Moorhen Class Curriculum Newsletter
Summer Term 2017
Dear Parents/Carers,
Welcome back to the summer term. We hope you all had an enjoyable Easter break.
Our exciting new historical focussed topic for the summer term is ‘Walk like an Egyptian’. Our learning will look specifically at the Ancient Egyptians and will focus on the men and women who studied their kingdoms and their discoveries. The children will be learning about some of the Pharaohs and the development of the Pyramids, as well as the mythology that surrounds this ancient civilisation. In science, we will be investigating the animals including humans. The children will learn to identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the human body and say which of the body is associated with each sense. They will learn that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults and will find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air). Finally, they will investigate the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of diverse types of food, and hygiene. Throughout the term, our class readers will also focus on our topic of the ancient Egyptians and will include, ‘Flat Stanley: The Great Egyptian Grave Robbery’ by Jeff Brown and ‘Tutankhamun’s Tomb (I was there)’ by Sue Reid. If you have any resources that you feel would help our learning please could you send them in with your child, ensuring that they are clearly labelled with their name.
English
In English, the children will be investigating a range of topics throughout the term to extend their understanding, knowledge and literacy skills. Children will work to secure their grammar and spelling knowledge and understanding. The children will learn the importance of writing for different purposes.
Narrative: Stories and plays that use the language of fairy and traditional tails. Egyptian Myths and Legends
Diary Extracts: Howard Carter
Biographies: Tutankhamun, Lord Carnarvon, Hatshepsut
Poetry: Nonsense, humorous poems and limericks
Instructions: Mummification
Explanation Text: The Afterlife Rituals and beliefs
Reading: The children will develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by listening to, discussing and expressing views about a wide range of contemporary and classic poetry, stories and non-fiction at a level beyond that at which they can read independently. In guided reading, they will discuss the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related and will become increasingly familiar with and retelling a wider range of stories, fairy stories and traditional tales.
Maths:
Throughout the summer term, your child will further develop their knowledge and understanding of the four main operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division through our learning of measure, time and data handling. We will continue to consolidate jumping in steps of 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s to begin to secure our times tables later in the year. These are regularly practised within the classroom but it is essential that they are consolidated at home with your help. The children will further consolidate their learning of time and it is vitally important that you support your child to tell the time as they will struggle to meet the curriculum requirements without your help. Further to this, your child will be learning about weight, mass, measuring in mm, cm, m and km and simple volume. We will be beginning our learning with place value and consolidating our number bonds to 10, 20 and 100.
Science: Animals including Humans – Amazing Me
The children will learn to identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the human body and say which of the body is associated with each sense. They will learn that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults. Finally, they will find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air) and describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of diverse types of food, and hygiene.
History: Ancient Egyptians
The children will be learning all about the Ancient Egyptians. They will investigate the men and women who studied their kingdoms and their discoveries. The children will also learn about some of the Pharaohs and the development of the Pyramids, as well as the mythology that surrounds this ancient civilisation. Finally, they will look at how the Nile allowed this civilisation to flourish and examine every day life and compare it to their own.
Geography:
The children will compare a small area of the United Kingdom with that of a non-European country. They will learn to use world maps, atlases and globes to locate and identify countries and continents while using simple compass directions and will use aerial photographs, fieldwork and their observational skills to identify differences and similarities in locations.
British Values: Individual Liberty
The children will learn that we are all born free with our own thoughts, ideas and beliefs. They will discuss how these rights are belong to everyone whatever their differences and that we should all be treated the same way.
R.E: Why are some places special? This unit explores how religions and beliefs express aspects of human nature in a variety of creative ways.
What places are special to me and why are they special? What places are special to members of the world’s major religious communities? (Buildings used for worship, special places in the home) What do these buildings that are special to them look like? Do they have special places, objects, pictures or symbols and how are these used?
Outdoor Education: Muddy Mondays
Our ‘Muddy Monday’ sessions allow the children to enjoy an entire day of fun activities led by Mrs Butler and the Moorhen Team linked to our science, geography, art and design and design and technology learning. Every forth Monday, the children will take part in a variety of activities including class trips, seasonal activities such as planting and harvesting and wellie walks. There will also be opportunities for the children to enjoy the fire pit and to explore their local environment.
Weekly Schedule
Monday / · Reading Books changed· Outdoor education: Muddy Mondays*
Tuesday / · Year 2 swimming
Wednesday / · Homework in
Thursday / · Reading books changed
Friday / · Homework Out
· Spelling Tests
· P.E*
* Sadly, we continually have children without the appropriate clothing in school. Please ensure your child has warm, comfortable clothes and sensible footwear for our Muddy Monday sessions and their full P.E kit in school for these sessions.
Homework will continue to be issued on Fridays and will be due in on the following Wednesday. Homework is designed to support and reinforce your child’s learning within the classroom and will include spellings for your child to learn. On occasion, homework may be in the form of a supporting activity and may not always require marking. However, there may be times when your child will require your support to complete the task. If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to pop in and see me.
Key Diary Dates:
Tuesday 25 April: Year 2 swimming
1 May: Bank Holiday
May: KS1 SATs
29 May – 2 June: Half Term
Thank you for your ongoing support,
The Moorhen Class Team: Mrs Fellows and Mrs Hicks