Spring 1:
Happy New Year! It is lovely to see the children ready for school after the Christmas break. This half-term’s topic is ‘Earthlings’ and it has a strong focus on scientific skills and knowledge. We will learn about our place in the solar system and how the Earth, Moon and Sun all move through space. We will have an exciting visit from the Space Dome and the chance to climb inside and discover the universe around us! In English, we will read ‘Aquila’ by Andrew Norris and explore all things science fiction. Our art and music learning will also be influenced by the cosmos. We will learn about the artist Peter Thorpe, create pictures inspired by his work, and base our music learning around sci-fi film soundtracks.
In addition, we will be recycling T-shirts to create shopping bags as part of our design technology learning. On that note, if you have T-shirts (any size), that you no longer want, please put them to one side so that we can use them for our project. Finally, here is a list of vocabulary we will be using in our topic this half-term. It will really support the children’s learning if you have the opportunity to discuss these words at home too.
‘Earth’ ‘Sun’ ‘Moon’ ‘Solar System’ ‘Orbit’ ‘Axis’ ‘Rotate’ ‘Planet’ ‘Spherical’
Last term, we had some superb creative homework from the children. On the newsletter are some new creative homework ideas for your child and it would be great to see even more of Indigo Class exploring and applying their learning at home. We have seen a huge improvement in Indigo Class’ home reading. This half-term they will need to record at least 4 reads a week to earn their reading reward. Times Table Rockstars is having a huge impact on the children who use it regularly so please keep encouraging your child to use this at home.
PE lessons are on a Tuesday and Friday. It is important that children have their kit in school on these days so that they can participate fully in all lessons. As ever, if you have any questions or you would like a chat, please feel free to speak to me on any day after school. Thank you for all your support!
Autumn 2:
Welcome back! It is lovely to see the children again after the break and great to see that they are ready for the next half-term at school. Our topic this half-term is ‘A Kingdom United’ and links to English, maths, geography, history, PE and music. We will begin by learning about the fascinating history of the Anglo-Saxons and the influence that they have had on our country. We will even be visited by an Anglo-Saxon spy! In addition, we will explore artefacts from the period and look for evidence of Anglo-Saxons in Lancaster.
We will discover more about the physical features of the United Kingdom by investigating significant mountains in each of the countries that make up the UK. We will also make 3-D maps to model contour lines and explore how these relate to the landscapes around us. We will investigate a local issue and consider the different perspectives that people may have about it. We will also learn the national anthem and a traditional dance from England. In science, we will explore the properties and uses of materials and use evidence from experiments to help us select the best insulating materials. Within this topic the children will be introduced to and use subject specific vocabulary. I would be extremely grateful if you could discuss the following words with your child at home and see if they can tell you what they mean and if they can have a go at spelling them!
‘United Kingdom’ ‘Great Britain’ ‘Contour Lines’ ‘Thermal Insulation’ ‘Conductivity’ ‘The Dark Ages’ ‘Archaeologist’
On the other side of this letter is the children’s creative homework sheet. Please encourage your child to have a look at the ideas and choose one that they would like to complete. Last term, the children were introduced to Times Table Rockstars! Please support your child with practising these vital maths facts every day (5 or 10 minutes a day will make a massive difference to their learning and this is also better than a longer period of practise once or twice a week). I would also appreciate it if you could continue to encourage your child to read daily and record what they have read in their diaries. Most children read a huge amount at home last half term and it would be great to see this continue.
The children will have their PE lessons on a Tuesday and Friday. It is important that children have their kit in school on these days so that they can participate fully in all lessons.
Autumn 1:
Welcome to Indigo Class! It is great to see all the children back after the summer break and good to see that Indigo Class is ready for a new school year at Willow Lane. This year, the Year 5 team consists of Mr Webster and Mrs Mosey. Everyone is settling in well and we are excited for this half term’s topic of ‘Food Glorious Food’!
As part of our food topic, we have lots of great learning activities planned. This links to English, Maths, Science, Geography, and Design Technology. We will be looking at where in the world different foods come from and locating countries on maps and globes. We will then research these foods and countries in more detail. We will be carrying out lots of scientific experiments looking at reversible and irreversible changes with food and using these skills to solve problems associated with providing clean drinking water in communities around the world. We will be designing and making healthy meals using seasonal ingredients from Great Britain and sharing these with other children in the school! We will explore the work of the artist Georgia O’Keefe and use this as inspiration for creating our own still-life paintings. We will also be reading the book ‘Street Child’ and collecting descriptions and ideas for writing stories with historical settings. We are looking forward to sharing what we have learned on the school blog. Within this topic the children will be introduced to and use subject specific vocabulary. I would be very grateful if you could discuss the following words with your child at home and see if they can tell you what they mean and if they can have a go at spelling them!
‘Country’ ‘Continent’ ‘Climate’ ‘Trade’ ‘Longitude’ ‘Latitude’ ‘Reversible Change’ ‘Irreversible Change’ ‘Dissolve’ ‘Solution’
On the other side of this letter is the children’s creative homework sheet. Please encourage your child to have a look at the ideas and choose one that they would like to try. We look forward to sharing with the rest of the school what the children produce! Continuing to support your child with their reading at home is incredibly important for their achievement and enjoyment in school. Please encourage your child to read daily and record what they have read in their diaries. Times tables practice helps children to use key number facts quickly and easily and they are essential for so much of their learning in mathematics. As such, they will receive a times table practice book for them to use at home, which will be given out on Fridays and collected in each Wednesday.
The children will have their PE lessons on a Tuesday and Friday. PE kit will therefore need to be in school on these days or your child will not be able to take part.
Finally, if you have any questions or would like a chat I will be available after school Monday to Friday, alternatively please feel free to give me a ring. Thank you for your support!
