English
This half term in our English lessons, we have delved into the ancient tale of The Adventures of Odysseus. Our students thoroughly enjoyed researching Greek Gods, making character predictions, and immersing themselves in the story by writing a letter in role as Odysseus to his wife Penelope before his departure for battle. They also showcased their creative writing skills by crafting an incantation from the perspective of Polyphemus, the Cyclops deceived by Odysseus, and penning a character description of Odysseus in the land of the dead. To conclude, the students captivatingly narrated the harrowing storm at sea that tragically claimed the lives of Odysseus’ loyal crew.
Maths
Our students have made significant strides in their mathematical understanding. They have effectively understood and identified percentages, skilfully converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages with confidence. Furthermore, they have progressed to learning about angles, comprehending degrees as turns and mastering how to read, use, and measure angles using a protractor. Students have also honed their ability to draw given angles, calculate angles on a straight line and around a point, and plot coordinates accurately. Additionally, they have described translations of shapes and successfully reflected shapes in a mirror line.
Science
This half term in science, our students have delved into the fascinating realm of space. They have explored the wonders of our solar system, identifying and ordering the planets with precision. By utilizing a toilet roll scale, they comprehended the vast distances between planets. Furthermore, students explained the movement of planets in relation to the Sun, highlighting Mercury’s swift orbit as the closest planet. Visual aids such as balls and torches were used to understand the concept of day and night, and this also helped the children to understand the rationale behind different time zones. The students also were able to describe the moon’s orbit around Earth.
RE
This half term in Religious Education, pupils have been exploring Hindu beliefs in Karma, Samsara, and Moksha. They have engaged in discussions on how these beliefs influence Hindus in leading virtuous lives. The students have critically analysed the logical consequences of various actions, examining the impact of kindness and unkindness. Moreover, they have designed a thought-provoking snakes and ladders game to illustrate the connections between actions, karma, and its implications on Samsara and Moksha. Additionally, pupils have compared Hindu and Christian perspectives on life and death, fostering a deeper understanding of diverse religious beliefs.
Art
This half term in art, our students have delved into the captivating theme of space. We explored how popular culture during the space race era influenced art. Understanding the concept of retrofuturism, we analysed artists’ decision-making processes and the tools and techniques they used and applied some of these to our own space themed artwork. Engaging with Teis Albers’ artwork, we crafted printing plates from various materials to create unique backgrounds. Subsequently, we designed futuristic technology in Albers’ signature style to overlay on the background.
Geography
In geography, our students have delved into the thought-provoking question: “What is the most valuable thing in the world?” They explored a range of sources from the Victorian era that lead them to make the judgement that the dire consequences of dirty drinking water in Birmingham were leading to cholera outbreaks. Through a compelling letter to the mayor, they advocated for clean water access. Utilising atlases, they pinpointed UK cities and utilised map scales to deduce optimal reservoir locations based on their distances from Birmingham.
History
This half term, Year 5 have begun to study the intriguing question: “Was the Trojan horse a fact, myth, or legend?” We began by examining pictures of secondary sources such as urns and paintings portraying the Trojan horse, despite these being created many years after the Trojan war itself. Furthermore, we scrutinised secondary accounts of the Trojan horse by various writers and explored the archaeological site believed to be the remnants of Troy. Finally, we started to consider at this point with the evidence gathered whether the Trojan horse should be considered a fact, myth, or legend.
Spanish
In Spanish, we have started to look at the story of “Rocito de Oro y los tres osos” – Goldilocks and the three bears. We have read through the story a few times, to ensure we have a good understanding of the key vocabulary ready for us to be able to retell the story ourselves next half term.
PSHE
During this half term, Year 5 students have focused on various aspects of Personal, Social, Health, and Economic (PSHE) education. Specifically, they have explored the theme of ‘Being My Best’, delving into amazing facts about the human body, understanding essential skills required for different occupations, reflecting on personal strengths, discussing responsibilities at school and home, and contemplating the journey towards independence.
Music
The Hobbits this half term have been playing the descant recorder. Using Charanga they have looked at the formal notation. They played Hot Cross Buns, remembering the finger placing for the notes B A G and looking at the formal notation. We then began to learn the French folk song Au Clair Du La Lune.
For our singing we have begun rehearsing for Lancashire Sings. We will be performing at Turf Moor FanZone, singing with other Primary Schools to create a concert.