English

Year six have been reading The Matchbox Diary, a novel by Paul Fleischman, “The story of an amazing life in one tiny box.” The book tells a story of a poor family living in poverty in Italy and their life as they try to make a new home in America. The story is told through the things found in many matchboxes which represent different memories and events along their adventures. An olive stone in one, a photograph in another, a lavish hairpin, each telling a piece of Gino’s life from when he was a young boy. Gino, who lives with his family and Grandmother in an old, dilapidated stone house, is often hungry and cold but make the best of what he has while Gino’s father works in America and supports them. One day tickets arrive from their father inviting them to travel to America to join him. Leaving Grandma behind they start a perilous journey to America where they are unaware of the life that awaits them there. Year six have used prediction and speculation based on evidence from the book and the beautiful illustrations. We have written in role for a diary and have independently written letters that might have been sent from Gino to Grandma. Finally, the children wrote a balanced argument, stating the advantages and disadvantages of leaving their home country of Italy and relocating to America. We have planned, written, and edited out work and published pieces into our presentation books.

Maths

This term in Year 6, the children have made impressive strides in their mathematical understanding. They have thoroughly engaged with the concepts of perimeter and area, mastering their application to a range of 2D shapes, including rectilinear shapes. Moreover, the students have delved into the intriguing world of 3D shapes, successfully calculating their volumes and significantly enhancing their problem-solving abilities. Additionally, our focus on algebra has enabled the children to discern patterns with precision, and effectively express them using formulae. The whole class has worked really hard on these new concepts and have demonstrated great resilience and perseverance to solve some of the trickier problems.

Science

Building upon the previous term’s learning, Year 6 focused on exploring the concept of evolution and inheritance. Students gained a deeper understanding of how species evolve over time and inherit traits from their ancestors. The children studied the life and work of Charles Darwin, an influential scientist who made ground-breaking contributions to the theory of evolution. They explored Darwin’s discoveries and the impact they had on our understanding of the natural world. Through engaging lessons and hands-on activities, the students learned how evolution occurs and the factors that contribute to it. They explored the role of natural selection and the idea of adaptation in driving evolutionary processes. Throughout the term, the students developed their scientific skills by working scientifically. They conducted investigations, analysed data, and drew evidence-based conclusions. This approach fostered a deeper understanding of the scientific method and critical thinking skills.

Geography

We started by revisiting our previous topic, “What is a River?”. Building on our knowledge from last term, we delved into the concept of estuaries. One of the highlights was when we compared maps with satellite photos to identify the physical features of an estuary. This activity provided us with a real-world application of map reading skills. Additionally, we had an exciting trip to Towneley Park where the children had the opportunity to explore the river in person. They actively observed the wildlife living in the River Calder to determine whether it was clean or not. This experience helped deepen their understanding of ecosystems and the impact of pollution on rivers.

History

During this term, students have delved into the world of Ancient China through an exploration of artefacts. They had the opportunity to predict whom these artefacts belonged to and immerse themselves in the historical context surrounding them. Furthermore, it became apparent that limited evidence exists regarding the everyday lives of commoners in Ancient China; students actively researched and discussed how this dearth of evidence might have come about.

Computing

Throughout the term, the students demonstrated their proficiency in various areas, including graphic design using PowerPoint and being data detectives on Excel, using filters to effectively sort information. These skills have allowed them to creatively present their work and efficiently analyse data.

DT

Our primary focus was on researching, planning, and creating a three-course meal, incorporating specific hero ingredients for each course. For starters, students explored the versatility of peppers in various appetisers. For the main course, they experimented with researched flavours and techniques using salmon. Finally, the students showcased their creativity by planning how to incorporate pineapple into a delectable dessert. It has been an engaging journey that enhanced their understanding of culinary skills and the importance of selecting suitable ingredients.

Spanish

We have continued with our topic of En la cafeteria. The children have learned how to say and order a range of foods including traditional Spanish dishes. They have also looked at the grammar side of the topic, identifying which determiners should be accompanying certain nouns.

Music

The BFG’s have been appraising music/active music this half term via the music website Charanga. Each session we listened to a piece of music and then described the key features in the music. We listened to the tempo, metre, instrumentation and melody.

We listened to hear whether the tempo was fast, slow or moderate. We picked out any instruments we could hear to try and name them. We have been trying to identify whether the time signature is 4/4, or ¾ plus identified the tonality whether it was major or minor.

We have looked at which style the music was -classical, pop, jazz or blues.

The children have also been hard at work learning Easter songs and hymns to perform at our annual Easter Service at St. Catherine’s Church.