Spotlight On Learning Year 2 Term 1

English

What a great time to be learning about Narrative writing with so much happening in our community and imaginations. Students have been exploring how to create an engaging story to entertain the readers by creating various “sizzling starts” through the use of Dialog, showing not telling and Otamatipeos.  They have incorporated these features when writing their own imaginative text pieces . We have explored sequencing problems and solutions, compound sentences and the use of past-tense verbs. The students have written a range of imaginative text with topics including creatures, writing partners and significant people. 

In addition to our rich variety of writing activities, students have been working on their Creating images  skills in reader’s workshop. Students have been using their rereading skills and noting information they understand and find interesting or identify as important. This has been supported by our lessons on finding good-fit texts and the characteristics of a successful reader. Students are encouraged to use their good-fit books to continually add to their vocabulary in reading. 

In spelling we have been learning about consonant blends and syllables. We have been engaging in weekly spelling activities such as adding suffixes to base words (for example ‘ing’ to ‘jump’) and noticing sounds in the words of books we read aloud. To consolidate our knowledge of the meaning of words and their sounds, we have been engaging in rotations where we are involved in a mini lesson based on a sound we are learning. We’ve also been practising our high frequency words in the morning by writing sentences including the words and making the words with objects such as lego. 

Maths

In Mathematics this term our students have been engaging in a range of number lessons. During our number unit, children have been exploring two and three-digit numbers using manipulatives such as multi-attribute blocks and place value charts. Students have partitioned, regrouped and represented numbers in a variety of ways. We have also explored and created number lines and have used them to skip count by 2s, 5s, 10s and 3s. 

Strand 

In our Mathematics Strand unit this term, students are going on a learning journey working collaboratively to trade and make equivalent values of money. They have been learning to make a variety of amounts using a combination of different coins and notes. . This has been taught through the use of play money to ensure students understand the monetary value in a hands-on way. 

HASS

We live in an incredible world. Our families are influenced and shaped by where they originate. Investigating connections we each have to these places and others were timed perfectly with the Harmony Day celebration this week. Students have been very enthusiastic about participating in Our Wonderful World Presentations. They have been sharing their unique cultural heritage through presenting artefacts and other resources from their homes. 

We have also investigated and discovered that the streets in Ngunnawal are named after Ngunnawal words or significant Australian individuals.

We have looked at the world and how it is divided into continents and oceans. We have also looked at maps to find countries that we know. Exploring photographs and artefacts from the olden days has been fascinating! Many of the appliances we use today have changed over time as new technology develops, and we have found new, more interesting ways to do things. The highlight of our HASS unit will be our excursion to The National Museum of Australia this week where we will participate in an educational programme: Then and Now, exploring the artefacts from the past. 

Digital Technology

Speaking of how things have changed... We have also been following Hector's World, an eSafety Commissioner's program, to think about how to be safe online. Some of the biggest take-homes we have come across are the importance of not sharing our personal information online and making sure we check with a trusted adult if we are feeling unsure or unsafe online. The eSafety Commissioner has a great collection of resources for kids and teachers, but for parents too. Follow the link for more information: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents.