Year 5
History
In our history sessions this term, we will be exploring the incredible Ancient Greeks. We will be looking at both primary and secondary sources to discover information about them and interpret that past. We will be looking particularly at the role of women, the Battle of Marathon and the influence and impact this amazing ancient civilisation has had on our society today. We will be thinking like historians and using the evidence we have to make inferences and draw conclusions.
Geography
Our unit this term explores, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes. We will be finding out about the structure of the earth and discovering how the tectonic plates move and how and why volcanoes and earthquakes occur. We will also be looking at case studies so we can find out what it is like to live in places where volcanoes erupt and earthquakes occur.
Design and Technology
During the first half term we will be thinking about where our food comes from exploring what a healthy balanced diet looks like. We will be practising essential cutting skills and following a recipe to bake savoury muffins. In the second half of the term, we will be finding out about electrical systems and using our knowledge of circuits to design and make a drawing gadget powered by electricity.
English
Following on from recounts, we are now working on a character description based on our class text, 'Skellig' by David Almond. We will then be moving onto non chronological reports using our knowledge of volcanoes and earthquakes as focus for this text. We will be exploring the features of all these genres and practise writing focused grammatical structures before drafting our own versions.
Our guided reading will continue with PALS, where the children have the opportunity to engage with a wide range of high quality texts while working with a partner.
Maths
Over the spring term, we will be completing the following units: multiplication, division, fractions and decimals. We will be exploring both mental and written strategies for multiplication and division, multiplying fractions and calculating fractions of amounts.
Art
In art, we will be looking at the work of Alberto Giacometti. We will be using different drawing techniques to explore his style and looking at a single study from changing perspectives. We will the use our experimentation to help us plan and produce a clay sculpture in the style of Giacometti.
Science
In our materials unit, we will be learning about the properties of solids, liquids and gasses and then applying this knowledge to a series of practical investigations where we can explore further. We will also be looking at living things and their habitats and comparing the life cycles of different animals.