Category: Primary 2

Dear Parents,

We hope you had a good week.

Important information:

• If you have not returned your child’s learning story and the report comments, please do this as soon as possible. Please keep the report at home.
• Loose Parts on Thursday 20^th June.
• Change of clothes: Please ensure that your child has a spare change of clothes at school (including pants and socks); these don’t have to be school uniform. It is really helpful for them all to have them (especially when they get wet). Please label all the items.

Here is a summary of our learning this week:

Literacy

Our Phonics focus has been adding -ed to verbs. This is a summary of what we have learned:

We enjoyed watching a short clip titled ‘Whistleless’ about a little bird who is unable to whistle. It provoked great discussions and was a super inspiration for our writing this week.

Our tricky words this week are: enough, almost and mountain. Please continue to practice your spelling words at home. All children are aware of which block they are working on.

The pupils have been listening very attentively to each other delivering their talks. Well done everyone!

Ideas for learning at home

• Reading books were sent home today. Please listen to your child reading their book and discuss what is happening in the text.
• Practise changing these verbs to past tense (adding -ed) using the rules above: bake, hope, whine, wrap, beg, step, hurry, worry, stay, prefer, admit, regret.
• Continue to practise spelling of tricky words. If the weather is nice over the weekend, ask your child to use chalk on the ground to revise their spelling.

Maths 

We have continued to learn about measurement. This week we have been learning about volume and capacity.  

We have continued to work on core numeracy skills.

Ideas for learning at home: 

Measurement

• Look for containers whose contents are measured in millilitres. Record the container and the amount. Once you have a few, put them in order and discuss.
• Choose 3 containers at home. Estimate how much each holds when full. Check your estimates with a measuring jug.
• Here are a couple of online activities which will reinforce our learning in school.

What is capacity? – BBC Bitesize

Measuring in litres – Maths – Learning with BBC Bitesize – BBC Bitesize

Numeracy

Ask your child to draw three snakes, split into many sections, and to write a sequence of numbers in each snake, e.g. by counting on or back in 5s or 2s. For more of a challenge you could state that the fifth number in each sequence must be a particular number, e.g. 27 or 54, and say that at least one sequence must be counting back.

Here is an online game called Daily 10. You can select a core number skill for your child to work on. The site will generate 10 questions then provide the answers.

Daily 10 – Mental Maths Challenge – Topmarks

Other areas

PE

We are continuing to work on athletics.

IDL/Outdoor Learning

We watched a clip about different recycling machines then worked in small groups to create our own using the Loose Parts resources. It was so interesting to listen to the creative ideas from the pupils.

We also really enjoyed watching the P7 rehearsal for their show.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs McFarlane

Dear Parents,

We hope you had a good week.

Important information:

• On Wednesday you received your child’s end of the year report and the learning story. Please, if you haven’t returned your child’s learning story and the report comments do it as soon as possible. Please keep the report at home.
• Loose Parts on Tuesday 11^th June.
• As explained on our blog on Friday 3^rd May, this month the children will be doing a small presentation to their peers. This is part of the Literacy Curriculum (Listening and talking). We would be grateful if all children have their presentations ready next week as we are making good progress through these. Each day I am randomly selecting a few names from our class set of lollipop sticks and it is their turn to deliver their presentation.
• Change of clothes: Please ensure that your child has a spare change of clothes at school (including pants and socks); these don’t have to be school uniform. It is really helpful for them all to have them (especially when they get wet). Please label all the items.

This is a summary of our learning this week:

Literacy

Our Phonics focus has been adding ing to words ending with an e.

We have been writing about our real and imaginary pets.

Our tricky words this week are: important, body and music. Please continue to practice your spelling words at home. All children are aware in which block they are working on.

Ideas for learning at home

• Read the reading book at home.
• Practice adding -ing to these words: hope, care, blame, bake, make.
• Please continue to read stories to your child every day at home.  
• Practice your tricky words. Ask your child to write 2 sentences a day with two of their tricky words.

Maths 

We have started to learn about measurement. We have been measuring weight: we have used nonstandard units, we are learning to use a scale and check standard units such as grams and kilograms.  We have learned the difference between a real measurement and an estimate.

We have continued to work on numeracy skills such as subtraction.

Ideas for learning at home: 

• Could you cook together? Ask your child to read the scales and measure the correct amount.
• Make predictions about how many grams different items might weight: an egg. An apple, an orange, a slice of bread, etc.
• More information about measuring weight in here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zndy6g8#z2s8mbk

• For subtraction:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/mental-maths-train

Continue to use your Sumdog account.

Other areas

PE

We are working on athletics skills and games.

IDL

We have started to learn about recycling.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs McFarlane

Dear Parents,

We hope that you have had a good week.

Important information:

• P2 have Loose Parts on Friday 7^th June. Please come dressed for the weather.
• P2 talks will begin next week. We will try to spread them out over the next few weeks but please do send in any visual aids (photos/posters etc) and we can keep them safe until it is your child’s turn.
• Please could you send in any (washed) milk bottle tops from home. Our next mini topic is on recycling and we were hoping to re use old milk bottle tops. Thank you!
• Change of clothes: Please ensure that your child has a spare change of clothes at school (including pants and socks); these don’t have to be school uniform. It is really helpful for them all to have them (especially when they get wet). Please label all the items.

Here is a summary of our learning.

Literacy

Spelling

The class were introduced to the words:

• paper
• these
• together

We then worked on our individual blocks.

Phonics

This unit of Literacy Rich introduces the spelling rules required for adding the suffix ing to a root word.  

This week we have introduced the doubling rule. Sometimes, when we add -ing, we must double the last letter before adding the ending. For example dig + g + ing.

Here is an explanation.

In this way hop becomes hopping. Similarly, swim becomes swimming.

When there are two vowels, we explained that these are a King and a Queen. They protect each other and therefore do not need two guards. See example below.

Writing

In writing we wrote about an underwater kingdom.

Ideas for learning at home

• Please continue to support your child to revise the spelling block that they are working on. They will know which block they are on. Here is a link to the list.

Block 1 – 8 Tricky Words single sheet (southmorningsideprimary.com)

• If your child is not ready to present their talk, please help them to prepare. Information on this is at the very bottom of this blog post as a reminder.
• Here is a fun video about the doubling rule for adding -ing.

Double the Last Consonant Spelling Rule Song (youtube.com)

After watching it, can your child add -ing to these root words?

• sit
• run
• swim
• bat

Can they explain the doubling rule to you?

Maths and Numeracy

Measurement

• We have been learning to use rulers to measure in centimetres.

Numeracy

We have been consolidating a range of numeracy skills, for example

• Number recognition
• Missing number sums (addition and subtraction)
• Tackling word problems

Ideas for learning at home

Numeracy

Remember you can log in to your SumDog account to practise key numeracy skills.

Ask your child to talk to you about the strategies they use for solving missing number sums with subtraction. For example 42 – ? = 38.  We would encourage the pupils to hold the big number in their head then count backwards keeping track of the number of jumps.  Pose similar questions which involve crossing decades ensuring that the number of jumps is no more than 5 or 6.

Measurement

If you have a measuring tape or ruler in the house try to measure small objects. It is useful to encourage your child to estimate first then to check.

Other Areas of the Curriculum:

PE

We continued our focus on athletics.

RSHP

We have been learning about how to care for pets.

Have a great weekend,
Mrs McFarlane

P2 Listening and Talking Term 3  

In June, the pupils in P2 will be asked to give a short talk on a subject of their choice. We are making you aware of this now so that you can support your child over the next few weeks to prepare for this.  

Pupils can choose to talk about a hobby/interest, how they look after their pet, a favourite wild animal, favourite film etc.  

The focus is on selecting ideas and relevant information, organising these into a logical sequence and using words which will interest the audience. 

Please see guidance below on how best to prepare for this. 

1. Choose a topic. 
2. Think about the ‘W’ questions: Who (who is this about?) What (What do they do?) Why (Why is it interesting?) Where? When? 
3. You may wish to make cards for each heading with a picture and/or key words. Don’t write whole sentences to read out loud. 
4. Once the information is organised, practise delivering the talk to family at home. 

Thank you in advance for your support with this. 

Dear Parents,

We hope you had a good week.

Important information:

• Change of clothes: Please ensure that your child has a spare change of clothes at school (including pants and socks); these don’t have to be school uniform. It is really helpful for them all to have them (especially when they get wet). Please label all the items.

This is a summary of our learning this week:

Literacy

Our Phonics focus has been ing with vowel diagraphs: fainting, cheering, shouting, soaking, etc

We have been writing our reflection from P2 and our expectations for P3.

Our tricky words this week are: country, young and example.

Ideas for learning at home

• Read the reading book at home.
• Please continue to read stories to your child every day at home.  
• Please continue to encourage your child to read at home.
• Start preparing your short talk (please refer to the information on last week’s blog).
• Practice your tricky words. Ask your child to write 2 sentences a day with two of their tricky words.

Maths 

We have started to learn about measurement. We have been measuring length: we have used nonstandard units, and we are learning to use a ruler.  We have learned the difference between a real measurement and an estimate.

We have continued to work on numeracy skills such as subtraction.

Ideas for learning at home: 

• Ask your child to use their feet and their hands to measure a room in the house, an item and a member of the family.
• More information about measurement in here

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z2c9q6f/articles/zrrvqp3

• For subtraction:

https://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math/subtraction/fruit-splat-game/

Other areas

PE

We are working on athletics.

IDL

We have continued to work on life cycles. We have carefully observed our caterpillars grow. We now have chrysalis! Exciting!

Here are a selection of photos from the last few weeks in class.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs McFarlane

Dear Parents,

We have had a fantastic health week in P2! It was great to see so many of you on Wednesday.

Important Information

We have a session of Loose Parts on Tuesday 21st May so please come dressed for the weather.

Here is a summary of our learning.

Literacy

Phonics

This unit of Literacy Rich introduces the spelling rules required for adding the suffix ing to a root word. For example sing – singing, help – helping. This week we have introduced this at a simple level. For words containing a short vowel sound followed by more than one consonant, just add ing. For example park becomes parking, turn becomes turning.  

Writing

In writing we wrote an informative piece about the life cycle of the butterfly.

Reading

This is the final week of reading non-fiction books. We have been learning to use the contents page, index and glossary.

Ideas for learning at home

• Please continue to support your child to revise the spelling block that they are working on. They will know which block they are on. Here is a link to the list.

Block 1 – 8 Tricky Words single sheet (southmorningsideprimary.com)

• Please help your child to prepare for their upcoming talk. Information on this is at the very bottom of this blog post as a reminder.
• You could revise ‘ing’ words by doing a mini dictation at home. Read one of the sentences below, repeat it then ask your child to write it out.

I want to go camping in the hills but my mother won’t let me.

The cards were blocking the road but we could still get past.

The queen took a glance in her looking glass but could not see her face.

Maths and Numeracy

Fractions

• We have been finding a quarter of a number. We have been learning to half then half again. For example, to find a quarter of 8, we first half it to get 4, then half 4 to get 2.

Numeracy

We have been consolidating a range of numeracy skills, for example

• Number recognition
• Equal groups
• Counting in 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s and 10s.

Ideas for learning at home

Numeracy

Remember you can log in to your SumDog account to practise key numeracy skills.

Roll a dice twice / three times to generate 2 digit / 3 digit numbers. Can your child write the digits down and name the number? Do this 5 times and ask your child to put the numbers in order from smallest to largest. Discuss the value of each digit.  

Fractions

If your child is finding it hard to quarter a given number, practical activities will help to reinforce this concept. You can do lots of practical activities at home such as halving a group of toys or objects, then halving again.

Health Week

We have participated in:

• Multisports taster session
• Baking
• Learning about the journey our food makes
• Judo taster session
• Handwashing lessons which involved hands on experiments!
• Basketball taster session

Outdoor Learning

We had a fantastic session of Loose Parts play in the playground on Monday.

Have a great weekend,

Mrs McFarlane

P2 Listening and Talking Term 3  

In June, the pupils in P2 will be asked to give a short talk on a subject of their choice. We are making you aware of this now so that you can support your child over the next few weeks to prepare for this.  

Pupils can choose to talk about a hobby/interest, how they look after their pet, a favourite wild animal, favourite film etc.  

The focus is on selecting ideas and relevant information, organising these into a logical sequence and using words which will interest the audience. 

Please see guidance below on how best to prepare for this. 

1. Choose a topic. 
2. Think about the ‘W’ questions: Who (who is this about?) What (What do they do?) Why (Why is it interesting?) Where? When? 
3. You may wish to make cards for each heading with a picture and/or key words. Don’t write whole sentences to read out loud. 
4. Once the information is organised, practise delivering the talk to family at home. 

Thank you in advance for your support with this.