Topic Overview
Save Our Seas
Key Question?
How can I make the ocean a better place for turtles?
This year, our whole-school learning journey has taken children on an exciting exploration of our world through time and place. In history, pupils discovered what our world was like in the past, while in geography they explored what it is like today. As we move into our final topic, we are proud to become Planet Protectors, focusing on how we can care for our world in the future. Through our inspiring enquiry, “How can I give the world a hug?”, children will develop their PSHE skills by considering how their actions can make a positive difference. Each year group will explore the question “How can I make the world a better place for…”, with Reception learning about polar bears, Year 1 about bees, Year 2 about turtles, Year 3 about elephants and Year 4 about orangutans. Throughout this journey, we will champion our core values of being caring, curious and courageous, empowering children to speak up and take action. Although their voices may be small, they are powerful, valued and truly deserve to be heard.
Geography
The final Humanities topic has an ecological focus, the children will find out about the effects of pollution to the oceans over time. They will investigate how the ocean has changed due to a higher demand for fishing and that the amount of plastic in the ocean has increased greatly over the last century. The idea that the actions of humans now have an effect on the future will help the children develop a sense of stewardship in becoming the planet protectors of the future. They will develop their own research skills and take part in the cause and effect of actions that humans are responsible for. We hope this is an opportunity to develop a wider outlook on life and their role in their own community – now as a child but in the future as an adult.
Key Vocabulary:
- Litter
- Pollution
- Marine Life
- Recycle
- Biodegradable
English
The children will continue daily phonics and spelling lessons, revising all the Year 2 common exception words. They will use the text ‘Who Swallowed Stanley?’ to develop skills in story writing and sentence structure. Handwriting continues to be a focus and we are encouraging the children to use joins as and when they feel ready to. In grammar lessons, we will continue to develop skills in using the apostrophe, commas in lists and subordination and coordination. Anthony Browne’s book The Tunnel will help the children to feel inspired to write their own adventure stories and learn to develop their own characters
Key Vocabulary:
- Full Stop
- Capital Letter
- Question Mark
- Exclamation Mark
Oracy
At Archibald, we are developing children’s speaking and listening skills through a strong focus on Oracy. Through dedicated Oracy sessions, discussion activities and engaging games, pupils are learning how to express their ideas clearly, listen carefully to others and build confidence when speaking. We encourage children to use ambitious vocabulary, take turns in conversation and share their thoughts respectfully, helping them to become confident communicators both in the classroom and beyond.
This half term our targets for Class 5 and 6 in Oracy are:
- To use sentence stems to signal when they are building on others' ideas.
- To ask questions to find out more about a subject.
- To be aware of others who have not spoken and invite them into a discussion.
Maths
As it is the final term of Year 2, the children will revise all main concepts including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They will also have time to recap money, time, shape and measure. Continued practise on times tables and number bonds to 100 will help develop their mental arithmetic strategies. The focus for new learning this term will be statistics: tally charts, tables, pictograms and bar charts. The children will learn how to read, draw and interpret data. We will also study Time; learning o’clock, half past, quarter past and to and recognising five-minute intervals.
Don’t forget to check out Times Tables Rockstars to practise your maths at home!
Key Vocabulary:
- Statistics
- Pictogram
- Tally chart
- Block graph
Science
In Science, we are learning about plants. We will learn about the parts of a plant, labelling key vocabulary on diagrams. We will also be observing and describing how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants. Finally, we will investigate and describe what plants need to grow and stay healthy. In addition to this we will be studying weather and climate and using this knowledge to help us understand Planet Earth.
Key Vocabulary
- Roots
- Seeds
- Leaves
- Germinate
- Weather
- Climate
Computing
This half-term in Computing, we will be learning how to conduct our own research using search engines and websites, whilst keeping ourselves safe online.
Art and Design Technology
Each half term the children will have a week dedicated to art and/or DT.
Art: In Art, we have lots of exciting learning planned! Our first day back will be ‘sculpture day’, where Year 2 will be looking at the work of Gaudi and using clay and tiles to create their own mosaics. Then, we will be reading ‘Katie and the Water Lilies’, looking at the work of Monet and taking inspiration from our Forest School space to create our own paintings.
Design Technology: The children will work on a sewing project this half term . They will learn how to thread a needle , design a pouch and make their own pouch using felt. They will bring this home when the are finished.
Music
In this unit, children are exploring the song ‘Once a Man Fell in a Well’, playing it using tuned percussion and reading simple symbols representing pitch. Key targets:
- Move their eyes from left to right to read pitch patterns.
- Sing high and low notes including the notes in between.
- Play a pattern of high and low notes on an instrument.
- Read notation from left to right.
- Draw high and low sounds using dots at the top and bottom of a page, respectively.
- Recognise when notes stay the same.
- Recognise missing notes on a stave.
PE
In the final term , the children will focus on Athletics and Target Games. In Athletics,they will develop skills such as running at different speeds, jumping and throwing. In addition to this they will engage in performing skills, measuring performance and competing to improve their personal best. Target games give pupils an opportunity to combine the skills they have developed throughout Year 2. The children will continue to develop an understanding of the principles of defense and attack. They will also work on over and under arm throwing, rolling and striking towards a target.
PSHE and Religious Education
PSHE
Our big question this half term is how do we keep healthy and safe. The children will be learning about their physical health and mental wellbeing, and how they grow and change and become more independent. They will learn about safety near water and as the summer holidays approach , we will spend time on beach safety and every day hazards.
Religious Education
We will be continuing our work on Islam. Learning about the features of a Mosque, the Qur’an and the Five Pillars of Islam. The children will make links in RE to our school rules of showing respect and of our school values: Caring, Creative, Curious and Courageous.
No Outsiders
Refugee week will encourage the children to answer the question 'What does home mean to you?' They will discuss how we make others feel welcome and how important that everyone feels safe and cared for. Reading the book 'Saving a Butterfly ' will encourage the children to develop a sense of empathy and respect for others , especially those facing challenging times.
Refugee Week at Archibald
In 2024, we proudly became a School of Sanctuary. The School of Sanctuary Award is given to schools in recognition of their good practice in fostering a safe and inclusive school environment, building understanding and empathy towards people seeking safety and working collaboratively to strengthen community approaches to welcoming refugee children and families. Biannually we celebrate Refugee Week. This year it is will be from 8th - 12th June where the children will be exploring this year's theme of Courage. Each Year group will also be reading and doing work around an age-appropriate text with themes of relocation, refugees and how we can show kindness and be welcoming.
Year 2 will be reading Saving the Butterfly by Helen Cooper. A heart warming story about two children who arrive to the UK alone and are welcomed by strangers and cared for by their community.
Spanish
The children will follow the preparations of 10 minibeast characters as they prepare for their school sports day. Pupils will learn the names for 10 minibeast creatures and will learn how to understand and follow simple instructions in Spanish. The unit ends with an animated story of the sports day race.
Our Values
Please Instagram us @archibald_1st if you see your child being #AFSCurious #AFSCaring #AFSCreative or #AFSCourageous
If you would like any further details about this half term's curriculum, please speak to your child's teacher.