Prep | Year 2 News
Unit of Inquiry
Transdisciplinary Theme: How the World Works
Central Idea: Using scientific principles, forms of energy can be observed, tested and applied
Key Concepts: Function, Causation, Connection
Related Concepts: prediction, evidence, proof, force, power, energy
Since beginning our new Unit of Inquiry into How the World Works, the boys have enjoyed becoming scientists! Our incursion from Fizzics Education was an engaging launch pad for our boys to begin to wonder about sound and light energy. Last week, the Year 2 learning spaces were transformed into a sound room, a light room and a movement space, where boys conducted experiments and observed how different forms of energy work. The boys’ observations on their favourite room has also acted as a pre-assessment to further drive our inquiry into different forms of energy. Please check your son’s Seesaw assessment tab for his pre-assessment work sample and rubric. In the coming weeks, the boys will be developing their skills as scientists by making observations, asking questions and building their research skills. Please do ask your son to share his Unit of Inquiry knowledge with you.
Maths
Having resolved our Volume and Capacity unit in Maths, the boys have begun inquiring into data this week. The boys are building their skills in collecting and analysing data. They are learning to accurately create displays of data using lists, tables and picture graphs and interpret their findings. Year 2 has learned about different types of graphs and their features. Our learners are also developing an understanding of how to pose suitable questions that will elicit categorical answers and to enable ease of data gathering. We will continue to inquire into data in Week 4, moving on to chance and probability in Week 5.
English
This week we have been investigating procedural texts and questioning who uses them (audience), what they are used for (purpose) and how they work (function). Over the next few weeks, we will be interacting with a plethora of procedures so that we can understand what structure and features the author uses to assist the reader understand how to do or make something. We will also be reflecting on our own special skills and thinking about how we can write a procedure to inform somebody else how to do it successfully. Introducing your son to simple procedures, such as recipes, can really motivate your son to engage with this unit of writing.
In Literacy Groups, the boys are continuing to further their comprehension skills. The boys are building their skills in summarising texts that they have been reading. You can support your son’s learning at home by asking him to summarise the main points following his reading. By building strong comprehension skills, we are empowering our learners to continue to develop their skills in reading to learn.
Home Learning
We have had a number of enquiries into home learning expectations for Term 2. We thought it may be helpful to have a comprehensive outline for weekly home learning task expectations.
Please see below for a breakdown of all tasks
1. Daily reading (15-20 mins) – this includes levelled readers that will be phased out over the course of the year. Many families feel these are too easy and we encourage them to be viewed as intentionally pitched this way to develop reading fluency and thorough comprehension. Supplementing these with a range of non-fiction and fiction texts is recommended. Our Unit of Inquiry this term is about forms of energy (light, sound, electricity) so that could be a helpful starting point. To check in for comprehension, asking questions like: What was the main idea in what you read today? How was it similar or different from yesterday’s text? What makes you say that? can be an excellent routine.
2. Mathletics (4 set activities per week) – these are also designed to consolidate the learning in class that week rather than introduce new skills or concepts. For this reason, if you notice your son struggling with any tasks, please ask him to check in with his teacher the next day so we can support him.
3. Spelling (3-4 activities per week) – a new spelling list will be published on SeeSaw each week. A range of games and tasks associated with these words are listed as part of the SeeSaw post and inside the front cover of the home spelling book sent home towards the end of Term 1. The key goal beyond spelling here is to routinely incorporate these words into everyday speech by building them into what we call Super Sentences (those with correct punctuation and an adjective/adverb &/or conjunction). The home spelling book can stay at home, but if your son would like to share a page or two, he’s proud of each week, there’s a function on SeeSaw for him to upload.
Music
During the Classroom Music lesson through the Collaborative Unit of Inquiry of How the World Works students are inquiring into the Concepts of Causation, Function and Reflection and delving into the function of the Grand and Upright Pianos here at the Preparatory School. They are learning about the different parts of the instruments and how they are all related and move in sync with each other. They are also discovering the difference between the piano’s due to their size and the materials used which explains the different tone quality. Did you know that a grand piano has 243 strings? They have also continued their involvement in the Strings Program learning new repertoire, sight-reading and ensemble skills.
Christian Studies
Journeys can be fun and also challenging. At the start of the term, the boys investigated some stories about children who leave their homes / countries and need to move to other countries. They reflected on the hardships and also how they personally felt. Over the next few weeks, we will be joining Moses and the Israelites on their journey from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. They will be comparing and contrasting the challenges and hardships they faced with those that people face today. In Chapel, we will be continuing to think about Covenants and how they were fulfilled in the person of Jesus.
