y2 Oystercatcher Class

Autumn - Parks, Play and Peace

Parks

Learning in y2 begins with a look at traditional parks and the park-keeper’s job. The children do visit local parks but can also consider National Parks and nature reserves around the world.  Comparing these open spaces, using mapskills, aerial images, video and literature, children learn more about the wider world and how we relate to different environments.

Play

Continuing with the theme of recreation and leisure we turn to children’s play and the ways toys and games have changed through time.  This might include a focus on stories and performances such as Peter Pan, Pinocchio or The Nutcraker.

Peace

Some of these stories are now associated with the celebrations of Christmastime and leads in to our own seasonal festivities.  Children also learn about the message of Christmas and consider other stories 
 
 
Spring - Forest
 
The Tin Forest

A story that begins in a scrapyard comes alive with a focus on materials and their properties including an understanding of recycling, before turning to the needs of living plants and animals.  As the story unravels through the term, the topic involves a significant amount of exploration of shape and colour through sculpture and painted art. 

The Riches of the Rainforest

An exploration of tropical forest introduces children to a basic understanding of the different climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts of the world.  They are introduced to the idea of natural food sources and how these support healthy diets.  In finding out about growing conditions and where food comes from, they may even have the opportunity to compare the hunter gatherers’ way of life with settled farming as they learn about our own local food supply systems. 
 
 
Summer - Ocean
 
y2’s studies of the ocean follow the themes of Under and Over, Near and Far, first through a topic that takes the class on a…
 

Journey to the Bottom of the Sea

This includes a study of ocean life alongside an exploration mythical and magical imagery of life beneath the waves – The Little Mermaid and ideas of Neptune’s Kingdom for example.  A local story focuses on Morgawr, the legendary sea-monster of Falmouth Bay and this might lead to studies of simple food chains as we look at the life of the sea and coast that can actually be discovered locally.

Voyage Across the Oceans

The second element of the summer’s Ocean topic secures children’s knowledge of the world map, particularly the globes seven continents and its five oceans.  The class then chooses a non-European country to compare their own lives and locality with that of children from overseas.