Assessment and Review

Well we are nearly at the end of another term, with just a four day week next week. As there are lots of activities for the children in the final week, we have decided to use this week to assess how much the children have learned this term.
This week’s blog is a review of all of the objectives which have been covered this term, along with ideas of how you can support your child at home.

Literacy

The children will be doing a piece of independent writing, based on their work on Explanations. They will be using their marking ladders to see if they have included all the necessary key features. You can see these at home by scrolling down to last week’s blog.

We will be assessing the children on their readiness to move onto the next book band colour. Whilst many children are fantastic at now actually sounding out the words, or decoding, they would benefit from practice with comprehension. Why not get them to make up some questions for you to answer?! Encourage them to start each question with a question word...

WHO?
WHERE?
WHAT?
WHY?
WHEN?

HOW?

The children’s high frequency word lists will be updated during the next week. Just 5 minutes a day will really help your child to embed these words into their vocabulary. Why not choose between 5 and 8 words each week and display them all around the house. Get them to touch the words as they say them and then spell them. Encourage them to make up a silly rhyme to help remember the spelling...

B ig
E lephants
C an
A lways
U nderstand
S mall
E lephants

The sillier the better...I still have to remember ONE COLLAR and TWO SOCKS to be able to spell neCeSSary!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/index.shtml lots of different activities to help reinforce phonics activities in school

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/english/index.shtml another favourite which practices lots of skills, including spelling, grammar and punctuation

http://www.ictgames.com/lcwc.html enter the high frequency words you are working on and type them in to this site. Using the look, say, cover, write, check method, see how many they can get right.

http://www.ictgames.com/tellAtRex_v3.html choose level three or level four and then choose yes or no. This helps the children to read for understanding, and also improve the speed of their decoding of the words.

http://www.spinandspell.com/game.swf oh I loved this one!! Choose an area – I chose things we eat and click on a picture. It says the word for you and then you have to click on the letters in order on the wheel. Then when you have finished, click on submit. A fabulous way on developing spelling and helps the children will their alphabetical order skills!

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/phaseThreeAS1_v2.html the children will be using this in school this week to practice segmenting words to spell new ones. Click on the arrow on the rainbow to see all the sounds.

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/poopDeck_v3.html quite a simple site, but a fun way of practising blending 3 and 4 letter words. Keep the ‘good’ coins and throw away the ones that are wrong.

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/phonemeChecker.html this is a great site where all the sounds that the children have learned so far, are in one place. This would be a great place to start if you wanted to try some of the spelling investigations!

http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/airport_xray.html click on ‘new bag’ to get a new HFW. Then click on the speaker to hear the word being said. Select the tick for the correct word.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/phonics/sandcastle/flash/game.shtml choose the correct phoneme to complete the spelling of the word. A good site for Year 2’s particularly.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/wordsandpictures/longvow/spelling/spelling.shtml drag the correct phoneme to complete the word.

Numeracy

In numeracy, there are a number of key objectives which the children are expected to achieve by the end of the year. They are making rapid progress towards these at the moment and we shall be updating our records this week, by checking the following:

Year 1

· Count reliably at least 20 objects
· Read/write/order numbers from 0-20.
· Understand and use vocabulary of comparing/ordering these numbers
· Understand the operation of + and – and use related vocabulary
· Know by heart all pairs of numbers with a total of 10
· Use mental strategies and appropriate operations to solve simple problems
· Say the number that is 1/10 more/less than any given number to 30
· Compare/measure lengths using direct comparisons or suitable standard/non standard units.
· Use everyday language to describe features of familiar 3D shapes
· Count on/back in 1’s from any small number and in 10’s from and back to 0
· Begin to count in steps of 5 from 0-20 or more and back again
· Work out how to pay an exact sum using smaller coins
· Begin to count in steps of 3 from zero
· Understand and use vocabulary related to time
· Solve problems by sorting/classifying/organising information using a simple table

Year 2

· Count, read, write and order whole numbers to at least 100
· Describe and extend simple number sequences (eg odds/evens)
· Understand that subtraction is the inverse of addition
· Use knowledge that addition can be done in any order.
· Know and use halving as the inverse of doubling
· Estimate and compare and capacities using standard
· Read a simple scale to the nearest labelled division
· Use mathematical vocabulary to describe position, direction and movement
· Choose/use appropriate operation and efficient strategies to solve problems
· Begin to recognise 2 digit multiples of 2,5,10
· Count on in steps of 3 & 4 from/back to 0 and small number
· Begin to add 3 single digit numbers mentally
· Recognise coins and begin to work out which coins to pay. Begin to use £ p. notation for money
· Recognise right angles in squares and rectangles
· Use and begin to read vocab. of comparing/ordering numbers including ordinal numbers
· Begin to understand division as grouping or sharing. Use the + and - and = signs to record mental calculations
· Use known number facts and place value to carry out simple x & ÷
· Begin to recognise that 2 halves or 4 quarters make 1 whole
· Read the time to the ¼ hour on an analogue/digital clock
· Order the months of the year
· Use a simple pictogram to sort, classify and organise info
· Know by heart addition/subtraction facts to at least 10
· Understand the operation of addition/subtraction and related vocabulary

http://del.icio.us/mathslinks/Addition_Mental lots of links for supporting addition

http://del.icio.us/mathslinks/Subtraction_Mental lots of links for supporting subtraction

http://www.ictgames.com/newduckshoot10s.html counting in steps of ten

http://www.ictgames.com/fishy2s.html click on the fish that gives the next number in the sequence of 2’s.

http://www.ictgames.com/rabbit2.html read the words and click on the numbers that correspond to the questions

http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=ncmenu greater than or less than – remember the crocodile eats the biggest number!

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/maths/dinas_powys_sian_mansfield/venn_2.htm a great site which gives step by step instructions for how to use a Venn diagram

http://www.ictgames.com/funkymum20.html%20number%20bonds%20to%2020

http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf the old ones are the best!

http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/853/numberlinev2.swf the children will use this in school to help find out how much each of the divisions on a number line are worth. This will also help them when they come to read numbers on a scale.

http://www.ictgames.com/mostlyPostie.html drag the parcel onto the scales and then read the scale to see how heavy it is. Enter the amount on the till and click check. If you are correct, then the postvan will drive off.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/starship/maths/aliencookbook.shtml this is quite challenging, as it ask you to measure not only weight, but capacity as well, but the children will get experience of reading a variety of scales, not least to make an upside down cake!

http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=simplescales2 a simple way of introducing how to read scales, by weighing how much each toy weighs.

http://www.ictgames.com/weight.html

http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=fruitbalance3 this is good for developing the vocabulary of which is heavier or lighter. See if you can find out which is the heaviest fruit?

http://www.crickweb.co.uk/assets/resources/flash.php?&file=scales3 a very similar site, but this time, the children have to try and guess which is the heaviest alien! Very funny!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/numeracy/time/index.shtml read the time on the analogue and digital clocks

http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/willy/willy.html a game to play at home with 2 players. Play the game and when you land on a time, the player has to say the time out loud and set the clock to that time.

Although these links may seem like a lot of work, the children have accessed many of them already through their lessons in school this term.

Some advance notice...

You will have received a letter this week, informing you of our Easter celebrations. Just as a reminder –

EASTER BONNETS – the children will be having their annual Easter bonnet parade in the last week, so start getting creative now! Prizes will go the bonnets which display both creativity and evidence of the children’s own work.

EGG ROLLING – this too will take place in the last week, but please try to do this just one day in advance – 120 children – one hall – 120 hard-boiled eggs...mmm...need I say more!!

You will receive updated targets and ideas for you to work on over the holidays in the next two weeks, so please do keep an eye out in your child’s diary and bookbag.

Many thank for your continued support.
Year ½ team.