Year 2 Spotlight

Numeracy

This term, Year 2 students have had fun using ‘hands on' experiences to explore the topics of mass and capacity. Students compared the masses of objects using ‘hefting’, and balance scales. Students measured, ordered, and compared objects according to their mass and capacity. They discussed the importance of using common units of measurement. 

Capacity

• Today we looked at capacity. We had to pour water into measuring cups. I learnt that 250ml is one cup. ~ Tom, 2B

Mass

• I learnt that 50g is heavier than 99 counters. ~ Van, 2B
• I learnt that 10 pencils are heavier than one sharpener, and 2 pencil grips. ~ Liam, 2B
• I learnt that 100g is heavier than 2 glue sticks, and a pair of scissors. ~ Luke, 2B
• I learnt that 38 ‘ones’ blocks are the same as 20g. ~ Maddie, 2B
•  I learnt that one whiteboard eraser and 1 ‘ones’ block is the same as 10g. ~ Luna, 2B

Writing

In writing, we read several different books to explore narratives. Independently, students are working through the writing process, incorporating different narrative elements such as adjectives, conjunctions, and adverbs that we have previously explored in class.

What do you like about narratives? 

• I like using my imagination to make stuff up. ~ Millie, 2D
• I like making it interesting to hook the reader. ~ Sophie, 2D
• I like writing the middle. Like quests where you have to find stuff to make it right. Thea, 2D
• We can write about whatever we want and it’s imaginative! ~ Eddie, 2D
• It’s fun just getting like the character and the setting and all of that type of stuff. ~ Alexia, 2D
• I can learn new words to make my narrative more exciting. ~ Sia, 2C
• I like how there is a problem in the middle and then there is a solution at the end. ~ Isla, 2C
• In my writing, I like thinking of ways I can be unique and creative. ~ Maple, 2C
• I really like writing my narrative because it is fun! ~ Finn, 2C

What skills do you need to be a great writer? 

• You need similes. ~ Billie, 2D
• A good speller! ~ Ava, 2D
• Editing! ~ Millie, 2D
• Inspiration from stuff you’ve read but you twist it a bit. ~ Thea, 2D
• Verbs, nouns and adverbs. ~ Jarrah, 2D
• Good handwriting and really good editing! ~ Austin, 2D
• Settings, characters, commas, talking quotes and elegant handwriting! ~ Freddie, 2D
• Vocabulary! ~ Hazel, 2D
• Change your voice so it sounds like the character is angry! ~ Hugo, 2D

Reading

This term students have been reading mentor texts as a class based on realistic fiction as well as fairy tales. We have focused on literary features such as characters, problems and solutions. This has linked in with our narrative writing lessons. We will also review the reading comprehension strategies of predicting, questioning, summarising and making inferences. To practise fluency skills, students read to a partner focusing on expression, accuracy, phrasing and paying attention to punctuation.

• I like reading because the writer makes it so interesting. ~ Maple, 2C
• I love reading because it gets me out of the real world. ~ Nora, 2C
• I love reading so many different kinds of books. ~ Arlo, 2C
• It is fun reading books because they are longer than movies. ~ Teddy, 2C

Inquiry

This term some of the topics students have been exploring and learning about is where our food comes from and how it is produced. 

• I love learning about how different foods are made, and how they start from the land and end up on our table. ~ Willow, 2A
• I like that we are learning how food is made because if we didn’t learn this, then we wouldn’t know how to use the foods for cooking when we were older. ~ Edie, 2A
• I think that it’s interesting how the food we eat grows on land and then is processed so that it can be cooked and put at our tables. ~ Jude, 2A

...just for fun!

~ Year 2 Teachers (Michele, Elise, Sarah & Kelly) and Students