Welcome to Year 5. Please read on to find out what we are learning about in the Autumn Term! 

English

We will be exploring four interesting texts across the Autumn term. Our first is a rich and emotional story called “The Tear Thief”, from which we will write our own story about a ‘feelings’ thief. “I am a Cat” is a beautiful, poetic text which will allow us to research and use similes to describe different animals. After reading “Wallace and Gromit’s Cracking Contraptions”, we will use technical vocabulary to describe our own invention. Finally, in “Flotsam” we will describe settings and characters in a story, to tell what happens to a child who makes an interesting discovery.

Maths

Our first unit will focus on place value; looking at decimal fractions. We will recognise tenths and hundredths and build a deep understanding of their value. This learning will lead us to money to explore decimals in a real-life context. Later in the term, we will introduce the children to negative numbers considering their value relative to positive numbers. Finally, we will practise using written methods  to develop the ability to use short methods for multiplication and division.

 

Reading

Across the whole term, the children will focus on reading every day to develop their fluency and expression. We will also aim to build their vocabulary alongside improving skills of inference, prediction, explaining, retrieving, summarising and sequencing texts. We will continue to use Accelerated Reader to help children track their progress and it remains essential for your child to continue to read at home, preferably to an adult.

Science

We have a fantastic physics topic ahead, exploring the force of gravity as air and water resistance through a range of investigations including parachutes and mechanical devices. We will follow this by learning about the behaviour of the Sun, Moon and the Planets in our Solar System. We will investigate and understand how the movement of the celestial bodies may be different to how it appears in the sky above us.

PSHE

The themes for this term are Living in the Wider World and relationships considering feelings and emotions, healthy relationships and valuing differences. The children will be exploring how to recognise the feelings of others and strategies to deal with these emotions. They will also be looking at their rights and responsibilities as a citizen, how we can stay safe and explore what we mean by prejudice and discrimination.

R.E

We will learn about Creation, by comparing the Bible story of creation with scientific theories and consider whether these views are conflicting or complementary. We will look at different ways that Christians might interpret the Bible story and consider how and why many Christians find that science and faith can fit together well.

Geography

By studying “Changes in our Local Environment”, we will first learn about the UK and its key features. Then we will explore changes to our local area that have taken place in the past and those that could take place in the future and consider the differing opinions people might have about this.

History

We will continue our study of English History by learning about the Anglo-Saxons: who they were and why they settled in Britain. We will investigate the Sutton Hoo ship burial and Staffordshire Hoard, as well as written evidence to find out what the Anglo-Saxons were like and whether this period was really a ‘Dark Age’.

P.E

In PE, Mr Sands will teach children to develop ball skills in dodgeball and learn how we can defend and attack in game situations. In gymnastics, Mrs Parker will support children to develop the quality of their seated balances to explore matching and mirroring. Please ensure that you have the correct and labelled kit on PE days. Ideally, this will be left in school for the week in case of any changes to our timetable. 

French

In Autumn 1, we will learn the names for our pets and then introduce them focusing on the correct gender.
In Autumn 2, we will learn the months of the year and how to say when our birthday occurs.

Computing

We will begin by evaluating ways of sharing information and working together online. Our second unit will cover video editing where we will record and consider the impact of editing choices.

Music

We will explore rock anthems from the 70s and 80s (the greatest era for music!). Our focus song will be ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ by Bon Jovi alongside other classics of this genre, which will inspire singing, performing and composing using new techniques and structures.

Art

Our unit is entitled “Typography & Maps” and we will explore how we to create typography through drawing and design. We will use these skills to create personal and highly visual maps.

DT

This term we will use food technology to celebrate culture and seasoning including cooking and nutrition requirements.

Homework

The most important thing that you can do to support your child is to read to/with them and practise times tables and spellings. I recommend that children spend a few minutes every weekday writing down their spellings for that week and the times table we are focussing on. I will set homework on Wednesday, to be handed in by the following Wednesday. The children will be given new spellings each week to be tested in the following week.