Cranes are opportunistic birds that change their diet according to the season. Cranes class demonstrate this when they adapt their learning skills to different topics. Cranes are kind and helpful to others and bring teamwork into all aspects of our school day. However, they can be solitary at times, using independence and resilience when faced with certain challenges.

WELCOME TO Y2 Cranes Class

The class teacher for this year is Miss Mariana Clohessy and the LSA who works in this class is Tara Jones and Karmen Patemen. 

PE days:

Our PE days in Cranes are Wednesday and Thursday, please make sure children's PE kit are available at all times. We will ensure they are sent home at the end of every half term.  

Home Learning:

Handed out on a Friday and in on a Wednesday. This will give you the opportunity to explore your child's learning if you wish.

Team Leader:

Year 1 and 2 Teaching and Learning Lead: Alison Dowdeswell

Key Stage 1 Lead - Sarah Jarrett

If there are any issues or concerns, please feel free to come in and see the teacher (Miss Mariana Clohessy) or contact mclohessy@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk .  Alternatively please contact a team leader:

adowdeswell@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk

sjarrett@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk

Upcoming Events

Thursday 28th June 2018 - Year 2 Learning Celebration time TBC

Wednesday 6th June 2018 - Sports Day

Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th July - Summer Parents Evening

Wednesday 25th July - Last Day of School

Academic Year 2017-2018

Bird Feeder - Tuesday 10th July 2018

Today in Cranes we have been learning about different religions. We have looked at Buddhist and how they respect every living thing. We decided to make a bird feeder for our local birds. We will take these home to feed the birds in our local area. Have a look at how we designed them below. 

Transition Day - Thursday 5th July 2018
Today we spent the day in our new classes for September. We created our own Maths game and wrote a letter to the new teachers about what we are looking forward to for next year. Have a look at our exciting day below!

Science Exhibit! Thursday 28th June 2018

Thank you to all the parents who came to Year 2s Science Exhibit based on 'floating and sinking'. We were delighted to be able to share with you what we have been learning in our Science sessions. Have a look below at our amazing afternoon.

Monday 25th June - Acrostic poems!

Today we have been investigating the features of an acrostic poem and using these features to write our own poems about our friends and Sports Day! We had great fun thinking about the different ways we can use adjectives to describe each other and our fun Sports Day!

Here is one of our poems:

Sports Day makes you strong

Persevere 

Others cheer

Run around

Trying new things

So fun

Day is so fabulous

A picnic for lunch

Yay for ice cream

Wednesday 13th June 2018 - Science Experiment 

Today in Cranes, we have been looking at materials that can float and those that sink! We have discovered a new planet exists in our Solar System that is made up entirely of water! We want to design a boat so we can visit this planet. Check out our experiment to see which materials would be good for our boat.

Friday 8th June - Space Odyssey comes to White Rock
 

We were very lucky today to be visited by a mobile planetarium! We went inside the dome where we explored through space and learned about the first person to go into space! It was amazing to see the stars and learn all about the constellations. Have a look at us going into the dome below! 

Wednesday 6th June 2018 - Sports Day

We have had a fantastic days today competing in our house teams! We have been practicing hard with Mr. Leaman and were excited to show off to our what we've been up to! We competed in sprints, javelin, hurdles and long jump as well as cheering our teams on during the Year 6 relay. We would like to say a big Thank You to South Devon College for their help in setting this up and all the parents for coming to watch us. Have a look below at our amazing day!

National Outdoor Learning Day! Thursday 17th May 2018

Today is national 'Outdoor Learning Day' so Year 2 decided to go outside and do our learning! We decided to use our Science knowledge to make some bug hotels. Check out our amazing designs! 

The Water Cycle - Wb - Monday 14th May 2018

This week Cranes have been learning all about The Water Cycle. We have learnt new words such as evaporation, precipitation and condensation! We then wrote a report of this. Have a look at our amazing writing below. 

Fraction of a number - Wednesday 9th May 2018

Today in Cranes we looked at finding different fractions of a number. We started by discussing how many equal parts we needed and used the language 'denominator' and 'numerator'. We then used cubes to find these fractions. At the end we divided our 16 sweets into quarts and ate two-quarters of them (we learned that this is the same as a half!) Have a look below at our amazing Maths. 

A Robin's Nest - Tuesday 24th April 2018

Today Zak from Cranes brought in some eggs from his Grandad's garden! They were robins eggs that had been abandoned in the garden. We spent time looking at the eggs and the amazing nest design then researched different birds and what they need to survive!

Making Healthy Wraps - Monday 17th April 2019

This term Cranes will be learning all about healthy eating and the different food groups. We've got off to a great start! We decided to make healthy wraps based on what we have learnt about the food groups. We knew the wrap would be a great form of carbohydrates to give us lots of energy and the ham would be a great source of protein. Have a look below at our amazing first day back!

Finding fractions of a cake - Friday 16th March 2018

Today we looked at finding a half and a quarter of a shape. We split our cake into two equal slices then cut them into quarters. We found out that 1/2 is the same as 2/4! Have a look below at our yummy Maths. 

Wb - Monday 12th March 2018 - Year 2 Greek Mythology

This term Year 2 are learning about Greek Mythology. So far we have learnt all about Zeus, Hades and Athena. Soon we will be learning some different Greek legends including the tale of Medusa. Have a look below at what we already know about the different Greek God and Goddess.

A visit from the percussionist The Junkman - Wednesday 21st February 2018

Today we were able to listen to a musician with a difference... he played great rhythms on pieces of junk! We were lucky enough to take part in a workshop with him and play along with some of his own unique instruments.

The photos and videos below show you what we learnt today!

Year 2 visit The Eden Project! Tuesday 20th February

This week all of Year 2 have been to visit The Eden Project! Prior to this we have been learning all about Brazil and The Amazon rain forest, meaning we had a good head start when visiting! We got to explore the domes and completed a quiz to find the names of all the different plants. We then had a guided tour around 'The Rain Forest' dome and had to focus on our senses when walking around. We found that it was really hot! We also learnt about coco plants and banana tress. Have a look below at all out of amazing learning at The Eden Project!

Writing for a purpose - Week beginning 29th January 2018

This week we have been down to Year 1 and found out what sort if stories they like. Each children in Cranes partnered up with a Year 1 and wrote them a story based on their interests. We spent all week structuring and designing these stories. We then shared these with Year 1. Have a look below at us reading our personalised stories to the Year 1s and some of our amazing ideas.

Simon the Snail - Friday 19th January 2018

We've decided to call White Rock 'White Rock Zoo'! We had another visitor today in the form of Simon the Snail! We learnt lots about African Snails and had the opportunity to draw his amazing shell. Have a look at the size of Simon below!

Riverford Farm Visit - Wednesday 17th January 2018

Today we had Riverford Farm in to discuss healthy food with us. We discussed how we can eat a variety of food in moderation and how it is unhealthy to only eat one type of food. We were then set a challenge to create a rainbow with all of the different fruit and veg. Then we dug in! Have a look below at our rainbows. 

The Hare the real Tortoise! Wednesday 14th January 2018

Today Year 2 had a visitor! We had a real life tortoise in Cranes! We used this as inspiration for our story 'The Hare and the Tortoise'. We measured ho quickly he could move and wrote down lots of adjectives about this appearance. Have a look below at our exciting afternoon.

Thursday 11th January 2018 - How Plants Grow

In keeping with our 'One World, One Heart' Cranes have been learning about plants in different environments. We will be looking at how plants survive in harsh habitats. Check out our experiment below.

Straw and Order - Y2 Christmas Performance - Tuesday 12th January 2017

​​​​​​Year 2 would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parent and carers for their help and costume designs for our production of 'Straw and Order'. Year 2 were incredible in their singing and acting abilities. Have a look below at our incredible show. 

Repeated Pattern - Make your own Christmas Card - Tuesday 5th November

This week Cranes have been looking at repeated patterns and finding the missing Mathematical shapes in a sequence. We have used different 2D shapes to create pictures. Today we made a Christmas card and used a repeated pattern around the boarder. Have a look below at our fab designs. 

3D Shape Investigation! - Tuesday 28th November 2017

Today Cranes have been investigating the properties of 3D shapes, mainly looking at cubes and cuboids. We found these shapes have the same properties, however, they looked different! We discovered that this is due to their different faces. A cube has 6 squares faces whereas a cuboid has 2 square faces and 4 oblong ones. We then made our own 3D shapes below. 

Hot Seating People from the Christmas Story! Wednesday 22nd November 2017

Today we have been hot seating the people named in the Bible! The children pretended to be Mary, Joseph, The Wise Men and even the donkey! We discussed how they might have felt during this time and found out loads of new information about each person! Have a look below at our acting in action!

Ice Cube Experiment - Wednesday 15th November 2017

This week Year 2 have been investigating different materials and their properties. We decided to explore which material would keep an ice cube cool. We did this by wrapping an ice cube in different materials and observed to see which ice cube was the largest. We then discussed whether or not this was a fair test. Have a look below at our exciting experiment.

Cranes' Trip to Primley Woods - Wednesday 8th November

Today Cranes went to Primley woods to explore the woodlands! We identified trees and leaves and discussed why lots of leaves were on the floor. We then got to design our own woodland animals linking our knowledge of natural materials. Have a look below at how we got up to!

Star Gazers - Friday 3rd November 2017

Today Cranes have been amazing astronomers! We have been learning all about stars! Did you know that it would take 70,000 years to travel to our nearest star, the sun? We also learnt that stars live for about 10 billion years and that shooting stars are actually bits of rock that enter our atmosphere! We were blown away to learn that for every grain of sand on Earth there are 10 stars in the Universe! We used the sand we collected from our Goodrington trip to get an idea of how many stars this is. Have a look below and be prepared to have your mind blown!

Reach Outdoors Goodrington Beach trip - Thursday 2nd November 2017

We had a fantastic afternoon learning about the different types of animals and plants that live in the rock pools at our local beach. We were amazing creature finders and used our 'key mat' to name the animals we found. We also designed and made our very own animals houses using sand and shells!

Evil Pumpkin Making - Wednesday 1st November 2017

To follow on from our Halloween Theme, Cranes have been creating their own evil pumpkins! We discussed the story of 'Freaky Freddie' the pumpkin that likes to snack on children! We created our own evil pumpkin before writing about what he would be a=like if he were alive! Read, if you're brave enough...

Wednesday 18th October 2017 - Fire Brigade Talk

We were lucky enough to have a visit from a local hero today... a fire officer! We learnt lots about staying safe in our homes and how to react in an emergency. Mrs Foulkes even had a chance to try the uniform that the officers have to wear - "It's very hot in here!"

Tuesday 17th October 2017 - Dance

In Dance in Year 2, we have been creating a dance around going into space. We created rockets in groups that took off and landed on our own planet. When arriving on the planet, we turned into aliens and then had to use our bodies to hide.

Part, Part, Whole - Monday 16th October 2017

This week in Cranes we have been using the 'Part, part, whole' method to help us add and subtract two-digit numbers. We have learnt that when we add we always start with the 'parts' to find the 'whole'. However, when we subtract, we start with the whole and only one of the parts! Have a look at our fab investigating skills below. 

Fact or Opinion - Wednesday 11th October 2017

Today we found out lots of facts about dinosaurs. We then came across a sentence that said 'Dinosaurs are scary.' This led to a great discussion on whether a sentence is a fact or an opinion. We then had the challenge of writing our own dinosaurs facts and opinions. 

Counting Money - Monday 9th October 2017

Today in Cranes e have been using money to make amounts of money! We have been using our MacMillian Bake Sale to put our learning into a context! We have learnt that there are 100 pennies in a pound and that bronze coins are worth less than silver ones! Have a look below at the Cranes Bank!

Eat Cake for MacMillian - Friday 6th October 2017

This term we have been learning about what it means to be a hero. We chose MacMillian as our 'hero' charity as they provide lots of support for people around the country. Year 2 have been busy making cakes, bunting and creating games all in aid of our MacMillian heros! Have a look below at our delicious cakes! A huge thank you to all the parents and carers who came to support our cause!

Gathering and recording data over time! Wednesday 4th October 2017

We have been thinking about change and how we change over time. We were investigating different ways of testing how our height changes and how we can record this. Today was a great day of experimenting and measuring! Let's see what results we get each half term!

Diagrams - Scientific drawings with labels - Friday 29th September 2017

This week Cranes have been focusing on the features of a non-fiction text. We have written our own captions and even put a non-fiction page back together. Today we have been looking a diagrams with a non-fiction text and even drew our own. Have a look below at our exciting labeling. 

Tally for Cancer! - Thursday 28th September 2017

Today in Cranes we wanted to find out the most popular cake to make for our upcoming 'Macmillian Coffee and Cake' event. We learnt the meaning of the word 'data' and tallied up our favourite cake in class. Have a look below to see what we found out!

Animals and their habitats! Wednesday 13th September 2017

Today Cranes have continued looking at animals and their habitats. We have discussed many different habitats such as polar, aquatic, woodland and the desert. We grouped animals into their habitats and talked about why each habitat suited that animal. Have a look below at our great Science learning!

Habitat Hunters - Tuesday 12th September 2017

This week in Cranes we have been discovering our local habitats! We went onto our field to see what animals we could find! We discovered spiders, beetles, worms and slugs! Have a look at our exciting learning below.

Lean in 15 - The Body Coach Fitness Week - Wb Monday 11th September 2017

This week Year 2 will be participating in The Body Coaches 'Fitness Week'. We will be completing a HIIT (High intensity, interval training) throughout the week. We will be discussing why it is important to keep our bodies and mind healthy so we can become our own ultimate heroes. Have a look below at our squats, high knees and burpees! 

Representing a number - Friday 8th September

This week in Maths, Cranes have been looking at the value of two-digit numbers. We have been learning to use the language 'tens' and 'ones' when describing a number. We have been using lots of different resources to represent our numbers. Have a look at us in action below!

Story Planning - Thursday 7th September

This week in our writing sessions we have been planning a story based on one we have read. We have chopped the story up into sessions and changed parts of the story to make it our own. Be sure to look out for our finished stories next week!