Year 5

Year 5 @ Mount Street Primary 

Welcome to the Summer Term in Year 5!

This term Geography is our driver, and we will be exploring the continent of South America.  Our understanding and knowledge will be embedded not only in Geography lessons, but through music, art and literature.  We will be continuing to develop our love of reading and this term’s whole class novel will be ‘ The Explorer’ by Katherine Rundell. 

We are very lucky this term to be able to provide two exciting extra-curricular activities.  The first being the opportunity to take part on a boat trip on the River Tamar and the second being a wonderful opportunity to take part in an Art Week Project at The Box, Plymouth.  

Mrs Foster and Miss Clement will be working together each day to teach the children with Mrs Gocher working to support the class in the mornings.  As ever, if you have any questions or queries, please do get in touch via Dojo or the school office.  We will always do our best to answer any questions while ensuring that your child is happy in school.

English 

In English this term, we will developing our writing skills across a range of genres including, recounts (in the form of a newspaper article),  poetry (exploring form), and contemporary fiction.  Complementing our creative writing will be grammar sessions looking at key tools, such as relative clauses, adverbs indicating degrees of possibility and modal verbs.  We will develop our use of devices to build cohesion within a paragraph and consider ways that we can link ideas across paragraphs.  We will also continue to embed our use of  brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis and the use of commas to clarify meaning or avoid ambiguity.

Maths

This term, we will start by continuing to lean about decimal numbers.  We will  add decimals within one whole using place value counters and place value charts to support understanding of what happens when we exchange between columns. We will then continue to develop our understanding of angles, focusing on comparing and ordering obtuse and acute angles.  We will learn to use a protractor and begin to measure angles in degrees as well as learning how to use known information to find missing angles on a straight line and in shapes.  Later in the term, we will explore positions on a grid, reading and plotting co-ordinates, translating and reflecting points and shapes as well as developing our reasoning skills and understanding of symmetry.

Science

This term we will learn about the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals.  We will start by extending our knowledge of the parts of plants and learn how plants reproduce using sexual and asexual reproduction.  We will then observe and describe the differences in the life cycles of mammals, amphibians, insects and birds.   Furthermore, we will be learning about the work of naturalists and animal behaviourists, including David Attenborough and Jane Goodall. 

In the second part of the Summer Term, we will describe the changes as humans develop to old age, with an in-depth focus on the changes to the human body during puberty. This will also be linked to our lessons in Relationship and Sex Education.

Art

This term we will be studying the South American artist Romero Britto.  We will explore symbolism through his artwork and learn how colour theory can be used, along with line and pattern to create images.  We will learn to use a range of materials as well as continuing to develop our drawing skills.  Finally, we will create our own artwork inspired by Romero Britto and South American culture.

Computing

In Computing, we will  develop our understanding of how computer networks can provide multiple services and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration. We will consider a range of ways that humans communicate with one another on a global scale discussing the benefits and the risks.  We will explore what makes a good website and website design and creation. We will then take part in a collaborative online project with other class members to make our own website, developing our skills in working together online. 

Additionally, we will continue to develop our coding skills and will design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals by controlling and simulating physical systems using micro bits.

DT

This term, we will be working towards designing an upcycled piece of clothing to wear at a school event or fashion show. We will complete research and develop design criteria, then using annotated sketches, prototypes and pattern pieces we will work together to make our own clothing.  Additionally, we will consider how key events and designers have shapes the world of fashion over time.

French

This term we will be developing our vocabulary around a range of subjects including colours, classroom and clothes.  We will revise words for prepositions to be able to say where something is located, as well as

revising parts of the irregular verb aller. We will also learn how to form the simple future tense.

We will listen to stories, learn phrases and rehearse speaking and writing in French.  Towards the end of the Summer Term, we will complete a group project, learning about countries in West Africa where French is spoken.

Geography

This term, we will be learning about South America.  We will learn to name and locate some of the countries and cities and their identifying human and physical characteristics (including mountains, rivers, key topographical features and land use patterns). Additionally, we will study significant places and environments and develop an understanding of how some of these aspects may have changed over time and how they may change in the future. 

Music

This term we will be comparing songs in the same style, talking about what stands out musically in each of them, their similarities and differences. We will then create simple melodies using up to five different notes and simple rhythms and develop our ability to record compositions using graphic and pictorial representations.   Later in the term, we will be listening to and appraising Samba music as well as learning Samba rhythms. Finally, we will put these rhythms together -along with improvisations- for a class performance.

PE

This term, Year 5 are lucky to be working with the Plymouth Schools Sports Partnership.  Each Monday an experienced coach will be coming into school to work on a range of skills with the pupils.  They will develop and refine techniques in agility, balance and co-ordination.  Later in the term, we will be developing our athletics skills, including working on our running technique and demonstrate accuracy and confidence in throwing and catching activities.  We will also be developing competitive skills as we ready ourselves for this year's Sports Day!

PHSE

This term we will we will be thinking about our online relationships and some of the changes that happen to girls and boys during puberty.  We will start by looking at reasons why using technology to communicate
could lead to harm for ourselves or others, exploring the pressures that might make some people
use technology in risky or harmful ways.  We will explore self-esteem, friendships, attraction, jealousy and body language.  We will then explore self-image and body image importance of looking after yourself physically and emotionally.  We will learn about physical and emotional changes during puberty, for both boys and girls and develop an  understanding of conception.

RE

This term we will be asking the question ‘What would Jesus do?’.  We will identify features of Gospel
texts (for example, teachings, parable, narrative).  Taking account of the context, we will suggest meanings of Gospel texts studied, and compare  ideas with ways in which Christians interpret biblical texts, showing awareness of different interpretations. Furthermore, we will learn how Christians believe that they should
bring this good news to life in the world in different ways, within their church family, in their personal
lives, with family, with their neighbours, in the local, national and global community.

Useful Information

Home learning

This will be set at the following times:

Maths and English  – Monday to be handed in on Friday.

Reading – 10 minutes reading daily. We ask that an adult signs the reading diary and it is handed in at least once per week. This is a whole school focus this year!

Spellings: There will be weekly tests on Friday.

Times Tables:  TT Rock Stars daily.

Games and PE

Children will need their PE kit in school all week as children  MUST have P.E. kit to take part for health and safety reasons.

Kit:        Trainers, white shirt, blue/black shorts, football/trainer socks.

In colder weather, a plain tracksuit may be worn outdoors for games.

Please ensure that all items of clothing are named. A small named bag containing your PE kit is all that is necessary as cloakroom space is limited.  Please keep your PE kit in school and we will ensure that it is sent home each half term for washing.

E-Safety

As so many of us are spending more and more time online, it is important that the children have a secure knowledge of how to be safe.  We will discuss various issues regarding this each week.  If your child or yourself have any questions linked to their online world, then please do not hesitate to get in touch or have a look at some of the links below.

Useful Links