Year 2 News
English
Reading
In Reading this term, students will be learning how good readers ask questions before, during and after reading to help them make meaning from a text. They will revise what a question is and how questions need an answer. They will have the opportunity to write or say any questions they have about texts, to strengthen their understanding of the text and help them look for answers in their reading.
The students will also be applying comprehension strategies such as determining importance, summarising and making connections with the range of texts we read. They will be learning about new vocabulary, including subject-specific/technical words and strategies they can use to help clarify unfamiliar words in a text. Grade 2 students will also be learning to use the structure and features of the texts they read to identify the text type, in order to understand how to read it.
Writing
This term in Writing, students will be creating information reports. We will start by looking at the structure, and unpacking different types of information reports. We will also be looking at their different features. By the end of the unit, students will have been exposed to planning and researching a topic, then creating and publishing several information reports on different class topics.
Grade 2 students will also learn how to write a procedural text. They will learn the structure of a procedural text and experiment with creating their own based on food recipes, game rules etc.
Mathematics
This term in Mathematics, the Grade 2 students will be learning about money where students will count and order Australian coins and notes according to their value. Students will count collections of coins to make particular values and identify the equivalent values in collections of coins e.g 2 x 5c = 10c.
Students will learn about Length, where they will use informal units of measurement to measure and compare different objects whilst using the golden rules of measurement e.g no gaps/start at zero.
Our major number unit for the term is Addition and Subtraction. Students will be learning a range of strategies to help them solve addition and subtraction problems. Some of the strategies include counting down to/up from for subtraction, doubles, adding ten and fact families.
They will also be learning about 2D shapes and their transformations, including how the shape transforms when flipped, turned or when it slides.
Counting will continue to be an ongoing focus throughout the term, with students working on individual counting goals which they are practising with a ‘maths mate’, using materials.
Science
Welcome to term 2 Science where the Grade 2 students will be focusing on the Earth and Space Science strand and learning that Earth’s resources are used in a variety of ways.
Students will investigate and identify the Earth’s resources, with a focus on water and soil, and will explore and describe how they are used in our school community and in the home.
Through various investigations and activities, students will explore how a resource such as water is transferred from its source to its point of use, consider what might happen to humans if there were a change in the availability of water as a resource, and identify actions, such as turning off dripping taps, which can save water.
LOTE-Chinese
I would like to welcome back the Grade 2 students to Chinese for this term. In term 2, students will start with revision of what we have learnt in term 1. Meanwhile, students will learn some martial arts based on the Chinese zodiac animals that we learnt last term and practise it through the whole term. There are two important topics that will be covered in this term for Grade 2 which are; how to pronounce the names of family members and how to pronounce the shapes, including: circle, rectangular, triangle, square, oval, heart and star.
Art
This term, the Year 2s are going to explore line in more detail, and continue to deepen their understanding of colour. We will work with a range of materials, including charcoal, clay, paint and textiles. Our creations will involve the use of skills such as non-dominant hand drawing, painting methods, stitching, observational drawing, and digital art practices.
We will further examine and flesh out our big question, ‘What is ART?’, through questioning, mind mapping, and the study of Australian artists from Spinifex Arts Project and our local community, Asian-American artist Chanel Miller and the vastly influential David Hockney. Students will have numerous opportunities to consider, create and reflect in our exciting art room. It has been impressive to see the Year 2s make greater connections and continue to express their unique creativity so far this year!
P.E.
For this term the grade 2 students will be focusing on the sport of basketball to continue to develop their fundamental motor skills which include, throwing, catching, bouncing a ball, and shooting a ball. Students in term 1 were introduced to correct throwing and catching form and technique, for term 2 students in grade 2 will be asked to transfer that skill knowledge to the game of basketball and apply these skills in this sport. By the end of the unit on basketball students in grade 2 would have been shown how to bounce, throw, catch, and shoot a basketball and be on the path to developing skills to be able to play the sport of basketball. During the second half of term 2 students will continue to work on the fundamental skill of running as it applies to athletics. Students will learn correct running form and be introduced to a relay running format in an athletics event. This is to be built on through the different year levels as more depth will be added as the students’ progress through their learning in PE. I can’t wait for a great term with the grade 2 students! We have plenty of exciting learning ahead and looking forward to all of it.