Year 5 Autumn Term
English
This term the children will study a variety of non - fiction and fiction genres ranging from adventure stories to non-chronological reports. During the first half term, Year 5 will look closely at the author Katherine Rundell and her book ‘The Explorer’. This book will help form our adventure writing and will also link as a contrast to our geography topic 'Would you like to live in the desert?'. The children will be involved in experience days and drama activities which will develop their imagination and writing skills. They will enjoy reading a range of texts to enhance their writing.
We will then move onto non-fiction work; non chronological reports. Throughout this work, the children will learn the features of a non-chronological report and which elements are necessary in order to be successful. This unit of work will explain the life of a jaguar and then from their geography knowledge, the children will choose a desert animal to present their own non-chronological report from.
During the first half term, Year 5 will look closely at the author Onjali Q. Raug and the book ‘Boy at the back of the class. This book will support our PSHRE curriculum. PSHRE is extremely important and enables the children to understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy and to empathise with others and this will definitely be the case with this book.
Reading is imperative and understanding what we are reading ensures we gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the world around us. Over the course of the year, the children will be learning about the different questions types they will face and how best to answer them. These range from ‘find and copy the word/phrase…’ to APE (Answer, Prove and Explain).
There will be opportunities for the children to read a range of non-fiction books based on our Geography topic.
Mathematics
As a school, we focus on using and applying our Maths skills using ‘Power Maths’ where the children will use a range of equipment to problem solve with different mathematical concepts. This will enable the children to deepen their understanding and become more confident mathematicians in a range of contexts.
The Maths lessons will continue to build on the children’s understanding of number, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and problem solving. They will be focusing on more formal written methods of multiplication and division in particular, as well as honing their mental arithmetic strategies. A heavy emphasis will be placed upon securing the times tables knowledge up to 12 x 12 and look at different ways to enhance mental maths. It is a good idea to use a range of web based games to help build confidence and gain a greater understanding.
Times Table Rockstars is a program that we follow in school. The children have their username and password but if you have lost this, please just ask for a new one. We use this so that children can practice regularly. We are encouraging the children to 'Beat the Teacher' where they have the opportunity to beat a teacher and be celebrated for it.
Science
In Science we are looking at Earth and Space. The children will conduct investigations relating to the movement and phases of the moon and look at how shadows are formed. Children will have the opportunity to research and read more about the universe.
Computing
We will be focusing on our digital literacy this half term by exploring the issue of e-safety in our computing lessons. We will discuss what e-safety actually means, what malicious messages are and how to respond to them and finally we will look at copyright and plagiarism. We will then move onto algorithms and programs where we will use coding to use, design and write programs that accomplish specific goals.
Geography
Our Geography focus this term is, ‘Would you like to live in a desert?' As part of this Learning Challenge, the children will gain a greater geographical understanding of a desert and be able to draw latitude on maps where they are located in the world. Children will also be thinking about how human activity is affecting the changing climate of a desert. They will learn specifically about the Mojave desert and compare its time zone to the UK.
If you have any books or resources you wish to share with us, please send them in. We promise to look after them.
RE
This half term we will be learning about what it means to be a Muslim in Britain today. We will look at the different journeys we all take, where we take guidance from and look at the different celebrations and commitments Muslims today make.
Games / PE
During this term, ED Start will deliver the PE lessons and children will learn about the different elements of Physical Health whilst also participating in the different practical elements.
5EG PE day is a Tuesday and children should come to school in their PE kit.
5GJ PE day is a Friday and children should come to school in their PE kit.
PE kit is black shorts/leggings/jogging pants, white t-shirt and trainers. All long hair should be tied up and ear-rings should be removed or covered by tape.
PSHRE
To begin with the question for the first half term is ‘What makes up our identity?’ The children will look at how people are similar and different based on: age, ethnicity, gender, culture etc. The children will look at stereotypes and how to challenge these.
DT
In DT this half term, the children will learn about a 'doodler'. They will examine the doodler and how it works before design and constructing their own.
History
In Autumn 2, the children will learn about the Census and what we can learn about it. The Census is something that the children might not be familiar with and we will have the opportunity to learn from primary and secondary sources of evidence. This will follow the life of an individual from Victorian Britain so our learning will encompass the mills and working conditions in them.
Art
During Autumn 2, the children will learn about 3D sculpture. We will also complete an artist study about Cia Guo-Qiang. We know the children love art and using their sketch book to experiment with different ways of representing the media they are asked and we are looking forward to seeing the end results.
