Welcome to our first term in Year 2, where we will be exploring life in the World's oceans!

We will start our learning with a focus on geography by naming, locating and identifying the names of the different continents, oceans and seas of the World.  

We will then dive under the waves in science, to find out what animals and plants live in the ocean habitat, how they survive underwater and what they eat. We will be comparing different habitats and how different types of animals have different life cycles and develop our scientific skills by carrying out investigations involving buoyancy and how long it take to dissolve different materials, to begin our thinking of what might put these ocean habitats at risk.

In art, we will be exploring and appreciating the work of Heather Galler, and using her ideas of applying pattern and colour to showcase our own perceptions of sea life. Children’s art work will be available for sale in support of the Marine Conservation Society.

Keep checking back here to see updates on what we have been up to!

Watch out for the Crayfish!

We were very lucky to have a visitor in class this term. Mr McLauchlan brought in some American Signal Crayfish, caught in the waterways of Benson over the weekend. The children got the chance to see the crayfish up close and to learn how to tell a Signal Crayfish from a local one, and why they are dangerous to our local wildlife and habitats. The one featured here measured itself at 15cm, almost as big as they get! We think it may have been 18-20 years old!

Exploring Microhabitats! 

To launch our Green Day activities, we started with Science and an investigation of microhabitats, looking for insects and what kind of microhabitat they might be found in. The children worked out that damp, dark, safe places were the best for our creepy crawlies! 

On the day itself, we shared and discussed, "Who Ate Stanley?", and made kites to help us to remember the story and it's important message - not to let plastic pollution get into our oceans! It was amazing to watch everyone flying their kites in the playground at lunchtime!

Battle of Britain Celebration Day and Exhibition

We were inspired by the local story of Flying Officer John Wilding and Flight Sergeant John Andrew and how they saved their crew, (and the town of Wallingford!), to design and create our own parachutes. We applied our Design and Technology skills and worked brilliantly as a team, to share skills and learn from each other. We tested the parachutes by dropping them from a height, before a second test for the best of the designs, with a (water balloon) paratrooper attached.