Year 2

Reading:

In Reading this term, students learnt how good readers ask questions while reading to help them make meaning from a text. They developed an understanding of the reasons why readers question, such as to clarify meaning, to wonder about the text yet to be read, to locate information or an answer. They also learnt how answers to questions can be found- right there in the text, through inferring or by researching further through an outside source.

Students particularly enjoyed asking questions about non-fiction topics of interest and reading to answer their own and others questions. They had some great questions about volcanoes, earthquakes and the solar system!

When reading fiction texts, students also learnt to make inferences about characters’ feelings and their personality traits. They learnt to use their prior knowledge, make text-to-self connections and look for clues in the pictures or words to make inferences. Learning new vocabulary continued to be a focus, with students working on using strategies to help clarify unfamiliar words in a text.

Students also explored consonant blends (i.e. bl, st, sp), in order to segment words with CCVC and CCVCC structures (c = consonant, v = vowel).

Writing:

In Writing this term, the Grade 2 students explored persuasive writing. The students learnt how to form opinions, give reasons and provide evidence as a support. They were explicitly taught the structure of a persuasive text and have had the opportunity to write their own based on their interests. Some of the persuasive topics included writing to their parents and teacher for something off a wishlist for home or the classroom and writing to Mrs Costa to persuade her to get a pool for our school,

In the last few weeks of term, the Grade 2 students began learning how to write a procedural text. They learnt that the structure of a procedural text includes a title, aim, equipment, a sequenced method, and a conclusion. Students wrote texts based on familiar procedures, such as getting ready for bed and getting ready for school. They will also explore food recipes, game rules etc.

Maths:

This term in Mathematics, students began with some short focuses on fractions of a whole and telling the time. In the combined unit, students explored breaking whole shapes like squares and circles into halves, quarters, and eighths. This then connected to learning to read clocks to quarter past and quarter to, and revised to the half hour.

The focus then shifted to units on multiplication & division, money and fractions of a collection. Students explored the idea of equal groups and sharing through stories and hands-on activities, connecting to the visual representation or arrays. They used this knowledge in an investigation of simple fractions of groups, including one-half and one-quarter. When exploring money, students revised recognising Australian notes and coins and their values, based on their features. They completed tasks involving counting collections of money together to make up a particular value, as well as exploring equivalent values e.g. two 5 cent pieces is equal to one 10 cent piece.

Ongoing throughout the term, students continued to revise telling the time and work on their counting goals.

INQUIRY

In inquiry learning this term we began by exploring key concepts continuity and change. Students were able to engage with artefacts and practice being a Historian by:

using their eyes to study photos, artefacts and records
ears to listen to family stories
their smart mind to understand that past, present and the future are connected
a kind heart to show empathy towards people in the past and
a mouth for sharing what they have learned with others.

As we moved to remote learning students engaged in many experiences that allowed them to explore their personal history. Students were able to record their own history by creating a family tree, examine an important object as a historian and speak to grownups at home about their past and record their stories using time language.

The grade one and two cohort have shown great resilience and perseverance transitioning from face-to-face learning to remote learning. Well done for your efforts and hard work! I look forward to our return to face-to-face learning very soon.

ART

The Year 2s had an excellent start to the term, exploring shape, form and texture! We started the term by making shells out of paper and charcoal. This involved considering the shapes we needed to create to achieve certain forms, and developing visual texture. We also spent two exciting weeks painting. The students responded to the artwork of German artist Anselm Kiefer by mixing flour with paint to create actual texture in their own paintings. Next, they painted pictures inspired by abstract painter Hilma af Klint. In these, they practiced overlapping and intersecting shapes.

As we moved into online learning, we began experimenting with art materials that we might find around the home, such as spices mixed with water and found other objects we could use. Students were introduced to Melbourne based artist Charlie Sofo, who turns to everyday objects and moments in the creation of his work. Another exciting challenge involved students choosing a famous artwork to ‘make a copy’ of – of which there were many expressive and talented submissions. We welcomed the beginning of warmer weather by observing and drawing local flowering plants. Being online has also provided a fun opportunity to play art games and quizzes on platforms like Tate Kids. We will finish up Term 3 with a virtual excursion and a ‘creating with care’ activity. I have been delighted to see the artwork you have created this term Year 2s. Thank you for your creative efforts. I cannot wait to spend more time learning and making together next term!

Fantastic work grade 2 getting through another term of school. PE looked a little different this term – we were able to get through most of our Australian Rules Football unit where we learned what AFL is, the associated skills such as kicking, handballing and marking, and how to execute these skills to the best of our ability. Term 3 had us learning a lot online where students were given the opportunity to participate in numerous at home activities such as mini workouts, skill related activities and just getting outside to get moving! I am looking forward to seeing you all again very soon for another exciting term of PE

LOTE- Chinese

In term 3, whilst onsite, students in years one and two learnt to say the Chinese words for weather and the names of four different countries. They used Chinese to describe and write “today’s weather”. During remote learning, students were given the opportunity to engage in some language and cultural activities. Students practised writing some simple Chinese characters, such as 牛 (Ox), and they read some famous Chinese folklore stories about The Moon Festival, The Magic Pot and the Zodiac Animal Race. Well done everyone for showing much resilience and perseverance for term 3!

STEM

During Term 3 the Grade 2 students have been focusing on the Physical Science strand where they have been learning through both onsite and remote learning. Students have been exploring the forces of push and pull, and how these forces can be used to move objects. We have focused on Rube Goldberg machines and have investigated how these types of machines use push, pull and gravity in order to complete a simple task.

Through conducting investigations, experiments, watching video clips and creating plans, students have presented their learning and have demonstrated their understanding of the forces of push and pull!