Spring - Foundation Subjects

Art and Design 

Craft: Map it out!

During this topic, children will explore and create maps through various art forms, including drawing, creating 3D art, printmaking, and designing stained glass. They will develop skills in designing and evaluating their own artwork and will have the opportunity to use a variety of art resources such as cellophane and polystyrene tiles. Children will draw an abstract map of their journey to school which will include different types of mark-making and key landmarks which has cross-curricular links to our Geography topic.

Key Vocabulary:

Mark making, texture, blending, tool, observation, outline, sketch, tone, illustrator, illustration 

Computing 

Unplugged Programming

During this topic, the children develop an understanding of what algorithms are and how to program them. They start by completing unplugged activities to make predictions and understand how algorithms are used. They have great fun writing their own algorithms for their buddies to follow while learning the importance of writing clear, detailed instructions. This topic is an important stepping stone for their next topic, where the children will apply these skills digitally. The children learn lots of new vocabulary in this topic such as, decompose, abstraction and debugging. 

Scratch Jr

Coding is such an important part of our Computing curriculum and through this topic, the children learn that coding is writing a special language so that the computer knows what to do. This topic allows the children to apply their knowledge from the previous topic. They use software called Scratch Jr to create animations. They start by explaining what an algorithm is before moving on to following an algorithm. By the end of the topic, the children will be able to create clear and precise algorithms to create story animations. 


Key Vocabulary:

Algorithm, abstraction, bug, debug, correct, decompose, error, loop, predict, unnecessary 

Animation, algorithm, blocks, bug, button, code, debug, instructions, loop, repeat, Scratch Junior, programming, sequence

Staying Safe Online

We are Internet Secure!

How do I keep my things safe online?


Through this topic, the children learn the importance of protecting their personal and private information. The learn why passwords are used and how to create a strong, secure password.  By the end of this topic the children will be able to explain how to keep their information private online.

We are Internet Kind!

Do you have permission? 


This important pillar of online safety teaches the children to treat others kindly online. The children are reminded to treat people online in the same way they would offline. 

Through this topic they learn to always ask someone's permission before you share content of others online. They are also taught to stop and think - is what I'm about to say or share online kind?

Design & Technology

Sewing: pouches

During this topic, children will design, make and evaluate their own Easter pouches. Children will consider existing pouches and think about who will use their pouch as part of their design process. Children will be given the opportunity to sew a running stitch to join two pieces of fabric together which they will prepare and cut from their own pouch template. Once the pouches are complete, children will be able to decorate their pouches using a wide range of materials. 

Sewing skills

Some of the skills required for sewing can be quite challenging for the children. While we will be teaching them all the necessary skills needed to create their pouch, we welcome any extra practise at home! Even becoming familiar with threading a needle or tying a know can be a great help.

Key Vocabulary:

Decorate, fabric, knot, needle, running stitch, sew, template, stencil, thread, design, evaluate

Geography 

Mapping

Our Geography topic during the first half term is all about mapping.  The children will have the opportunity to draw their own sketch maps of our school, including a key. They will also explore maps of the world and use atlases and globes to find destinations around the world. Through our mapping topic, the children will also be taught compass points and practise giving directions to places of interest in our local area. There are also great cross-curricular links to our Art topic, where the children create abstract map artwork. 

*Where possible, please make the children aware of maps in their everyday lives. They might have access to paper maps or an atlas or perhaps digital maps, such as Google Maps or a GPS in the car.

Key Vocabulary:

Sketch map, key, compass, map symbol, route, climate, atlas, continent, ocean, physical, human, feature

History 



The Moon Landing

This is such an exciting topic and the children enjoy learning about the historic event from 1969. This has always been such a popular topic in Y2 and the children are fascinated by Neil Armstrong and his team who first stepped foot on the moon. Throughout this topic, the children learn to think like historians, looking at many historical sources and forming their own opinions and judgments about this significant event in history. They look into why they went to the moon and what made them want to go there, what they did when they landed on the moon and how they are commemorated and remembered today. During this topic, we also host a 'Space Day' where we celebrate this topic through a dress-up theme day. 

More information about this topic. 

Key Vocabulary:

astronaut, spaceship, rocket, lunar, module, voyage, mission, Eagle, Columbia, Apollo 11, moon, launch, orbit

Music 

*Information coming soon*

Physical Education 

Athletics

In the first half of the Spring term, the children take part in athletics and gymnastics lessons. They develop many different skills and build on prior learning from the autumn term.  The children will explore running, jumping and throwing activities, and take part in simple challenges and competitions. They will experiment with different ways of travelling, throwing and jumping, increasing their awareness of speed and distance. 

Gymnastics

During their gymnastics lessons,  the children will  focus on increasing their range of basic gymnastic skills. They will create simple sequences of actions on the floor, eg. a roll, jump and a shape. They will then incorporate basic skills into rhythmic gymnastics towards the end of this topic where they will perform a routine. 

Games

In the second half of the Spring term, the children take part in games and dance lessons.  During their games topic, the children will improve and apply their basic skills in games. They will play games that demand simple choices and decisions on how to use space to avoid opponents, keep the ball and score points.

Dance

During their dance lessons,  the children learn to explore, remember, repeat and link a range of actions with coordination and control. They compose and perform dance phrases and short dances that express and communicate moods, ideas and feelings. They work individually, in pairs, small groups and as a whole class. Through their dance lessons, they will develop an awareness of different dances through a choice of themes.

Science 

Plants (light & dark)

During this topic, children explore a variety of plants in their local environment looking closely at evergreen trees that keep their leaves all year round and deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the colder months. Children are given the opportunity to learn about a variety of plants, some of which grow fruit, vegetables and herbs and to look at part plants in detail. Towards the end of the topic, children will investigate what conditions are needed for a plant to grow. They will sow their own plant and watch hopefully, watch them thrive over the course of the Spring term. 

Living things and their habitats

During this topic, children will explore habitats in their local area looking at what particular animal or plant lives there and that within our local area, there are a variety of different habitats. Children will learn about habitats all over the world including polar habitats, desert habitats, ocean habitats and woodland habitats. Children will be given the opportunity to observe microhabitats in our local area and to discuss similarities and differences between the microhabitats. Children will finish the topic by looking at diet, life cycles and food chains. 

Key Vocabulary:

Mark making, texture, blending, tool, observation, outline, sketch, tone, illustrator, illustration 

Key Vocabulary:

Mark making, texture, blending, tool, observation, outline, sketch, tone, illustrator, illustration 

PSHE & RSE

Emotions

This Bounceback topic is so important and links well to the Zones of Regulation. The children explore a range of vocabulary and learn to give names to their emotions. They will understand that there are so many different emotions and that we can experience pleasant and unpleasant emotions in our day-to-day lives. The children will then explore this further by learning how to deal with unpleasant emotions. For example, they learn that hands are not for hitting, feet are not for kicking and words are not for hurting. It is so important that they learn tools to help regulate their emotions. 

Humour

In this Bounceback topic the children learn that humour can often make us feel better. They explore different types of humour and what makes them laugh. It is important throughout this topic the children learn to use humour to help others and not to hurt. 

It's a fun topic that spreads lots of laughter and joy! 

Zones of Regulation 

Through our Emotions PSHE topic, we also revisit the Zones of Regulation.  As a school, we aim to: