Darwin Class Terms 5 and 6

Darwin Class Terms 5 and 6

This term our topic is “Magnificent Monarchs”. This project teaches children about the English and British monarchy from AD 871 to the present day. Using timelines, information about royal palaces, portraits and other historical sources, children will build up an understanding of the monarchs and then research six of the most significant sovereigns.

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Although our topic is mainly a historical focus, we will be looking at where well-known, significant monarchs used to reside.

From a historical perspective, we will learn about the English and British Monarch from 871AD up to the present day. We will focus on timelines of important events that haven taken place across the UK. We will also learn about

  • William the Conquer.
  • King Henry VIII.
  • Elizabeth I.
  • Queen Victoria.
  • Queen Elizabeth II.

 

We will also be looking at the significant impact these monarchs have had on the present day.

Our Class Text and Comprehension

In term 5, our reading comprehension lessons will be based upon our class text, “Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine” by Gloria Whelan. Throughout this fiction text, we will learn about how Queen Victoria loved water but was too embarrassed to make her way to the water as Royalty are too regal to be seen in a swimsuit!

In term 6, we will be looking at Kennings Poems.

To find out more about this text, view our Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine Knowledge Organiser.

For further information about the reading skills we will focus upon this term, please view “Darwin’s Sequential Reading Curriculum   

Independent Reading

In class, we will continue to use the Accelerated Reader program. For further information about this, please view a Parent's Guide to Accelerated Reader. (https://help.renlearn.co.uk/AR/ARParentGuide) If you need your child's AR password, please contact me (Miss Lett).

Writing

Over the course of the two terms, we will be writing: information leaflets, our own Kennings poems, descriptions of castles; and comic strips.

Firstly, we will write an information leaflet about Hampton Court Palace. The children will focus on their adjectives. and use expanded noun phrases to assist with this.

We will then write our very out kennings poems about famous monarchs. The grammatical focus for this piece will be turning verbs and nouns into compound nouns.

Then we will write a description of a castle using prepositional language and expanded noun phrases.

Finally, we will write comic strips about a particular Monarch and tell a narrative through humorous captions. Our focus will be using facts we have learnt.

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling

Punctuation

This term we will ensure capital letters and full stops are used frequently in our writing; use a full range of punctuation such as a question mark and an exclamation mark; revise commas in a list; and introduce apostrophes for possession.

Grammar

Over the next two terms, we will learn to identify word classes in sentences; use complex adjectives to describe; revisit the four main sentence types; revisit tenses; use adverbs; and consolidate and use conjunctions independently.

Spellings

During our spelling lessons over the next two terms, we will revisit diagraphs and trigraphs; revisit compound words; introduce ‘k’ for the beginning of words; revisit ph and wh words; and look at pseudo words.

To view our weekly breakdown of our spellings, please view our Term 5 and Term 6 Homework Grid.

In addition to these weekly spelling rules, we will continue to learn and spell words from the Year 5 and 6 statutory spelling list.

For an overview of these spellings, please view the Spelling word list for Term 5 and 6.

Following the White Rose Maths scheme, Year 2 will cover four main blocks of learning over the course of the summer term: number (including the four operations); measure; statistics; and geometry. As part of the White Rose Maths scheme, each block is broken down into a series of small learning steps. Combined, these small learning steps then cover all the curriculum content your child needs to know in small related chunks.

This term’s small learning steps for each block
Maths area of learning Block Small Learning Steps
Number Place Value
Number Addition and subtraction
Number Multiplication and division
Number Fractions Introduction to parts and wholes; equal and unequal parts; recognise a half; find a half; recognise a quarter; find a quarter;  recognise a third; find a third; find the whole; unit fractions; non-unit fractions; recognise the equivalence of a half and two quarters; recognise three-quarters; find three quarters; and count in fractions to a whole.
Statistics Statistics Make tally charts; tables; block diagrams; draw pictograms; and interpret pictograms.
Geometry Shape
Geometry Position and direction Language of position; describe movement; describe turns; describe movements and turns; and shape with patterns.
Measurement Money
Measurement Length and height
Measurement Mass, capacity and temperature
Measurement Time O’clock and half past; quarter past and quarter to; tell the time past the hour; tell the time to the hour; minutes in an hour; and hours in a day.

 

One of the most important things for your child to have mastered and maintain is their knowledge of times tables.

For an overview of our weekly times tables focus, please view our Term 5 and Term 6 Homework Grid.

Our Calculation Policy: addition and subtraction

Our Calculation Policy: multiplication and division

In term 5 and 6 our topic is “Animal Survival”. Throughout this topic we will find out about growth in animals by exploring the life cycles of some familiar animals. They build on learning about the survival of humans by identifying the basic needs of animals for survival, including food, water, air and shelter.

Animal Survival Lesson Overview

Lesson Learning focus
1 Habitats
2 Invertebrates
3 Microhabitats
4 Animal needs
5 Microhabitat food chains
6 Human impacts
7 Life process of reproduction
8 Life cycles
9 Exploring and observing insect life cycles
10 Seasonal changes

 

To find out more, view our Animal Surival Knowledge Organiser.

Art: Portraits and Poses

Our art topic for term 5 is “Portraits and Poses”. Throughout this topic, we will learn about portraiture. Children will analyse portraits of Tudor Monarchs and compare these to selfies today. We will create our own portraits.

To find out more, view our Portraits and Poses Knowledge Organiser.

Design and Technology: Cut, Stitch and Join

Our project in term 5 teaches children about fabric home products and the significant British brand Cath Kidston. They learn about sewing patterns and using a running stitch and embellishments before making a sewn bag tag.

To find out more, view our Cut, Stitch and Join Knowledge Organiser.

Making Music

In term 5 we are learning how to make music using a program called ‘2sequence’ on Purple Mash. Children will explore how music can mirror people’s feelings and create a piece of music to match a mood.

Presenting Ideas

In term 6 we are learning how to present ideas using ‘2CreateAstory’; ‘2publish’; and ‘2connect’. Children will get to choose the stimulus and present their information about a topic using one of the programs mentioned above.

To find out more, view our Computing Knowledge Organiser.

Term 5: Islam – Jumu’ah

Over the course of this term we will be learning all about Jumu’ah which are Friday prayers. We will learn about the importance of a Friday in Islam and what Islamic people do as part of a Friday ritual. Over the course of the term we will learn about prayers; features of a Mosque; and worship.

To find out more, view our Jumu'ah Knowledge Organiser.

Term 6: Hinduism – Navratri

During term 6 we will learn all about Navratri (which is celebrated for nine nights and ten days) and how Hindus worship other Gods. Our lessons will include Hindu gods; Navratri traditions; and celebration.

To find out more, view our Navratri Knowledge Organiser.

Term 5: Relationships

In this Puzzle, the children will learn about relationships we have with our household family members, extended family members and friends. Children will learn that you can have different types of relationships and these may differ. We will teach the children how to support family and friends if they are feeling sad and will learn what it means to trust one another.

Term 4: Changing Me

In this Puzzle children look at different life cycles in nature including that of humans. They reflect on the changes that occur between baby; toddler; child; teenager; adult; and old -age. Within this, children also discuss how independence, freedoms and responsibility can increase with age. As part of a school’s safeguarding duty, pupils are re-taught the correct words for private parts of the body. They are also reminded that nobody has the right to hurt these parts of the body, including a lesson on inappropriate touch and assertiveness. Children practise a range of strategies for managing feelings and emotions. They are also taught where they can get help if worried or frightened

Following the GetSet4PE scheme of learning, our Physical Education (PE) lessons for term 5 and 6 our focus will be on cricket and rounders (striking and fielding) and athletics.

PE lessons will be on Mondays and Wednesdays; children can wear their PE into school on both of these days.

Striking and Fielding

In this unit, pupils develop their understanding of the principles of striking and fielding games. They develop the skills of throwing and catching, tracking and retrieving a ball and striking a ball. They begin to self-manage small sided games. Pupils learn how to score points and play to the rules. Pupils will begin to think about how to use skills, strategies and tactics to outwit the opposition appropriate to the situation.

Athletics

In this unit, pupils will develop skills required in athletic activities such as running at different speeds, jumping and throwing. In all athletic based activities, pupils will engage in performing skills and measuring performance, competing to improve on their own score and against others. They are given opportunities to work collaboratively as well as independently. They learn how to improve by identifying areas of strength as well as areas to develop.

Term 5: How Does Music Make Us Happy?

This unit of work focuses on how different types of music makes us happy and how we can listen to music to help us with our emotions. Listening to different styles will enable the children to know what music has been made to make us happy and what music has been made for more of a dramatic effect.

Term 6: How Does Music Teach Us About Looking After Our Planet?

This unit of work helps the children make links between PSHE and science where we discuss how to look after the planet we live on. This unit of music shows how nature can influence different artists with what they produce using nature elements around them.

Following the Charanga Musical School scheme of learning, these units are organised into 3 main parts:

  1. Listen and Appraise the songs.
  2. Musical Activities - learn and/or build on our knowledge and understanding about the interrelated dimensions of music.
  3. Perform the Song - perform and share our learning as we progress through the unit of work.

For more information, please view our Charanga musical school year 2 knowledge organisers

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