Aspiring Acers and Excellent Elms

Aspiring Acers

Teacher: Mrs Twist

Teaching Assistant: Mrs Zareba

Excellent Elms

Teacher: Miss Wiggins

Teaching Assistant: Mrs Brown

Our classrooms are well organised to promote the children’s independence and to ensure the best from all of our children. Both classrooms have working walls for English and Maths to aid the children with their work. We also celebrate children’s fantastic work by displaying it around our classrooms.

Aspiring Acers’ School Councillor

Harper

Every class has at least one school councilor to help share their classes’ views and make changes across the school.

Excellent Elms’ School Councillor

Jimi

Aspiring Acers’ Dojo Masters:

Elsie and Gabriella

Every class has at least 2 Dojo masters. They are role models of excellent behaviour, always showing the FIRSY values of Fascinated, Independent, Respectful, Sociable and You can do it!

Excellent Elms’ Dojo Masters:

Gerard and Mariam

Click on the tabs below to find out more information about each topic. Throughout the year we will also add pictures of memorable experiences and hooks!

Mighty Metals

In this topic, we will look closely at evidence related to two important British historical figures (Richard III and Elizabeth I) and decide whether or not they were a hero or a villain. Within Science lessons we will be learning about electricity and then using the skills that we have learnt to design and make our own torch during our DT lessons. During PSHE we will be learning about relationships and within RE lessons we will learn about what it is like to be a Hindu.

In this topic, we will be learning about the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings. We will be considering the historical evidence about them and deciding if they were really traders or raiders. Within Geography, we will be learning about compass directions, using maps and types of settlement. Our learning in RE will focus on why the bible is important to Christians and PSHE will look at valuing difference. We are excited to begin a unit on programming in Computing and also to continue learning German.

This half term, children will be learning more about the City of Derby. In History, they will investigate the past by studying significant buildings –  the Silk Mill and Derby Cathedral. Geography will focus on map skills. In Art we will explore graffiti and the works of Banksy and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Focus text: The Caravan

In this warning tale, Mitch learns the dangers of playing outside during a storm.

Hook

We discussed and explained all the reasons for playing outside.

Here are some of our ideas:

Experiences

We will be doing a tour of Derby city centre, looking at significant places, buildings and monuments.

We will be taking a tour of Derby City centre, looking at significant places, buildings and monuments.

This half term we will be learning all about sound. In Science we will be learning how sounds are made and how we hear them. In Geography we will focus on noise pollution and we will take a walk around the local area to check the levels of noise pollution. In Design and Technology we will be learning about Alexander Bell and making our own musical instrument.

Focus text: ‘The Sound Collector’ by Roger McGough

We will be reading and discussing this fantastic poem about sounds. We will be improving our descriptive writing and creating our own poems.

Hook

For our hook, we will be listening to sounds from a setting. We will describing the sounds for our cold write.

Experiences

We will be taking a walk around the local area to check on the levels of noise pollution.

This half term we are learning about change in Britain from the Stone Age to Iron age during our history lessons, within science lessons we are learning about light and what it is. In our art lessons we will be using charcoal pencils and paint and during computing sessions we will be collecting information using data loggers.

Focus Text

Focus text: Matale comes to supper

Coming soon!

In Predator, we are going to be looking at animals including humans, looking at their food chains. We will also conduct fieldwork study in Geography, looking at human and physical features. In addition, we will study the Amazon, Amalfi Coast and the Peak District. In art, we will look closely at the work of Albrecht Durer and produce our own art work inspired by his. 

Fred, Con, Lila and little Max’s plane is on the way to Manaus when it falls out of the sky. Now, lost in the Amazon rainforest, they must figure out the basics of survival: water, shelter, food. Do they wait for rescue, or find a way to rescue themselves?

We watched ‘Adrift’…

Click the link and see what you think!

https://www.literacyshed.com/adrift.html

How important is dialogue in our writing?

We will visit Padley Gorge and look at human and physical features.

Reading and Talk for Writing

Mrs Twist and Miss Wiggins will be reading to us everyday. Our books for this half term are:

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

A Child’s Introduction to Norse Mythology by Heather Alexander

Viking Voyagers by Jack Tite

Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo

 

 

Fiction

We will be reading the Anglo-Saxon story of ‘Beowulf’ and using this to build our understanding of the structure and language of a conquering the monster tale. We will build towards writing our own conquering the monster tale by focusing on description. We will look at how authors describe settings to help us improve our writing.

 

Non-Fiction

We will be studying non-chronological reports and writing our own text about the Vikings

Our Experiences and Opportunities

We do lots of exciting things throughout the year, this may be part of our topic or additional experiences.

Memorable Experience

 

December 5th – Workshop from ‘The Past Presents’.

See here for details

https://firsprimary.derby.sch.uk/wp-admin/post.php?post=6167&action=edit

 

October 16th/18th – Visit to Richard III exhibition and experience

See here for details: https://kriii.com/

Parental Engagement

We will be holding an Anglo-Saxon and Viking Craft session on 6th December at 2.45pm

Careers Related Learning

Details coming soon

 

Music

We are really lucky to have specialist music teachers who will be teaching violin to all Year 4 children every Monday for the whole year.

Year 3s will be completing a unit called ‘Three Little Birds’ this half term.

PE for Excellent Elms is Tuesday

PE for Aspiring Acers is Thursday

The children will change for PE in school so please ensure they have their kit ready. They can leave this in school if you like.

Home learning will be sent out every Friday and will need to be returned by Wednesday the following week. Your child is able to complete it at lunchtimes in school if that is needed, just speak to their class teacher.

Useful Links for Learning

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Contact Us

Firs Primary School
Raven Street
Derby
DE22 3WA
Telephone: 01332 346230
Fax: 01332 200782
admin@firsprimary.derby.sch.uk

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