Plant news
Having planted all sorts of seeds last week, let’s see how they’re getting on. We’ve had them sat on a sunny window sill and they’ve been watered everyday.
The sunflowers have started growing very quickly but we’ve also got tomatoes shooting through the soil and some marigolds and courguette poking through too. They’ll be planted outside next week so you’ll be able to come and have a look.
Making it through the maze.
We’re trying to make our way through mazes in maths by using lots of directional language.
- forward
- backward
- left
- right
- quarter turn
- half turn
- three-quarter turn
- clockwise
- anti-clockwise
Return of Leeds Sky Ride
Join the cycling revolution in Leeds as Sky Ride returns for its third year bringing thousands of cyclists and spectators to a traffic free city centre.
The free family friendly mass-participation bike ride takes place on Sunday 14 June 10am – 3pm. Registration is now open at and people are being encouraged to sign up fast as places are filling up.
Previous years have proved to be very successful attracting more than 8,500 people of all ages and abilities, with many more lining the streets to cheer along friends, relatives and loved ones.
For those not jumping on a bike there is plenty to get involved with thanks to the return of the “Tricks and Tunes” area featuring top DJs as well as pro BMX and mountain bikers performing jaw-dropping stunts not for the faint-hearted.
Riders can look forward to starting from the same point, on The Headrow, as cycling legends during last summer’s “Grandest of Grand Départs”. They will also pass iconic city landmarks from Leeds University to the town hall and First Direct Arena.
Riders can challenge family and friends in the Sprint Zone, experience the sensory tunnel and find out more about cycling opportunities in Leeds. Bike experts at Halfords are offering a free bike safety check to everyone who registers and will be on hand to help out with any last minute problems. Join the cycling revolution in Leeds as Sky Ride returns for its third year bringing thousands of cyclists and spectators to a traffic free city centre.
The event is one of 15 to be held nationally and is part of a continuing partnership between Leeds City Council, British Cycling, Sky and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority which aims to encourage more people to get cycling.
Getting green-fingered
We kicked off our Green Fingers topic this week by planting some seeds. It was really interesting to see how the seeds were different shapes and sizes and it helped us to understand where they came from. Grace liked how different the Marigold seeds were (long and thin) and Farai really wanted to try eating a sunflower seed.
Hopefully, we’re green fingered enough to keep our seeds warm, watered and with plenty of sunlight to help them grow.
What’s going on this week?
Welcome back to our final term of Year 2!
This week sees the beginning of our new topic, Green Fingers. We’ll be exploring the world of plants, hoping to understand what plants need to grow and be able to name common flowers and trees. While you’re walking around, notice the plants you pass and discuss how they are different or similar to each other. We’ll be getting our hands dirty by planting lots of different seeds for us to look after until the end of the year.
Maths
As usual for the beginning of a half term, we revisit basic understanding of number. Are numbers odd or even? How many tens and how many units? Can we count confidently in 2s, 5s, and 10s? Practise at home by counting as you walk up the stairs and using tables to solve related division facts (if 4 x 5 = 20 then 20 / 5 = 4).
English
We’re getting bossy as we explore instructions in English. Can we follow instructions to create our own cress heads? Do we know the main features of instructions (title, what you will need, numbers, sequence of inst, diagram/picture)? Can we use these features to write own clear instructions? At home, see where we use instructions in everyday life. Do you have any recipes or Lego model guides lying around that you could discuss together?
SEAL Changes and manners
As we enter our final half term, the next SEAL theme looks at Changes, starting from next week.
This week, we begin with a focus on manners and I cover my mouth (when I cough, sneeze or yawn) is our weekly statement.
The ‘Vampire method’ can help to prevent germs spreading. By coughing or sneezing into our elbow, germs are not spread into the air or on our hands which may contaminate other things.
Here is how it’s done.
Don’t forget to ‘use your sleeve to cough and sneeze’.
Walk Leeds walking festival
Following our Walk to School week, Walk Leeds is a week-long walking festival from the 31 May to 07 June.
The Walks Diary lists all the walks taking place.
696 journeys on foot
As we come to the end of Walk to School Week, there have been 696 journeys to school on foot and the class competition was very close.
- Reception 118
- Year 1 107
- Year 2 80
- Year 3 111
- Year 4 107
- Year 5 100
- Year 6 73
So, winning by just seven journeys, Reception will receive the martial arts session with John from White Rose Martial Arts, who runs one of our after-school clubs, after the half term break.
Here are some comments made by children about their journeys to school on foot:
- ‘The walk made me feel happy and energetic.’
- ‘We enjoyed meeting friends on the way and looking at different types of houses.’
- ‘We felt safe because there were safe places to cross and a lolly pop lady too.’
- ‘I felt fresh, awake and ready to learn.’
- ‘We enjoyed talking about the day ahead.’
- ‘There was no cost involved and we picked up litter on the way.’
- ‘We made a difference by leaving the car at home.’
- ‘We had fun by learning spellings and times tables.’
- ‘It was quicker and we didn’t get stuck in any traffic.’
- ‘We had great talking time, time to plan the day and after-school activities.’
We’re sure you’ll agree these are all great benefits of walking to school. Have a look at our walk to school video for some more facts to persuade you to use a sustainable method of travelling to school, in turn reducing congestion at the school gates.
Well done to our Where’s Wally? competition winners, too.
Let’s hope these numbers increase over the summer months along with journeys by bike and scooter.
Sign language
We used no words this morning, turning instead to our hands for communication. As part of Community Week, we’ve thought about how communities are diverse in terms of different genders, race, age, religion and disabilities. Year 2 really tried to empathise with those who might be deaf or dumb, imagining the difficulties they might face and how these might be overcome. To help us understand, we tried out British Sign Language and, actually, we were pretty good!
Here are some of the things we learnt…
and we learnt some letters too..
Test us at home and see what can remember.
Walk to School Week
Walk to School Week will run alongside our themed week where children are encouraged to take a walk in the community on their way to school, maybe even picking up a piece of litter on the way.
Two walk to school competitions will run over the week – firstly, the return of our Where’s Wally challenge (using our walk to school website video) and also a reward for the class who make the most journeys to school on foot during the week.
Each day your child walks to school they should put a counter in their class’ totaliser jar. Even by parking further away from school your child could then to do the final part of their journey by foot. By Friday, the class with the most journeys to school on foot will win a martial arts session with John Weatherall, White Rose martial arts.
We hope you will support this initiative in helping children make a healthy start to their day and also helping towards reducing congestion at our gates.
