ENglish

In English this term we will be focusing on the story by Dave Shelton called ‘A boy and a bear in a boat’. This is an enthralling story of the growing friendship between a boy and a bear.  We will then move on to reading ‘The Journey’ by Francesca Sanna. This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces a powerful and moving
perspective on migration. Told through the eyes of a young girl, the story explores the unimaginable decisions made as a mother and her two children who are forced to flee their home and everyone they know to escape the turmoil of war.   During our English lessons this term, we will be using a range of Reading and writing techniques such as narratives, character profiles, notes for class discussion and debate, Written comparisons, writing in role – diary entries, letters – and Poetry.

Reading 

In guided reading we will be reading ‘Oranges in no man’s land’ by Elizabeth Laird.  We will be focusing on children’s understanding of the texts.  This will include learning new vocabulary and understanding its meaning, which will then support them to use it correctly in their writing.  We will also retrieve and record information to improve their performance and comprehension skills. 

It is important that your child also reads at home everyday. Please listen to your child read and ask them questions about their current book.  We encourage children to read a wide range of books. 

All Year 5 children have access to Bug Club, where they have been allocated a range of reading books. Please speak to me if your child does not have regular access to suitable reading material at home.  

Maths

This term in Maths our topics will be fractions, decimals and percentages.  Children will begin to learn how to subtract fractions that are different, finding common denominators and subtracting mixed numbers and improper fractions. Children will then begin to multiply fractions by whole numbers and multiply mixed numbers by whole numbers. They will be solving word problems that require multiple steps and bar model representations. In addition, children will be exploring decimals. They will learn to read and write decimal numbers. This is followed by comparing decimal numbers to find which is greater and smaller. Children then add and subtract decimals before turning decimals into fractions and rounding decimals to the nearest whole number and decimal position. Furthermore, children will be comparing quantities and exposing percentage as an amount out of 100. Children will then convert fractions to hundredths, both by expanding fractions and by simplifying them.

Computing

In computing this term Year 5 will be focusing on projects using ‘Lego WeDo’ .Children will follow a step to step guide to create a Robot Arm, a Spider, a Snow Plough and a Caterpillar.

Science

In science, Year 5 will be learning Chemistry.  Our topic this half term will be ‘Types of change’. Children will explore dissolving and will use the terms solute and solvent. They will use evaporation to recover dissolved solutes and will recognise that these are reversible changes. They will also recognise that mixing and changes of state are reversible changes. Children will be introduced to examples of irreversible changes such as burning candles and other fuels, heating some materials and mixing bicarbonate with acid. Working Scientifically, children will use evidence gathered from their own and others’ investigations into dissolving and evaporation to draw conclusions and offer explanations. They will apply previous understanding about melting to predict and investigate which substances will melt. They will plan, carry out and review a complete investigation related to the action of acid on bicarbonate.

Topic

Year 5 will continue to study History this term.  They will continue to learn about The Anglo-Saxons and The Vikings. The children will learn how the Roman Britain become Anglo-Saxon England, the legacy of the Vikings, Anglo Saxon and Vikings relationsip, compare the lives between the Anglo Saxons and the Vikings and what they left behind.Children will carefully select relevant historical information, considering different viewpoints or thinking about possible bias.  

P.E

P.E. will be on Mondays and Tuesdays. Please ensure that your child comes to school wearing their P:E kit on these days.