Class 5

Knowledge Rich Project (KRP): Britain at War.

History This is the driver subject for our ‘Knowledge Rich Project’ (KRP).

This term, we will be studying the topic ‘Britain at War’. This project teaches children about the causes, events and consequences of the First and Second World Wars, the influence of new inventions on warfare, how life in Great Britain was affected and the legacy of the wars in the post-war period.

To ensure full curriculum coverage we will have five companion projects covering Science, Art and DT that will sit alongside the topic.

English 

Along with focusing on grammar, spelling, handwriting and reading skills, we will explore narratives and news reports in the first half of the autumn term.  We will go on to explore a narrative with a different plot type, diary entries and poetry in the second half of the term. We will be using a Talk for Writing approach to our learning which has three main stages to it: imitation, innovation and finally independence. Much of our writing will be cross curricular and we will be continuing to transfer skills learnt in English, to other curriculum areas.

Linked Text Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian. Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, Willie Beech, a thin, withdrawn eight-year-old boy, is evacuated from London. He is placed with a gruff widower called Tom Oakley, who has been a recluse since the death of his wife and child 40 years earlier. With quiet authority, patience and sensitivity, Tom takes care of Willie and a bond develops between them. Gradually, Willie’s physical and emotional scars begin to heal.

Maths

We will follow the White Rose Year 5/6 units for learning in this subject.  In the autumn term Year 5 will focus on the units Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division A and Fractions A.  Year 6 will cover the units Place Value, Four Operations, Fractions and Converting Units.

Geography

As part of our main Topic, we will be developing our geographical knowledge to explore the warring nations of the World Wars. Children will understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world.  They will build on their skills of naming and locating major world cities and explain the interconnections between two or more areas of the world.

Science

Evolution and Inheritance: This project teaches children how living things on Earth have changed over time and how fossils provide evidence for this. They learn how characteristics are passed from parents to their offspring and how variation in offspring can affect their survival, with changes (adaptations) possibly leading to the evolution of a species

Light Theory: This project teaches children about the way that light behaves, travelling in straight lines from a source or reflector, into the eye. They explore how we see light and colours, and phenomena associated with light, including shadows, reflections and refraction.

Art

Distortion and Abstraction: This project teaches children about the concepts of abstraction and distortion. They study the visual characteristics of abstraction and create a musically-inspired, abstract painting.

Bees, Beetles and Butterflies: This project teaches children about sketchbooks, observational drawing, mixed media collage and Pop Art. They consolidate their learning to make a final piece of artwork inspired by bees, beetles or butterflies.

DT

Make Do and Mend: This project teaches children a range of simple sewing stitches, including ways of recycling and repurposing old clothes and materials.  We may even have a go at knitting!

PSHE 

We will follow a structured plan for both Year 5 and Year 6 from the SCARF units for PSHE.  In the autumn term we will cover the unit ‘Me and my Relationships’ which addresses feelings, emotions, conflict resolution and friendship. We will then move onto ‘Valuing Difference’ which includes a British Values focus.  These themes will be revisited through our assemblies during the term also.

RE

We are following a two-year programme of study from Curriculum Kernewek. During the autumn term Year 5 and 6 will be building on their prior understanding of Hinduism, by covering RE Today upper KS2 unit  ‘What does it mean to be a Muslim in Britain today?’ This unit explores what peoples’ beliefs and what difference this makes to how they live.  This enables pupils to  gain the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to handle questions raised by religion and belief, reflecting on their own ideas and ways of living.  During the second half of the term, we will study the Christianity unit 2b.4 Incarnation: Was Jesus the Messiah? This unit also looks at how Christians put their beliefs about Jesus’ Incarnation into practice in different ways in celebrating Christmas.

MFL

We will continue to build on our French vocabulary, listening, reading and writing skills through the units of 'Getting to know you’ and ‘All About Ourselves’ for Year 5’s. Meanwhile, Year 6 will cover ‘Let’s visit a French Town’ and ‘Let’s Go Shopping.’

Music

Initially we will be covering the unit ‘Hey Mr Miller.’  This unit will allow children to explore rhythm work, creating and improvising off-beat (syncopated) rhythm patterns and melodies, and develop a polished group performance. This unit also contains the first of three progression snapshots that will be returned to and developed in Terms 2 and 3 to collect evidence of pupils’ progress.  In the second half of the autumn term we will cover two shorter units, which include a listening unit: ‘Shadows’, which is based around the piece shadows by Lindsey Stirling – an American violinist and dancer. We will also explore the work of English composer Ethel Smyth who used music to put across the message of the suffragettes when she wrote their March of the women anthem. In this unit, children will learn how to make their own protest song inspired by Ethel’s anthem and the suffragette movement. We will also be enjoying our weekly singing assemblies which will explore songs that celebrate Harvest and Christmas as well as singing popular songs for pleasure.

Computing

ICT will be used throughout all the other subject areas to enhance the children's understanding and for research purposes.  Children will be encouraged to use ICT as a tool for furthering their understanding in other curriculum areas. Throughout the term there will be an emphasis on keeping ourselves safe online. In addition to this, we are following the ‘Digital Learning Cornwall’ units for Years 5 and 6. For Year 5’s we will learn about ‘Selection in Quizzes’ and a computer science unit called ‘Microbits from First Use.’  For Year 6 the units will cover ‘Communication and Collaboration’ and ‘3D modelling’.

PE

The first half term will have a sport focus on Invasion Games, a fitness focus called Boot Camp, and a health focus called Healthy Body: Inside Out.  The second half term will have a sport focus of Dynamic Dance, a fitness focus of Mighty Movers (boxercise), and a health focus on ‘Healthy Mind: Going for Goals.’  There will be opportunities for children to participate in extracurricular clubs and sporting events and festivals as part of our links with the Newquay Schools sports partnership.

Class 5 will have their PE lesson on a Friday. On this day children must wear their correct PE kits to school. There may of course, be additional days when the children may be required to wear a PE kit, which they will be clearly informed about. 

PE kit:

•         Black shorts, leggings or tracksuit bottoms
•         Green T-shirt with logo
•         Trainers or plimsolls
•         Tracksuits may be worn for outside PE during colder weather
•         No earrings or jewellery

Please can all items of kit and school uniform be named.

Homework

1.   Reading: this should be enjoyed on a daily basis. Reading independently, reading together and across a variety of genres are all beneficial as are audio books. Reading records are to be handed in on a Monday morning, checked and then returned by Tuesday.  Please keep your reading materials in a book bag so that nothing is lost or misplaced.
2.   Spellings: These will be uploaded onto Google Classroom each Monday and tested the following Monday. They will also be practised throughout the week in class.
3.   Times tables facts – by year 5 and 6 all tables should be fluent.  Please practise these regularly as part of the weekly homework. Practise the tables that are found most difficult.
4.   Optional Curriculum Project activities: This will be added to Google Classroom as well as a paper version sent home during the first week of term.
5.   Additional homework may be sent home to reinforce or practise a concept in any subject area that has been covered in class.

Open Door Policy We welcome your feedback on any aspect of your child’s time in Class 5. Please drop us an email via the office (hello@mawgan-in-pydar.org.uk) to raise any questions, queries or problems that you may have. We are very much looking forward to the term ahead and thank you in advance for your support.