Wonderful Willows
Class Teacher: Mr Silkstone
Teaching Assistant: Miss McCallum/ Miss Gutsa
1:1 Support: Mrs Robinson/Mrs Nash
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Welcome to Year 5/6 Wonderful Willows and Splendid Spruces!
Splendid Spruces
Class Teacher: Miss Guildford
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Zareba
1:1 support: Mrs Robinson/ Mrs Nash
Both of the classrooms encourage children to be independent, with lots of resources for them to access to help them with their learning. Displays support children’s learning and allow them to showcase their learning and take pride in their work.
Each class has elected a school councillor and ECO councillor.
The school councillors represent the class’s views on decisions being made in school. This encourages children to have a voice about their experiences at Firs Primary School.
The ECO councillors also acts as a representative in the school’s aim to be more sustainable. They are responsible for making sure that their class and the rest of the school are more green by supporting to reduce waste, electricity use and minimise our carbon footprint.
Each class also has Dojo Masters. These children are role models for others to show our FIRSY values. They also help to guide visitors and new children around school. They are always enthusiastic to talk about their learning.
Pharaohs
This term, our topic, Pharaohs will take us back in time to explore the fascinating world of Ancient Egypt. We will focus on the historical aspects of this great civilisation, learning how the Ancient Egyptians lived, worked and worshipped, and how their discoveries and inventions continue to influence us today.
In Geography, we will study the human and physical features of Egypt, with a particular focus on the River Nile and the role it played in shaping life in both ancient and modern times. We will compare modern-day Egypt with Ancient Egypt, looking at how the landscape, settlements, and industries have changed over thousands of years.
Our Science learning this term will focus on electricity. Children will investigate circuits, components and conductors, developing their understanding through practical experiments and problem-solving challenges.
In Art, the children will build their skills in observational drawing, taking inspiration from Egyptian artefacts and objects. They will practise close looking, sketching with accuracy and detail, and explore how artists can capture the world around them.
Alongside our main topic, we will continue our wider curriculum:
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PSHE will focus on friendships and teamwork.
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RE will explore different places of worship and why religious groups go there, helping children to understand similarities and differences between faith practices.
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Computing will focus on unit systems and searching, building children’s confidence in using digital tools effectively.
This exciting topic will allow children to make meaningful connections between history, geography, science and the arts, while continuing to develop important skills for learning across the curriculum.
Take a look at these Topic ideas that you can do with your child for Home Learning. They are designed to develop their currently learning in class and expand their knowledge across a wide range of topics within the curriculum.
Reading and writing
In class we will be reading the book ‘Clockwork’ by Philip Pullman.
Place Value of Punctuation
We will be spending the first part of this half-term looking at the core skills require in writing. This will aim to develop children’s SPaG skills to enable them to become effective writers, understanding the key punctuation and grammar required.
Spelling will happen for 15 minutes a day during our SPaG slot, where children will learn how to develop their spelling strategies.
This termwe will have an interactive Egyptian Experience! An outside group will come in to deliver a workshop all about the Ancient Egyptians!
Careers and parental engagement
Career: What I want to be when I’m older
This half term, we will set up our career logs and have a discussion about what our future aspirations are.
Parental Engagement Opportunity
This half term, you will get an opportunity to meet the new class teacher. You can look at how the day will look for Spruces and Willows class and ask any key questions you may have. We are looking forward to meeting you all in class soon!
Stargazers
In this exciting unit, we will be learning all about Earth and Space! There will be opportunity to conduct research on different planets within our solar system, find out more about the orbit of the Moon, Earth and the Sun. Understanding how night and day occur, why seasons happen and where the days, months and years come from. This is a large Science unit that is specific to year 5 and 6.
There will be links to Geography. Understanding why we have longitude and latitude lines on maps, researching time zones and identifying where famous scientists come from using their map work.
Reading and writing
In class we will be reading the books; ‘Wolf Brother’, ‘The kid who came from space’, ‘Cosmic’ and ‘The Jamie Jake equation’. Children will have plenty of opportunity to read non-fiction texts to study more about Earth and Space. We have a wide variety of books located on MYON using your child’s login details.
Fiction/Non-Fiction Units
We will be creating a journey story. This will focus on setting and character descriptions to add detail to our stories. Building up our knowledge of story structure, will ensure there is cohesion along with language choices to support the reader.
Memorable Experience
During this term we will be going on an exciting trip to the National Space Centre.
Here we will continue to look at our Science Topic about Space, looking at interactive resources to find out more about planets and how we have travelled to the moon through rockets!
Careers and parental engagement
Career:
Parental Engagement Opportunity
Time Travellers
In this topic we will learn all about different periods of time. Our theme will be gender equality. Looking how male and females were portrayed throughout the years, how have things changed between then and now?
An exciting opportunity in DT to look at embroidery and creating our own fashion piece!
Reading and writing
We will be using the model text ‘Scarab’ to support our writing for a portal story. This unit will help us build suspense with mystery while allowing us to use a range of creative vocabulary to engage the reader.
Memorable Experience
We will be carrying out an exciting workshop at the Derby Museum of Making called ‘Electro Embroidery Lab.
Careers and parental engagement
Career:
Parental Engagement Opportunity
Peasants, Princes and Pestilence
In our topic, Peasants, Princes and Pestilence, we will be focusing on History. Looking at the plague village of Eyam and how the locals of Derbyshire had to heroically quarantine themselves to prevent the spread of the plague!
In computing, we will be looking at E-Safety – knowing how to stay safe online and what to do when there are problems.
In Art, we will be looking at stitching and how to cross-stitch!
Reading and writing
In class we will be reading the book ‘The land of Roar’. We have a range of fictional texts to support our readers, enabling them to capture their imagination and use this inspiration in their writing.
Fiction
We will be creating a ‘finding tale’ where children must create a character and an object. They will create a sequence of events to enable to the character to find something mysterious. Children will develop skills around punctuation and how this changes the way in which the reader reads the story.
Memorable Experience
During this term we will be going on an exciting trip to Eyam in the Peak District
Careers and parental engagement
Career:
Parental Engagement Opportunity
Alchemy Island
In this unit of work, we will be looking closely at our Geography unit – reading maps and using 6 figure references. This will enable us to read and interpret maps, finding key locations and understand keys on various types of maps.
This will link closely to our Computing topic, where we will use presentation software to create slides based on our research. We will look at creating our own island and presenting the facts based on habitats and locations.
Reading and writing
In class we will be reading the book ‘The Hobbit’. This book is rich in vocabulary to support children use sophisticated language and punctuation to support the reader.
Fiction
We will be creating a defeating the monster story. We will focus on breaking down the text to show an opening that describes a setting, middle that identifies a problem, middle – solution to defeat the monster and an ending to show what happens and create a moral of the story.
Memorable Experience
Science Boffins workshop
Careers and parental engagement
Career:
Parental Engagement Opportunity
It is essential that all children continue to practice their learning at home to remember and embed what they have learnt in school that week. For Splendid Spruces and Wonderful Willows, home learning will be given to the children on a Friday and must be returned by the following Thursday. Children will be asked to attend home learning club during their lunch time if they do not complete their home learning. Children will get both Maths and English home learning that week therefore all children should be able to complete it. If they are struggling, they are welcome to join in with home learning club for extra support. If you need any more support or guidance with home learning, please message your child’s class teacher on Class Dojo.
Splendid Spruces and Wonderful Willows PE Day is Monday.
Please ensure that your child has a white or blue t-shirt and black or blue joggers/shorts and a pair of black trainers. Please see Class Dojo if you are unsure what your child needs. If you have any issues or questions regarding this, please contact your class teacher on Class Dojo.
Autumn 1
4th September- Start of term
Monday 15th September- Meet the Teacher- Spruces
Tuesday 16th September- Meet the Teacher- Willows
15th/16th October- Egyptian workshop experience
27th-2nd November- HALF TERM
Autumn 2
11th November: Aim High Writing workshop for some children
13th November: Whole school ‘Puzzle Day’
4th or 9th December: School trip to Space Centre
TBC: Parental engagement – Making a foam rocket/Art gallery
Friday 19th December: INSET DAY- no children in school
Spring 1
Monday 5th January: INSET DAY- no children in school
5th or 6th March: Electro-embroidery lab
TBC: Parental engagement – Maths games
Monday 23rd February- INSET DAY- No children in school
Spring 2
Summer 1
W/C 11th May – SATs for Year 6 – ALL children to be in all day!
Friday 15th or Thursday 21st May- Trip to Eyam
18th-20th May- Residential for some children
Friday 22nd May- INSET DAY- No children in school
Summer 2
Friday 3rd July- INSET DAY- No children in school
16th July- ‘Science Boffins’ memorable experience
Below are a number of websites that are useful for children in Year 5/ 6.
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Part of the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT) family of schools
Registered Address: Unit 3 Top Floor Endcliffe Mount, Deepdale Business Park, Ashford Road, Bakewell, Derbyshire. DE45 1GT
Tel: 0333 3554353, Email: info@ddat.org.uk