questions guiding our inquiry lessons were:

  • How and why are Country / Place significant to First Nations people? 
  • What are the ways in which First Nations people maintain special connections to particular country / land / place? 
  • How did First Nations people care for and sustain these special places? 

The students were able to discuss the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Country/Place on which the school is located and why Country/Place is important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Students went further in their understanding by exploring why these places held such significance for First Nations People, and the ways in which they maintain special connections to particular Country/Place. Students investigated, explored, connected and deepened their understanding and feelings about special places, and the wider importance of places to people and how places can be cared for.

                                                        

 

 

 

 

                                                        

 

 

 

Science

During Term 4, the grade 2 students have focused on investigating how different materials can be combined and mixed for particular purposes.  Students have been learning about mixtures and solutions which are commonly used by children and adults; they have investigated which mixtures are often used at home, such as breakfast cereal, and have identified mixtures used around the school, such as glitter glue in Art. There has been a focus on identifying and describing the properties of everyday materials, and how the properties of materials can change when mixed with other materials. Students have had fun carrying out experiments to investigate the effects of mixing different materials, such as rice bubbles, icing sugar and coco and cornflour and water.  During these experiments, students have practiced their observation and recording skills which has enabled them to determine the outcome of the experiments.  Well done Grade 2’s on a fantastic year in Science!

  

 

  

LOTE - Chinese

Congratulations on such a fantastic term Grade 2’s, and amazing work throughout the whole year. In term 4, the main topics for Grade 2 students were colours and pets. In the topic of colour, students learnt 10 different colours, and then they learnt how to ask others and express their favourite colours. Then students learnt how to pronounce pets, how to ask others if they have any pets and discuss the pets they have at home. In term 4, students also reviewed the tones about Pinyin and practiced some Chinese characters. The pictures were showing students working on origami about pets. Thanks for all your hard work Grade 2’s !

 

 

 

Art

There has been so much positive and focused energy from the Year 2s in Term 4. The students have continued to apply and extend their knowledge of collaboration in making distinctive artworks. As part of this, we looked at shape, form and texture in art. Students worked with charcoal to create unique shells for the school library’s underwater display. We also ventured outside to add our handprint to an ongoing mural project and used our creativity to develop a chalk art community alongside it.

We had a great time early on in the term paper marbling. It was great to see the Year 2s embrace the process of printmaking and refine different methods of printing. Mid-term, we visited the National Gallery of Victoria, a learning-rich introduction to an important context for art. The students impressed the teaching and gallery staff with their maturity, insights, imagination, respect and reflective capacities. Besides favourite artworks, the enormous stained glass ceiling and water wall were highlights on the day!

Back in the art room, the students explored mixed media, artworks that are made using more than one art material or medium. Following discussions about what artworks can be made of and inspired by mixed media artist, Moses Sun, the students invented their own mixed media artworks. Following on, we considered themes or big ideas in art, taking up the challenge of creating a maze-themed artwork after viewing a variety of artworks related to our theme. Lastly, we read the storybook ‘I Love You More’, observing the impressive plasticine illustrations of Barbara Reid. We then adapted certain techniques of Reid’s in making our own clay scenes. It has been encouraging to see all students engaging with such purpose and showing real joy in their creations. Well done on a fantastic year in Art Year 2s!

 

 

 

 

P.E.

For this term the grade 2 students have focussed on the sports of badminton, hockey, and netball. Students during term 4 have developed skills related to these sports and have continued to apply them in game-based situations. For all these sports a range of the fundamental movement and motor skills were tapped into and developed. These include throwing, catching, running, jumping, dodging, and striking. Once skills were developed students were given the opportunity to engage in game-based activities to showcase their ability. This was an overall success with students all loving the ‘numbers’ game used across all the sports. In conjunction with the focus on the above-mentioned sports, our students continued to participate in fun games during warmups which included just dance and interactive fitness runs. This was used to help the students utilise ICT resources across different learning areas. For the final term of the year the grade 2 students were really engaged and showed a great attitude to their learning. Congratulations on the year in Physical Education, All the best for next year in grade 3!