Grade 2 Community News

Dear Grade, 2 Families,

It has been a great start to Term 2 in Grade 2! Students have settled back into school incredibly well and have been super excited about all the learning and fun things we have planned this term. This term began with a fun incursion to celebrate Ancient China ‘Read to Learn’ unit from Term 1. Students were treated to an incredible performance of traditional Chinese lion dancing as well as traditional drumming. 

Reading

Our new ‘Read to Learn’ unit this term has been Ancient Greece. During the last couple of weeks, we have been learning all about what life was like in Ancient Greece. Students have been able to locate Greece on a world map as well as discuss some of Greece’s amazing landscapes such Mount Olympus and The Aegean Sea. To link in with our writing this term students have also been learning about Ancient Sparta during our Read to Learn unit. Students were amazed to find out about the hard training that boys had to undertake at the age of just 7 years old! We have also been learning about the Olympics and how they originated in Greece. Students worked in small groups to create flyers and posters advertising the Olympics. It has been an amazing and informative unit so far and we can’t wait to learn some more! 

Writing

This term Grade 2 students have been working on historical recounts. We have learned that a historical recount is a retell of an event that has already happened in the past. We have Ancient Greece as out topic for our historical recounts. Students learned about the structure of a historical recount and its features. Our students were able to identify the orientation, the significant events and the concluding statement of a historical recount as well as its features such as being written in past tense, using time connectives, and being written in third person. Students then moved on to planning and drafting their very own historical recount based on the information they have learned during our Ancient Greece ‘Read to Learn’ units. Next week students will look at editing and publishing a final copy of their very own historical recounts. 

Maths

Grade 2 students have begun their new maths unit this term of Measurement and Geometry. We have been looking at measuring length and area using a variety of informal and formal units. Some of the formal units’ students have explored measuring both length and area are counters, unifix blocks, playing cards, icy pole sticks, hands, and feet. We have practiced our measuring rules as well as being able to order and compare different lengths and areas. Some students have also had a go at measuring both length and area using formal units such a cm and m. Students have used measuring tools such as rulers and measuring tapes to find out the lengths of different objects. Students are now equipped with the skills to measure the length and area of different objects! 

Geography

Our new content unit this term is Geography. Grade 2 students have been learning about the features of maps and how to use a compass. Students were given a map in which they needed to use the key to find different locations as well as give directions using a compass. In our second Geography lesson students worked on being able to read a world map and being able to locate Australia on it. Students learned that Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere. We have many more fun and engaging lessons planned for the rest of the term where we will dive deeper into the geography of Australia.

Vocabulary 

This term we have begun reading our serial text Charlie and the Chocolate factory. We have been using this text during our vocabulary lessons to learn new vocab words. Students have learned the meaning of each word and have been using them during their writing to make their writing more detailed! 

                                                                             Week 1

                                                                             Week 2

Grade 2 Reminders

• Please keep making sure that students are reading every single night and filling in their take home diaries. We have some students approaching 75 nights of reading so far and we would like all students to be reaching this achievement! 
• All students need to be wearing our Tarneit Rise Primary School uniform. Given that the weather is cooling down please ensure that your child is in full school uniform.
• Swimming is coming up for grade 2 students. It would be great for students to practice getting dressed independently at home, so they are able to do so independently while at the swimming pools. Please check compass for further dates on when your child is attending swimming and if you haven’t already done so please ensure you pay/give consent for swimming. 

PLC 2