Spring Term 2nd Half 

We began our Literacy in Spring 2 by reading Theseus and the Minotaur and the children then wrote their own ‘quest’ myth. We have also shared several other myth’s and discussed the moral of the tales. As part of our Talk for Writing we focussed on the Greek Myth Pandora’s Box, the children did a fantastic job at remembering the text using actions and symbols to support them. We then created a ‘toolkit’ for how to write an action myth and the children planned and wrote their own using the structure of Pandora’s Box.

In history this half term we have looked at how the Ancient Greeks have influenced our everyday lives in the 21st century. Furthermore, we have undertaken work on timelines and ordered important dates to the Ancient Greeks on a timeline.

In geography, we have studied the physical geography of Greece and focused on the climate zones, biomes, vegetation belts and the mountains. We have then been able to use this to understand how and why the Ancient Greek civilisation developed in the ways that it did.    

In art, the children have created their own interpretation of Pandora’s Box using pencil. First of all, we mastered the skill of drawing 3D cuboids and then developed this to create an open box or curved box. Finally, the children added detail to their design and how they depicted the sadness and sorrow that came from the box.

In science, we have celebrated Science week. We were invited to Winterhill where the children took part in investigations based on our topic of materials and changing state. The children investigated evaporation and condensation where they designed a shelter which was then put to the test for durability. We studied the work of Galileo and looked at his famous experiment investigating air resistance. The children then planned and carried out their own investigation into air resistance which involved dropping objects with different surface areas from a height. The children made predictions based on their prior knowledge of gravity and forces and then summarised and explained their findings in our Science Week assembly.

In maths our focus has been multiplication. We have used formal methods to multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a one and two-digit number, including long multiplication for two-digit numbers. Furthermore, we have completed several assessments this half term, which have been sent home to share with you.

Spring Term 1st Half

What a magical term! Year 5 have looked at and taken inspiration from the famous novel Harry Potter by JK Rowling.

In literacy, we have looked at Newspaper reports and how to create a journalistic style of writing. After reading through many examples and watching film clips the children played the role of a newspaper reporter and wrote an article about the famous Quidditch match where the characters battle it out for the winning trophy. The children then used their ICT skills to present their finished newspaper articles. The children practiced their word processing skills, they experimented with changing the font size, style and colour. The text was written in columns and the heading centred. The children also demonstrated their skills in using the internet to research and find a photograph to match their story, this was then added to their report giving it a professional and quality finish. Here are a few examples.

Within Literacy and the theme of Harry Potter, year 5 investigated with the genre of diary writing. The children chose a character from Harry Potter, either Harry or Dudley, then they wrote a diary entry which included expressive language and emotive feelings from the different characters viewpoint.  We have also worked hard to develop the children’s expressive language through the ‘Word of the Day’ Vocabulary Ninja scheme and through the descriptive writing about the abandoned house. The children really engaged with the scene that was set and produced some fantastic writing which focused on ambitious vocabulary to describe the setting, using paragraphing and varying openers and how these strategies can be used to create different effects within the writing. 

Harry Potter was the inspiration in Art. The children loved designing their own crests which represented elements of their own personality. These were then brought to life using clay which were later painted. The children also looked at perspective in Art and had a go at showing perspective in their sketch books before turning their skills in to a pencil sketch of a view of Diagon Alley.

In Maths, we applied our knowledge of place value and number operations to solve simple problems based on the data presented in tables and line graphs. We then completed a multiplication and division unit has developed the children's understanding of multiples and factors, recognising what they are and how they are found. Following this, the children learn about prime numbers and how they are different to composite numbers. Using this the children then investigated how to use factors, including prime factors, to investigate and manipulate numbers. The children made themselves into square numbers to help consolidate their understanding visually which then led onto and cube numbers and linked to their concrete understanding of the shape namesakes. 

Science this term has been explosive with research and experiments involving investigating Volcanoes. The children worked in teams to use fact cards, books and the internet to find out all about Volcanoes. In their teams they had to work together to answer questions such as: Why does a Volcano erupt? Where does lava come from? The children then decided how they wanted to present their findings. Some children drew diagrams showing the cross section of a volcano, other children designed and drew eye catching titles while others presented the facts in an easy to read style. The groups presented their findings to the rest of the class. Every poster was different showcasing the children’s individuality and ability to present their findings. In DT the children continued with the volcano theme, they designed and made their own volcano using papermache and a recycled plastic bottle.  Finally, as part of the Harry Potter day, the children investigated mixing different materials to create a chemical reaction. In a potion making class on the day, the children poured their potion into their own Volcano and stood back to watch the eruption.

In science, the children have investigated changing the state of different materials and looked closely at reversible and irreversible changes using their prior knowledge of solids, liquids and gasses. We looked for patterns in data when variables were changed and discovered the more sugar added to a solution, the longer it takes to dissolve. Predictions were made about which substances would dissolve in water and then we put our predictions to the test.

The children have been lucky enough to have taken part in a term of Music with a specialist Music teacher who has delivered weekly Ukulele sessions. The children are now confident in holding the instrument in the correct way. They have been working on learning the notes and have started to play pieces of music.

In PE the children have studied Hockey. They have developed good control of the ball using both sides of the stick and have learnt how to push and pass with accuracy. At the end of the 5 week unit the children had mini games of hockey to showcase their skills. The children have also developed their skills in rugby in a 3 week block delivered by a PE specialist from a local secondary school. The children have loved being outside and taking part in the games learning the skills of the dodging and accurate passing. In the remaining weeks of this term the children have worked hard to develop their stamina by taking part in weekly circuit training. The children have come up with the activities in each station and rotated round the activities using a 2 minute timer. There were many red faces at the end of the session showing determination and enthusiasm towards being healthy and active.  

In Spanish, Mr Jordan has revised the days of the week, the numbers 1-20 and naming different sports and hobbies linking it to our PE focus. The children have enjoyed learning about the names of their favourite foods and putting into sentences which foods they like and dislike.