Year 2

Reading: 

This term in Reading, the students in Grade 2 have been learning about a range of different text types including information reports, procedures, explanations, persuasive texts and poetry. The students have been learning to identify the type of text they are reading by using text structures and features, they have also been learning to use the structure and features to help them when reading. The Grade 2s have been focusing on technical vocabulary that may be found in different text types and learning how to understand the meaning of new words, including using the text to help them find the meaning of these new words. Whilst reading these different texts students have been learning to visualise, which they particularly enjoyed doing when learning about procedural texts where we made and taste tested our own ice cream. They have also been learning other comprehension strategies such as making connections, determining importance and summarising. 

 

Writing:

This term in Writing, Grade 2 students worked very hard constructing information reports. They started by looking at the structure and unpacking different types of information reports, as well as their different features. By the end of the unit, students were able to plan and research a topic, then create and publish several information reports on different class topics. 

The next unit in writing was around poetry. Students looked at the structure and general guiding rules of different poems. By the end of the unit, students created a number of poems about topics that were important to them. 

 

 

Maths:

This term in Mathematics, the Grade 2 students learnt about length by measuring and comparing different objects. The students also learnt addition and subtraction and a range of strategies to help them solve real everyday problems. Some of the strategies included counting on, counting back, make to ten and turn around facts. To finish off the term and during remote learning, the students learnt about 2D shapes and their transformations, including how the shape transforms when flipped, turned or when it slides.

 

 

 Inquiry:

In Inquiry learning this term, we explored the unit ‘Lean on Me’, where students focused on building an expanded emotional vocabulary to aide self-expression and to nurture a growing sense of empathy. Students were able to recognise how these skills are vital in nurturing and building positive relationships as active members of our school community and strategies needed in positive conflict resolution. Through drama games and artful experiences students were encouraged to connect and use the new skills to build new relationships with classmates and in turn making the learning deeply personal and relevant to students' lives within the Melton West PS community. 

Additionally, students successfully used the ‘see, think, wonder’ and ‘hexagonal thinking’ visible thinking routine with art objects as they practised vital inquiry skills of being curious and more curious and active participants in their learning throughout the unit.

 

ART

The Year 2s have had a fabulous second term diving deeper into projects in the art room. We began the term by examining Georgia O’Keefe’s paintings of enlarged flowers. The students created their own observational drawings of tulips using oil pastels. Next, we used fineliner pens to draw different types of lines, alter the widths of lines and employ hatching techniques to create shading and texture. The students also experimented with gestural ink drawing, a fun and expressive activity using brushes.

 

Influenced by Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting, The Starry Night, the Year 2s created flowing sky designs, exploring how lines can be used to show movement and form. During online learning, the students were introduced to contemporary artists Yayoi Kusama and Raku Inoue. It was brilliant to see the unique inspiration students gained from the artists in developing their own artworks. As part of learning about printmaking processes, the students will finish off the term by developing final prints of their foam etching plates. It has been exciting to observe the students’ creativity, enthusiasm and willingness to grow in Art! Thank you for all of your impressive efforts this term Year 2s. I look forward to more learning and creating in Semester 2!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOTE-CHINESE

Thank you for another fantastic term! In term two, the grade ones and twos learnt basic language skills in Chinese Mandarin, including listening and speaking, recognising sounds and pronunciation. They learned about some Chinese festivals such as the Tomb Sweeping Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival. They also learnt Chinese words and phrases about clothing and action words. The students engaged in actions games, songs, books, arts and crafts throughout the term. Some students also participated in some optional remote learning tasks.

PE

Thank you to the grade 1-2 year levels for another great term in Physical Education! We were able to become experts at using our skipping rope and skipping to rhythm and kicking the soccer ball towards targets using the inside of our foot. We were lucky enough to be able to go back over our throwing and catching from last term and was great to finish off with our running techniques from our take of position. We were also able to practice some athletics events at home when we moved to remote learning! Great work this term grade 1&2 😊

 

SCIENCE

During term 2, the Grade 2’s have been focusing on the Earth and Space strand of science and learning about changes all around us.

Students have looked closely at the local environment and have investigated changes that occur through natural events, such as seasons and weather events. Students have looked closely at natural features in the school yard and have watched how they have changed as the weather has grown colder.  Students have explored the sun’s changing position in the sky and have been learning about the 8 phases of the moon.  Students have been learning through group activities and through individual tasks.  During remote learning, students have had the opportunity to practice identifying features on the landscape and identifying natural and man-made features in their yard. Well done grade 2’s on a fantastic term!