Year Two Curriculum
YEAR 2: WHOLE CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
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SUBJECT |
AUTUMN |
SPRING |
SUMMER |
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SPOKEN LANGUAGE |
At Park Hill, particularly because many of our pupils begin their school life without the oracy skills appropriate for their age, we recognise the importance of spoken language in the development of reading and writing and, indeed, of the whole individual. The skills of speaking and listening are explicitly taught and children are given a wide range of opportunities to practise these skills and develop confidence and competence.
Throughout the School, children talk about their learning, developing ideas and understanding through discussion, asking questions, being able to listen carefully to others’ views and giving them time to respond, sometimes challenging others’ viewpoints, negotiating with others in group work and considering a range of viewpoints. Talk partners are often used as a strategy to encourage discussion in lessons. Relevant vocabulary is explicitly taught in lessons across the curriculum so that our children’s knowledge and understanding of vocabulary increases. Talk for Writing, which is used throughout the school in order to embed key vocabulary in children’s minds, is one such method that is employed on a regular basis. For younger pupils, opportunities to develop their spoken language include role play within the indoor and outdoor learning environments where children can explore language in contexts such as a garage or a hairdresser’s or a café, for example. As the children become older, opportunities are extended with the children preparing to speak to an audience using ICT presentations or posters as prompts. Children in Year 6 learn to use spoken language in a formal debate. Spoken language is also developed through drama activities as children improvise, refine and rehearse scripts and learn to present these to an audience – for example – in their class assemblies. Rehearsing ideas through role play and spoken language enables children to explore different genres, identify with characters and develop vocabulary: teachers often use this approach as preparation to improve the quality of written work. During the year we run poetry performance competitions where children of all ages can showcase their ability to learn off texts by heart and perform poems of their choice with expression and actions. Every week a talk homework topic is sent home for the children to talk about with their families and then come back into school to discuss with their teachers and peers. We promote respect towards all languages and dialects that children may bring into school with them. We value all languages and recognise home languages as a stepping-stone to progress in the use of English. |
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READING |
At Park Hill, reading is taught as a separate lesson from writing. However, we very much try to link reading and writing activities so that often the same genre is being taught in both lessons. The children are taught reading skills, which are based around progression statements connected with:
In Years 1 to 4, reading is taught in five 30 minute sessions, separate from the writing lesson, every week. We use a wide selection of differentiated guided reading books, the class libraries and the two school libraries as a source of books. In Years 3 and 4, some children on the Special Needs Register use the Rapid Reading Scheme. In the reading lessons, our learning is based around the following cycle:
We have close links with our local library, Balsall Heath, and are often involved in projects with them. We make regular visits to the library and the librarians frequently come into school to speak not only to the children but also to their parents to help promote a love of reading and make them aware of the library’s facilities. |
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WRITING |
In writing, we base our learning around the Writing Cycle which takes the following format:
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Year 2 – Year Group Author – Roald Dahl |
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Autumn |
Spring Term | Summer Term |
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Narratives with particular emphasis on character descption |
Leaflets connected with attendance and punctuality | Narratuve: Stirues with a message: Ephra (not sure of the proper title) |
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Letters based around ‘Katie Morag’ and ‘Gregory Cool’ |
Instructions | Poetry/Riddles |
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Poetry |
Narratives with particular emphasis on describing the setting: Amphibby Anne | Non-Chronological Report: Animals |
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Black History: Biography |
Diary | Narrative: writing longer pieces (Horrid Henry |
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GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION |
Grammar and punctuation points are taught at the beginning of English lessons, where they are relevant to the genre being worked on. There are also discrete lessons in grammar and punctuation from Year 2 upwards. | ||
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PHONICS AND SPELLING |
We use the Letters and Sounds programme for the teaching of phonics.
Letters and Sounds is a focused teaching strategy that teaches children how the alphabet works for reading and spelling and is taught through 6 phases: Phase 1 supports the development of spoken language. Phase 2-5 is a systematic approach to phonics teaching and word recognition skills Phase 6- focuses on word-specific spellings and the rules for spelling alternatives. Phonics is taught as a discrete session every day in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Each lesson is taught by the teacher to the whole class, although the learning is differentiated according to ability within the lesson. Phonics is still taught to those children in Key Stage 2 who do not have a secure phonic knowledge. Spelling, appropriate to ability and age expectation, is taught for short periods of time on a daily basis in Key Stage 2 in line with statutory guidance. The children are then encouraged to apply the rules they have learned to their independent writing. |
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HANDWRITING AND PRESENTATION |
At Park Hill we aim to equip children with the skills to write in a handwriting style that is fluent, joined and legible. Children throughout the school use a cursive script where all letters start with a lead-in from the line and have a tiny hook on the end of them, which makes it easier to join them. Lower case g, y and j are not joined and neither are capital letters. Some children begin to join their letters in Year 2 but it is expected that all children will be joining their letters by Year 4 when every child is must use a pen for all their writing. | ||
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MATHS (Following New Curriculum Hamilton Trust medium term planning) |
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SCIENCE |
Health, Life & Humans Properties of materials
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Habitats, life cycles & Plants
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Seasonal Changes *also on-going throughout year |
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HISTORY |
Why do we remember 5thNovember? A Study of a significant national event & people beyond living memory, commemorated annually Who was Joseph Chamberlain? A Study of a significant person & place in our locality
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Mary Seacole & Rosa Parkes A study of the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to international achievements & events; comparing aspects of life in different periods Historical links to topic An understanding of the chronology of the age of piracy on the high seas around the Caribbean & South America
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Explorers! Christopher Columbus & Neil Armstrong A study of the lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to international achievements &events, comparing aspects of life in different periods Historical links to topic An understanding of the chronology of the establishment of Warwickshire County Cricket Club’s ground |
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GEOGRAPHY |
The Islands of Coll & Tobago A study of geographical similarities and differences of the human and physical geography of a small area of the United Kingdom, and of a small area in a contrasting non-European country Geographical links to history topic Using maps/globes/atlases & I.T. to identify where the Chamberlains lived in the local area |
Geographical links to history topic Using maps/globes/atlases & I.T. to identify countries & oceans (Caribbean link to Tobago, then Jamaica, Britain, Europe & Crimea) related the topic of Mary Seacole & Rosa Parkes (USA & North America) Treasure Seekers! A Study of school grounds and surrounding locality, using simple maps & compasses to find treasure! |
Geographical links to history topic Using maps/globes/atlases & I.T. to identify countries (America) & oceans related the topic of Columbus & Armstrong Edgbaston A study of the world famous cricket ground in our locality, its surrounding geography & the countries around the world who come to play cricket there
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COMPUTING (Rising Stars: Switched On Scheme) |
We are games testers Exploring how computer games work computational thinking We are Researchers Researching Computer networks Computer networks |
We are zoologists Recording bug-hunt data Productivity We are photographers Taking, selecting and editing digital images Creativity
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We are Astronauts Programming on screen Programming We are detectives Communicating clues Communicating & collaborating |
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MUSIC (Music Express Scheme) |
The long and short of it Exploring duration Feel the Pulse Exploring pulse & rhythm |
Taking Off Exploring pitch What’s the score? Exploring instruments & symbols |
Rain rain go away Exploring timbre, tempo & dynamics Sounds interesting Exploring sounds |
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P.E. |
Dance Caribbean Dance/Scottish folk dancing Games Dance Fireworks Games |
Multiskills Athletics Multiskills Athletics |
Gymnastics Outdoor & Adventurous Activities Gymnastics Outdoor & Adventurous Activities |
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PATHS |
Establishing a Positive Classroom Environment Introduction to Feelings Feelings & Behaviours |
Self-Control & Anger Management Anger Management & Problem-Solving |
Friendship & Feeling Lonely Manners & Listening to Others Feelings/Emotions/ Behaviours |
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ART & DESIGN |
Fireworks Jackson Pollock Paint: A short study of the work of the artist describing the differences and similarities between different practices and disciplines, and making links to their own work.
Wax relief: developing art and design techniques using colour, pattern, texture, line, shapeto produce a firework display/bonfire scene using layered wax relief… compare both media and outcomes |
Design – links to topic Sketching & drawing: Exploring designs in the style of decorative patterns on Pakistani buses. Treasure pots & boxes Clay Sculpture: becoming more proficient in the use of clay: making thumb pots & slab pots to create containers for treasure |
Nature Sketching & drawing: Recording experiences and observations in nature
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DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY |
Food Technology Tropical fruit salad / Buljol: Children will use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes and understand where food comes from. |
Make a Bus Exploring how to use mechanisms: make a vehicle with moving wheels and axles – from Rosa Parkes to the decorative buses of Pakistan |
Food Technology Eating what we grow Making salads and cooking vegetables/fruit |
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R.E. (Following Birmingham L.A. agreed syllabus |
Choice – Living by Rules Choice – Being Temperate, Exercising Self-Discipline and Cultivating Serene Contentment Compassion – Being regardful of Suffering Compassion – Sharing & Being Generous |
Community – Creating Unity & Harmony Participating & Willing to Lead Compassion – Caring for Others, Animals & the Environment Compassion – Being Merciful & Forgiving |
Contemplation – Being Silent and Attentive to, and Cultivating a Sense for, the Sacred and Transcendence Contemplation – Being Reflective & Self-critical Creativity – Being Imaginative & Explorative Creativity – Appreciating Beauty |
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