Autumn 1

Guided Reading –

This half term we are studying the book "The Wreck of the Zanzibar" by Michael Morpurgo. The story is set in an island community and the story is told through a series of diary entries. We are expanding our experience of descriptive diary writing and exploring characters and themes in the book. We read for meaning and answer comprehension questions based on these using our VIPERS scheme.

Religious Education (R.E.) –

We will start the year by learning about our school patron saint – St. Joseph and go on to learn about our class saint– St. Bernadette.

We will also be thinking about Creation and developing our understanding of the creation stories in the Book of Genesis. We will consider our uniqueness in creation and how we are created in God’s image to be custodians of the world we live in. This will be further supported in our shared worship as we follow One Life’s music and prayer celebrating creation.

Our final unit of the half term explores the Miracles of Jesus and the Sacrament of the Sick.  We find out about many of the miracles Jesus performed and contemplate what they show us about who Jesus is. We will also learn about what the Sacrament of the Sick is and its significance to our relationship with God.

Writing

The focus book for our writing this half term is The Explorer by Katherine Rundell. We will explore settings and how they are structured in fiction writing. In non-fiction writing we will create explanation texts. In our media unit we will explore character description through watching a short animated film called Shadow of Blue and comparing the character of the girl and her shadow.

Our grammar focus will be:

Relative clauses, commas, expanded noun phrases, use of paragraphs, present tense, fronted adverbials, modal verbs/adverbs of possibility, metaphor, simile and personification.

Maths –

This half term we focus on place value, exploring numbers up to 1 000 000. We begin by reviewing how to read and write numbers to 100 000, quickly moving onto numbers to 1 000 000. Time is spent using concrete materials to represent numbers to 1 000 000, including place-value counters and place-value charts. We compare numbers to 1 000 000 using our knowledge of place value in addition to bar model supports to assist them. Pupils complete the unit by making number patterns and rounding numbers to the nearest 10, 1000, 10 000 and 100 000.

We then focus on addition and subtraction. We start off with simple addition before moving on to addition where renaming is required. Subtraction is also covered in a similar way where simple subtraction is mastered before moving to subtraction where renaming is required. Once we master addition and subtraction, we start to look at problem-solving questions and practice using bar models.

Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar –

SPAG lessons this half term are on Wednesdays and we will test previously learned spelling and have new spellings for the following week.  We will also explore a variety of grammar features to support our work in writing.

Spellings for this half term include: words ending in cious; words ending in tious/ious; words containing the letter y with a short vowel sound; words containing the letter y with a long vowel sound; homophones and near homophones.

Our grammar focus is: simple and compound sentences; word classes; use of past, present and future tenses; complex sentences; expanded noun phrases.

Science –

Our Science focus for this half term is Chemistry – Separating Mixtures. We will be thinking about how some solids can be dissolved into liquids and explore how we can or cannot recover the solid. We will use and learn about a variety of separating methods including filtering, sieving and evaporating. We will use our previous knowledge of solids, liquids and gases to help us explain what is happening to the substances we explore.

Geography -  

In Geography we are learning about Geographical Fieldwork and how Geographers collect and represent data following an enquiry question.

We will use fieldwork to observe, measure, record and present the human and physical features in the local area using a range of methods, including sketch maps, plans and graphs, and digital technologies. We will also learn how to use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build our knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world.

French –

We will be looking at animals, monsters and hybrids. We will use their ‘detective’ skills to extract information from an authentic French text. We will use a dictionary resource to research the meaning of relevant vocabulary, recognise and sort nouns by gender and number, and explain the effect this may have on an adjective. We will produce a short, structured paragraph using a range of familiar structures, with some manipulation of language and use of a word bank for support.

Computing –

Systems and searching

The children will develop their understanding of computer systems and how information is transferred between systems and devices. They consider small-scale as well as large-scale systems. They explain the input, output, and process aspects of a variety of different real-world systems. They discover how information is found on the World Wide Web, through learning how search engines work and what influences searching, and through comparing different search engines.

Physical Education (P.E.)

In Year 5 our PE focus for this half term is invasion games including football and netball. We will learn how to pass and move to gain territory against our opposing team.

Children will need their PE kit in school on Mondays and Fridays.

Music

In Music this half term we focus on class performance. We explore the music of famous composers including Beethoven and Bach and look at the impact of music on society and vice versa through the music of The Beatles and Queen

Art -

In Art, we will explore typography design and how we can create their own fonts and designs. We will explore how we can use visual letters and other elements to help convey ideas and emotions. They are introduced to the work of an artist and a designer who have both used lettering combined with maps to produce maps which tell stories. Children then go on to create their own visual and often three dimensional maps.

Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) –

In PSHE, we learn about rules, rights responsibilities with a particular emphasis on British Values. We conduct elections for our representatives in school and also think about the life of Martin Luther King Jnr during Black History Month. We also think about how we stay safe online.