Woodthorpe Church of England Primary School
Learning & Growing Together To Be The Best We Can Be
Welcome to Class 2
Miss Hewitt and Miss Peacock
In our class we have Year 1 and 2. Our learning journey is as exciting and memorable as possible, following the Key Stage One Curriculum. Each day, we do Phonics (following Read, Write Inc), Mathematics (following PowerMaths) and English, and two afternoon subjects. We really look forward to having Chesterfield Football Club teach us once a week too! We have such a fun, busy school day and put the children at the heart of our learning, with plenty of opportunities for learning through play. Each term, our work is formed around an exciting new topic. See details of these outlined below:
Amazing things we are learning about!
Autumn Term – Movers and Shakers
Our topic driver in Key Stage 1 for Autumn Term was called Movers and Shakers. This project taught children about historically significant people who have had a major impact on the world. Children used timelines, stories and historical sources to find out about the people featured and used historical models to explore their significance. We studied many famous people, including Rosa Parks, David Attenborough, Florence Nightingale, Greta Thunberg, Neil Armstrong and many more.
Our science projects were called, 'Human Survival' and 'Habitats'. In Human Survival, the children learned about the basic needs of humans, including the importance of exercise, nutrition and good hygiene. They also learned about how human offspring grow and change over time into adulthood. During the project 'Habitats', the children explored local habitats to identify living things and understand how they depend on one another for food and shelter.
In Design Technology, we completed the project 'Remarkable Recipes' where the children learned about sources of food and tools used for food preparation. They also discovered why some foods are cooked and learned how to read a simple recipe. The children chose and made a new school meal that fulfilled a specific design criteria.
In Art, we studied the colour wheel, colour theory and learned how to mix primary and secondary colours. We also completed a project called ‘Still life’. This project taught children about the work of significant still life artists and still life techniques. Children created their own still life arrangements and artwork. Our artist of the term was Paul Cezanne.
In Geography, the project was 'Let's Explore the World'. The children learned all about atlases, maps and cardinal compass points. They also learned about the characteristics of the four countries of the United Kingdom and found out why there are hot, temperate and cold places around the world.
If you would like to read more about our topics, please follow the links to the knowledge organisers for our subjects below:
- History – Movers and Shakers Knowledge Organiser
- Science – Habitats Knowledge Organiser
- Science – Human Survival Knowledge Organiser
- Geography – Let's Explore the World Knowledge Organiser
- Art – Mix It Knowledge Organiser
- Art – Still Life Knowledge Organiser
- DT – Remarkable Recipies Knowledge Organiser
- RSE Health and Well-Being Year 1 and Year 2 Knowledge Organiser
Spring Term - Coastline
Our main topic driver for Spring Term is ‘Coastline'. This project teaches children about the physical and human features of coastal regions across the United Kingdom, including a detailed exploration of the coastal town of Whitby, in Yorkshire. Excitingly, related to this, in DT the children will be doing the project 'Beach Hut' which will teach the children about making and strengthening structures, including different ways of joining materials. They will all have the opportunity to use Junior Hacksaws and create team mini beach hut structures!
In Art, we will be completing the project 'Flower Head', where the children will learn about the visual elements of flowers, including shape, texture, colour, pattern and form. They also explore various artistic methods, including drawing, printmaking and 3-D forms, using paper and clay.
In Science, we will be learning all about Plant Parts, where the children will learn about the growth of plants from seeds and bulbs. They observe the growth of plants firsthand, recording changes over time and identifying what plants need to grow and stay healthy. We will also be looking at the uses of materials, where children will study everyday materials and how materials' properties make them suitable or unsuitable for specific purposes. They begin to explore how materials can be changed.
In RSE we will be completing the unit Citizenship, where children will learn all about rules, responsibility within the school environment, jobs within the local community and all about respect. We will also be completing the unit Economic Wellbeing, where children will learn about how adults get money, bank accounts, wants and needs and identify their own talents. This will correspond with their learning in maths where they will also identify and add British coins and notes.
If you would like to read more about our topics, please follow the links to the knowledge organisers for our subjects below:
- Geography - Coastlines Knowledge Organiser
- DT - Beach Hut Knowledge Organiser
- Art - Flower Head Knowledge Organiser
- Science - Plant Survival Knowledge Organiser
- Science - Uses of Materials Knowledge Organiser
- RSE Citizenship Year 1 and Year 2 Knowledge Organiser
- RSE Economic Wellbeing Year 1 and Year 2 Knowledge Organiser
Summer Term – Magnificent Monarchs
In Summer, our subject driver is History and we will be learning about the topic ‘Magnificent Monarchs', where the children will learn about the English and British monarchy from AD 871 to the present day. Using timelines, information about royal palaces, portraits and other historical sources, they build up an understanding of the monarchs and then research six of the most significant sovereigns. This will include Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II.
Related to this unit, in Art we are going to be studying the topic 'Portraits and Poses', where the children will analyse the portraits of Tudor monarchs and compare Tudor portraits and selfies today. They will also use photo editing software to create royal portraits.
In Science, we will be learning about the topic Animal Survival, where we will learn about the growth in animals by exploring the life cycles of some familiar animals. They will build on learning about the survival of humans by identifying the basic needs of animals for survival, including food, water, air and shelter.
In DT, we are going to be completing the topic 'Cut, Stitch and Join', where we will learn about fabric home products and the significant British brand Cath Kidston. They learn about sewing patterns and using a running stitch and embellishments before making a sewn bag tag. We will also be completing the topic 'Push and Pull', where children will about three types of mechanism: sliders, levers and linkages. They make models of each mechanism before designing and making a greetings card with a moving part.
In RSE, we will be learning about Safety and the Changing Body where the children will be taught the scientific names for their body parts. We will learn about safe and unsafe adults and what types of physical contact are unacceptable. This is a really important unit and if you have any queries about the learning in it at all, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will also do some transitional work ready for the next year.
If you would like to read more about our topics, please follow the links to the knowledge organisers for our subjects below:
Staff
In our classroom we are so lucky, as we have two teachers - Miss Hewitt and Miss Peacock. Miss Hewitt predominantly teaches Year 1 and Miss Peacock predominately teaches Year 2, and we stream in the afternoons between the year groups.
Miss Peacock Miss Hewitt
Useful links for Key Stage One
Useful Documents and links
(please always check the website before a child uses it)
Throughout KS1 children will be exposed to a wide variety of fiction/non-fiction books, poems and rhymes. Have a look at some of the books/stories and poems we listen to and learn all about on our Core Book List.
By the end of Year 2, the children will need to know all of the Year 1 and 2 Statutory Spellings. You can support them with spelling and phonics using the following websites:
- Oxford Owl Read Write Inc. guide for parents https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/reading-schemes-oxford-levels/read-write-inc-phonics-guide/
Every child in Wellington also has an Oxford Owl login in the front of their reading diaries where you can practice the books we are reading in phonics with them. - Free games on Spelling Frame https://spellingframe.co.uk/
- Free games on Top Marks https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/5-7-years/words-and-spelling
Other useful websites that could be useful to learn at home with your child could include:
- BBC Bitesize - useful for all areas of the curriculum https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z3g4d2p
- Top Marks Maths Games https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?Subject=16&AgeGroup=2 (Particularly useful as children need to know number bonds to 10, 20, 100 and by Year 2 the 2, 3, 5 and 10x table.
ALWAYS check the website before your child uses it.
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https://www.booksfortopics.com/ - brilliant ideas for books your child could read.
While every attempt has been made to ensure the suggested websites are child-friendly and safe, please tell a member of staff if you have any e-safety concerns regarding these suggestions.