1/2 Learning News

Hello families,

This term really is flying by, with only 2 weeks left before holidays begin on April 4th. We have all been enjoying some cooler weather and are making the most of the lovely days by taking our learning outside where possible. We have spoken a lot about kindness and really thought about what it looks like to be kind. Some of our suggestions included being fair, including people, encouraging each other, smiling and saying hello, using manners, being generous and being considerate of others feelings. We'll continue to discuss how we can be kind and revisit this when a reminder may be needed.

Literacy

This fortnight we have been revisiting some concepts learned throughout Term 1. We have found nouns inside and outside of the classroom, we have created and deconstructed compound words and looked at the digraph 'ck', as well as 'oo' and the 2 sounds it makes in words such as 'look' or 'broom'. We have used reading, games, writing in sonnd boxes and word puzzles to consolidate our learning.

Mathematics

We have continued to work on our addition skills this fortnight using different techniques to help solve equations. We have used number lines, counting on, concrete counting aids such as farm animals, as well as drawings to help us check our work. Some of our grade 2 students are now using their knowledge of addition and place value to add 4 digit numbers, involving regrouping or 'carrying'. The children are beginning to appreciated that our brains work differently and what helps one person, may be very different to another.

St. Patrick & St. Joseph

This week we commemorated two Saint's feast days, with St. Patricks Day on Monday and St. Joseph's on Wednesday. We learned that St. Patrick used the 3 leaves of the shamrock to teach the people of Ireland the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We made our own shamrocks and wrote one of these on each leaf.

We also researched St. Joseph, the husband of Mary and father of Jesus, and learned that he was a carpenter and is often shown with white lillies to represent his virtue and purity. The children coloured a depiction of Joseph holding his son, and then made stained glass windows using cellophane. These are now on display in our window.

We also enjoyed a whole school prayer afternoon last Friday where we were able to draw Jesus and think about what he might say to us.