10 Mar 2017

Yr2 Weekly Update – 03/10/17

How the World Works
Forces affect objects around us.

Inquiry

This week classes continued working on Fair Tests. Conducting a fair test is one of the most important ingredients of doing good, scientifically valuable experiments.

Some classes made paper planes and straw rockets and changed variables to see what would make their rockets and planes go further. In order to make a hypothesis, we researched and learned about Aerodynamics. We found out the forces that allow a paper plane to fly are the same ones

that apply to real airplanes.

When you throw a paper plane in the air, you are giving the plane a push to move forward. That push is a type of force called thrust. While the plane is flying forward, air moving over and under the wings is providing an upward lift force on the plane. At the same time, air pushing back against the plane is slowing it down, creating a drag force. The weight of the paper plane also affects its flight, as gravity pulls it down toward Earth. All of these forces (thrust, lift, drag and gravity) affect how well a given paper plane’s voyage goes.

 

We launched our rockets and measured the distance that each plane covered. We conducted the test 3 times to ensure the reliability of the results. Lastly, we reflected and reviewed the results and made conclusions.

LITERACY

 

We have been working on the six traits of Writing and this week we continued to focus on developing our ideas and organization. Some classes learned that writers make their ideas shine by adding lots of details.

Some classes worked on sorting out the steps and followed instructions to make Oobleck. It was messy but a lot of fun!

 

 

Maths

Students continued to work on understanding the concept of length and standard units.  Some classes made their own rulers using non- standard units to understand clearly how a measuring instrument works. Non- standard units provide a good rationale for standard units. The need for standard units can have more meaning when children are given opportunities to measure the same objects with their own units and they arrive at different answers.

 

Action

Nia used her understanding of the forces and made a wallet.

 

Gemma used scientific inquiry method to build and program a robot that moved and stopped at a specific distance.

 

Case brought a show and tell in to show how the forces are part of our daily life.

 


Some classes explored what makes games fun and challenging

 

Important      

 

Dear Parents,

 

The Year Two team will be running a stall for the school fair on Saturday March 18th, 2017 from 11:30 – 4:30pm.

 

The Year 2 stall will have a pitch on the 4th floor.

The stall links to our continent, Australia, and there will be two games.

We are looking for volunteers to fill half hour or one hour slots, working alongside teachers to help run the games and stamp passports!

If you are available to help, please add your name and your child’s class and name to the google document so we can contact you.  The link has been already shared with you by your class teacher.

Thanks for your help and ongoing support!

 

IMPORTANT DATES

13 March: Maths Week

17 March: ESF Choral Concert

18 March: School Fair

23 March: Student Led Conferences 3-6pm

24 March: Classes suspended for Student Led Conferences

27 March: KJS Music Concert

29 March: Year 2’s Trip to Lion’s park

 

We will send out the information about this trip in the next Newsletter. In case you would like to volunteer for this trip, please contact your child’s class teacher.

31 March: Last Day of Term – ENDS AT MIDDAY