Year 2

After a fantastic start to the school year for the newest members of Dartford Primary Academy, the children have moved on to explore a new inquiry into how ‘Our culture and local area may influence our homes. This started with thinking about where we live and the different types of houses we find in our local area. We went on our very first school outing to see some nearby houses such as bungalows, terraced houses and detached houses. We also saw the junior school where we will go once we reach KS2!

We then started to explore a disaster that happened in 1666 - The Great Fire of London. We learnt all about how the fire spread, how we know about the fire (such as from people like Samuel Pepys) and investigated who started the fire. In science, we explored the properties of materials and discussed the reasons for the fire spreading so quickly.

To help us learn more about the fire, our teachers disappeared for the day. Instead, we were visited by Samuel Pepys, Thomas Farriner the baker and Jane the maid. This was very exciting!!

After learning about the Great Fire of London, we have explored another similar event - the Great Chicago Fire. We learnt that the fire caused $200 million in damages! We also learnt that following the fire, some of the first skyscrapers were built.

Additionally, in art we designed and made our own clay buckets with a hole in the bottom. We used the pottery technique of coiling to make the buckets. Coiling involves the rolling out of clay into a long thin sausage-like form that was wound round like a spring. Towards the end of the term, in science we investigated which material was the most suitable for blocking the hole in the bottom of the clay bucket. The metal foil proved to be the most waterproof of the materials we tested.

Finally, the Year 2 team would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year!