Autumn 2 2024-2025
English
This term we are continuing to read our class novel ‘Letter from the Lighthouse' by Emma Carroll.
The book tells the story of Olive and her brother being evacuated to the Devonshire coast to stay with a mysterious lighthouse keeper. There, Olive has to solve a mystery about a coded note and her sister's disappearance.
All of our reading and writing this term will be based around this story. We will be looking at a non-chronological report and a persuasive speech.
Maths
This term, we are covering a range of skills in our Maths lessons including: fractions, decimals & percentages, ratio & proportion, Roman numerals and negative numbers.
Here are some websites that might help:
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/mental-maths
http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/maths
Science
Our Science Topic is ‘Electricity'.
Key Knowledge:
The modern lightbulb was invented by Thomas Edison.
Lewis Latimer invented the filament which enabled it to last longer.
Alessandro Volta invented the first battery (Volts)
A cell is a single unit of power, whereas a battery is more than 1.
A circuit needs a power source, wires and a component in order to work.
Current is the flow of electrons around a circuit.
Voltage is the energy released by those electrons
When you increase the voltage in a circuit the energy output increases which makes the bulb brighter, motor faster & buzzer louder.
The elements required for a scientific investigation are: a question, prediction, equipment, method, results, conclusion.
To ensure a test is fair you must only change 1 variable.
Results can be observations, graphs, tables, charts, diagrams.
A conclusion must use the results to answer the question your investigation was setting out to answer.
Higher degrees of trust in data are achieved by repeating experiments and by using reliable measuring equipment (voltmeters, ammeters).
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Computing
In our computing sessions this term, we will be learning about networks.
We will learn:
- the difference between the World Wide Web and the internet.
- about our school network.
- the differences between more than two network types such as: LAN, WAN, WLAN and SAN.
- about Tim Berners-Lee.
- some of the major changes in technology which have taken place during our lifetime and the lifetime of their teacher/another adult.
PSHE
Our topic this half term is ‘Safety First'.
During this topic we will:
- appreciate what being responsible means;
- assess a situation for the level of risk;
- appreciate that doing something risky may lead to danger;
- identify people who can help us in an emergency;
- understand the importance of taking action to reduce the risk of harm;
- explain how we know which substances around the home contain chemicals ;
- identify safety precautions that can be taken when using roads, railways or water.
History
Our History topic this term is The Ancient Maya.
(A study of a non-European society that provides contrasts with British history)
Key Knowledge:
- The Maya civilisation came into being around 2000 BC and cities such as El Mirador became large and powerful from 300 BC onwards.
- Cities like Chichen Itza were still thriving in AD 1000 and the Maya civilisation was still in existence in AD 1500.
- It was due to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century that their ancient cities fell to ruin.
- ‘Mesoamerica refers to an area where a number of societies had been formed before the Spanish arrived in the 16th century.
- The Maya believed in many gods. Each could help or hurt them. The Maya would dance, sing and make offerings to the gods as a sign of respect.
- The ancient Maya developed an advanced number system for their time. This included the concept of zero as a placeholder.
- The Maya had a writing system and professional scribes wrote books called codices which included information about astronomy, gods, war and history.
- The Maya people mainly ate maize or corn. They also drank cacao and the cacao beans were eventually used as a form of currency in the Maya civilisation.
- Primary sources come directly from the time of the event
- Secondary sources are created after the event and are often created using primary sources.
Art
Our art topic this term is Mayan Masks (Sculpture)
(NC links) By the end of the unit, children should be able to:
- Shape, form, model and construct from observation or imagination
- Use recycled, natural and man‐ made materials to create sculptures
- Plan a sculpture through drawing and other preparatory work
- Produce intricate patterns and textures in a malleable media
French
Our French topic this half term is Where I live.
By the end of the unit, children should be able to:
- learn phrases to describe your home and use them appropriately
- learn phrases to describe the area you live in
- repeat sounds and attach sounds to the written word
- use the vocabulary in context to build phrases to describe your home and the
area you live in
- write a sequence of phrases to form a paragraph
PE
Our PE topics this half term are the invasion games of Basketball and Handball.
By the end of the invasion unit, children should be able to:
- develop passing and moving,
- use the attacking principle of creating and using space,
- change direction and lose a defender,
- develop their shooting action,
- use and apply skills and tactics to small-sided games.