Welcome to Y2 Willows!

Welcome to Summer 2

 

Summer 1  

What will we be learning this half-term?

Reading – Your child should be reading 4 or more times a week using their phonics books or a reading for pleasure book. Parents will need to sign or comment in their child’s planner.
Spellings – Spelling lists will provided every Friday for your child to learn, with a spelling test to commence the following 

Homework Menu
Homework can be presented in a variety of ways. Please ask your child’s class teacher if you are unsure. The homework task menu is below.

You may complete tasks in any order. One piece is expected each week but feel free to do all of them 😊

Science    Plants 🌱 1. Grow a Seed Plant a bean, cress seed, or sunflower seed in a pot or cup. Task: Water it regularly. Draw a picture each week. Measure how tall it grows. 📔 2. Plant Diary Keep a diary for one week. Include: A drawing of the plant each day. The weather. What changed since yesterday. 🔍 3. Plant Hunt Go on a walk and find: 3 different flowers 3 different trees 3 different leaves Draw them or take photos and label them. 🌼 4. Parts of a Plant Draw a plant and label: Roots Stem Leaves Flower Add a sentence explaining what each part does. 💧 5. What Do Plants Need? Set up a simple investigation: Grow two similar plants. Water one and not the other (for a short observation period). Discuss: Which plant looks healthier? Why do plants need water? 🍎 6. Plants We Eat Find foods that come from plants. Create a list or collage showing: Fruits Vegetables Seeds Herbs Examples: apples, carrots, peas, rice. 🎨 7. Leaf Rubbing Art Collect leaves and make rubbings using crayons. Challenge: Compare shapes and sizes. Which leaf is your favourite? 🐝 8. Pollinator Spotting Watch a garden, park, or window box for 10 minutes. Record: Bees Butterflies Other insects Draw what you saw.	English   Write a Diary Entry Pretend you are Tuffy the cat. Write about a new adventure that happened after the story. Design a Missing Poster Create a poster for one of the animals in the book. Include a picture and a description. Character Profile Draw Tuffy. Write: What he looks like What he does Why he is funny Comic Strip Retell a favourite scene in 4–6 boxes. Add speech bubbles. Book Review What was your favourite part? Which character did you like best? Give the book a star rating. Creative Activities Cat Fact File Research real cats. Compare real cat behaviour with Tuffy's behaviour. Make a New Book Cover Design a colourful front cover for the story.	Remember – these are just ideas – any homework of your own interest is just as important 😊
Maths Practice 2/3/5/and 10 times tables - including inverse facts   Practice telling the time at home	Art  Leaf Rubbing Art Collect leaves and make rubbings using crayons. Challenge: Compare shapes and sizes. Which leaf is your favourite? Design the Perfect Plant Create an imaginary plant. Think about: What colour are the flowers? How tall is it? What animals might visit it? Portraits of your family	History - Inventors Inventor Fact File Choose an inventor such as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, or Marie Curie. Draw a picture and write: When they lived What they invented Why it was important Design Your Own Invention Draw an invention that could help people today. Label its parts and explain what it does. Before and After Pick an invention (telephone, light bulb, bicycle). Draw what life was like before it existed and after it was invented. Inventor Timeline Create a simple timeline showing when different inventions were made. Build a Model Make a model of an invention using recycled materials, Lego, or cardboard. Interview an Inventor Write 5–10 questions you would ask an inventor and imagine their answers. Invention Hunt Find five inventions in your home. Draw or photograph them and explain how they help your family. Dress Up and Present Dress as a famous inventor and give a short 1-minute talk about their invention.

 

Our PE day will be Wednesday this half-term - please ensure your child brings their PE kits daily or leaves them at school for the half-term as PE days can be subject to change or for additional PE days.

Children will receive new spellings each Friday which will be stuck in their planners - spelling tests will be on a Friday.

It is expected that children will read 4 times a week, practice spellings and times tables and bring a piece of homework on a Friday - either relating to the topic or of their own interests. 

 

English

This half term, Year 2 will be exploring the exciting and humorous story The Diary of a Killer Cat.

Through reading and discussing the text, children will develop their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. We will focus on understanding characters, making predictions, and explaining events from different points of view.

In English, we will:

• Read and enjoy the story together.
• Explore the character of Tuffy and discuss his actions and feelings.
• Write diary entries in role as a character.
• Create character descriptions using expanded noun phrases.
• Write letters and recounts based on events in the story.
• Practise using punctuation correctly, including capital letters, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks.
• Develop sentence structure using conjunctions such as and, but and because.

Reading Skills:

• Retrieve information from the text.
• Make predictions about what might happen next.
• Discuss vocabulary and its meaning.
• Explain characters' thoughts, feelings and actions.

How You Can Help at Home:

• Read regularly with your child and discuss the story.
• Encourage your child to retell events from the book.
• Talk about how different characters might feel in various situations.
• Support your child in keeping a simple diary about their own experiences.

Key Vocabulary:

diary, character, narrator, predict, evidence, feelings, sequence, description, recount, opinion

We look forward to sharing our learning and celebrating the children's fantastic writing inspired by Tuffy's adventures!

The  Diary of a Killer Cat – Anne Fine

Genres:

Diary entry                    Theory

Instructions                   Blurb       

Letter                                Pamphlet  

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Maths

Measurement - Capacity 

What is Capacity?

Capacity is the amount a container can hold.

Children will learn to:

• Compare capacities (full, empty, nearly full, nearly empty).
• Measure and compare amounts of liquid.
• Use units such as millilitres (ml) and litres (l).
• Solve simple problems involving capacity.

Key Vocabulary

• Capacity
• Volume
• Full
• Empty
• Half full
• Nearly full
• Nearly empty
• More than
• Less than
• Millilitre (ml)
• Litre (l)

What We Are Learning

By the end of Year 2, children should be able to:

• Estimate and compare capacities.
• Read simple measuring scales.
• Measure liquids using standard units (ml and l).
• Order containers by capacity.
• Add and subtract simple amounts of liquid.

Activities to Try at Home

Compare Containers

Collect different containers and ask:

• Which holds the most?
• Which holds the least?

Fill and Measure

Use a measuring jug to:

• Pour 100 ml, 250 ml, and 500 ml of water.
• Compare the amounts.

Estimate First

Before measuring, ask:

• How much water do you think this bottle holds?
• Is it more or less than 1 litre?

Capacity Hunt

Look around the house for labels showing capacity, such as:

• Milk cartons
• Water bottles
• Juice cartons

Questions You Can Ask

• Which container has the greater capacity?
• How do you know?
• Is this more or less than 1 litre?
• How many millilitres are in the jug?

Useful Facts

• 1 litre (l) = 1000 millilitres (ml)
• Small amounts are usually measured in ml.
• Larger amounts are usually measured in litres.

Measurement - Mass

In Year 2, children begin to understand and compare the mass of objects.

They learn to:

• Use the words heavier, lighter, heaviest, and lightest.
• Compare the mass of different objects.
• Measure mass using simple scales.
• Read and use the units grams (g) and kilograms (kg).
• Solve simple problems involving mass.

Key Vocabulary

• Mass – how heavy an object is.
• Gram (g) – a unit used for lighter objects.
• Kilogram (kg) – a unit used for heavier objects.
• Heavier than
• Lighter than
• Equal mass

Examples

• A pencil might weigh about 10 g.
• A bag of sugar often weighs 1 kg.
• A watermelon is usually heavier than an apple.

Activities to Try at Home

Compare Objects

Ask your child:

• Which is heavier: a book or a spoon?
• Which is lighter: an apple or a football?

Use Kitchen Scales

Let your child:

• Weigh fruit, vegetables, or toys.
• Read measurements in grams and kilograms.
• Compare two objects and find the difference.

Estimate and Check

Before weighing an item, ask:

"Do you think it will be more or less than 100 g?"

Then check using scales.

Questions You Can Ask

• Which object is heavier?
• Which object is lighter?
• How many grams does it weigh?
• Is the mass closer to 100 g or 1 kg?
• Can you find something that weighs about 1 kg?

Position and Direction

 

Children learn to:

• Describe movement using words such as left, right, forwards, backwards, up, and down.
• Understand and use turns:
  • Quarter turn (90°)
  • Half turn (180°)
  • Three-quarter turn (270°)
  • Full turn (360°)
• Follow and give simple directions.
• Describe the position of objects using language such as:
  • Above / below
  • Next to / between
  • In front of / behind
  • Left / right

Vocabulary to Practise

• Position
• Direction
• Left
• Right
• Forward
• Backward
• Turn
• Quarter turn
• Half turn
• Three-quarter turn
• Full turn
• Clockwise
• Anticlockwise

Activities at Home

1. Human Robot

Give your child instructions such as:

• Take 3 steps forward.
• Turn a quarter turn clockwise.
• Take 2 steps forward.

2. Treasure Hunt

Hide an object and provide directions:

"Take 4 steps forward, turn left, then look under the chair."

3. Shape Turns

Draw an arrow and ask:

• What direction is it facing?
• What direction will it face after a half turn?

4. Map Work

Use a simple map of a room or garden and ask your child to describe routes using left, right, forward, and backward.

Example Questions

1. If I face north and make a quarter turn clockwise, which direction am I facing?
2. Which way is a half turn?
3. Follow these directions:
   • Forward 2 squares
   • Quarter turn right
   • Forward 3 squares
   • Where do you finish?

Expected by the End of Year 2

Children should be able to:

• Use positional language accurately.
• Describe and follow routes.
• Recognise and make quarter, half, three-quarter and full turns.
• Understand clockwise and anticlockwise movement.

Time

 

n Year 2, children build on their understanding of time by learning to:

• Tell and write the time to:
  • o'clock
  • half past
  • quarter past
  • quarter to
  • five-minute intervals
• Read time on both analogue and digital clocks.
• Understand and use:
  • minutes
  • hours
  • days
  • weeks
  • months
• Compare and sequence intervals of time.
• Know the number of minutes in an hour and hours in a day.
• Solve simple problems involving time.

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Vocabulary to Practise

• Clock
• Analogue
• Digital
• O'clock
• Half past
• Quarter past
• Quarter to
• Minute hand
• Hour hand
• Earlier
• Later
• Before
• After
• Duration

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Key Facts

Children should know:

• 60 minutes = 1 hour
• 24 hours = 1 day
• 7 days = 1 week
• 12 months = 1 year

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How You Can Help at Home

Daily Time Practice

Ask questions throughout the day such as:

• What time is it now?
• What time do we eat dinner?
• How long until bedtime?
• What time will we leave the house?

Use Real Clocks

Encourage your child to read:

• Wall clocks
• Watches
• Microwave and oven clocks
• Alarm clocks

Talk About Routines

Discuss daily events:

• "School starts at 8:45."
• "Swimming is at 5 o'clock."
• "We will leave in 15 minutes."

Play Time Games

• Match analogue and digital times.
• Draw hands on a clock face.
• Create a daily timetable.
• Estimate how long activities take.

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Example Questions

1. What time is shown on the clock?
2. Is this quarter past or quarter to?
3. Which activity takes longer?
4. How many minutes are there between 3:00 and 3:30?
5. What time will it be in one hour

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History - Inventors

This half term, Year 2 will be learning about inventors and how their ideas have changed the way people live. The children will explore important inventions from the past and discover how creativity, problem-solving and perseverance can lead to new ideas.

What We Will Learn

Children will:

• Find out what an inventor is.
• Learn about the lives and achievements of inventors such as Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison and Marie Curie.
• Explore how inventions have changed over time.
• Compare inventions from the past with those we use today.
• Ask historical questions and use evidence to find answers.
• Create timelines showing when important inventions were made.

Key Vocabulary

Inventor, invention, past, present, timeline, evidence, change, technology, innovation, discovery.

How You Can Help at Home

You could:

• Talk about inventions you use every day and discuss life without them.
• Look at old and new household objects and compare how they have changed.
• Read books or watch child-friendly programmes about famous inventors.
• Encourage your child to design their own invention and explain what problem it solves.

Questions to Discuss at Home

• What is an invention?
• Which invention do you think has had the biggest impact on people's lives?
• How have telephones changed over time?
• What invention would you like to create?

End-of-Unit Outcome

Children will showcase their learning by creating a fact file, poster or presentation about an inventor or invention that they have researched.

We look forward to exploring the fascinating world of inventors with Year 2!

 

Science

Plants

 

In Year 2 Science, children learn about plants and how they grow. They will:

• Observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants.
• Find out what plants need to stay healthy and grow well.
• Understand that plants need:
  • Water
  • Light
  • Suitable temperature (warmth)
  • Air
  • Space to grow

Activities in school

Children may:

• Plant seeds and bulbs.
• Observe changes over time.
• Measure plant growth.
• Compare plants grown in different conditions.
• Record observations using drawings, labels, and simple charts.

Vocabulary

Your child may learn these words:

Word	Meaning
Seed	The part of a plant that can grow into a new plant
Bulb	A rounded underground storage organ that can grow into a plant
Germinate	When a seed begins to grow
Root	Part of the plant that absorbs water and nutrients
Stem	Supports the plant and carries water
Leaf	Helps the plant make food
Growth	The process of getting bigger

How you can help at home

Try some simple activities:

• Grow cress, beans, or sunflower seeds.
• Talk about the plants you see in gardens, parks, or on walks.
• Help your child water plants and notice changes.
• Ask questions such as:
  • What do you think will happen next?
  • Why does a plant need water?
  • What happens if a plant does not get enough light?

Questions to ask your child

• What does a plant need to grow?
• What is the difference between a seed and a bulb?
• Which part of the plant grows first?
• How have your plants changed over time?

Key Learning

By the end of the unit, children should understand that plants grow from seeds or bulbs and need water, light, warmth, air, and space to grow and stay healthy.

Thank you for supporting your child's science learning at home. 

 

Times Tables Expectations

In Year 2, children should:

• Count in 2s, 5s and 10s and begin to count in 3s. 

• Begin to recall multiplication and division facts for these tables

This includes facts such as:

• 2 × 5 = 10 and 10 ÷ 5 = 2

How you can help at home

You don’t need worksheets to help! Everyday activities are very effective.

Practical ideas

• Count pairs of socks (2s)

• Count fingers (5s)

• Count coins or groups of 10

• Share snacks equally and talk about how many each person gets

Questions to ask

• “How many groups are there?”

• “How many in each group?”

• “What happens if we add one more group?”

Games and activities

• Times table songs and rhymes

• Board games involving counting in steps

• Making arrays with toys or Lego

Key things to remember

• Understanding is more important than speed

• Children should explain their thinking

• Mistakes help learning

• Using real objects makes maths meaningful

If you have any questions or would like further support ideas, please speak to your child’s teacher.

 

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Year 2 Religious Education (RE) – 

RE What makes some places special to believers?

What will children be learning?

In this Religious Education (RE) unit, children will explore why certain places are special to people of different faiths and beliefs. They will learn that some places are important because they help believers feel close to God, worship together, remember important events, or find peace and belonging.

Children may learn about places such as:

• A church (Christianity)
• A mosque (Islam)
• A synagogue (Judaism)
• A temple (Hinduism or Sikhism)
• Special places that are meaningful to non-religious people, such as memorials, parks, or family places

Key Questions

• What makes a place special?
• Why do believers visit places of worship?
• How do people show respect in special places?
• What similarities and differences can we find between places that are special to different groups?

What will children do?

Children may:

• Share and discuss places that are special to them.
• Explore photographs, videos, or visits to places of worship.
• Learn about important objects and features found in special places.
• Compare different places of worship.
• Reflect on how people behave respectfully in special places.
• Create artwork, models, or writing about a special place.

Key Vocabulary

• Belief
• Worship
• Faith
• Church
• Mosque
• Synagogue
• Temple
• Community
• Respect
• Sacred

How can you help at home?

You could:

• Talk about places that are special to your family and why.
• Discuss how people show respect in different places.
• Visit a local place of worship or look at photographs together.
• Encourage your child to describe what they notice about different buildings and their purposes.

By the end of the unit, children should be able to:

• Identify some places that are special to believers.
• Explain simple reasons why these places are important.
• Recognise that different people value different special places.
• Show understanding and respect for the beliefs of others.

 

PE -: Sports day

Over the next few weeks, Year 2 will be practising a range of activities and events in preparation for Sports Day. The children will be developing their running, throwing, jumping, balancing and teamwork skills while building confidence and resilience.

What We Will Be Practising

• Sprint races
• Relay races
• Beanbag and ball throwing
• Jumping activities
• Team challenges and cooperative games

PE Kit Reminder

Please ensure your child comes to school wearing or bringing:

• A PE t-shirt
• Shorts or tracksuit bottoms
• Trainers suitable for outdoor activities
• A water bottle

How You Can Help at Home

You can support your child by encouraging them to:

• Stay active through walking, running or cycling
• Practise simple throwing and catching games
• Develop good sportsmanship by celebrating effort as well as success

We are looking forward to an exciting Sports Day and seeing the children enjoy the opportunity to demonstrate the skills they have been developing in PE.

 

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Computing - Programming quizzes

This unit initially recaps on learning from the Year 1 ScratchJr unit ‘Programming B – Programming animations’. Learners begin to understand that sequences of commands have an outcome, and make predictions based on their learning. They use and modify designs to create their own quiz questions in ScratchJr, and realise these designs in ScratchJr using blocks of code. Finally, learners evaluate their work and make improvements to their programming projects.

 

RSHE - What makes a girl or boy?

What will children learn?

In this lesson, children will:

• Learn that boys and girls have many things in common and many differences.
• Understand that people can have different interests, hobbies, strengths and preferences regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl.
• Explore the idea that stereotypes (e.g., "only boys play football" or "only girls wear pink") are not always true.
• Develop respect for themselves and others.

Key Messages

• Everyone is unique.
• Being a boy or a girl does not determine what someone can enjoy or achieve.
• We should treat everyone with kindness and respect.
• Families and communities may have different views and experiences, and these should be respected.

Vocabulary

Children may discuss:

• boy
• girl
• similarities
• differences
• stereotype
• respect

 

How is the lesson taught?

The lesson uses age-appropriate discussions, stories, pictures and activities. No explicit sexual content is taught in this lesson.

How can parents support learning at home?

You could:

• Talk about your child's interests and talents.
• Discuss how people can enjoy different activities regardless of whether they are boys or girls.
• Encourage respect for everyone's choices and differences.

 

Are all families the same?

 

RSE – Year 2: Are All Families the Same?

What will children learn?
In this lesson, children will explore the idea that families come in many different forms and that every family is unique.

Key learning objectives:

• Understand that families can look different from one another.
• Recognise that families may include different people, such as parents, grandparents, carers, step-parents, foster carers, siblings, and extended family members.
• Know that what makes a family important is the love, care, and support family members give each other.
• Develop respect for families that may be different from their own.

Vocabulary:

• Family
• Relative
• Carer
• Foster family
• Step-family
• Respect
• Similarities
• Differences

How can you support your child at home?

• Talk about who is in your family and the roles they play.
• Read books that show different family structures.
• Encourage discussions about respecting and valuing differences.

Key message:
There is no single "right" type of family. Families can be different in many ways, and all families deserve respect and kindness.

Useful websites

•Daily 10 - https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/daily10

•Top marks clock - https://www.topmarks.co.uk/time/teaching-clock

•Spelling shed - https://www.spellingshed.com/en-gb/

•Google Earth - https://earth.google.com/web/

•Reach out reporter (science news) - https://www.twigsciencereporter.com/