Friday 21st March 2025

This week we had a valuable talk from the NSPCC ‘Speak Out, Stay Safe’ talk.  The focus was on using the trusted adults around us if we have a problem or something that happens that we are not happy about.  The children joined in very well with this discussion and were able to explain who their trusted adults were.

In English, we have spent all week reading and writing information about bats.  The children read and wrote information for the sub-headings they wanted to include in their non-chronological report.  They also write opening and closing sentences.  We are looking forward to using this information to complete our report next week.

In maths, we have been working on x5, x10 and divide by 5 and 10.  The children worked well using their knowledge of counting in different groups of a number to solve questions and then used this knowledge to problem-solve using the tables and quire-fire questions.

In science, the children continued building their paper bridges.  Once completed we tested out which was the strongest bridge.  We loaded up the bridges with numerous weights.  One even managed to hold over 5kg.  Well done to all the groups!

In art, we started a new topic on natural sculpture. We discussed what sculptures are, where we might see them and what is natural. The children were then given clay and they had to create their own natural sculpture. Some chose things you can find in nature, such as a tree while others made sculptures of animals. Their work was fabulous!

In history, the children looked at and compared nursing in the past and present.  The children had to role-play scenarios from a hospital from the past and then the present.  The children role-played very well and were able to show the dramatic change in nursing today.

In computing, we started a new topic about algorithms. They learnt that it is a detailed, ordered set of instructions that we give to a computer. The children learned that things will not work how we want them to if they are not in order or clear.

In Forest School, the children explored nature, spotting blossoms and flowers. They tackled a teamwork challenge, passing an object through tubes using great communication. Emma shared the story of Ostara, explaining the origins of the Easter Bunny.  Inspired by the spring equinox, children decorated cardboard eggs, tried weaving, and tested their balance on a new slackline. They made willow crowns with handmade flowers.

In phonics - REVIEW

Please continue to work through the spellings given to your child. Please look at the sentences that your child is writing, as we are finding children are writing sentences with the words spelt incorrectly.

Reminders:

• Have a look in the ‘Useful Information’ section on our class blog called focused reading question mats.  The questions are split up into different groups to help you and your child get the best from their reading session.  The questions are split up into vocabulary, retrieval, sequencing, inference and predicting.  Please have a look at it as it will help you to ask comprehension questions about the text.
• Money for pencil box equipment - many children have run out of pens and whiteboard pens.

Have a wonderful weekend and Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 14th March 2025

Purim Sameach!!!  We’ve had a fantastic day celebrating Purim.  We listened to the Megillah reading in Shul this morning, decorated mishloach manot boxes, drew lots to receive a class mishloach manot and had a beatboxing session.  The children loved the Purim parade, sharing their costumes with Y1 & Y3.

In English, the children started to plan their non-chronological reports.  First we read information about bats and answered questions, showing good understanding of the text.  We also looked at many different books from our class library and sorted them into groups. Many children made groups of fiction and nonfiction books.  Then in pairs the children use post-it notes to highlight the features in a fiction and non-fiction book.  At the end of the lesson, the pairs had to present the different features they found in their nooks.  Later in the week, we discussed and decided which sub-headings they would like to include in their reports.  Once this was done, they read information packs about bats and wrote notes for their first subheading, ‘what bats look like’.  

In maths, we have been focusing on multiplication and division of the 2 tables, as well as doubles and halves and odd and even numbers and how these are linked together.

In science, the children tried to answer the question ‘How can you make the strongest paper bridge?’ They learnt about the different types of bridges, beam, truss and suspension bridges.  Then children drew designs and made their paper bridges.  They haven’t finished their bridges so this will be continued next week.  

In computing we started a new topic on algorithms.  We learnt that an algorithm is a very clear and precise set of instructions a computer is given to work.  They were given a set of instructions and they had to draw a picture.  When we compared pictures, the children realised that they were not all the same.  The children then created their pictures and wrote an algorithm to match.

In Forest School, they started a welcome circle and the children began their session by reflecting on what their favourite colour was and why. There were some thoughtful responses that involved feelings, animals and memories.  After this, the children played ‘Eagle Eyes’ which is one of their favourite games from Year 1. Then Emma told the children a story called ‘How Colour Came into the World’ which is about a butterfly who changes the world. It is a story with important messages about believing in yourself, recognizing that everyone is different, and knowing that even if you're little, you can do big things and make a difference.

For the rest of the session, the children continued to explore colour. Some children had fun throwing colourful Holi powder onto a big white sheet hanging up in the woods. Other children started learning about the felting process with Emma and used colourful wool to felt a stick. A few children were inspired by the watercolour paints and enjoyed making different artistic pictures. Some children worked with Carrie in the woods to make a den with ropes and tarps and thought it would be a good home for the Forest Friends. The deep muddy puddle was especially thick today and a few children fully embraced the sensory experience of it!

At the end we sang ‘The River is Flowing’ in rounds.  Carrie observed that some of the children who find the cold weather particularly challenging, were finding it cold and uncomfortable today but they were coping with that discomfort. We feel that they are growing in resilience in this area and in their capacity to cope with the cold and we praised them for this.

In PSHE we continued thinking about risk taking and its relationship to resilience. We played a game where going sound the circle, the children were given a word and on the spot they needed to think of things to say about it. The words included apple, aeroplane, school, chocolate, sisters, pasta. The purpose of the game is to encourage children to speak without thinking, knowing it does not matter is what they say is perfectly rehearsed. 

Please continue to work through the spellings given to your child. Please look at the sentences that your child is writing, as we are finding children are writing sentences with the words spelt incorrectly.

Phonics:

Reminders:

• We have just uploaded documents to the ‘Useful Information’ section called focused reading question mats.  The questions are split up into different groups to help you and your child get the best from their reading session.  The questions are split up into vocabulary, retrieval, sequencing, inference and predicting.  Please have a look at it as it will help you to ask comprehension questions about the text.
• Money for pencil box equipment - many children have run out of pens and whiteboard pens.

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 7th March 2025

We had a fantastic time celebrating British Science Week in KS1 and KS2, where our students explored this year’s theme, ‘Change and Adapt’, through a variety of engaging and interactive activities.

One of the highlights of the week was our Forensic Detective Whole School Investigation, where pupils took on the role of young detectives to solve a scientific mystery. They examined fingerprints, analysed clues, and used their observational skills to understand how forensic science helps solve real-world problems. This activity allowed them to see science in action while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Throughout the week, pupils participated in hands-on investigations, creative projects, and discussions, exploring how materials change state, how animals adapt to their habitats, and how the world around us constantly evolves. They conducted experiments, observed real-world examples of adaptation, and engaged in group discussions that enhanced their scientific thinking and curiosity.

In addition to our hands-on investigations and discussions on how materials change, how animals adapt to their environments, and how the world around us evolves, we also focused on Smashing Stereotypes in Science. Pupils learned about diverse scientists from different backgrounds, challenging outdated ideas about who can be a scientist. Through inspiring stories and engaging discussions, we encouraged our pupils to see themselves as future scientists, inventors, and problem-solvers.

It was wonderful to see the enthusiasm and excitement from all our students as they made new discoveries and developed a deeper appreciation for science. We encourage you to continue the conversation at home by discussing examples of change and adaptation in everyday life!

In English, we have been learning about and reading non-chronological reports (NCR).  These are non-fiction reports that contain a title, subheadings, opening and closing paragraphs, photos or pictures and captions.  The children have learnt about why captions are important as well as why we have subheadings in our information text.  We also looked at facts and opinion and understood that we do not include opinions in an NCR.

In maths, the children have been learning about division.  We have been practising using the different skills of grouping and sharing using counters and jottings to work out the calculations.  The children also practised quick-fire multiplication questions.

In digital art, the children created another Kandinsky style pictures using different tools on Freeform.  The children enjoyed creating them and printing them up for their artbooks. 
 

In Forest school, the children explored teamwork, creativity, and mindfulness. They began with a mindful moment, enjoying the warmth of the sun and birdsong. In a team challenge, they worked together to pass willow hoops along a line, reflecting on how our words can impact success. Emma shared a thought-provoking story about appreciation and resourcefulness. The children then enjoyed free time - some used willow, clay, and elder for crafts, while others played imaginatively in the woods. The session ended with a song, and just as they sang, the first butterfly of the year appeared!

In our world religions lesson, the children continued to learn about Sikhism. We talked about what symbols are and the children were able to identify symbols that they find in the world around them, for example, see below.

We talked about the symbols that we find in Judaism. After that, the children then learnt about the 5Ks that are important to Sikhs. The 5Ks are all items that Sikhs wear which have important symbolism. 

In phonics:

The children have been given their green spelling books again. Please continue to work through the spellings given to your child. Please look at the sentences that your child is writing, as we are finding children are writing sentences with the words spelt incorrectly. 

We’ve had a wonderful British Science week!

Wishing you all a restful weekend, Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 28th February 2025

We had a very successful trip to the Florence Nightingale Museum.  The children traveled up to London with such eagerness and enthusiasm.  We were greeted by ‘Florence’ and taken into the museum.  The children discussed her life and were able to act out parts of her stories.  The children sat beautifully and answered questions well.  We looked around the museum, which was split into three sections: her childhood, a nurse in the Crimea, and then after the war.  The children moved around in amazement, looking at her personal artefacts.  We ended the day by having our lunch inside the hospital overlooking the river and directly in front of the Houses of Parliament, the children couldn’t believe how large it was.  The children had a wonderful day and had excellent behaviour.  

In English, the children wrote a character description of the character ‘The Dark’.  They remembered all the features of a character description.  Then we planned a description of Laszlo.  We took time to really think in detail about the descriptive adjectives we used.  Then they wrote a detailed description of Laszlo, including paragraphs and uplevelled their writing using various conjunctions. 

In maths, we started a new topic ‘length and height’.  We used the standard measure of centimetres, cm, and metres, m.  We measured objects in the classroom and then were challenged by an author’s letter to design his characters based on the information given.  Lastly, we ordered lengths and heights, using the more than/less than symbols.

In history, the children focused on the conditions of the hospital in Scutari when Florence arrived and what she did to improve them.  They understood that some of the methods she used to improve the hospital are still used today in order to keep them hygienic for the patients.

In digital art, the children will look at different types of pointillism paintings and try to paint in the style of these artists on Freeform.  The results were amazing!

The children loved their muddy Forest School session. They began with a game of Head Honcho, using their peripheral vision to follow the leader's movements without giving away their identity. The children enjoyed sitting in their new log circle and listening to the story Stuck by Oliver Jeffers, which they found very amusing. Inspired by the story, some children made slingshots and attempted to use them to retrieve some stuffed animals hidden in the trees. We finished by learning a new song called Spring is Coming while basking in the sunshine.

Phonics:

In spelling, we wrote sentences using the sounds that the children have been learning in phonics.

We’ve had a wonderful week!

Wishing you all a restful weekend, Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 14th February 2025

On Thursday, the class celebrated Tu Bishvat with a special assembly, followed by a Tu Bishvat seder. During the assembly, Mrs. Myer planted a pot of parsley for each class, which they will later enjoy during the school model seder.

During the Tu Bishvat seder, the children had the opportunity to taste a variety of fruits, some of which were new to them. It was a wonderful experience, and they thoroughly enjoyed celebrating this special day together.  
 

In English, the children started off the week writing recounts of the weekend and focussing on using time conjunctions to show the passing of Rhine.  Then they wrote character descriptions about familiar fairy tale characters. Later in the week, they edited and improved one of their character descriptions for a future display.

In maths, the children learned how to subtract two 2-digit numbers.  They children enjoyed learning how to exchange a ten for ten ones in order to help them subtract numbers that cross ten.  An example of this is 71 - 27 =.  They knew that they couldn't take 7 from 1 so they exchanged a ten from 71 in order to have more 1s.  The children picked up this concept with using place value charts and counters. The children then used their calculation skills to tackle mixed addition and subtraction questions, they looked at worded problems and began to learn how to work out whether they needed to add or subtract. They then had to work out what the correct calculation would be to solve the problem.

In science, we learnt about states of material, focusing on solids and liquids. The children understood that heat or freezing can change the state of the material. We went into the STEAM lab to test this out on ice, cheese, chocolate and egg. We discovered that some changes are reversible and some are not. The children loved testing this out.

In history, the children continued to learn about Florence Nightingale and what happened when she went to Scutari hospital. They found out about her and her team’s difficult two-week journey by sea and what they saw as she arrived at the hospital in Scutari.  We had a look at pictures of what the hospital was like and how the soldiers were treated.  The children’s task was to write a detailed descriptive letter to Florence’s sister Parthenope.  The children were able to write including the emotions of what she saw when she got to the hospital.

In geography, we linked our learning to our Faces of Israel week. We looked at where Morocco was in the world and we then labelled some of the main cities on a map. 

In digital art, the children used their prior knowledge to create a painting in the same style as Monet using the crayon tool.  They really did well to create wonderful pictures. And then they learnt how to take a screenshot which they airdrops so it could be printed.

In computing, we continued to code the different sprites to move them about on code.org.

In spellings,

Phonics

Reminders

• Forest School will start after half term on Thursday 27th. Please dress your child according to the weather.
• They must have wellington boots and spare trainers because even when it has not been raining the Forest School area remains muddy.

Shabbat Shalom, and have a lovely half term.

The Y2 Team

Friday 7th February 2025

This week was Mental Health Week. We started the week with a whole school assembly, where we learnt the theme which was ‘Grow yourself to know yourself’. The children learnt how important it is to be able to identify and discuss their emotions. We listened to different songs and clips linked to how to identify emotions and had a great discussion about these emotions and when we have felt them.  We also had a session on why we are special. The children were able to explain what made them a special person. It was so lovely to read what they had written. Later in the week, we linked our theme with Tu Bish’vat.  The children learnt how nature and art are both restorative so we created a piece of artwork based on Henri Matisse and used this idea to create our own work using cut out  to cut out flowers and fruits.

In English, the children learned the features of a character description.  They could identify that they include adjectives to describe what the character looks like, how they behave, how they move and how they speak.  They wrote a character description of a partner in the class. Beginning with paired talks and then writing their description. Finally, the children created their own characters and annotated them with descriptive phrases.

In maths, the children learned how to add two 2-digit numbers. We started with calculations that did not cross ten, for example, 26 + 41 =.  Then they moved on to adding two 2-digit numbers which crossed ten. For example, 46 + 49 =. We used lots of practical resources such as tens and ones place value counters. 

In science, the children had to investigate ‘Hard materials can not absorb water’.  First, they read a letter from ‘The Three Little Pigs’ about helping them to decide what material to build their houses from as they had been subjected to terrible winds and rain.  The children loved this ‘hook’ for the lesson and set about trying to answer it.  The children looked around the school to discuss what materials the buildings were made from.  Then they made predictions about the hypothesis and had to try and work out how we could test this.  The children had very good ideas.  We then used lots of different hard materials to see if they were waterproof or porous.  The children were amazed to observe some hard materials were porous, including granite and sandstone.  

In history, we had our first introduction to Florence Nightingale.  We learnt a little about her life before she became a nurse and after.  The children played a game to find out the facts about her life.

In digital art, the children continued to create their own Mondrian style pictures using the Freeform app.  The children learnt techniques such as copy, paste, adding and filling shapes, moving the orientation of lines and shapes as well as changing colours.  They all completed the tasks and had their work printed out and wrote a few sentences about their work.

In computing, the children continued with their learning using the app code.org to improve their coding skills.

Reminders:

• Forest School will be restarting Thursday 27th February, until the end of the spring term.
• It will run 9-10:30 each week
• Please dress children appropriately for the weather that day - if it is very cold, please put them in extra layers, they can take them off when they are back in school but it is important that they are not cold when they are there.

• Money for equipment.

Have a wonderful weekend. Shabbat Shalom.

The Year 2 Team

Friday 31st January 2025

We’ve had a busy week in Year 2, see below all we achieved.

In English, we were planning and writing informal letters.  We wrote a letter to children in our reception class about why they shouldn’t be afraid of the dark as there is nothing to fear.  The children were able to use many of the features of informal letters to write their own letters. The children also carefully wrote up the letters they had drafted for Sir Keir Starmer last week. These will be posted next week, and we are eagerly looking forward to seeing if we receive a reply!

In maths, we focused on collecting information or data to put into tally charts and pictograms.  The children were introduced to the topic and then had to gather information to put into different charts and pictograms.  They then had to answer questions about their findings, such as which was the most/least popular or what was the difference between different information recorded. 

In geography, the children learnt about the European country, France.  We discussed the population, the famous sites as well as the food eaten in France.  Then the children got to evaluate different French foods, baguettes, cheese and croissants.  They took note of the look, feel, taste and texture.  The children really enjoyed this fun practical activity!!

In science, the children looked at what would happen to paper if we made it waterproof.  The children discussed what makes a material waterproof. They then watched what happened when paper had water dropped onto it.  (It changed colour and became very thin and eventually broke.)  The children made predictions about what would happen once the paper was made waterproof.  Then they got the same paper and applied a thick coating of oil pastels.  We then re-tested what happened to the paper. They saw the water form into beads and drip off the paper. 

In art, we started a new digital art project. We used a new app called Freeform. The children learnt to use different tools such as pencils, pens and paint. They learnt to change the thickness of the tool they were using. Once they had completed their squiggle pattern they used the fill tool to add colour. In this lesson we focused on collaboration, one of our Kerem Characteristics. The results and effects looked amazing.  Have a look at the attached pictures.

In computing, the children continued using code.org and were learning to give precise instructions to move the figures around the target area.  They used commands such as north, south, east and west and some children were able to use the repeat key so they could more the sprite north four squares.  The children loved this lesson.

In phonics,

In spelling, the children wrote sentences using these words. 

Reminders:

• Money for equipment please

Shabbat Shalom to all the Year 2 families,

The Year 2 Team.

Friday 24th January 2025

What a wonderful week!  The children started the week with the school council elections.  The children prepared wonderful speeches explaining why they should be voted for and their ideas for the Kerem Cares Council.  They had their first opportunity to learn about democratic voting with every child voting for two candidates in a secret ballot.  Well done to all the children who entered!

In English, the children learned about formal letters.  They learned about the features and language they would see in these letters.  Later in the week, the children wrote a formal letter to Laszlo, the character from our book, explaining why he shouldn’t be afraid of the dark.  The children were able to use many of the features learned during the week.

In maths, we looked at 2D and 3D shapes.  The children learned to find the number of sides and vertices (corners) on 2D shapes as well as creating pictures with these shapes, during the activities they had to order 2D shapes and then explain where another shape would fit in the order.  They had to spot the odd one out and explain why it was odd. The children began to draw 2D shapes, they worked hard to be precise, ensuring that squares had equal sides and parallel lines. 

In science, the children tested out the question ‘Which is the most absorbent paper to mop up a spill?’  They learnt about the word absorbent and thought about how they could test it.  First, they made a hypothesis and then we set about testing the absorbency of the different papers.  In groups, they collaborated to use the drip test method and counted how many drops the paper could absorb before it soaked the container.  The children realised that some papers weren’t absorbent and created a bubble on the surface of the paper and then made a conclusion.  Hopefully, the next time they have a spill at home, they will know which paper to use!

In art, we continued to study the artist Metzinger and produced a mosaic picture in his style.  The children were able to use cut up card to produce landscape pictures in Metzingers, vivid style.  The results were excellent.

In computing, we looked at online safety and the program code.org.  This is where the children will learn some coding skills.

In PSHE this week, we explored the power of non-verbal communication! The children took on the challenge of following a series of instructions without any words being spoken – and they did brilliantly! They worked together to move from sitting at their tables in the classroom to forming a circle on the floor in the dining room, all without verbal guidance. 

Following the activity, we had a thoughtful discussion about how facial expressions can help us understand how someone is feeling. It was wonderful to see the children reflecting on the importance of empathy and learning new ways to connect with others. 
 

In spelling, the children wrote sentences using the words that they had been focusing on in phonics. 

Phonics:

Reminders:

• Money for pens, whiteboard pens and glue please.

Have a wonderful weekend and Shabbat Shalom,

Year 2

Friday 17th January 2025

Y2 has had another good week, including lots of fun learning.

In English, we have started a new book, The Dark, by Lemony Snicket. It is a story about a boy who is afraid of the dark, and when he speaks to the dark, ‘The Dark’ explains why he should not be scared. We have made predictions about the story, role-played the character’s feelings, and written detailed thought bubbles about these feelings.

In maths, we finished our topic on fractions of ½,⅓ and ¼ and then moved onto time.  The children learnt and reviewed o’clock, half past and quarter past the hour.  We talked about the hour and minute hand and the clock being similar to a numberline that starts at 0 and goes to 60.  They learnt that it goes around in 5-minute intervals.  The children enjoyed setting time on their own mini clocks.

In science, we started a new topic: materials.  We reviewed the materials they knew and then went around the school on a material hunt.

In geography, the children created their own journey lines.  They learnt about a journey line and then had to decide which journey to take.  Then they had to write down which continents and oceans they had travelled through.

In art, the children learnt about a new artist called Jean Metzinger. He painted in a neo-impressionist style using brush strokes that looked like small mosaic-like pieces, using gaps. The children identified that his work looked a bit like a computer game. Metzinger liked to include bold colours that weren’t always lifelike. The children created their own landscapes using paper with small squares, triangles, or hexagonal shapes.

In computing, we started a new topic on algorithms. The children learnt that an algorithm is a detailed, ordered set of instructions that we give to a computer. The children learnt that things will not work how we want them to if they are not in order or clear.

In PSHE, we focused on three emotions: surprise, worry, and sadness. Using upturned Sebby’s stars as prompts, the children each selected a star and shared a time when they had experienced the emotion it represented, or what the emotion reminded them of. Once everyone had taken their turn, we discussed the importance of not only thinking carefully about what we wanted to say but also listening attentively to our friends. This activity encouraged both self-reflection and empathy, helping the children to better understand and connect with one another.

In spelling, we practised the sounds that the children have been looking at in phonics. This was ‘oo’ spelt with one o eg move, do, to. Words with a wh where it sounds like there is h sound at the beginning eg whole, who, whose and words where a ‘w’ sound is made with a ‘u’ eg penguin, guacamole and extinguish. 

The phonics sounds that we worked on this week are below:

Reminders:

• Kerem Cares Committee Elections - Monday 20th January.
  • If your child would like to enter, please get them to write a short speech including their ideas for the committee and why they should be chosen to represent Y2.

• Money for equipment, please!

Friday 10th January 2025

Welcome back!  We have had a fantastic week back at school.  The children settled in well and enjoyed their time back with their friends and teachers.  We were so happy to hear their stories and what they got up to in their time off.

In English, the children continued writing the middle and the end of the Katie in London story. They rose to the occasion of retelling a story in detail, using adjectives and conjunctions, and some even included some character dialogue. They enjoyed challenging themselves to uplevel their sentences with the word banks provided.

In maths, the children continued learning about fractions.  They started off by finding half of numbers and this was done practically either using counters or jottings.  We then moved on to recognising what a quarter was, how to write it in numbers and then how to find quarters of numbers.  Lastly, we learnt to recognise what a third was.  

In science, the children learnt about healthy living and what this looked like. The children could talk very well about how to be healthy, including food, exercise, hygiene and more.  We looked at the five food groups and talked about how it is important to eat a balanced diet/meal.  They understood that it was important to each a meal that was from a few different food groups and also that drinking water was essential.  We also talked about how important it is to have good hygiene, cleaning our bodies and teeth daily.

In geography, the children learnt about the different continents and then did some research into a continent of their choice and wrote some facts about it.  They included some animals that would be found in the continent.

In computing, we learnt how to make a stop animation.  The children were introduced to the program iMotion.  I showed them how to create a simple animation using a vehicle.  The children loved creating their own animation and this will continue next week.

In art, the children completed their own version of Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  The children looked at his work and created a similar style using thick swirling brushstrokes and colours.  The work they produced was excellent and is now on display.

In spelling, the children reviewed the sounds they had recently covered or were about to explore in Phonics. This week, we focused on "ou" as in cough and "oo" as in flood. As is often the case with the English language, there are relatively few words with these specific spelling patterns; however, it is still essential for the children to know how to spell them correctly. To practice, the children wrote sentences using the words cough, coughed, trough, flood, and flooded.

Additionally, we are continuing to notice that some children are confusing the spellings of went and when. Alongside the words in their green spelling books, it would be helpful if you could review these two words with them at home to reinforce correct usage. Thank you for your continued support!

School council elections:

New elections will take place in Y2 on Monday 20th of January.  If your child would like to enter to be considered for a position please can they prepare a short presentation on why they should be picked for the role.

• Pupils can stand for one of the councils even if they have been on one before and if they care about the cause. 
• We have 3 Kerem Cares committees.
  • Kerem Cares: Kehilla (Hebrew word for community)
  • Kerem Cares: Tzedakah (Hebrew word for charity)
  • Kerem Cares: Tikkun Olam (Hebrew for repair of the world - our eco council)

Each class will nominate two representatives for all three committees.

Reminders:

• Some children need to replace whiteboard pens.  Please can you send in some money for these to be purchased.

We are really looking forward to this term and can’t wait to see all the children achieve.

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 13th December 2024

What a wonderful last week of the term, culminating in our end-of-term show and Chanukah extravaganza. We are so proud of all the children’s hard work and performing abilities.  They have achieved so much this term by learning new skills and Y2 expectations.  All of the children have responded so positively, we couldn’t be prouder.

The Chanukah extravaganza was a fabulous way to end 2024.  The children had a disco to raise money for our charities as well as a dance class and the amazing Junk Orchestra.  The children enjoyed the day.

In English, the children planned and wrote a detailed postcard of their visit to London.  We focused on using capital letters for the names of places and adding what their favourite part was.  Then the children discussed past and present tenses talking about what they do when they get up in the morning and what happened last week.  Then they were given words that they had to change from past to present tense and vice versa.

In maths, the children started to learn about fractions.  We started learning the terms part and whole, in relation to both objects and numbers and then we moved on to learning how to recognise a half.

In art, the children looked at Van Gogh and how after moving to Paris, he became inspired by other artists using vivid colours in his paintings.  The children tried to recreate a landscape picture using oil pastels using large bold strokes.

In science, we linked science and PE together.  The children investigated to see which activities would increase their heart rates.  The children learnt about what the heart does for their bodies and having a healthy lifestyle.  First, they made predictions about whether the activity would increase their heart rates and then we tested them out.  The children were then about to understand which increased their heart rate and which kept it the same.  After the investigation, the children reflected on their predictions and results.

In Forest School, the children chose different activities including using the bow saw and drill to create different necklaces and other unique creations with wooden discs, including some with a Hanukkah theme. The wooden discs were hard to drill and all the children persisted even though it was challenging. We kept saying together, “We can do difficult things”. Other children chose to make snowflakes with pieces of willow. Some children helped Carrie to begin to make a log and stick pile as a habitat for creatures and bugs as there were a lot of fallen sticks in the woods from the recent high winds. This inspired a group of children to make their own debris den for creatures. They worked well as a team to pull long, heavy pieces of wood to the area they were working in and problem solved how to balance the wood.  They came back together at the end of the session and children shared their reflections about their Forest School experience this term. Emma asked the children what they were proud of. There were a lot of different responses, including: “making my mushroom necklace”, “sawing”, “I didn't give up when I did the drilling”, “Even if things don’t work out, I turn them into something else”, and, “Making a home for bugs”.

Reminders:

• Have a lovely half term!

Have a safe and fun half term! Happy Chanukah and we look forward to seeing you back in 2025!

Best wishes and Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 6th December 2024

We have had a fabulous week!  This week we had our history ‘inning’ to celebrate finishing our Great Fire of London topic.  The children came dressed in the most amazing costumes. Thank you to all the parents putting in so much effort to make the day special.  The children started the day looking at each other’s costumes and discussing facts about the fire.  We had an interactive theatre show, that the children took part in and acted out different roles.  They were amazing and many of them surprised us with fabulous acting skills.  Then we got iPads and listened to videos and read about the fire alongside a VR experience.  The children loved using the headsets, looking around London in 1666 paying close attention to the buildings and how close together they were.  After playtime, we built our own Pudding Lane in small groups.  The children worked collaboratively to create a house in the style of 1666.  Later that day, we burned down Pudding Lane, we discussed the reasons why the houses caught fire so quickly, and showed how pulling down houses acted as a fire break, eventually stopping the fire.  The day was a total success and we believe it was a brilliant way to complete our Great Fire of London topic. 

In English, the children listened to Katie in London, to remind them of the story.  Then they had to sequence the story with given pictures, explaining to their partners what happened in the story.  Next, the children used the pictures to write the outline of the story, using time conjunctions and remembering to use full stops and capital letters.  Later in the week, the children used our new school resource, ‘Mighty Writer’ to help formulate sentences before writing a detailed beginning to the story.  The children remembered punctuation and used expanded noun phrases to add detail to their beginnings.

In maths, we have focused on division.  We learnt that division can also mean group and sharing the number.  We use practical resources to share out the number.  This really helped the children to understand what division means.  They then applied these skills to reasoning questions to deepen their understanding.  Below is an explanation how we learnt division through grouping and sharing also shared last week. 

The children also started looking at the two-times tables. They practiced chanting it together as well as checking that they understood the different pictorial representations for each calculation.

In geography, the children reviewed the seven continents and learnt about the five oceans across the globe.  After this, the children had to find and label the oceans on a map using an atlas for reference. 

In art, we continued to look at Monet’s cityscapes. The children enjoyed comparing Monet's paintings and discussing the differences between the weather and seasons. And how Monet had shown these with the colours used in his painting.

In Forest School, they started the session with a game called ‘Drum Stalker’. Emma started beating a drum and the children had to move slowly and carefully through the site to try and get back to Emma as they listened to the drum beat. At times, the drum would fall silent and the children had to stay still. This game helps to develop listening skills, spatial awareness, and to consider how animals may move when they need to be quiet.  Next, Emma read the children a story called ‘How the Stars Came to Be’ which is a fun and imaginative folk tale about how the stars were originally created. For the rest of the session, some children chose to create little wooden weaving boards using a hammer and nails. They hammered the nails into a small wooden disc and then used their knot skills to tie wool on and wove it around the nails. This activity helps to develop gross and fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and focus. Emma had brought some owl pellets along and children enjoyed dissecting them and discovering what the owl had eaten with an ID sheet to support them. They discovered lots of different bones including a vole jaw, leg bone and pelvis! Other children enjoyed being Earth Friends and helped Carrie to collect leaves to put on some of the paths in the woods that receive the most wear and tear from our footfall. There were lots of interesting discoveries in the woods during this activity including different fungi and a baby centipede. At the end of the session, some children requested we sing ‘Earth, Stone, Feather and Bone’. The children sang it well and we managed to do it in rounds, too.

Reminders:

• Can all children bring in their History Inning costumes next week for our end-of-term show, please?
• Please can it be placed in a labelled bag so we can look after it?
• They can be sent in any day next week. We will look after it until the show day.

Have a wonderful Shabbat!

The Year 2 Team

Friday 29th November 2024

We’ve had a wonderful week! It was lovely to meet with everyone at Parents’ evening and have the opportunity to talk to you about your wonderful children! 

In English the children brainstormed and wrote another description of a setting.  The children thought about adding expanded noun phrases and adjectival phrases in order to bring their descriptions to live.  The children also challenged themselves to add in what they could see, hear, feel and even smell.  Towards the end of the week we worked on editing and improving their written work which was then put up on display.

In maths, the children have continued to learn about multiplication.  We have been making it very visual and using manipulatives and jottings to help them.  We started off by explaining what multiplication means, such as times, multiple, repeated addition, groups of and lots of.  Have a look at the example below. They also looked at arrays and how multiplication can be represented by dots and we moved onto division by either grouping or sharing.  See pictures below.
 

In science, the children discussed in detail the life cycle of a human.  The children were interested to know and learn about what we can do in the different stages of life.  Then they worked in pairs to sort the items that can be done in the different stages of life such as voting, buying a car, starting to eat solid food etc.  The children then were challenged to add different things to the stages of the cycle.  They came up with ideas such as making a meal and booking a holiday.  The pairs worked collaboratively, which was great to see.

In geography, the children reviewed the seven continents and learnt about the five oceans across the globe.  After this, the children had to find and label the oceans onto a map using an atlas for reference.

In art, we looked at Monet’s cityscapes. The children enjoyed comparing Monet's paintings and discussing the differences between the weather and seasons and how Monet had shown these with the colours used in his painting.  The children then recreated Monet’s painting of the Houses of Parliament thinking about the colours and silhouette.

In spelling, the children looked at different words with an ‘s’ sound. These included 

At Forest School, this week's focus was all about fungi and following our usual welcome routines we started with a fun true or false game.  Emma called out different names of fungi and the children had to guess whether it was a real type of fungi or not! They had to run to different spaces on the site to signify whether they thought it was true or false. The children were amazed at some of the names of real fungi; for example, moon carrot fungus, lemon disco and earpick fungus!  For the next activity, the children had to become Fungus Finders. Hidden around Forest School were lots of little pictures of different UK fungi in the woods and the children had to hunt and find them.  For the rest of the session, some children continued with the fungi theme and made fungi and fungi inspired creations using clay. Some used acorn caps, pieces of wood and eyelet screws to make fungus pendants, focusing on strength and persistence as well as having an opportunity to practise their knot skills again. While some children returned to den building, hammocks and swing building, many were fascinated with exploring fungi. They were excited to find Yellow Brain, Coral Spot and even a Fly Agaric! As it was very cold today, some children played running games, aware that moving their body will help to keep it warm. We finished the session with a song which the children had asked us to sing again as it is one of their favourites: ‘I walk into the forest’. We sang it altogether and the children offered ideas of how to move.

Reminders:

• Next Wednesday 4th, is Y2’s History Inning Day.
• Please make sure your child dresses up with the following ideas:
  • Boys: A large plain shirt with a large collar and a belt or cord around the waist; a plain waistcoat, if you have one; and plain, dark, baggy trousers (such as tracksuit bottoms) tucked into long socks.
  • Girls: A plain shirt with a large collar; a long, preferably plain skirt; a man’s plain waistcoat, if you have one; a plain white apron; flat, sturdy shoes; and a plain white head scarf.
• If they find wearing a costume difficult, you may want to send in their uniform in a bag or they can wear it underneath their costume.
• Please can we have a few more boxes so we can make Pudding Lane?

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 22nd November 2024

We had a wonderful week which ended on Mitzvah day.  This was a very exciting time for us and the children enjoyed making pictures for The North London Hospice.  The children took time and care preparing and drawing wonderful pictures to cheer up the residents.  We had some great discussions about how we can do mitzvot in our daily lives and the children shared when they had done mitzvot. The day began with an assembly to introduce the charities we were working with and then ended with another assembly to showcase what the different classes had done.

In English, the children wrote a description of a setting from the Katie in London story focussing on using adjectives, expanded noun phrases and their sense.  They wrote them, edited them and then wrote them up for a display in the classroom.  The children thought about how they could improve them and they tried hard with their handwriting too.

In maths, we continued with the topic on money.  The children counted money, both pence and pounds and made amounts in different ways.  For example, the children had to make 40p using 2, 3, or 4 coins and they did the same with pounds and pence. On Thursday, the children went ‘shopping’ for different items. When thinking about paying for the items, they looked for different ways to make the amounts needed. They were amazed to see that there were more than 10 ways to make 23p!   

In science, they reviewed prior learning about different animal groups, amphibians, mammals, fish, and reptiles, and discussed how some animal offspring look like their adult and others did not.  Then the children learned about life cycles.  They read information about humans, ducks and butterflies' life cycle.

In history, the children learnt about how London was rebuilt after the fire, including how they changed the way in which they built houses.  We also learnt about how the firefighting service was developed as a result of the fire. 

In art, the children started a new topic, ‘Landscapes and Cityscapes’.  The children learnt the difference between the two and then we looked closely at the artist Monet.  We learnt a little about how he liked to draw different landscapes many times over, in different seasons, and times of the day.

In computing, the children reviewed previous learning and wrote statements and questions linked to our English book and then added an appropriate picture.  This was directly linked to work we had completed in English, learning about question and statement sentences.

In Forest School, the children started with a welcome routine and spoke about the different things they could do to help keep their bodies warm. The children played a running and chase game called ‘Wolf and Deer’ that definitely warmed everybody up! This game involves teamwork, tactics, and good communication and both groups were able to work stealthily as a pack to complete the game successfully.  The children chose different activities including crafting with elder wood, den building and nordic braiding. Nordic braiding is an ancient technique used to make fishing nets in the past and the children created bracelets and bookmarks with their friends. Other children followed the advice to stay physically active to keep warm and they played a running hide and seek game and also played the game ‘Giants, Wizards and Elves’. Some children were exploring and digging in the woods and apparently found some gold which they decided to bury! They finished the session with a song which the children had asked us to sing again as it is one of their favourites: ‘Earth, Stone, Feather and Bone’. We sang it altogether and kept the beat by stomping our feet. Then we sang it in rounds and children took it in turns to enter the middle of the circle so they could hear all the different parts and receive a ‘sound bath’.

In spellings, the children chose words from their spelling books and wrote them in sentences. This was to consolidate their use of the correct spelling when not merely focusing on writing them as individual words. We were pleased to see the children spelling many of the words correctly. There were some children who found it difficult to spell the words, reiterating the importance of practising them regularly throughout the week. 

A special request:  We have been studying the book ‘Katie in London’ and have written some descriptive settings.  We are inviting you to please send in any photos of the children when they have visited a famous London landmark as we would like to add them to our class display.  Please email them or send them in as soon as possible.

A message from Carrie at Forest School  - There were a few children who found the cold weather more challenging due to their footwear and socks. Wellington boots tend to not retain the heat very well and sturdier boots such as snow boots or boots that are fleece-lined are better for the winter. We would also recommend wearing two pairs of socks – e.g. wear thin cotton socks underneath thick wool or thermal socks on top.'

Reminders:

• Money for pens, please
• Pictures of the children at various London Landmarks.

Shabbat Shalom,

The Year 2 Team.

Friday 15th November 2024

This week has been fabulous!  We had our first school trip of the year, to the London Eye and a Thames Riverboat Cruise.  The children were very excited and behaved in a manner to be proud of throughout.  The children were able to identify many famous landmarks, such as Buckingham Palace, Wembley Stadium and The Shard from The Eye.  They loved sitting on the top deck of the boat, whilst our guide pointed out lots of interesting sites.  They recognised a lot from our study of the Great Fire of London as well as our book ‘Katie in London’.  We were extremely lucky with the weather and the sunshine made it even better.  Take a look at some of the photos from the trip below.

This week was also Anti-Bullying Week.  The children started the week with a whole school assembly to introduce the week and the theme, Choose Respect.  They learnt about what respect means and how we can be respectful in our actions.

In English, our main focus has been on our specialty week, Anti-Bullying.  We had a visit from Streetwise.  The session focused on what bullying is.  They learnt that it means hurtful behaviours, which are repeated, on purpose and have a power imbalance. We also talked about how to show respect in the classroom and in the playground.  We watched a short clip to prompt their ideas and then the children were able to give many examples, of showing respect.  They wrote about these in full sentences which will go up on a display.

In maths, we started the week by adding and subtracting 10s from different numbers and then we started the topic on money.  The children learnt about the different coins we have and added both pence, pound and also pence and pounds together.  The children enjoyed using the plastic coins to add amounts and choose amounts.  Lastly, the children made totals in different ways.  

An example is 53p can be made from 50p + 2p + 1p or 20p + 20p + 10p + 2p + 1p.

In science, the children started a new topic called ‘Animals including Humans’.  We learnt about the different groups that animals can be divided into including, mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds.  We then discussed how some animals look like their parents and others do not.  The children then had to match the babies to the adults.

In history, the children learnt more about Samuel Pepys and how we know a lot about the fire due to the secret diaries he kept.  They learnt that he wrote in code, so his wife wouldn’t know what he had written.  We focused on different sources of information that help us to understand the fire.  They had to choose which source was relevant to us knowing more about the fire and those that had no bearing.

In computing, the children learnt word processing skills.  These included changing the font, size and style to their work.  The children were then taught how to search for a picture on Google and then choose a photo, screenshot it, crop it to size and then insert it into the Google Docs sheet.  The children were really excited to learn this skill, which we will continue with next week.

In Forest School, they continued with a new team game called ‘Giants, Wizards and Elves’. It is a fun game which helps to develop cooperation and group decision-making capacity.   Then they worked as a whole class challenge and the children worked together to make a giant poppy out of leaves and sticks. We discussed the fact it was Remembrance Day on Monday and reflected on the meaning of the day.

The children also chose to weave poppies around sticks with red and black wool, create a tarpaulin den in the woods and took turns to mallet in the pegs.  Some children organised an independent game of hide and seek, whilst others were inspired by the poem and painted their own watercolour paintings.  The teacher, Emma, had brought some gall ink with her today and a few children explored using it creatively.  Then the children shared something they felt grateful for.

Reminders:

• This week we have added general comprehension questions to their reading record books.  Please make sure you ask 2-3 different questions from these examples every time you listen to your child read.  We need to not only focus on fluency and accuracy but for the children to be able to answer questions about the stories they are reading.
• Many children are running out of equipment. Please send your child in with some 50ps (we have change) so they can buy pens, pencils and whiteboard pens.
• For spellings, it would be very helpful if you could add a short comment in their spelling book each week to let us know how they have been getting on with their practice. A simple note, like “We have been practising them in the book and separately so that he starts without looking at them. He is doing well and knows most of them consistently. We are happy to have more and will also keep practising the old ones,” 

Shabbat Shalom and have a wonderful weekend,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 8th November 2024

In English, we focused on descriptive writing.  They learnt about using expanded noun phrases (ENPs), this is where they use two or more describing words, to describe the noun to enhance their description.  An example is: a tall, green tree or the long, flowing river.  They then were given  pictures of a setting that they had to describe using ENPs as a group. They brainstormed lots of ENP to describe the picture and then they wrote a description of the setting.  We then read our new story ‘Katie in London’ by James Mayhew and made predictions about the story.  This is linked to our trip next week as we will be looking out for the many sites from the story. Using a picture from ‘Katie in London’ the children used the school’s new writing resource ‘Mighty Writer’ to create their own ENPs which they then wrote into longer sentences. 

In maths, we have worked on addition and subtraction using numberlines, involving 1-digit and 2-digit numbers.  The children were able to use their understanding of number bonds to assist them in these calculations.  The children also were able to solve problems involving addition and subtraction.  Then children learnt about 10 more or 10 less and then added/subtracted 10s.  For this, we used lots of manipulatives, such as 100 squares and base 10.  We made the number using base 10 and then adding or subtracted different 10s numbers.  The children understood the concept well because it was introduced practically.  Some also chose to write jottings to help them solve the calculations.

In science, the children looked at food chains. They learnt the words herbivore, carnivore and omnivore. We also learnt about a food chain starting with a plant (a producer) then a small animal (consumer/prey) and then a larger one (predator). For example, there was grass, cow, and human in the food chain. The children were able to understand the food chain and correctly draw and label them.

In history, the children talked about the fire using their senses. They then had to write a diary entry as if they were there at the time of the Great Fire after we brainstormed and modelled an example.  To make their entries descriptive, the children tried to use all of the senses, see, hear, feel, smell, touch and taste.

In D&T, the children put together their sukkah by adding their ‘roof’ and the fruits that they made.  They also finished off the design around the sukkah.  Once it was completed the children evaluated their ‘product’, talking about what they liked and what they could improve on.

In computing, the children learnt about taking digital photos and editing them.  We used the edit and cropping tools to focus on the subject within the photo.  The children learnt how to take clear photos and how to delete the ones they didn’t need.

Spellings

Thank you so much for your support and time in helping your child practice their weekly spellings. Your encouragement at home reinforces what we do in class and makes a noticeable difference in their confidence and progress.

It would be very helpful if you could add a short comment in their spelling book each week to let us know how they have been getting on with their practice. A simple note, like “We have been practising them in the book and separately so that he starts without looking at them. He is doing well and knows most of them consistently. We are happy to have more and will also keep practising the old ones,” would be perfect. These insights really help us understand your child’s progress and any areas where we might give additional support.

Thank you once again for your partnership in helping your child develop these important skills.

The children loved going back to Forest School this week. They started by checking in on their mood and energy levels, before playing a fun game of Hunter, Fox, Mouse where the focus was on finding their voices. They were enthralled by one of Emma’s epic stories and then had choosing time which included activities such as poi, crafting rockets, sculpting candle holders and den building. They finished by learning a new song, When Winter Comes.

Just a quick reminder to please send your children with the correct outdoor clothing every Thursday. As we head out first thing in the morning, we won’t have time to contact you if anything is missing. It might also be a good idea to pack an extra pair of socks in case the ones they’re wearing get wet. Thank you for helping us keep the children comfortable and prepared for our outdoor activities!

Reminder:

• Our class trip is on Tuesday. Please make sure children are dressed suitably for the weather. 
• Children can wear trainers, boys must wear a school cap or beanie
• Please bring a backpack big enough for their packed lunch.
• Children need to have a water bottle.
• From the Ivrit team:
  • The children received an Ivrit reading book yesterday from Morah Neta. They will need to read the book and bring it back on Mondays. A new book will be sent home on Wednesday each week. Please sign the reading record so we can see that your child has read the book.
• All long hair must be tied up completely (to prevent the spread of head lice), it can not be half up/half down.  Thank you for your understanding.

Friday 1st November 2024

The children have settled back into school life very quickly.  They have remembered the school routines and are displaying our Kerem Characteristics (KC) around school, many of whom have received our wonderful KC cards and house points.

In English, the children have continued to work on the book ‘Here We Are’.  They discussed how to care for the environment, writing both sentences and creating posters to promote awareness.

In maths, the children have been adding.  They have focused on different skills in adding, using base 10, numberlines and cubes.  They learnt about adding 1s, adding by making 10 (using their prior knowledge of number bonds of 10), adding three 1-digit numbers and adding to the next 10.  These skills will help to support them when adding larger two 2-digit numbers.

In science, the children recapped their knowledge of world habitats, such as the arctic, rainforest, ocean and the desert. The children talked about how the plants and animals depend on each other, in the habitat, for food, shelter from prey and to spread the seeds of the plants.  They played a habitat game and looked at a specific habitat in detail.

In history, the children recapped the story of the Great Fire of London (GFL) and then had to write about the causes of the fire. The causes were due to wooden houses, a dry summer, strong winds, houses being close together, rubbish in the street, no real fire service and flammable objects close to the River Thames.  See which causes your child can remember.

In D&T, the children continued making their sukkot.  They added decorations to the inside and outside of the model.  Then the children used a junior saw, including safety gloves and sawed some wooden rods that will be used to hang their fruit.  This was done together with an adult guiding their every move.

On Thursday, the children enjoyed two special lessons. The first was in celebration of Black History Month, and the second marked the beginning of the Year 2 World Religion Programme. This year, the children are exploring Sikhism. They learned about the origins of the religion, its founder, the sacred text, and holy buildings. For Black History Month, each class is focusing on a notable figure from a different industry. Year 2 learned about Shirley Bassey, listening to some of her music and discovering the story of her life and career.

Reminders:

• Forest school will begin next Thursday. Please make sure to send in your child ready dressed for the lesson with their boots in a separate bag.  
• Please take note of the weather as they may need additional clothing such as hats, gloves and scarves.
• Please send in 50ps please for pencil box equipment as whiteboard pens have already run out.

Shabbat Shalom and have a wonderful weekend,

The Y2 Team

Friday 11th October 2024

We had a difficult start to the week but the children made us very proud as they sang a beautiful tefillah in shul.  We continued the week in a very positive way.  The children took part in a challah bake.  It was an age appropriate way to say tehillim, to pray for the people of Israel. At the end of the week, we finished off with our ‘offsite learning day’.  The children had a wonder science session, listened to and discussed the story ‘The Hardest Word to Say’ - a Yom Kippur story and completed some mindfulness work.  All of which they really enjoyed.

In English, we started the week with a reading comprehension.  The children read a funny story about a ‘ketchup catastrophe’.  This was when a boy that loved to eat everything with ketchup, forgot it when he went for a sleepover.  The children were able to answer simple questions about the story.  We also started a new book ‘Here We Are, Notes for Living on Planet Earth’ by Oliver Jeffers.  The book was written for his newborn daughter to explain little bits of how the world works.  The illustrations are wonderful and the children had a copy to share with a partner, allowing them to see them up close.  The children made predictions and listened to the book. They used the book ‘Why is the sky blue?’ to find out some answers about the world. They even had one that they were going to investigate at home.

In maths, the children have worked on numbers to ten and twenty.  They used a tens frame with counters to help see the matching number.  For example: 6 + 4 = 10 and 16 + 4 = 20.  The children understood that a number bond is two numbers that make a total and that they can be written in any order as addition is commutative, meaning they can be written in different orders but still have the same answer.  We also played a fun game making 2-digit numbers with counters scattered around.  Have a look at the photos

In science, the children recapped what a habitat is and the different kinds of animals that live there.  Our focus today was on world habitats.  They learned about the tropical rainforest, desert, arctic and the ocean.  They had to research their chosen world habitat and then write some facts that they had researched.  After the children drew the habitat and some of the animals that live there.

In D&T, the children tested their model sukkahs to see if they were stable, stiff and strong.  We took them outside and simulated wind by fanning the models with our books.  Then we had to see if they could withstand rain by pouring water over the models and looked at how strong they were by adding books.  After this, we looked at the models to evaluate them.  The children then discussed what materials would be better to make another sukkah.  After this, the children then wrote up their evaluation and what happened to their models and explained what stiff and stable means.

In computing, the children recapped our code of conduct when using school computers/iPads.  They were able to explain these rules well.  We then discussed how people find out about things they are interested in.  The children gave lots of examples, going to the library, reading books, going to a museum, going on the internet.  The children learnt how to find out information about The Great Fire of London.  They learnt how to go into safari, open up www.kiddle.co and then search for their topic.  They really enjoyed searching for information and reading and listening to it.

In spelling, the children learnt different ways to practice spellings. They also learnt the word mnemonic and how we use them. They knew the mnemonic for because already but we learnt one for was. We also learnt a way to remember how to spell the word where. See if they can teach them to you!

Reminders:

• Forest school begins the first Friday back after half term.  Please make sure the children are dressed, weather dependent with waterproofs, wellington boots, hats, gloves and scarves. 
• Please make sure your child comes to school dressed in their Forest School clothes. The ground in the forest school area stays wet for a while after rain so please send your children with the appropriate clothing and footwear even if it is not raining.  
• Some children need to replace items from their pencil pots.  Please send in some money to keep in their bags to replace items.

Wishing you Shabbat Shalom, a easy and meaning fast. Gmar Chamitah Tova,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 27th September 2024

We have had a jam-packed week, read below to find out more.  On Tuesday we had a wonderful Rosh Hashanah activity together with Seed.  It was so lovely to meet more parents and the children thoroughly enjoyed creating beautiful art activities, celebrating the Chag and working collaboratively with their parents.

In English, we have continued with the ‘Flotsam’ book.  We discussed and wrote about the main character’s feelings, thinking about using the correct punctuation when writing sentences. We then moved on to writing about the journey the camera went on, after being thrown back into the sea.  The children were able to use descriptive language and some children tried to challenge themselves to use time conjunctions, such as, first, next, then and use ‘and’. We also thought about the questions that the children might like to ask the boy in the book and then asked them to him (well, to Ms Simon pretending to be him). Doing this helped the children to think about question words and the use of a question mark at the end of a written question. 

In spelling the children wrote all of the Year 2 common exception words to see which ones they can spell and which they need to practice. Now that we have assessed the Year 1 and 2 words, we will be ready to send home personalised spelling after Rosh ha Shana. You will receive a separate email about how this will work. 

In maths, the children started off the week adding 10s and 1s to different numberlines to 100.  The children were able to do this very well and then were challenged to explain what and why there might have been an error in the question provided.  Then the children estimated numbers on a numberline.  This helps them to understand the number system well and the value of a number.  Later in the week,  they compared different representations and images of numbers including tens frames, dienes blocks, and counters using the symbols for more than/less then and equal to (< = >). 

In science, the children learnt about microhabitats, small habitats within a larger one.  They discussed in pairs, the microhabitats that might be found in a park or forest.  We watched clips about this and then the children had to draw and write about the microhabitats, including what it was, the minibeasts that lived there and the conditions of the habitat.  For example, under a stone, a slug and the conditions could be dark, cool and damp.

In history, the children learnt all about the story of the Great Fire of London.  This included how, when and where it started, why it spread so quickly and how it was put out.  The children then had to sequence the story using different information from the time of the fire.

In DT, we built our model sukkahs with the ‘junk’ modelling materials that were sent in.  Thank you very much!  The children work in pairs to create their sukkahs.  They had to think about the words, strong, stable and stiff in order to make the best sukkah.  They added decorations and tried to create a strong, stable sukkah.  Next week we will test out their designs.

In computing, we continued with learning the skill of logging on to Google Docs.  Then the children had a go at changing the size, font and colours of their writing.  We linked this to our science and the children listed the names of minibeasts.

In PSHE, the children thought about the emotion of excited and listened to what makes their friends feel excited. This ranged from seeing friends and family, going on holiday, scoring goals and riding a bike to the park. 

Reminders and requests:

• Do you have any spare material/fabric/old clothes in order to decorate our sukkahs?
• Have a look at our useful information section at the top of the blog.  It has some helpful documents for reading comprehension, quality books and spelling.
• Please send in 50ps please for pencil box equipment as whiteboard pens have already run out.

Shabbat Shalom and have a wonderful weekend,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 20th September 2024

We’ve had another fun-packed week in Year 2.  The children are getting to grips with the behaviour expectations and how to work successfully in the classroom.  We are so proud of them!

In English, we have continued with our book Flotsam.  This week's focus was on using adjectives.  The children discussed what an adjective is and described many items in the classroom.  They then were given several pictures from the books and together in a pair they had to describe the pictures.  We then focused on one picture from the book and planned a description using our five senses.  The children were able to come up with many ideas.  These were then used to write a description, focusing on using capital letters and full stops, as well as adjectives.

In maths, the children worked on partitioning numbers in a flexible way.  An example of this is, 54 can be made by 50 + 4 or 40 + 14, noting the tens and ones can change. The children used manipulatives to create these numbers in different ways. They partitioned numbers into tens and learning that 5 tens and 4 ones is the same is 50 + 4. 

In science, we recapped on the terms discussed last week, ‘alive’, ‘dead’ and ‘never alive’.  They looked at many pictures and had to explain the answers they gave.  They learned the term habitat and then looked at what we might find in our local habitat.  After that, we went to the park to find and locate different plants and animals we could see in the park.  The children loved this activity, look out for the photos below.

In D&T, the children were introduced to the topic, ‘building a sukkah’.  We discussed what they are used for and why we have them.  They learnt the laws of building a sukkah and then they had to design and label a sukkah they would like to build.  Their sketches came out so well!

In computing, the children worked on logging into Google Docs and then writing about their favourite thing they had done that day.  The children wrote about enjoying many different aspects of the day which was lovely to read.  Then they learnt how to select and highlight their writing, change font size, style and colour.  We will continue to work on these essential skills.

In history, in preparation for learning about the Great Fire of London, the children compare London now to the past. We looked at clothing, houses, transport and streets. The children were able to sort the cards from ‘now and then’ and then they drew these comparisons in their books. The children began to have an understanding of how different life was back in that time period.

Reminders:

• Do you have any spare material/fabric/old clothes to decorate our sukkahs?
• Please have a look at our useful information section at the top including a few useful documents.
• If your child is going home with another parent, please let us know by lunchtime via email.
• Please make sure to leave your child’s reading book in their bag daily so the team can hear your children during the week.  We don’t want them to miss out on being read with.

Have a wonderful Shabbat and weekend,

The Year 2 Team

Friday 13th September 2024

As we conclude our first full week, we are truly impressed by how well the children have settled into Year 2. They have quickly adapted to the routines and are approaching their tasks with focus and maturity. With such a promising start, we are even more enthusiastic about what the rest of the year will hold.

In English, we started our first book ‘Flotsam’ by David Wiesner.  On the first day, the children were only given the front cover of the book and they had to make predictions based on what they saw.  Then I read the story, but the shocking thing was that the story had no words.  The book had very detailed pictures and the children understood how you can make up your own words for this story.  We then looked at different pictures from the book and wrote sentences about them.  The children focused on the use of capital letters and full stops.  Some children challenged themself to use joining words such as ‘and’ and ‘because’.   We wrote postcards as if they were the main character from the book. Learnt about using time conjunctions in sentences, for example, then, next, after, and finally.  

What the children didn’t know, was that we surprised them as the whole school was studying the same text.  As they walked in on Tuesday all their work from art, from last week, was up on the wall.  The children were ‘WOWed’ and shocked to see all the different year groups had produced artwork and crafts linked to the book.

In maths, we have concentrated on place value and using tens and one.  The children had opportunities to use manipulatives and make drawings on their whiteboards to represent numbers.  They learnt about place value tables, and partitioning the number into tens and ones by drawing it on a Place Value table.  They also learnt about whole-part models and how to use these to show tens and ones. Have a look below to see what they look like.

In science, our topic is living things and their habitats.  The children learned the terms alive, dead (as in an apple from a tree) and never living (a cake).  We discussed what processes all living thing go through in order to be considered alive such as food, water, movement and breathing.  They sorted pictures and then drew and wrote about the terms alive, dead and never living.  They were able to understand the different processes of being alive.

In history, the children found out that they are going to be learning all about the Great Fire of London.   The children discussed what they knew about the topic and then what questions they had about the topic.  Then we discuss when the Great Fire occurred on a timeline and ordered significant time periods on a timeline.

In art, the children were given half a picture of their face from a photograph and then they had to complete the other half.  The children really enjoyed this and put in a lot of effort and concentration.  These will be on display so you’ll be able to see them when you come in for ‘Meet the Teacher Evening.’

In computing, we introduced the code of conduct contract and the expectations around using technology at Kerem.  Then the children logged into their school email account so they could access Google Docs, as this allows them to save and organise their work into folders.  

In PSHE the children thought about their feelings. They used Sebby’s Stars to identify different feelings and think about occasions when they have felt those feelings.

In our spelling lesson, we had a look at the Year 1 and Year 2 common exception words. These are words that children use frequently but do not follow patterns that they have or will learn in phonics. Knowing how to spell these words aids the children with the fluency of their writing. When we have finished assessing which words the children need to focus on, a different set will be added to Google Classroom each week so that the children can practice spelling them. 

On the spelling section of our blog, there are a list of ideas of ways to practice spelling with your child as well as the Year 1 and Year 2 Common Exception Words.  

• Can you please send in any junk modelling you have at home. We need items such as kitchen rolls, cereal boxes, containers and shoe boxes.
• Please can you make sure all items, such as water bottles, snack pots, as well as, uniform are labelled. Especially PE jumpers please.
• Please make sure you leave your child’s reading book in their bag daily so the team can hear your children during the week.  We don’t want them to miss out on being read with.
• Meet the Teacher evening is on Tuesday 17th September.
• All communications should be sent via year2@keremschool.co.uk 

Shabbat Shalom and have a lovely weekend, 

From Miss Mansoor, Ms Simon and Mrs Rosenthal.

Friday 6th September 2024

Welcome back to Kerem!

Wow, what a fabulous start to the school year!  We wanted to wish you a big welcome to Y2, we can’t wait to teach all the exciting topics we have planned.  The week started with a whole school assembly and communal davening. They came in with a positive attitude and settled well.  The children remember the school routines and came in well on their first day in Y2.  This week we have focused on settling into the new class, with PSHE discussions about how they are feeling being back at school, in a new class.  We talked about the school expectations and what they mean and then wrote and illustrated them.

In English, we talked about presentation in their books, and how to set out their work by starting to write from the margin.  The children did very well.  We wrote information about ourselves so we could get to know each other.  Then the children set their own goals for the year and then we will look at them again to see if they are achieved.  Lastly, they discussed what they had done in the holidays and wrote about it in full sentences.

In maths, the children reviewed and focused on ordering numbers to 50.   Then they practised writing and drawing 2-digit numbers and focusing on their tens and ones.  Lastly, we reviewed number bonds.

In art, the children created different under-the-sea creatures and decorated them with mosaic pieces.  The children enjoyed using glue and the mosaic pieces to add detail to their work.  These will be going on display very soon.

Reminders:

• Please can you make sure all items, such as water bottles, snack pots, as well as, uniform are labelled. 
• Please make sure you leave your child’s reading book in their bag daily so the team can hear your children during the week.  We don’t want them to miss out on being read with.
• PE days will be Tuesday & Thursday
• Homework will be set on Google Classroom.  This is set on a Friday and will be one piece of maths and one piece of English work.  This will begin next week
• Reading books will be changed three times a week, if they are finished, on Monday, Wednesday & Friday.  
• Forest School will begin next half term and we will remind you nearer the time.
• Meet the Teacher evening is on Tuesday 17th September.
• All communications should be sent via year2@keremschool.co.uk 

We are so impressed with the children’s attitude to Y2.  Keep up the hard work and positive attitude!