Year 2

English

Reading

In Reading this term, students learned how good readers infer by coming up with a conclusion that the author wants readers to figure out through the use of evidence - pictures and text clues as well as their background knowledge. Students learned to infer how a character may be feeling, such as angry or excited and how these feelings might change in a text. 

They were also exposed to character traits, for example, what a character is like (their personality). They learned new vocabulary and strategies they can use to help clarify unfamiliar words in a text. 

They continued to work on making meaningful connections. These connections included text to self connections, where they connected the story to their own personal experiences, and text to text connections where they connected a text to another text they have read before.

Writing

This term in Writing, the Grade 2 students have written realistic narratives and poetry. The students learned how to form the parts of a narrative being the beginning, middle and end. In the beginning students created the orientation of the story, introducing the characters and describing their traits, as well as showing the setting of the story. They created a problem for the middle of their story, with events that extend from it.

Finally, the students wrote a solution at the end of their narrative that solved the main problem of the story, as well as addressed all of the events. Students built on their narratives from the start of the year by adding more detail about characters and events.

The second writing unit of the term focused on Poetry. Students were exposed to different types of poems, including simple rhyme, free verse, and shape poems. Students created their own version of each type of poem that were displayed around the room, and shared with their classmates. 

Mathematics

Students started this term with short focuses on counting and telling the time. Students learned to skip count forwards and backwards by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s from different starting points. At the same time we looked at reading analogue clocks to the hour, half hour, quarter past and quarter to. Students also explored calendars and learned how time is measured. 

Later in the term the focus shifted to Number, with a unit on multiplication & division. Students explored the connection between multiplication and division. At the same time, they also learned about different strategies to problem solve multiplication and division questions. 

Towards the end of the term, students focused on Measurement and Geometry. They explored the topics of 3D objects and volume. Students learned to name and identify 3D shapes and their features. They also explored the 3D shapes found in their environment. Students then began to understand the concept of volume (how much space something takes up). In the last weeks of Term 3, students learned to give and follow directions through a focus on location 

Throughout the term, students continued to revise counting and telling the time.

Inquiry

In Inquiry learning this term, students explored the past in our unit titled, ‘Then and Now.’ 

The students investigated how important artefacts of the past are preserved in the local community as a reminder of their importance in our history. They also investigated how changes in technology have influenced how people live, comparing everyday household items, tools and buildings. Students created their own timelines to enhance their understanding of how things change over time. 

Throughout the term, students used thinking routines such as ‘See, Think, Wonder & Think, Pair, Share, to ask questions and think deeply about the topics introduced. With and without technology, students have researched historical sources as evidence and identified continuity and change within the context of Melton’s local history. 

A highlight of the unit was our excursion to Sovereign Hill, where students had a look back in time to the goldrush era in the 1850’s to get hands on experience on what life was like as a school aged child in that time.

Science

During Term 2, the Grade 2 students have explored the Physical Science strand through investigating the forces of push and pull. Students have observed the way different objects move, and have learned about the six simple machines where they have carried out investigations into the forces used by them. 

 Using a variety of objects, students have set up and tested Rube Goldberg style machines and have built up to designing their own Rube Goldberg style dog treat feeder, which uses the forces of push and pull.

LOTE - Chinese

During Term 3, Grade 2 students learnt how to pronounce different emotions and feelings in Chinese. This included happy, sad, angry, surprised, embarrassed, excited, tired, worried, scared and nervous. 

They worked on a project which was to write the words they liked the most from above and link it to a character they liked to help them memorise the words.

 Meanwhile, they learnt how to express their emotions and feelings. The last week of this term, they will learn how to make a mooncake by using the real mooncake mould to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival. 

Art

The Year 2s have had an excellent term experimenting and discovering in the art room. We have been learning about good collaboration - sharing ideas, asking questions, and building on each other’s ideas to create impressive artwork together! We began the term by reading artist Bronwyn Bancroft’s brightly illustrated text, Colours of Australia. The students then painted whole class banners, considering where we see colours in the places we spend time and that are important to us. 

Following this, we worked with First Nations artist and Melton local Lucy Webster. Lucy shared a version of a traditional Dreaming story involving the Rainbow Serpent, as well as symbols found in Aboriginal art and some of their possible meanings. The students explored these through drawing and dance.

We have also been inspired by artists such as Yann Gerstberger and Louise Bourgeois in making unique textile artworks. The students have used materials such as yarn and wool roving in their creations, and techniques such as wet felting and embroidery. Leading concepts to our learning this term have been building, challenging, and celebrating. 

We will finish Term 3 with activities that provide opportunities for feedback and showcasing work that we are proud of. I have been delighted to see your achievements this term Year 2s. Thank you for your creative efforts. I cannot wait to spend more time learning and making together next term!

P.E.

During this term, the Grade 2 students have focused on the sports of football and soccer, learning the skills linked to each of these sports and applying them in modified game play. Students have developed skills related to both these sports and have begun to apply them in game-based situations.

 Football was the first sport during this term and students were asked to showcase the relevant skills linked with this sport. This included kicking, handballing, and marking. Students have learnt how to kick and handball a football with correct technique and are developing their accuracy when completing these skills. Students used the handball target game to develop and improve their accuracy and really enjoyed themselves during this task. Catching/marking has been constant throughout this unit and all the students in Grade 2 are continuing to develop this motor skill. 

Students in Grade 2 were also able to participate in small-sided games that showcased these skills in a game setting. During the second half of the term, students have completed work on the relevant skills for the sport of soccer. Students can now apply kicking and dribbling skills while incorporating game play. To finish this unit students in Grade 2 participated in small games to show all the skills learnt for soccer. Each of the students had lots of fun playing these games.

Grade 2 students have continued to participate in class games throughout the term to demonstrate their ability to follow rules and instructions. These have taken the form of different warmup games, Just Dance videos and games directly linked to football and soccer. This term has been wonderful for the Grade 2 students and I am looking forward to the final term of the year to see what learning we can achieve.