Year-5-Curriculum-Information (ID 1037)

• Art and Design
  Art and Design

  (Art alternates with DT)

  Autumn 1 - "I need space" - We will initially be looking at the drawing strand in the curriculum, exploring the elements of line, shape, tone, pattern and texture. We shall also be learning to explore and evaluate decision making in creative processes with a focus on Retrofuturism and the space race, which fits well into our Space topic in science in the following term.

  Spring 1 - "Painting with mixed media: Portraits" - We will be investigating self-portraits by a range of artists. The children will then use photographs of them-selves as a starting point for developing their own unique self-portraits in mixed-media.

  Summer 1 - "Craft and Design: architecture" - We will focus on architecture through observational drawing, printmaking, and building design. We will explore architectural elements, looking into the work of Hundertwasser.

• Design and Technology
  Design and Technology

  (DT alternates with Art)

  Autumn 2 - "Textiles - stuffed toys" - We will be designing and creating a Christmas themed decoration, learning about templates, materials and techniques.

  Spring 2 - Tbc

  Summer 2 - We will don our aprons and delve into Cooking and Nutrition where we will be looking at processes from farm/field to fork, our understanding of the nutritional values of a recipe and recipe adaptations—culminating in a DT cooking day!

• English
  English

  Autumn - We will start the new academic year looking at a variety of Autumnal Poetry to help create our own, before heading into murky depths of the Anglo-Saxon epic, ‘Beowulf’, to further develop rich and vivid vocabulary.
  In whole class reading, we will be studying and investigating a variety of texts to further develop our ‘reading for meaning’, starting off with Holes by Louis Sachar and some information texts.

  Spring - We head off into Spring at a gallop looking at the colourful, narrative poem ‘The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes (some keen students have already noticed that ‘The Highway Rat’ is based upon this!). We will then fully delve into ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar. These key texts will help to develop our oracy (as we practise performing) and descriptive language for writing. In whole class reading, we will continue to study and investigate a variety of texts to further develop our ‘reading for meaning’, starting with ‘The Gauntlet’ by Karuna Riazi.

  Summer - We tread carefully into the World War 2 historical fiction ‘Rose Blanche’ which provides a contrasting yet hugely significant element to our History topic. Developing rich vocabulary through written and dramatic elements is our continuing focus.
  Following on from this, we will be looking at poetry from the same era and thence onto Non-Chronological reports where we will be writing explanation texts linked to our science and geography topics, namely life cycles and mountains.

• French
  French

  Salut!

  Continuing with our French linguistic studies, we will be learning about Francophone countries and their weather and tourist attractions. We shall also be learning the names of different items of clothing, holidays and travel, and numbers to 60.

  Further into Year 5 through further practice we develop our listening , speaking, reading and writing skills, culminating in revisining, days, months, seasons and birthdays through songs, puppets and games.

• Geography
  Geography

  (Geography alternates with History)

  Our topics for each term are as follows

  (each topic has a main question as well as ancilliary ones to answer):

  Autumn 2 - Rivers - What is a river?

  Spring 2 - Fairtrade - Why is Fairtrade fair?

  Summer 2 - Mountains - Why are mountains so important?

• History
  History

  (History alternates with Geography)

  Autumn 1 - During the darkening days of Autumn we will be delving into the 'Dark Ages', which is the period after the Romans left the British Isles. Our main focus will be the ‘awesome’ Anglo-Saxons, and getting to grips with the sources available to understand if they really were just invaders.

  Spring 1 - In the new year we shall looking into a new topic, the Kingdom of Benin (which is in present day Nigeria) during the period c. 900AD - 1300AD.

  Summer 1 - Our final history topic in the Summer term will involve a more localised look at how Braintree responded to the outbreak of World War 2 and its involvement in the war effort.

• Computing
  Computing

  Throughout Year 5 we will be developing our knowledge and skills in the vast field of computing. We will be exploring computer systems and networks, vector drawings and continuing our work on programming by using Scratch 3.

  We will further focus on developing our use of condition blocks, forces and action blocks and finally we will look at video editing. Alongside each area we will be evaluating our choices and investigate for limitations and improvements.

• Mathematics
  Mathematics

  In the Autumn term we will be focussing on: place value, the four operations and statistics. We will be using mathematical equipment and pictorial representations to develop our understanding of these concepts.

  For the Spring term our topics include: multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages and statistics.

  During the Summer term our topics include: more fractions, percentages and decimals, shape, volume and converting measures.

  Throughout the year regular practice sessions to work on our fluency and mental maths skills will also continue, as too will the fortnightly arithmetic test.

• Music
  Music

  Autumn 1 - We have started music with a blast and recorder lessons this term!

  We shall be exploring melody and harmony as well as singing and learning to play, improvise and compose some rhythms on the recorders and glockenspiels. Later in the school year, we shall be learning about composing and chords, creating our own compositions, then moving on to looking at differing musical styles.

  During the final Summer term we will continue to develop our instrument playing using a range of instruments culminating in learning to sing the songs for our Summer Show alongside Year 6!

• PSHE
  PSHE

  Autumn 1 - Year 5 start of the term looking at Fairtrade.

• Religious Education
  Religious Education

  Following the Come and See scheme, our topics for the the Autumn Term are as follows:

  Ourselves—We are created in the image and likeness of God. We will be asking ourselves some thought-provoking questions, such as, Who am I?

  Life Choices—Marriage, commitments and service.

  Hope—Advent; a time of preparation focusing on Jesus’ coming.

  The lessons include Bible reflections and the children will learn what the Bible teaches us about commitment and how to fulfil the expectations that were placed upon us by Jesus. The children will also be leading their own class worship.

• Science
  Science

  During Autumn we look at the physics strand of Science, namely Forces and how they affect us and the world around us. This leads nicely into our topic for second half of the Autumn term when we will launch into our Earth and Space topic!

  For Spring term our focus will be the chemistry strand of Science. We learn all about Materials and their properties. We will also be investigating reversible and irreversible changes, how mixtures can be separated, and about solutions and suspensions.

  Finally, in the Summer term we will investigate the biology strand of Science. Where we will be learning all about Living Things and their habitats - including the sexual and asexual reproduction of plants; how humans change during puberty, and at the lifecycles of different living things.

  During all topics we shall be working scientifically through investigations to deepen our understanding of the three strands of science.

• P.E
  P.E

  P.E. days for Autumn Term 1 2024 (first half)

  Tuesday - PE facilitated by Colchester Utd

  Friday - Dance facilitated by our dance coach

  Please ensure named P.E. kits are in school, hair is tied back and earrings removed. Thank you!

  Other information

  During the course of the school year, some of our lessons will be taught by experienced Colchester United members, some by our professional dance coach and others by the class teacher.

  Our lessons include: dance, invasion games (e.g. hockey), striking and fielding skills, gymnastics, orienteering, and swimming. Swimming usually takes place in the Spring term but you will receive confirmation of this beforehand.