Year 2

Welcome back to Term 3! We have lots to look forward to over the coming weeks, including engaging Inquiry units, hands-on learning experiences, and our much-anticipated excursion to Moonlit Sanctuary. We are excited to continue supporting your child's learning and growth, and we look forward to another fantastic term together.

NAIDOC Week

During NAIDOC Week, students explored and celebrated the rich cultures and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We read Our Flag, Our Story, which introduced students to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags, their history, and the meaning behind their colours and symbols. Students then labelled the symbols and colours of the Torres Strait Islander Flag, developing an understanding of how it represents unity, identity and pride. We also learned that the word 'deadly' has a positive meaning in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, where it is used to describe something that is excellent or amazing. Inspired by this learning, students wrote their own imaginative narratives using the prompt 'Deadly!'. 

Inquiry

Our Inquiry learning begins with the Commonwealth Games. Students will follow the Games and use real-world data to explore mathematical concepts, including collecting, representing and interpreting data. We will also build on our understanding of community by exploring the Commonwealth and global communities, discovering how different countries come together to compete, celebrate diversity and learn from one another. We look forward to sharing our students' incredible writing and global discoveries throughout the term.

Our second Inquiry topic for the term is Australian Animals, and we're in for an exciting adventure exploring the incredible creatures that call Australia home! Students will investigate what living things need to survive, the unique features of Australian animals, and how they have adapted to their habitats. As part of this unit, students will visit Moonlit Sanctuary, where they will have the opportunity to get up close with Australia's amazing native wildlife. This hands-on experience will deepen their understanding and bring their learning to life. 

Please keep an eye on Compass notifications for further details about these exciting learning experiences throughout the term.

English

In English this term, we will be exploring a range of First Nations and Australian animal-themed mentor texts to continue developing students' reading comprehension skills. We will begin with Little Bird's Day by Sally Morgan, a beautifully illustrated story that follows a curious little bird as it explores the Australian bush from sunrise to sunset, meeting a variety of native animals along the way. Using this text, students will practise important comprehension strategies such as building vocabulary and making inferences.

Throughout the term, students will also enjoy the mentor texts Speedy Sloth and Cassowary Dad, which will further support their understanding of Australian wildlife while strengthening their literacy skills.

We are excited to engage our students in literacy through a range of carefully selected, high-quality mentor texts that inspire curiosity, encourage thoughtful discussion and foster a love of reading.

Phonics (MSL)

This term in Multisensory Structured Language (MSL), students will explore the six syllable types, with a particular focus on closed, open, rabbit (VC/CV), tiger (V/CV) and camel (VC/V) syllable patterns. Students will learn how recognising these syllable types can help them decode unfamiliar words, improve spelling accuracy and build confidence when reading and writing.

Writing

This term, students will develop their information writing skills by researching an Australian animal of their choice and creating an informative poster. They will learn how to organise factual information into clear sections, including the animal's appearance, habitat, diet, lifestyle, adaptations and interesting fun facts. Throughout this unit, students will practise presenting information in a clear, engaging and well-organised way.

Towards the end of the term, we will delve into the wonderful world of poetry. Students will explore a variety of poetic forms, including couplets, haiku and cinquains, learning how each style uses structure and carefully chosen words to create meaning and impact. As they read and write different types of poems, students will discover how poets use language creatively to express emotions, paint vivid pictures and share ideas in engaging ways.

Maths 

Multiplication & Division:

In Maths, students will be looking at multiplication and division.  At this age, rather than times tables, we solve simple multiplication or sharing problems using skip counting, ‘groups of’ and arrays. 

When using arrays, students use their subitising skills (the ability to recognise numbers by their dot arrangement) to solve problems quicker.  Playing dice games at home will help your child build speed. 

Skip counting skills are vital for solving real life multiplication problems.  Practising counting by 2’s, 4’s  and recalling doubles facts can be practised at home, adding skip counting by 3’s as their confidence increases. 

Division:

Solving division problems will also be a focus this term.  Students will use concrete materials to group items or share items in order to solve real world problems. 

This term, students will continue developing their measurement skills as they explore mass and learn to tell the time using both analogue and digital clocks. They will also investigate how to collect, represent and interpret data through a range of hands-on activities. Reading analogue clocks can be a challenging skill for many Year 2 students, so regular practice at home, such as reading the time throughout the day or talking about daily routines, will help build confidence and support their learning.

Year 2 Team

Emma Rae (2A), Rebecca Taylor (2B Mon-Wed) & Carly Toister (2B Wed-Fri)

Important Dates:

Tuesday 21st July:  Mini Commonwealth Games

Thursday 6th August: Moonlit Sanctuary Excursion

Dates TBC: Upcoming Book Week Events in August 

Week of Monday 7th and Monday 14th September: School Swimming

Friday 18th September: End of Term 3