English
In English we have continued to study the novel Goodnight, Mister Tom. The children have really been able to immerse themselves in the story and its characters. They have also enjoyed watching clips from the film as well as reading the book.
Year 6 have examined pieces of the text and annotated them to find key vocabulary and understand what they mean. They can then use what they have learnt in their own independent writing. We have studied the characters of Will, Zach and Mrs Beech (Williams mother) and created a role on the wall to illustrate the kind of people they were in the story. We have mapped William’s emotions throughout his journey and used this to help us write from Will’s perspective. The children have really got to grips with character emotions and relate themselves to the characters in the story.
Maths
This half term, we have concentrated on fractions and decimals. The two topics link closely together and the children have learned how to convert between the two and two compare fractions and decimals of different value. We have also used bar models to help us better understand fractions. The children have learned how to add and subtract mixed numbers, divide fractions and solve real-life word problems linked to fractions.
As well as understanding the value of decimal numbers, the children have learnt how to multiply decimals by one and two digit numbers.
Throughout the term, the children have been practising and learning their key number facts including their times tables. The class have enjoyed competing in Times Table Rock star battles.
Science
Our topic has been electricity this term. The children have learned how to create circuits with different components and used scientific symbols to draw diagrams of them. The children have also worked scientifically to plan investigations by identifying potential variables and deciding which one they will change in order to keep it a fair test. We have then carried out our tests and recorded our results before writing a conclusion of our findings.
History
In History we have continued to learn about the battle of Britain and life during the war. WE have looked into why Britain won the battle of Britain and the children have written an explanatory piece on it.
We also had a history workshop which gave the children a better understanding of the living conditions of British civilians during the war. The children enjoyed learning wartime songs and investigating artefacts from that period.
Geography
In Geography, we have continued our topic of Mountains. The children have looked at maps of mountain ranges in Wales and located places using grid references. We have also looked at the importance of mountains with regards to water and how reservoirs can be used to supply clean drinking water and as source for clean energy.
DT
Our DT project this term has been a steady hand game. The children have researched toys in the internet and evaluated their form and function to be able to conclude whether the design of the toys was fit for purpose. We then designed our own steady hand game, considering what its design criteria should be to make sure it is a good product. So far, the children have planned, designed and begun creating their game.
We will complete our final product after Christmas.
Alongside our main DT lessons, the children have enjoyed creating Christmas decorations which have been displayed around school, Christmas cards and calendars.
Spanish
The children have enjoyed learning about pets in Spanish. They are now able to introduce their pets and state their names. The children have also learned how to manipulate sentence structures to say they do not have any pets. This can be applied in many other scenarios.
R.E
Christianity has been our focus this term, specifically Christmas. The children have been identifying Christmas traditions and considering which traditions link to the Christian celebration of Jesus’s birth. We also discussed whether Christmas could only be celebrated by Christians and considered how Christians would feel about traditions that do not link to the Christmas story.
Computing
This half term we have used the Scratch website to use keyboard inputs for control, conditions for interaction and game-play so that the sprite makes choices, use loops and random variables for unpredictability.
Music
This half term the children have been hard at work learning the lyrics to the chosen Christmas Carols for our KS2 Carol Service and sang beautifully to their audience of parents and carers at St. Stephen’s Church.
The children have looked at the phrasing within the carols and noted when to take a breath.
The children then sang at our whole school Christingle Service St. Catherine’s Church.