Curriculum - Autumn Term
In Maths this term we will be reviewing the learning from year four in order to build the children's confidence before we move on. We will continue to follow the Inspire Maths approach so children will be encouraged to use concrete resources, problem solving and reasoning. Our first unit will investigate shape and the related vocabulary such as: angles, parallel, perpendicular, area and perimeter. We will also encourage children to talk in 'maths sentences' to develop their oracy skills and will be continuing with daily maths meetings to help review previous learning and embed key maths skills such as telling the time.
We want to encourage children to use their ipads to improve their mathematical skills. Prodigy and TT Rockstars are important in this aim.
We will be continuing with our Literacy and Language Programme. This term we will study the story of Prometheus and Pandora. It has been chosen for its strong mythological themes and characteristics. Children will analyse the importance of different characters to the development of the story and the role of the narrator as storyteller. Differences between oral and written storytelling will also be explored. The Non-fiction section will develop the children's understanding of the features of instructional writing. They will analyse, evaluate and write instructions. Our class text 'Kiss of Death' will support our gruesome topic about the Black Death.
After half-term we explore the story Bling! (a modern retelling of the King Midas myth) and how a dilemma can be driving force of a narrative. The children will pick apart the dilemma, explore the writer's craft in creating characters of different status and empathise with the main character's dilemma. The outcome of the unit will be for the children to compose an ending to the story through writing a diary and a newspaper report of the same event. The Non-fiction links to this through exploring the difference in a first person recount.
We will start the school year learning about our town Prescot and how the industry has developed over time. We will focus on key people who have influenced the town's industry and major companies such as BICC and Lancashire Watch Company. We will travel back in time to compare the original Prescot Playhouse with the plans for a modern day theatre complex Shakespeare North.
If any of our families can help with this topic then we would love your involvement.
Our Cornerstones topic this term is Peasants, Princes and Pestilence. The Unit looks at 14th Century England and covers events such as the Peasants Revolt, Black Death and the Knights Code of Conduct. The children will also look at the spread of the plague across Europe using map skills in Geography and will reproduce the mediaeval London landscape using printing techniques in art.
Click on the link at the bottom of this page to see our knowledge Organiser.
Forces - This unit will focus on balanced and unbalanced forces, gravity, friction and the use of mechanisms such as levers, gears and pulleys. The children will become part of a remote team of force experts acting on behalf of the Natural History Museum. They will complete a series of tasks including identifying forces, researching Isaac Newton and his discoveries about gravity, looking for patterns and links between the mass and weight of objects and using equipment to measure force . Furthermore, they will work collaboratively and practically to develop their skills in working scientifically through different challenges such as the bike gears challenge. May the force be with you!