In Year 6 we have three classes- Mr Ginns teaches in Sycamore,Miss Bennett teaches Chestnut and Mr Hazard teaches in Hazel.
Everyone is working really hard and we are looking forward to a very exciting year! Below you will find information about our units of work, useful website links and how you can help your child at home.
Important Information
Children will be dismissed from the side gate to the courtyard at 3.25pm daily. Year 6 have P.E. lessons on a Thursday and Friday, please ensure kit is left in school on a Thursday but taken home over the weekend to be washed. It is important to note that Thursday’s lesson will usually take place outside and as the winter sets in, children will need to bring warmer clothes.
Spelling On Fridays spellings will be tested in class as a dictation, as per the National Curriculum. Any extra support you can give your children to learn these spellings and then continue to spell the words correctly moving forwards will be greatly appreciated. As little as two minutes at a time is still hugely beneficial. It is also very important that times tables are secure as they are key to grasping most mathematical concepts; please practise with your child regularly.
Homework will be set on Fridays and is expected in on the following Friday. It will often follow the themes of grammar or Maths: two fundamental areas. There will also be longer term homework projects linked to specific topics covered throughout the year.
What are we learning about this year?
English
Throughout the year, the children revisit a variety of text types such as journalistic writing, persuasive and discursive writing, description, stories, letters, diaries, suspense and flashback amongst others! During text based week we study, ‘The Hobbit’ where children write detailed descriptions and diary entries.
Children have the opportunity to study three further texts: Under the Quilt of Night, which is a picture book that links to our slave trade topic; Kensuke’s Kingdom (by Michael Morpurgo) and Pig Heart Boy by Mallorie Blackman.
This year we will be revising the written methods for all four number operations. We will also have the opportunity to apply these skills, through interesting and engaging problem solving activities and contextualised maths lessons. We will be working hard to develop our mental and arithmetic strategies; in particular ensuring children all know their times tables.
Our first Science unit is revising the lifecycle of flowering and non-flowering plants, including the different ways in which they reproduce. Children create explanations of each stage of the lifecycle, fact pages about sexual and asexual reproduction and create their own investigation of the effect of light on pond weed. Children then move on to looking at the 5 kingdoms of living things, adaptation and interdependence and study Charles Darwin’s theory of Evolution which will lead them to create a Power Point to show how the human skeleton has evolved. Finally they look at microorganisms, which links in with our first DT unit (food) in which we discuss the use of microorganisms in bread.
In term 3 and 4 we begin with a study of forces and magnetism looking at how they affect us. Followed by looking at the properties of light and how shadows are formed.
In term 5 we will begin with a revision of Electricity, focusing on symbols, the speed of motors and voltage. We will then be looking at the human body specifically looking at the changes in humans from birth to old age and will revisit the human body systems. Finally we study the impact of: diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the body.
Our first Geography topic asks the question, ‘Why does climate change matter?’ We aim to get the children to think about how climate change affects us and how we are affecting it. During this unit children produce presentations about a natural disaster of their choice, fact pages detailing how we could use renewable energy sources and persuasive leaflets about reducing our carbon footprints.
Children meet the ever-popular Tudors to find out why Henry VIII married six times. They study primary evidence and why the Tudors were so influential.
During term 6 we begin our sustainability topic, which begins with children creating survival maps to show how to survive if stranded at school. We then go into more detail looking at maps, suggesting reasons why people choose to settle in certain areas. Within this topic children will also think about saving fossil fuels and will focus on studying Bristol, discussing whether it is a sustainable city.
In term 6 we study the slave trade particularly looking at what life was like on the plantations and studying the life of Olaudah Equiano, who was captured and sold to a slave ship. During this topic children will get the opportunity to: write interviews, weigh up evidence and write accounts as if they were working on the plantations. We begin by looking at the problem of slavery today, especially for children, then follow the journey of the slaves from Africa to the West Indies. Finally we learn how the slave trade was abolished through the dedication of William Wilberforce.
How can I help my child at home?
Listening to your child read at home as often as possible continues to be essential to their progress. Children are to borrow books from the class library or from the school library. Please continue to practise spellings and times tables on a weekly basis. Please also see the website links on this page.
Page website links (Please list below)
Woodlands School Resources: http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/index.html
What 2 Learn (Activities): http://primarygamesarena.com/Play/Literacy-Listen-and-Spell-82-1409
KS2 Bitesize: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english/spelling_grammar/
Spellodrome and Mathletics: http://www.mathletics.co.uk/
Top Marks: http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/times-tables