Prep 2 Curriculum Brief

Reading Comprehension: We will practice answering questions in full sentences. Our focus will continue to develop an interest in reading, ask questions based on their reading to improve their understanding and summarise their understanding of what they have read in a paragraph. We will also be introducing the skills of inference, retrieval, predictions and sequencing.

Handwriting: We will be continuing to learn cursive handwriting (joined up) starting with the lead in and exit formation which will later become joined.

Phonics: The phonics work we will continue in our groups with R.W.I. Our phonics work will continue to focus on digraphs, suffixes, spelling choices and spelling patterns. We will continue to practise breaking long words down into syllables to help them spell chunks.

Grammar: We will learn how to use fronted adverbial to enhance our creative writing. These include words or phrases which add some extra information to a sentence. The adverbial words or phrases are placed at the start of the sentence and come before the verb.

Creative Writing: For the first half of the term we will be focusing on creating a toolkit writing a suspense story. We will begin by collecting a language bank for scary settings, ominous weather, cold and darkness – sort by mood.

This Summer Term we will be focusing on a large unit on fractions. We will begin this term by revising previously learnt concepts and extend ourselves to find fractions of whole numbers/quantities by the end of the unit. We will begin by making equal parts: focusing on making halves, quarters and thirds. Then learn to name fractions of the same denominations. After this, our focus will be to learn about equal fractions, primarily looking at halves and quarters. We will then move on to comparing and ordering fractions and counting wholes and parts. We will finish the unit by finding parts of a set and part of a quantity.

The second half of the term will be exploring concepts of time. We will begin with recognising time to 5 minutes and progresses in a way that eventually we will be able to tell time, sequence it and manipulate an analogue clock. Finally, will then be investigating how to find the duration of time, the end of a length of time, the beginning of a length of time and finally, compare lengths of time.

We will learn about plants by observing inside seeds and bulbs and describing how they grow into mature plants. We will also look at different means of dispersal. The children will grow plants and find out that they need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.

After half term, we will investigate the variety of living things in our environment. We will see that although individual living things are different, there are similarities which can help to sort them into groups.

During the summer term, Prep 2 will study the weather. Aspects shall include study of the months and seasons of the year, an introduction to factors affecting the weather (sun, air and water), the water cycle, simple means of recording the weather and instruments used to do this. The children shall also develop their knowledge of the world’s continents and oceans as they continue to hone their atlas skills and use more complex mapwork skills, including the use of 4-figure grid references to locate.

This term we will learn about the Ancient Greeks. Our learning will start from the geographical position of Greece, comparison of the Celts and their belief.  We will then begin our research on who they were, their clothes, jewellery and language.  To help our understanding, we will learn about what like was like for a Greek child, their houses, towns, entertainments and schooling.  Finally, we will look at Greek buildings, the Olympic games and Greek philosophers.

This term we will continue to look at the vocabulary for clothes, animals, fruit and vegetables and pursue our knowledge of French numbers (aiming to count to 50).  We will extend our knowledge of greetings and basic French introductions. We will continue to use the Skoldo Elementary Book and sing lots of songs to help our learning.

This term we continue to build on our knowledge of Jesus and how we can follow his teachings. The children will look at the leadership of Jesus and the importance of prayer to Christians.

This term the class will be looking at the work of the Impressionist painter Monet, extending their painting skills.
During the second half of the term the class will be looking at Indian Art, developing pattern idea and using a range of media and working both to create two and three dimensional pieces.

The children will focus on composition this term and learn to see themselves as composers. Using different stimuli, they will compose pieces in groups, individually and as a class. They will explore how sound can be used to create special effects. We will listen to different versions of the Doctor Who theme by Delia Derbyshire and learn about how it was put together.

This term our core topic is Physical health and Mental wellbeing. We will be exploring the following areas:

• Why sleep is important; medicines and keeping healthy; keeping teeth healthy; managing feelings and asking for help
• Growing older; naming body parts
• Safety in different environments; risk and safety at home; emergencies

Due to the exploratory and ‘spontaneous’ approach in this subject, we will often go off in different directions depending on the ideas and interest of the children. And so the formal lesson plans are often deviated from to preserve a flexibility and originality of approach.  New projects often ‘evolve’ from the children’s ideas in the sessions and it is an important part of the approach and style in this subject  to maintain this flexibility and spontaneity.  This generates a feeling with the children that they are going on a ‘journey’ in this subject each term. The formal lesson plans are only intended to be used as a basis and guide to the type of work and projects that are covered and are not intended to be rigidly adhered to.

Week 1 – Moving creature designs using blockwood, hooks and wire to create movement. Materials involved: blockwood, plywood, styrofoam and modelling card.

Weeks 2 and 3 – 3 D picture designs using plywood, blockwood and modelling foam.

Weeks 4, 5 and 6 – Boat designs using sails to create movement. Tested in water tank.

weeks 7, 8 and 9 – Wire and crank designs to create movement for models.

This term pupils will be able to understand about algorithms in computing and how to de-bug any mistakes using a variety of coding activities. They will be able to search the internet appropriately to research for a project.

This term we will continue to build on body movement, facial expression and voice projection as we enjoy our class play – Jack and the Beanstalk.

Games: Developing athletic skills, through a collection of track events – which will include sprints, hurdles and relays.

P.E: Development of large and small ball skills through a variety of hitting and catching games. In addition they will work on team relays. Basic racket skills through tennis and table tennis.

Swimming: Based on guidelines laid down in the ASA ‘National Plan for Teaching Swimming’. Activities designed to develop watermanship, confidence and stroke technique will be used.