Year 6 Summer Term 2013
Raging Rivers
This term, Year 6 will be learning all about Raging Rivers. We will be studying rivers and water in general to understand its effects on landscapes, habitats, and people, and tie it into our learning across the curriculum.
As geographers, we will research some of the major rivers of the world, learning how they have impacted on life, and their importance to the development of communities. We will be finding out how rivers have actually shaped the land and carved out such incredible natural features, such as the Grand Canyon. We will use our maths and ICT skills to help us categorise rivers according to criteria such as their length and interesting features. As people concerned with our environment, we will also consider what impact environmental issues – such as global warming – have on rivers, and as a result, on the people living near them.
As part of our English, we will look at writing in a number of genres focussed around the topic of rivers. We will write poetry that uses figurative language, including personification, to describe rivers in creative and unusual ways. Rivers are a perfect setting for writing in a number of narrative genres, so we will use this theme to inspire some creative writing. We will also write a number of non-fiction texts to provide information about the rivers, to explain how they are formed and how they change landscapes, and to provide instructions on how to stay safe and healthy near or on rivers.
In our maths lessons, as well as covering the usual broad range of learning, we will set some fun challenges and investigations based around rivers and water. We will also learn more about coordinates, and combine this with our map reading skills in geography.
We will use our ICT lessons to continue to learn more about how to conduct thorough research, and also design our very own computer games based around the concept of rivers (such as a speed boat racing game), using software that allows pupils to begin to learn the basics of programming.
As artists we will explore a number of different media and ways of representing rivers through use of collages and different painting techniques.
Our R.E will focus this term on Christians’ belief in incarnation, and what it means to them, as well as contemplating the concept of submission and how Muslims submit to Allah through the 5 pillars.
Our main science topics this term include reversible and irreversible change, dissolving, and microorganisms. All of these will be tied in to our overall topic where possible, by investigating how to clean dirty water and remove salt from water, and looking not only at the types of harmful micro-organisms that can be found in water and rivers, but also that beneficial microorganisms can be helpful for processes such as cleaning water.
Please remember that currently, our PE day is a Wednesday and that all children must bring an appropriate and complete PE kit with them, including warm clothes for use outdoors. We will beteaching PE on a Monday and Wednesday after half term.
Spring Term 2013 – Bookworms
This term in Year 6 we are learning from the topic of Bookworms. As part of this topic, we will be making our own books during Design and Technology (DT) lessons. We will be exploring stiff and flexible sheet materials, and the bindings required to join the pages of our books. The books will be brought to life using a variety of techniques.
As Historians, we will be studying an aspect of Portsmouth’s History. We will be creating timelines of the history of Portsmouth then, using our research skills to find out how an aspect of the local area has changed over time, we will look at the impact this has had on people’s lives. As part of this, we will also write biographies, either of people from history who have had an influence on life in Portsmouth, or of people who were born or lived in Portsmouth who have influenced the lives of people across the country or the world. This work will be presented in the most interesting ways possible and we will put this work into the books we are making in DT.
Our work in ICT will focus on internet research skills in order to find good quality information from reliable sources to support our learning about the local area. We will also use spreadsheets to produce costings for our books and look at ‘what-if…’ scenarios to see how much profit could be generated from different volumes of sales.
In English, we will learn how to write effective biographies, which will tie in closely to our History work, as well as continuing to learn how to become more effective writers of narrative genres (including science fiction and adventure) and non-fiction genres, such as persuasive writing and journalistic writing. We will also develop our skills as poets.
To enhance our books further, as Artists we will draw images and sketches to complete the pages, focussing on studying the techniques used by a variety of famous illustrators of children’s books.
As Geographers, we will become map-makers and explore the locations of key historic locations that have during our investigation of Portsmouth’s history.
Whilst designing and making our books, we will explore how they can be made from sustainable paper sources and find out through investigation, the different types of paper available to us. As people concerned with our environment, Year 6 will explore the commercial and sustainable designs of our books, and analyse how to market them to our target audience.
To aid us in this exciting project, we have a fantastic trip to the Historic Dockyards and the HMS Victory planned. With a focus on local history and the development of Portsmouth Harbour, pupils will become ‘Dockyard Detectives’ investigating clues on a special tour to find out how the dockyard has adapted and grown through time. They will then carry out ICT, map and language-based activities as well as artefact handling to explore how social and technological changes, such as the Industrial Revolution, have transformed people’s lives and the local area.
During our RE learning, we will learn about the concept communication in relation to prayer and the concept resurrection in relation to the Easter Story.
For our Learning Logs we will continue to provide activities for our pupils to extend and apply the knowledge they have been learning in class. We will be looking for some really creative approaches to the Learning Logs this term, along with Maths and writing activities each week.
Please remember that Year 6 PE days are EVERY Monday and Wednesday. Children MUST have a complete PE kit with them to take part, and they should have appropriate footwear (separate to their school footwear) and warm clothing for outdoor PE.
We hope you enjoy the term!
The Year 6 Team.
Year 6 Autumn Term 2012 Overview
Is it right to fight?
This term in Year 6 we will be looking at the phrase ‘is it right to fight?’ We will be focussing many of our lessons on this topic and will be producing some really interesting and exciting pieces of work!
As Historians we will be researching the Second World War. We will be looking at what life was like during the war, not only for those people fighting, but also for those who did not go to war, for example, the children who had to be evacuated. We are going to be reading a range of first-hand accounts of the war and will be producing many interesting pieces of writing based on our research. We will be looking at Portsmouth and the effect of the war on our local area as well as a fantastic trip to the Royal Marines Museum! We will be studying maps, visiting local sites of interest as well as speaking to locals who were actually in the area during the war.
During our Design and Technology (DT) lessons we have the opportunity for designing and building our own moving vehicles! We will be investigating the properties of a range of materials to ensure we select a material suitable for our vehicles. But that’s not the end! As Scientists we will be looking at ‘electricity and circuits’ and use this knowledge to make our DT vehicles even better by adding lights, sounds and making them move! In science we will also look at ‘healthy eating’ and combine this with cookery lessons focussing on war time rationing.
In Year 6 we already have some fantastic artists, and as part of our Art lessons we will be developing our sketching and painting skills further by creating our very own drawings and paintings of war scenes that we have modelled for ourselves. We will also be using ICT to create propaganda posters as well as presentations that include digital images and music.
In our Music lessons will are going to become composers! We are going to be listening to and studying songs connected to the World Wars as well as more recent songs written in protest to modern day wars. We will then have the chance to write, record and perform our very own songs along a similar theme.
In our English lessons this we will be looking at poetry and using these skills to help with our song writing for music lessons. We will also be reading and writing a range of text genres including: Historical fiction, mystery stories, Science Fiction stories and many more.
Homework this year will be in the form of our Learning Logs. These will allow your child to take a more creative approach to their independent learning. We will often set a question to be researched and it is up to your child how they choose to present their findings. Don’t worry if they get stuck as we will be providing many ideas that they may want to try. We will be looking at Learning Logs in class every Monday.
It is vital that your children are reading at least 3 times per week at home and this is being signed in their home reading diaries (orange booklets).
Just to remind you that our PE days are Monday and Wednesday and that it is vital for your child to have a suitable PE kit, including footwear, in school on these days.
We hope you enjoy the term!
The Year 6 Team.
Year 6 Summer Term 2012
Raging Rivers
This term, Year 6 will be learning all about Raging Rivers. We will be studying rivers and water in general to understand its effects on landscapes, habitats, and people, and tie it into our learning across the curriculum.
As geographers, we will research some of the major rivers of the world, learning how they have impacted on life, and their importance to the development of communities. We will be finding out how rivers have actually shaped the land and carved out such incredible natural features, such as the Grand Canyon. We will use our maths and ICT skills to help us categorise rivers according to criteria such as their length and interesting features. As people concerned with our environment, we will also consider what impact environmental issues – such as global warming – have on rivers, and as a result, on the people living near them.
As part of our English, we will look at writing in a number of genres focussed around the topic of rivers. We will write poetry that uses figurative language, including personification, to describe rivers in creative and unusual ways. Rivers are a perfect setting for writing in a number of narrative genres, so we will use this theme to inspire some creative writing. We will also write a number of non-fiction texts to provide information about the rivers, to explain how they are formed and how they change landscapes, and to provide instructions on how to stay safe and healthy near or on rivers.
In our maths lessons, as well as covering the usual broad range of learning, we will set some fun challenges and investigations based around rivers and water. We will also learn more about coordinates, and combine this with our map reading skills in geography.
We will use our ICT lessons to continue to learn more about how to conduct thorough research, and also design our very own computer games based around the concept of rivers (such as a speed boat racing game), using software that allows pupils to begin to learn the basics of programming.
As artists we will explore a number of different media and ways of representing rivers through use of collages and different painting techniques.
Our R.E will focus this term on Christians’ belief in incarnation, and what it means to them, as well as contemplating the concept of submission and how Muslims submit to Allah through the 5 pillars.
Our main science topics this term include reversible and irreversible change, dissolving, and microorganisms. All of these will be tied in to our overall topic where possible, by investigating how to clean dirty water and remove salt from water, and looking not only at the types of harmful micro-organisms that can be found in water and rivers, but also that beneficial microorganisms can be helpful for processes such as cleaning water.
Please remember that, currently, our PE days are on Mondays and Thursdays, and that all children must bring an appropriate and complete PE kit with them, including warm clothes for use outdoors.
