Welcome to the Year 5 class page!

SPRING TERM 2 – What will we be learning?

English – This term Year 5 will begin using the text ‘Inside The Villains’ and the narrative poem ‘The Highwayman’ by Alfred Noyes. Pupils will be writing in character and will be analysing the poem, this will include writing diaries and letters.

Later in the term we will be analysing the text
‘The Ways of the Wolf’. Our focus will be non-chronological reports and persuasive arguments about whether wolves should be allowed to be set free in the wild.

We will also be supplementing the English curriculum by performing the poem ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ from Roald Dahl’s ‘Revolting Rhymes’. We will finish by writing a letter of disgust from the Wolf’s Mother.

In addition to this, children will have handwriting practice and complete discrete grammar and spelling lessons.

Reading - We teach guided reading every day using a variety of texts as well as our new online scheme ‘Reading Eggs’. It is important that your child accesses Reading Eggs at home – your child has been given a laminated copy of their password and user name.

Please encourage your child to read as often as possible outside of school. If you need any recommendations, please ask. Lovereading4kids.co.uk is a wonderful website for recommendations but we have a vast selection in school. Remember, comprehension and an appreciation of what you have read is of equal importance to speed and fluency. It is so important that every child has an enjoyment of reading. There is a book for everyone! If you're not sure what your child should be reading next, please come and ask.

Maths - The children will begin this half term by deepening their knowledge of fractions, including multiplying fractions and mixed numbers by an integer, and finding fractions of amounts. We will be using a range of concrete resources and pictorial models to help the children embed this learning before progressing on to reasoning and problem-solving style questions.

Keep learning the multiplication tables outside of school; this is very much appreciated. By the end of Year 5, children should be able to recite all (and linked division facts) within 3 seconds. Times Tables Rock Stars will help with this, so ask for your child's login details if you do not already have them.

In addition to this, children will complete a daily 5-a-day recap of various areas of maths that will embed previous learning.

Science – In science we will be learning about materials and their properties.
This will include determining the hardness of materials and why this is useful. Pupils will investigate the transparency of materials and link this to their uses too.

We will also be investigating materials which dissolve and pupils will use different processes to separate mixtures, as well as demonstrating irreversible changes.

Later in the term our focus will be on two important scientists: Galilei Galileo and Sir Isaac Newton. Pupils will research why Galilei Galileo has been named the ‘founder of modern science’. They will be able to simply explain the importance of his work concerning astronomy and motion. We will also be investigating facts about his discoveries about space. Finally, we will be researching information to explain why Sir Isaac Newton’s theories of motion and gravity are so important to physics and modern-day science.

History - Our next history topic will be next half term.

Geography – We will be studying Eastern Europe, starting with a continent level view, and gradually focusing in on a particular country and region of the chosen country. The children will explore physical and human geographic features and then use these to present them as a tourist information pamphlet.

Computing - Our computing topic this term is Databases.

RE  - In RE we will be exploring the topic: How significant is it for Christians to believe that God intended Jesus to die?

P.E - This is every Thursday, so don't forget to bring the correct kit, ready for this day. This is a white T-Shirt, black shorts and a pair of black pumps. It would be ideal if this kit was clearly labelled and kept securely in a labelled P.E. bag, so that any misplaced items can be returned quickly. Have a pair of track pants and something warmer available as we will be outside as often as possible.

Year 5 will also have Life Skills each Thursday afternoon.

Homework
Reading will be the children's main activity that is expected outside of the classroom. If the right book is found, this should not seem like hard work!

Weekly spellings will be provided every Monday and tested every Friday.
If you have any questions or queries, please contact the school office to arrange an appointment.

Mr Kulyn, Mrs Thornton and the Year 5 Team :)