Autumn 1 - Native Narratives

Welcome to our Year 2 class blog 2025! 

Each week we will help Mr Marlor write an overview of what we have been learning each week.  

Autumn 1 Week 7

In the penultimate week of this half term we are fully immersed in our learning and continue to produce fantastic learning.

In English this week we have finished writing our own innovated version of the ‘The Ugly Five’ class narrative and edited our writing. Then we have researched ‘Mae Jemison’ the first black woman to travel to space as our inspirational person to focus our writing on for Black History month. We produced fact files that described Mae’s life and her wonderful achievements.

In Maths we have continued learning how to subtract from multiples of 10 and subtracting across 10. We enjoyed using a variety of resources such as a Slavonic abacus, number lines, 100 squares and base 10 blocks to support us in our learning. We have completed some really tricky problem solving and reasoning activities!

On Monday we were treated to a visit from Michaela from Blackburn with Darwen borough council to teach us all about Road Safety. She taught us about the green cross code and we learned about the different types of crossing.

In Science we learned about what the difference between micro habitats and human habitats. We then used Google Earth to look at our own homes and how they provide us with shelter, warmth, food and water.

In Geography this week we looked at weather patterns across the 4 capital cities of the United Kingdom and compared them to the weather in Hoddlesden. We then had lots of fun using a green screen to use a weather report background before presenting our own weather forecast for each region.

In French, we continued to learn words for different family members before we learned how to say ‘I have …….. brothers and sisters.

We concluded the week by receiving a visit from the librarian and enjoyed learning about different types of books that can be borrowed from the library service.

Week 6

Now we are 6 weeks into the term, we are fully immersed in our learning across the curriculum and have  enjoyed lots of fun learning activities.

In English we have been sequencing the story and have been planning an innovated version of the ‘Ugly Five’ written in the first person. We continued our extended writing in role as a Wildebeest! We have worked incredibly hard to include ambitious vocabulary and accurate punctuation in our writing.

In Maths we have worked really hard to add by making and crossing the next multiple of ten. By using our number bond knowledge, we have been able to calculate efficiently. We also completed our battle of the bands competition on TT Rockstars against Year 3. Despite scoring 9500 points, Year 3 won the competition but we look forward to competitions against other classes in the near future.

In Science we have learned about human habitats and what we need to survive. Next week we will be using google earth to look at our houses and why they are important for our survival.

In French we have continued learning about our families and how to describe them.

In Computing, we focused on how Information technology makes our lives easier by looking at how devices work together such as scanners and bar codes. We then used the keynote to add text to our presentations.

In Art, we explored texture using collage materials to create unique and eye-catching pieces. We loved layering different materials to bring our pictures to life.

For our R.E lesson this week, we learned about the Tanakh and the Torah and why it is important to Jewish people. We remembered from our previous learning that the books in the Torah are the same as those in the old testament of the Christian bible.

In Year 2 we have also taken part in 'Hello Yellow' campaign and worn yellow to raise awareness for Young People's Mental Health.  We all looked fantastic with different yellow accessories in school on Friday.

As part of our Black History Month learning we have learned about Mae Jemison and her achievements as the first black female astronaut. We will be creating fact files next week as we learn more about Mae’s accomplishments.

Week 5 -

We have had another fun-packed week in Year 2!

In Maths we have been using counters and base 10 blocks to support us with addition and subtraction facts. We then created fact families with 2 addition and 2 subtraction number sentences. We concluded the week by using our known facts to calculate number bonds to 100.

In English we have written and performed some superb riddles based on different animals from The Ugly Five! We have also learnt and performed the story before giving feedback on how to improve our performance by changing the tone and intonation.

In Geography we became weather reporters! We compared the weather in Darwen to that of the four capital cities of the United Kingdom and discussed the temperature, rainfall and how the weather changed throughout that day. Then we worked as a group to started to plan a weather report that we will record using a green screen background next week.

In French we recapped our learning from last week, and learnt a new word J’ai which means I have. We played a game in groups where we had to match the word to the picture. 

In Art, we explored texture using paint. We experimented with different tools and techniques to create rough, smooth, bumpy, and patterned surfaces. We were inspired by the artist Romare Bearden to create paintings of ‘daily life’ at school.

In Computing we focused on using the key note app on the iPads and how to efficiently copy and paste photos of different types of information technology. We then sorted the photos into 2 groups based on if they are used inside or outside.

During our Spirituality Afternoon we discussed the different types of gifts that we have in Year 2 before making a jigsaw pieces with our faces and our talents to assemble together. We realised how lucky we are to have such a range of talents in the class and how each of us are important.

Week 4 - It has been another busy week filled with fun learning activities in Year 2! 

In English this week we have been gathering the content we will need to write our own riddles. We have been exploring what a riddle is and their features. Then we each chose one of ‘The Ugly Five’ animals to research in more detail. Then we presented our research as fact files and included the description,

In Maths we have been ordering and comparing numbers by using greater than, less than and equal to symbols. Then we have been counting in multiples of 2, 5, 10 and 3. We have used manipulatives and 100 squares to create number lines counting in different steps.

In Geography we have learnt how the different winds (southern, northerly, easterly, westerly winds) affect the weather in the UK. Thankfully we had glorious weather on Wednesday and we enjoyed going outside and made our own wind sticks and used a compass to see which direction the wind was blowing from.

In Science, we have explored properties of living things in more detail writing a list of rules to define if something is living. We then tested these rules to a variety of items  

In RE, we learned about the story of how the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered in a cave by a goat herder! We retold the story in role as the goat herder! 

In Computing we have been looking at different types of information technology and sorting it into IT that is used outside and inside. We then added photos of different types of technology to our keynote presentation.

In French, we continued our learning on family members. We described who was in our own families. 

Week 3

We have had another great week in Year 2 despite some torrential rain earlier in the week we have managed to have lots of fun learning opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. 

In English we have focused on using adjectives to describe the animals and have written short list poems.  We have also used our inference skills to understand how different characters such as the wildebeest are feeling at different points in ‘The Ugly Five’. Finally we created our own characters descriptions of the vulture. Everyone worked hard to include powerful adjectives and  conjunctions in their independent writing. 

In Maths we have continued our place value unit. We have been focusing on counting in multiples ten and reciting our 10 times table. We have been estimating numbers on a number line. We learnt that an estimate is a good guess. We also learnt how to calculate the intervals on a number line by checking the start and end points.  

In Geography we have explored the seasons. We have looked at why the UK has four seasons and what the differences between them are.   

In Art we have looked at painting different textures after finding objects with different textures in the playground. We then remembered our colour mixing from last week by using primary colours to make different secondary colours before painting items that had smooth, bumpy and rough textures.  

In RE, we looked at some different Bible stories and decided whether they were in the Old or the New Testament.  

This week in PSHE, we explored various feelings and emotions, discussing how different people express them uniquely. We had fun coming up with scenarios about what we could say to support someone in those situations. 

In French, we have been learning the names of relatives like auntie and uncle, and we even added some actions to those words! 

In Music we continued to practice our techniques for holding the ukulele and having the correct finger positions to play the instrument correctly. 

Week 2

What a busy first full week in Year 2! We have fully settled into the routines and have enjoyed lots of fun learning opportunities. 

In English, we have read in our focus text in more depth, The Ugly Five. We have unpicked the new vocabulary in the book such as divine and hideous! We have also developed our use of tone and intonation when reciting parts of the story. Then we have focused on using appropriate adjectives to describe the different animals.  

In Maths, we have worked hard to improve our understanding of place value. We have used place value charts as well as partitioning numbers using part, part whole models. Finally we finished the week by writing numbers up to 100 in words and numerals. 

In RE we discussed what books are special to us and then explored why the Bible is a special book for Christians and how the Bible tells God’s Big Story.  

In Science, we have been comparing and sorting items by whether they are living, dead or never been alive. We sorted them into columns on a table and then explained our choices in front of the class. 

In Geography we learned more about the weather and seasons. After watching some weather reports, we looked at the clouds to explore how they effect the weather. As a class we went outside and drew a field sketch of the playground incorporating the sky and used weather symbols to show what the weather was like at that moment. Then we predicted what we thought the weather might be like for the rest of the week! Lots of us guessed correctly! 

In Art,  we continued to experimented with mixing primary colours to make secondary colours. We enjoyed using the rollers to control the amount of water on the page and made a variety of secondary colours. Finally we used white and black to create lighter and darker shades of each colour. 

In PE we improved our passing & receiving skills when throwing foam balls and beanbags. Year 2 showed lots of creativity by catching the beanbag with different parts of our bodies’. 

In French, we learnt the names of different family members. See if we can remember at home!  

Week 1

We have settled into Year 2 really well and we are enjoying being back at school. We seem to have grown up over the summer and we are ready for our lots of fun learning opportunities.  

In English, we have also been on a safari! We found lots of different animals hidden around school. Then we used adjectives to describe them before creating some fantastic expanded noun phrases. We have started to enjoy our new focus text, The Ugly Five and have written some great descriptions of the animals.  

In our maths learning we have been recapping our place value knowledge of numbers. We have been working on grouping objects into groups of ten to make it easier to count numbers up to 100. 

We have also started our new science topic which is living things and their habitats. We have started this by looking at how we know we are alive! We have learned that living things grow, move, breathe and get rid of waste. 

In French with Madame Wardle, we revisited different French greetings and when each one may be used.  

In PSHE we looked at rules, routines and expectations. We established our rules and made pledges for how we can create a positive classroom.  

Finally, in Art, we became colour mixers! We experimented with mixing primary colours to make secondary colours. There were lots of “wow” moments as we saw new colours appear before our eyes!