Yr2 Weekly Update – 28/10/16
Joy—“a feeling of great bliss and happiness.” Jubilation. Exuberance. These are words we hope reflect how students feel about their learning. We want children to develop a sense of wonder that compels them to explore further. Simply put, learning should be challenging AND fun!
Through our inquiries into why and how people celebrate, students have enthusiastically shared their own experiences, compared their experiences with their peers and tried out some of the traditions linked to different celebrations. To engage students further, we have begun looking at how Art is used in celebrations. Some classes experimented with line designs and created mendhi-inspired hand designs after finding out from class “experts” and websites why hand painting is important for celebrations such as Diwali, Eid and some weddings.
As a Literacy link, students looked at how to ask questions that help them find out more about celebrations. In order to add interest to their writing, students began looking closely at word choice. They eagerly worked together to generate banks of specific nouns, strong verbs and other rich, descriptive words. They were then challenged to use powerful words to improve their own writing.
In Math, classes explored the concept behind the equals sign, understanding that it means “the same as”. They applied their understanding to try to balance unequal groups by adding and subtracting. They were delighted to become each other’s teachers as they shared the strategies they used and discussed what worked well and what did not.
Take a look at what some Year 2 students had to say about their learning experiences over the last week.
“I enjoyed cutting and putting designs on a paper hand because it made me think about a time I put mendhi on my hands when I was 5 years old.”
“I had fun when we had to find spelling words stuck around the room and write them in the right place on our papers because I learned that there are lots of spelling choices for the sound /ee/.”
“I was excited to learn about organizing information when I had to collect information about people’s favourite pets.”
For those who celebrate Diwali, enjoy your festivities with friends and family.
The Year 2 Team
