Year 5 Autumn 1 Curriculum Letter

Year 5 Autumn 1 Information Dear Parents / Carers, Welcome back after the summer holiday. We hope you and your families enjoyed a lovely, long break and are raring to go for the new academic year!

All classes at St John’s have been given tree names: Year 5 Willow: Mrs Cadoo (Monday-Wednesday) and Mr Sheehan (Wednesday-Friday) Year 5 Hawthorn: Mrs McEvans and Mr Brown.

Mr Brown has joined us this year as a Student Teacher via School Direct. He will be with Year 5 Hawthorn until Christmas and then return to us after the Spring half term break. I’m sure you will join with us in giving Mr Brown a warm welcome to our St John’s school community.

This half termly information sheet informs you of our curriculum and important dates for your diary. We hope you find the following information useful. Year 5 is a very exciting year, full of hard work, fun times and special memories. Please do not hesistae to contact us if you have any queries or questions.

What your child will need: Each day, your child will be expected to be wearing their full school uniform including black school shoes.

They will also be expected to bring to school:  A reading book and their reading journal.  A water bottle.  A healthy snack (snacks are optional). Snacks should only consist of fruit, vegetables or breadsticks.  A PE kit including trainers (brought in every day).  A smile and readiness to learn!

Homework:

This half term, we have decided to trial something different to the usual weekly homework. We are hoping that this will give children and families more flexibility regarding when homework is handed in and also give children the opportunity to enjoy learning through the wider curriculum. Homework will be given out for this half term on Friday 14th October.

In addition to this, we encourage the children to read regularly (30 mins daily) and practise their times table facts. We expect children to read at home (in addition to their reading time in school) but please be aware that reading journals will not be signed, every week, by the class teacher, although they will be regularly monitored.

Physical Education:

GYMNASTICS

GAMES

Hawthorn

Wednesday

Thursday

Willow

Wednesday

Thursday

As we offer such a wide range of sporting opportunities, not only throughout the curriculum but after school and during lunchtimes, it is strongly advised that children bring their PE kit (including trainers) to school every day.

Curriculum: New Beginnings: We begin the year with a short PSHE unit “New Beginnings”. This special unit encourages the children to introduce themselves and get to know their new teacher as well as becoming more familiar with their new classroom environment. We discuss how to make our class a safe and happy place to be. We create class promises to reinforce postive behaviour and think about what happens if we don’t follow the class promises. It is a lovely start to the year where the children have opportunities to become involved in shaping the classroom environment, helping everyone to get on and learn and making it a welcoming community.

Brainwave Unit: We’ll be finding out:  About different methods of teaching and how we like to learn o About some of the different areas of the brain o How information gets into the brain o How relaxation can help prepare us for learning o How we can improve our memory o How positive thinking can help us to succeed o How we can support each other to achieve our goals o How we can become more active global citizens The Great, The Bold and The Brave Unit: In this unit the children will be learning about the civilisations of Ancient Greece and Rome, and the impact of these classical civilisations on both the past and the present.

The history of Western civilisation begins with the Greeks. The Greek civilisation was responsible for many ideas and advances in the fields of art, architecture, mathematics, literature, politics, sports and science. Many of these were later adopted and spread further by the Romans.

Bake It Unit: We are going to find out about science by making bread. The processes involved in breadmaking can teach us how molecules behave in different materials (solids, liquids and gases) and how these materials can be changed.

In Science, we’ll be finding out:  How live yeast grows o How carbon dioxide behaves o Which solids dissolve in water o About water vapour and evaporation o What happens when foods are heated o About the properties of water o About solids, liquids and gases

o

How we can group everyday materials according to their properties

In Technology, we’ll be finding out:  How to design and make a new brand of food In International, we’ll be finding out:  Why bread has importance for people all over the world.  Why there are food shortages in some parts of the world and how we can help.

Religion: We will be learning about The Domestic Church and Family Know   

and understand: A deepening awareness of ‘Who I am’ Ourselves as made in the image and likeness of God Our unique God given qualities and gifts and appreciation of difference Remembering, celebrating and responding to a deepening awareness of ‘Who I am,’ and ourselves as made in the image and likeness of God.

English: We will be reading ’Alex Rider: Stormbreaker’. This is an action-packed book in a series about Alex Rider, a schoolboy recruited as a spy by MI6 after the death of his uncle. Equipped with multifarious gadgets (he is shown visiting a secret department in a well-known toy store!) he has to save the world from a computer virus which promises to become more than a virtual reality. Following this, we will be reading ‘Stay where you are and then leave.‘ We will be covering a number of different genres of writing. This is the story of Alfie, a five-year-old boy during World War 1. His milkman father enlists in the army. Although this is a third person narrative, the story is seen very much through Alfie’s his eyes. As the war goes on, Alfie takes responsibility, secretly supplementing the family income and carrying out a mission to find out what has happened to his father. The situations faced by conscientious objectors, shell shocked soldiers and neighbours who are interned are woven into the story which is immersed in everyday detail, giving the reading experience an almost tangible feel.

Computing Inspired by the gadgets Alex Rider is introduced to, the children will design and make an on-screen prototype of a computer controlled piece of spy equipment. They will study different types of input and output (such as sensors, switches, motors, lights and speakers.) They will then design, write and debug the control and monitoring program for their equipment using Scratch (Coding software). Finally, they will pitch their idea to a Dragons’ Den-style panel. The pitch presentation will also allow pupils to develop skills in spoken language.

Maths: This half term, we will be covering:    

Place value Addition and Subtraction Division and Multiplication Varied word problems

Other Events: Wednesday 17th October 2018 – Parents’ Evening

At St. John’s every term is a busy half term. Further dates and details for upcoming events and school trips throughout the year will soon be available via Schools Buddy.

Here’s to a good half term!

Best Wishes, Year 5 Team Mrs McEvans, Mrs Cadoo, Mr Sheehan and Mr Brown.