Yum Yum in our Tums

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who contributed treats for our sharing lunch...it was delicious!

 

You'll never guess what!

Today it snowed...in Dubai...in the classroom!

 

Holiday Homework

Winter Holiday Homework

Next term we will start our new topic ‘Media Magic’.  We are very excited about this topic and looking forward to some fun events, trips and more!  For homework please choose one of the following tasks.  We will share your work with the class in January and display it in class or in the corridors.

1. Inventor Profile: Choose someone who invented a media related item e.g the television or radio.  Make a profile about them including their picture, name, country of birth and any interesting information about them.

2. Film Review: Include a brief description of the film including characters and setting.  Then say if you liked it and why?  Would you recommend it to others?  Give it a star rating.  You could include a picture or drawing from the film.

 

3. Newspaper report: This could be about an important even in your life or in the world that interested you.  It could be from your home country or you could use your imagination and create your own news story.

4. Favourite Scene: Draw a picture of your favourite part or your favourite film.  Pretend you have stopped the film at that exact part.  You could also add a little description of what is happening and of course include the title of your film.

 

5. Action sign: Make an action sign and put the name of your favourite film on it or make up the name of your own film.

Any questions please see Miss Widdison! :)

Alliteration

Today we used alliteration to create some silly phrases. Some examples are:

Sarah - 'Santa sings silly songs'

Mayil - 'Santa is silly'

Rakhman - 'Batman is beautifully black'

Damilola - 'Batman will blow-up a building'

Max - 'Santa is spooky'

Naomi - 'Perfect Peter prefers prickly pepperoni pizza'

Louisa - 'Bottle bouncing away'

Noura - 'Santa has smelly socks'

Ariel - 'A silver, shining and sparkling sleigh'

Edward - 'Evil Eric eats Edward'

Photobucket

Now you can access all of the wonderful photos of your children learning and having fun. As they are uploaded directly to Photo Bucket it means that they will be good quality and you can edit, download and print ready to display all over the house or give as presents to family.

Enjoy!

http://s1289.beta.photobucket.com/user/2Bfantasticphotos/library/

 

Competitions!

Competition 1

Gems have launched this year's competition to find budding photographers. See posters around the school for more information




Competition 2

As you aware the school production is fast approaching.  This week an optional homework task is to draw a picture with title that can go onto the programme for the show ‘Snow White’.  The design may be of Snow White or something else in the production. It can be in the style of an artist or just the child's own representation. Year 2 teachers will judge the drawings and the winning drawing will appear on the programme for the show.  Please submit drawings to your child’s class teacher by Thursday.

 

 

A way to divide

2B have been looking at division this week and I have been so impressed at how quickly the whole class understood how to work it out. Well done 2B - I am one very proud teacher.

Here Cassie shows you how she chooses to work out a division sum. In Maths there are often lots of different strategies that can be used, it's good to learn about all of them and then choose the one that suits you best.

 Part 1

 Part 2


Next week we will be looking at charts and graphs and learning how to present and interpret data.

More celebrations!

Here's a link to show how the whole school celebrated the UAE's 41st National Day...

click here

Celebrating the 41st National Day...

We've had so much fun celebrating national day. We created henna designs on paper, tried Arabic cooking, colouring Arabic tiles, watched traditional Arabic dancing and an amazing band.

 

 

 

Wash care instructions for UAE T-Shirts:

-

          Wash separately – Do not mix with other colours

- Cold water wash on a gentle cycle

- Do not wring – Do not use in dryer - Drip dry ( on hanger)

- Do not iron over print

- Do not Bleach

Estimate, Measure, Find the Difference

This week we have been estimating and measuring length in cm and mm using a ruler. Today, the children were in charge of their own learning. They chose what they wanted to investigate and presented the information to the rest of the class.

I estimated that a workbook was 23cm but the actual measurement was 25cm. What is the difference?

 Here Daniel and Yassin share some of their findings.

Adapting The Tin Forest

2B thought about retelling a story and adapting it slightly. Here is an adaptation in an unusual accent, it made us fall about laughing!

 

Homework 20th November

Competition

For homework this week please design a T-Shirt for the GWPS Concert for Kibera, to be held in December. If you win, your design will be made into the T-shirts for the concert! If you want to find out a little more about Kibera click here The template can be found on the GLG.

The rules: you must include the following words in your design: “Concert For Kibera GWPS 2012”. The design is up to you, but keep it simple and striking. Remember that the Kenyan colours are red, green and black!

Globe Trotters

Please continue to follow the Explorer’s Learning Ladder (shown below). We look forward to sharing your child’s learning experience in class. Please remember you can decide with your child how they would like to present their homework. It can be done in homework books or in a different format, such as, poster, presentation, PowerPoint, journal, photo book etc.

This homework is due in on Sunday 25th November.

 

Show me, Tell me

2B will be doing a very special Show and Tell on Thursday 29th November. The Show and Tell will be linked to our topic on Explorers. Show and Tell is optional. Some examples of items that might be brought in are: bones, fossils, a compass, a new fact, a map, pictures of explorers etc.

The Show and Tell will develop presentational skills and note taking.

 

Homework

Dear Parent/Carer,

The children worked extremely hard last week and impressed everyone who watched them learn. Therefore, I don't expect any homework to be done this week. There is always homework on the GLG if you wish for your child to do some.

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend,

Miss Widdison

The results are in...

So, the results of our science experiment are finally in. After a long process of planning, design and creating the boat and predicting the results we were ready to test them...

 

 

 

After, we observed and tested each boat we recorded our findings. We then wrote our conclusion on some special paper that Sir Walter Raleigh sent us! We found out that 17 boats floated and 2 sank. The boats that floated were ligher than the boats that sank. Interestingly, the two boats that sank were also the largest boats.

Great work 2B!!!

Which boat...?

Which boats will float...what's your prediction?

We'll find out the answer tomorrow!
 

2B are famous!

Well done 2B...you have had over 2000 visits to your blog. All of the ideas, hard work and dedication are paying off! Now lets see how long it takes us to reach 3000!

From, Miss Widdison :)

Sir Walter Raleigh

Dear 2B,

Let me introduce myself, my name is Sir Walter Raleigh. I have spent my days exploring America. You can find out a little more about me by clicking here. Anyway, the reason I'm writing to you is, I need some help! I am meant to be heading off on another trip on Thursday 15th and I have so much to do before then and can't do it on my own.

Some of the tasks I need your help with next week are:

• Working out journey times.
• Creating a map so I don't lose my way.
• Finding me a boat that floats.

I really hope you can help!

Yours gratefully,

Sir Walter Raleigh

p.s. Please tell your teacher I have left a post on your blog and if she wouldn't mind, ask her to let you leave comments on the post during your ICT lesson. I very much look forward to hearing from you.
 

The Tin Forest

In Literacy at the moment we are looking at books by the same author.  We are concentrating on the author, Helen Ward. The Tin Forest is a beautiful story about hope. We will use this book and others by Helen Ward to learn about adjectives (beautiful, curly, creepy, twisted, sharp, murky etc.) and comparative connectives (but, however, also, as well etc.) Please watch this adaptation of the wonderful story and learn some of the language.

Watch Video

 

Excellent Explorers!

Thank you so much to everyone who spent so much time and effort on their holiday homework. We have a wonderful display because of your dedication and creativity.

 

Homework (first week back)

Welcome back! I hope you've all had a wonderful half-term. It's great to be back with 2B, the children have worked extremely hard today.

This week we have a very important piece of homework because it will be used in class as part of a science experiment. The task is to create a boat that an explorer could use to sail the seas. As always, you can be as create as you like, any materials can be used. Please allow your child to create the boat with little support so that it really is their own invention!

The boats must be brought into school by Sunday 11th November, however they can be brought in earlier. Please do ensure that the boat has your child's name on.

Next week we will test the boats to see whether they can:

1. Hold a lego man explorer called Vasco da Gama.
2. Stay floating on the water for at least 1 minute.

The experiement will also include predicting, observing and evaluating.

I'm already extremely excited to see the boats... If you can e-mail or bring in any photos of the boat being built, that would be fantastic!

Thank you.

Some ideas:

 

Holiday Homework (not in homework books)

Eid Holiday Homework

When we return from our holiday Year 2 will be starting an exciting new topic entitled ‘Globe Trotters’.  Having spent a number of weeks learning about many things relating to Dubai and the UAE, we will now set off to explore the globe!

To get you thinking over the holiday and to help make our classrooms and corridors look amazing, we would like you to choose one of the following tasks for your holiday homework activity.

1. Famous Explorer Profile

Choose a famous explorer (perhaps someone from your home country) and create a poster with pictures and information about them.  Include some of the countries they visited, how they travelled, what they discovered etc.

2. Country Profile

Start your journey by choosing a country to research (this could be your home country or a country you love or would like to visit).  Create a poster with the countries name and flag.  You could also include a map to show where the country is in the world, the language spoken, information about the people and any other interesting information.

3. Globe Trotters Journey Map

Imagine you are about to set off on a journey around the world.  Which countries would you stop at?  Make a map to show your route and add some pictures and/or descriptions about what you would see there.

4. Explorers Bag

Put your thinking hat on and make a list of all the things an explorer might need on their travels.  Now get creative and show these items in some kind of model, display or poster.  (Please do not send in an actual bag with items).

We look forward to seeing all of your wonderful work and wish you and your family a very happy Eid Al Adha!

Little Authors...

After reading Nana and Grandad's Dubai Adventure, we decided to create our own books. We created front covers, blurbs, reviews, publisher logos and much more!

Edward says: "We want to publish them and send them all over the world..."

Science Experiment

Ever wondered how a cactus can survive in the desert?

Cactuses may not get much moisture where they live, but they manage to make the most of what they do get.

We ran an experiment to test three different pieces of paper. Watch this video to learn more about what we did and our predictions.

Tomorrow we will find out which paper is most like a cactus and why!

 

 

Today we found out that...

 

 

Homework 16th October 2012

Literacy

This week the children were so enthralled with Cassie's homework that they have decided they'd like to do their homework on the Loch Ness Monster, 'Nessie'.

Please write about the Loch Ness Monster, be as creative as you like...it's up to you how you choose to present your homework. You may choose a non-fiction style and write facts about 'Nessie' or you may choose to write a story. Some of the things you should think about when writing are:

• Capital letters and full stops.
• Making your writing interesting for the reader by choosing great words.
• Separating your writing into paragraphs (something we are concentrating on at the moment in class)
• Using a variety of connectives, to join two parts of a sentence together (and, so, because...)
• Make sure you've created your sentence first so when you start writing it all makes sense!

Numeracy

The purpose of this homework is to provide the children with the opportunity to practice skills that they have been learning in class in previous weeks.  Click on the links below for fun interactive games that will help your child to consolidate their learning.

Hit the Button! – Doubling/Halving and Number Bonds

You can make this game harder as you get better!

www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf

2D and 3D Shape

You can play easy, medium or hard.

www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/maths/shapes/play/

www.primaryresources.co.uk/online/longshape3d.html

 

The relationship between addition and subtraction.

http://resources.oswego.org/games/SumSense/sumadd.html

Thank you and enjoy!

Breast Cancer Awareness!

2B wore pink today to raise awareness of breast cancer. This is a very serious illness and today is a special day where we think and send our love to anyone who is effected it.

Keep up the good work, raising awareness!


 

Bopping them on the Head!

Are you having trouble sleeping? Need a bed time story? If so we have recorded a version of Little Rabbit Foo Foo. Watch it and you'll soon drop off into a deep sleep...

We really enjoy this story and hope you like it too!

Here's another version. Is that what you imagined a gooney to look like?

 

Amazing Homework!

I was blown away this morning by the standard of some of the homework handed in.

Here is a video clip of Noura presenting her pop-up book...

and Cassie presenting her wonderful tales of Scotland...

Some more fabulous homework...

 

3D Map of Dubai

Today we finished our 3D maps. We placed well-known buildings of Dubai on the map using given coordinates.

Evil 'e'

This week we are starting to learn about split diagraphs. Today we concentrated on a_e. The evil 'e' doesn't make a sound and changes the vowel sound into the letter name. For example, 'bake' is pronounced 'baik' rather than 'bakee.' Some examples can be found on Mayil's whiteboard above...can you think of anymore?

a_e   (make)
e_e   (even)
i_e    (bike)
o_e   (bone)
u_e   (cube)

Homework 9th October 2012

Literacy

In class we have been reading Nana and Grandad's Dubai Adventure, you can read this book online, click here. We used the structure and style to write our own story, for example, Cassie and Noura's Dubai Adventure. Please do the same for homework but change the country to somewhere else you have visited, for example, Yassin and Fuad's Turkey Adventure. You may write this story in your homework book or create a mini-book using paper.


Numeracy

Please draw objects that have a line of symmetry. Then use a ruler and pencil and lightly draw the line of symmetry. If you'd prefer you can take photographs of real life objects and then draw on the line of symmetry. Be as creative as you can!

Here are some examples:

If you ever have an queries regarding the homework, please do e-mail me at h.widdison_wps@gemsedu.com or speak to me directly, I will always make time.

New Reading Record Book

We are sending home a new Reading Record book. When your child has read a book please write the date, book title, page numbers (if they have only read a section of the book) and a comment in the Reading Record. This will help us to know when a child has read a book so we can change it.

The comments may vary, useful comments might include: book was too easy/hard, child struggled to understand the book, child enjoyed this book because he is interested in dinosaurs, child struggled with words x, y and z in the book, comments on fluency or expression etc. If you would like any help, please do not hesitate to see me.

There are also templates for your child to write a book review on some books in the back of the Reading Record. This can be done once a month on a book of their choice.

There are many different aspects to reading, not just being able to read the words, please see the table below for further information:

Click to enlarge

Weekend Recount

Every Sunday we write a recount of our weekend. Our work has improved so much over the last few weeks. We have been concentrating on using full stops and capital letters, past tense, separating writing into paragraphs, adding detail to interest the reader, connectives and time connectives and many more!

Before we start writing we always have a chance to talk about our weekend. Here's Ariel's recount...

After talking about our weekends, we write the recount. Haidar has done really well this week because he put a lot of effort in, concentrated on his targets and even included the word 'meanwhile' - well done.



Problems Posting Comments!

Dear Parents/Carers,

Thank you so much for visiting our blog. Some of you have given me feedback that the blog isn't allowing you to leave posts, I really appreciate your patience with this issue. I have checked the settings on the blog and there doesn't seem to be any problems there. After researching the matter, I have discovered that this problem is fairly common across a variety of blogs. Some suggestions I found on help pages are:

• Check Internet settings on your computer
• Try a different computer
• Rather than 'anonymous,' sign in using an existing e-mail address or set an account up
• If you are asked to retype a word for security purposes, ensure that Num Lock
  

  is off on the keyboard 
• If blogger.com asks you to type in a word for security reasons, type what you see in the picture and the word. For example, I was given a picture of the number 26 and the word ullifer, so I typed in 26ullifer.

 I will endeavor to sort this problem out as quickly as possible and have e-mailed blogger.com for technical support.

Thank you for your continued support,

Miss Widdison 

SEWA Day 2012

SEWA Day this year is Sunday 7th October. In Year 2 we are thinking about the importance of recycling. We are aiming to create an image made out of bottle tops and clothes hanger mobiles.

Please collect and bring in bottle tops, a clothes hanger and any recycled materials that could be used to decorate the hanger.

To find out more about SEWA click here

WANTED!

3D criminals are on the loose! Today we created 'Wanted' posters to help find these naughty shapes. Keishi designed a super poster to help find Strange Cube. Please be vigilant if you see him on the street and phone the shape police immediately on 3-6-8-12. As the description says, he has 6 ugly faces, 8 sharp corners and 12 edges, which you MUST NOT touch!

Well done Keishi - I hope he's caught!

3D Shape up!

Today we created 3D shapes from nets. Tomorrow we are starting to think about the properties of 3D shapes.

A cube has 6 faces, 8 corners and 12 edges. So does a cuboid. What makes them different?

Where in the world?

Here are some statistics for 2B's blog. It shows which countries our audience is viewing our blog from. Lets see how many countries we can get looking at our blog...7 so far!

Mmmmm!

Well we did it, we made chocolate cornflake cakes. Miss Widdison decided to add some water to the first batch and the chocolate became lumpy. Miss Widdison now knows that she must always follow the instructions carefully! Look at our photos to see how the second batch turned out...

 

Thank you so much...

Thank you so much to those of you who have left comments on our blog. We are always so excited to read new comments.

Ideas for comments you could leave on the blog:

·         Answer a question that has been posted.

·         Complete a task and then tell us about it via a comment.

·         Ask the class a question.

·         Ask Miss Widdison a question.

·         Write something that you have found out.

·         Suggest something that you’d like to do in class.

·         Suggest changes/additions that you’d like to make to the blog.

Solve that Problem!

Today Miss Widdison gave us a problem to solve.

The Challenge...
We had 6 squares and we had to arrange them into as many different positions as possible.

The Rules!
1. You are only allowed to use a position one time.

2. All squares must be touching another square.

3. A square must touch another edge NOT a corner.

Sarah shows her excellent problem solving skills

Before recording the work, Max and Noura tried the practical side

Naomi carefully considers the order of the tiles

How many different ways will Cassie and Daniel find?



Edward thinks carefully about his decisions!



Mayil arranged the tiles in 17 different ways - well done!



Little Cook!

2B are extremely lucky because tomorrow...*drum roll*...we will be making Chocolate Cornflake Cakes. The mission was to write a clear set of instructions in order to make the cake, 2B did so well that they are allowed to follow their own instructions with the help of an adult. Here are our instructions:

1. First set out the ingredients and equipment.
2. Next put the butter into the bowl.
3. Then break the chocolate into small pieces.
4. Next put the pieces into the bowl with the butter.
5. Then place the bowl into the microwave for 30 seconds.
6. Next mix the chocolate and butter together with a wooden spoon.
7. After pour the mixture into the bowl of cornflakes.

8. Then stir the mixture.

9. Next fill the cases with the mixture.

10. Finally put the cases into fridge.

Rahman working hard with our wonderful TA, Miss Kathy

Time Connectives

Bossy Verbs

Sarim's great set of instructions

 Watch this space to see whether we managed to follow our instructions carefully...