Year 2 – Hedgehogs - Year 2

Welcome to Year 2 – Hedgehogs Class

Hello and welcome to Hedgehogs class.

We are Mrs Matthews and Mrs Belsham. The Teaching Assistants are Mrs Adair & Miss Sturge.

Spring 1

This half term our topic is ‘The Victorians’. Within our History lessons we will be linking our Year 1 learning of Victorian toys and transport to our current History Unit. We will build on our understanding of chronology and where the Victorians came in British History. We will spend time comparing schools during the Victorian period to Modern day as well as looking at the differences between the roles that children had at the time of Queen Victoria’s reign compared to the role of the children today. During this half term we will be joined by ‘History off the Page’ for an exciting day ‘in the life of a Victorian child’. In Science we will identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses and find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching. We will also learn about a Victorian scientist and inventor- Charles Mackintosh. In DT this half term we will be learning about ‘a balanced diet’ while making links to a typical Victorian style diet. In Computing we will learn about word processing and how to stay safe online as well developing touch typing skills. We will also learn to use simple editing tools within a word processor including: bold, italics, underline and font colour as well as how to import images. In Music, we will learn about the instruments of the orchestra and how instruments can be used to tell a story, how different characters can be represented by timbre and how emotions can be represented by pitch and how changes in tempo can convey action. In RE we will be focussing our learning around stories from the Bible with a focus on forgiveness. In PSHCE we will be focusing on our Dreams and Goals. Within PE we will be covering Dance and Dodgeball.

Spring 2

Our topic this half term is ‘What a Wonderful World’. In Geography we will focus on identifying and locating characteristics of the UK on a map. We will also Identify and locate human and physical features on a world map. We will explain the difference between oceans and seas and name and locate the five oceans on a world map. We will also be using an aerial photograph to draw a simple sketch map and will complete field work to collect data by sketching findings on a map and completing a tally chart, then presenting our findings in a bar chart. In Science, we will be learning about plants by building on our knowledge of common wild and garden plants in Year 1 by observing and describing how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants. We will also care for our own plants and observe them over time. We will also find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy. Our DT unit this half term covers sewing and threading skills. We will be designing, sewing and evaluating our very own pouch. Within RE, we will be learning about how religious stories show care for others and how it is also shown within our community. In Computing we will be learning all about ‘Stop Motion’ and will be creating our own simple ‘Stop Motion’ animations in groups using iPads. In Music, We will be working with Music for Bedford Borough on the creative Project ‘Let’s Go on a World Tour!’ This project will link with our Geography from Autumn 2 and children will learn songs from the different continents and travel musically and culturally around the world! PE this half term will focus on Gymnastics and Tag Rugby. In PSHCE, our topic ‘Healthy Me’ will help us to understand now what our body needs to stay healthy. We will also learn about how medicines work in their bodies and that it is important to use medicines

safely. We will also discuss the different food groups and understand why it is important to eat a balanced diet (building on our learning in DT from Spring 1)