This term our topic is “Bright Lights, Big City project”, we will learn the story of a local landmark. We will learn about the countries that make up the United Kingdom, including their location, capital cities and some of their physical and human features. We will have the opportunity to do map work, using compasses and positional and directional language to plan routes around London. We will research the cause and impact of the Great Fire of London and look at some famous London landmarks. We will learn about other capital cities around the world, including Kuala Lumpur, and compare how they are similar and different to London.
To find out more, view our Bright Lights, Big City Knowledge Organiser.
Other helpful documents
Optional Home Learning Tasks
Vocabulary Mat
From a geographical perspective, we will learn about
- countries and capital cities of the UK
- physical features of the UK
- settlements;
- human features
- weather and seasons
- landmarks
- aerial images
- locational language
- maps
- compass directions
- geographical similarities.
From a historical perspective, we will learn about a significant event being The Great Fire of London.
Reading
Our Class Text and Comprehension
In term 3, our reading comprehension lessons will be based upon our class text, “Topsy and Tim” by Jean Adamson. In this fiction text, we will join Topsy and Tim and they go on a trip to London. They stay in a house that belongs to Mummy’s best friend and Boris the cat. They see lots of landmarks. They ride on the London Underground, a bus and a boat. They enjoy their trip a lot!
In term 4, our reading comprehension will be based upon a non-fiction text, “The Great Fire of London”, by Susana Davidson, which will teach us all about the events leading up to The Great Fire of London. Will will look at how and where the fire started, and why the fire spread with such fury to have the destructive impact that occurred.
For further information about the reading skills we will focus upon this term, please view “Nightingale Class’s Sequential Reading Curriculum”
Independent Reading
Ongoing, will be out daily Read Write Inc phonics lessons which children have access to books to read for pleasure at their individual accurate reading level. We also have access to complimentary book band reading books to encourage reading for pleasure.
Writing
Over the course of the term, we will be writing a postcard about a local landmark, writing directions for travelling around London and a visitors guide to London from a fictional character travelling from Kuala Lumpur.
Firstly, we will write postcards which enables the children to develop their topic vocabulary and present information concisely. In their postcards, they could include formulaic phrases to start and end their text and use ‘and’ to join words and clauses. We will use knowledge, learnt in our topic lessons and from further research, to plan and write our postcards.
We will also write a set of directions to travel on foot from one London landmark to another. The children will use this to list short commands in a clear sequence. There is also an opportunity to use positional language, such as ‘next to’ or ‘behind’; directional language, such as ‘left’ or ‘right’; and precise imperative verbs.
Furthermore, we will write a summary pack for a fictional Meerkat character who is travelling from Kuala Lumpur to London Zoo. This will enable children to put their skills into one information pack. Within this, they will list relevant clothing needed for each season; choose a London landmark to describe; draw a route from Euston Station and make an information poster about London Zoo.
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Punctuation
This term we will learn to use capital letters for names of people and personal pronoun ‘I’; learn to use a question mark and write questions; learn to use an exclamation mark and write sentences that require an exclamation mark.
Grammar
This term we will learn to know names of places being with a capital letter; to learn that personal pronoun ‘I’ has a capital letter; orally retell a short story using conjunctions; revisit the understanding of the past to show an event has already happened; identify action/doing words; develop the skill of reading back over our sentences to check our writing; start to include conjunctions to join two ideas together; introduce the present, progressive and past tense; use of poetry to enjoy rhymes and expand vocabulary; and dictate short sentences that include full stops, question and exclamation marks
Spellings
During our spelling lessons we will learn words using the trigraph ‘-tch’; adding ‘-es’ to words of plural nouns; adding ‘-ing’ and ‘-er’ to verbs, adding an extra syllable e.g. hunting, kinder; words ending in ‘-y’; days of the whole week; common exception words: ‘were your’; numbers 0-10; practise more plurals adding ‘s and es’; adding ‘ed’ to make a past tense verb; compound words where two words are spelt correctly as if independent; common exception words ‘once, ask, friend, school, put, push, pull, full, house, our’; and digraph and trigraph focus.
To view our weekly breakdown of our spellings, please view our Term 3 and Term 4 Homework Grid.
In addition to these weekly spelling rules, we will continue to learn and spell words from the 1 statutory spelling list. For an overview of these spellings, please view the Spelling word list for Year 1
Following the White Rose Maths scheme, year 1 will cover 5 main blocks of learning over the course of the spring term: place value within 20; addition and subtraction; place value within 50; length and height; and mass and volume. 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.
| Maths area of learning | Block | Small Learning Steps. |
| Number | Place value within 20 | Count within 20; Count within 20; understand 10; understand 11, 12 and 13; understand 14, 15 and 16; understand 17, 18 and 19; understand 20; 1 more and 1 less; the number line to 20; use a number line to 20; estimate on a number line to 20; compare numbers to 20; and order numbers to 20. |
| Number | Addition and subtraction (within 20) | Add by counting on within 20; add ones using number bonds; find and make number bonds to 20; doubles; near doubles; subtract ones using number bonds; subtraction – counting back; subtraction – finding the difference; related facts; and missing number problems. |
| Number | Place value within 50 | Count from 20 to 50; 20, 30, 40 and 50; count by making groups of tens; groups of tens and ones; partition into tens and ones; the number line to 50; estimate on a number line to 50; and 1 more, 1 less. |
| Measurement | Length and height | Compare lengths and heights; measure length using objects; and measure length in centimetres. |
| Measurement | Mass and volume | Heavier and lighter; measure mass; compare mass; full and empty; compare volume; measure capacity; and compare capacity. |
One of the most important things for your child to have mastered and maintain is their knowledge of number bonds to 10 and 20, also to write numbers in digits and words. For an overview of our weekly focus, please view our Term 3 and 4 Homework Grid. To complement their work in lessons reinforcing their fluency, recall and commutativity of these facts, your child will be set a weekly activity to complete as part of their homework on Sumdog.
Our Calculation Policy: addition and subtraction
Our Calculation Policy: multiplication and division
This term out topic is ‘Seasonal Changes’. Throughout the topic, we will learn about the seasons, seasonal changes and typical seasonal weather and events. We will learn about measuring the weather and the role of a meteorologist. We will also learn about the science of day and night and recognise that the seasons have varying day lengths in the UK. To find out more, view our Seasonal Changes Knowledge Organiser
Seasonal Changes Lesson Overview
| Lesson | Learning focus |
| 1 | Experiencing the season |
| 2 | Deciduous and evergreen trees |
| 3 | Seasonal changes in deciduous trees |
| 4 | Seasonal changes in animals |
| 5 | What is the weather |
| 6 | Day length |
| 7 | Sun rays |
| 8 | Measuring and recording the wind |
| 9 | Measuring and recording the temperature |
| 10 | Measuring precipitation |
| 11 | Weather forecasting |
| 12 | Spring predictions |
Art: Rain and Sunrays
Our art topic for this term is ‘Rain and Sunrays’. Throughout this topic, we will learn about line and shape. We will also learn about textures of materials and how to create textures in collagraph printing, including how to develop a motif to make single and repeated prints. To find out more, view our Rain and Sunrays Knowledge Organiser
Design and Technology: Taxi
Linked to our main topic ‘Bright Lights, Big City’, our design and technology topic for this term is ‘Taxi’. Throughout this topic, we will learn about wheels, axles and chassis and how they work together to make a vehicle move. Following our investigation into wheels, axles and chassis, we will design and make our own model taxis which we will then come to evaluate.
To find out more, view our Taxi Knowledge Organiser
Pictograms
In term 3, we will be focusing upon pictograms. We will learn about:
- To understand that data can be represented in picture format.
- We will contribute to the collection of class data
- Wil will contribute to a class pictogram.
- Having gathered the data, we will discuss what the pictogram shows us.
- We will then collect our own data and we will represent those results on our own pictogram.
Lego Builders
Over the course of term 4, our work will focus upon the importance of creating and following algorithms.
- We will learn that to achieve the effect they want when building something, they need to follow accurate instructions.
- To know that by following the instructions correctly, they will get the correct result.
- A vital part of the learning journey is to know that know that an algorithm is a precise, step-by-step set of instructions used to solve a problem or achieve an objective.
- Then we will learn how to follow instructions in a computer program and explain the effect of carrying out a task with no instructions.
- We will learn that an algorithm written for a computer to follow is called a program and that computers need precise instructions to follow.
- Furthermore, we will learn that the order in which the steps of a recipe are presented affects the outcome. Therefore, children must organise simple instructions in the correct order.
- Finally children will learn that correcting errors in an algorithm or program is called ‘debugging’.
Term 3: Islam – Milad un Nabi
Milad un Nabi actually occurs in the month of September and is known as the Prophet’s Birthday. The festival of Milad un Nabi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. During the festival, Muslims hear stories of Muhammad’s life, visit the mosque, sing songs, share a meal with family and give to those in need. However, Milad un Nabi is not celebrated by all Muslims. There is no evidence that Muhammad celebrated his birthday, so many Muslims don’t celebrate birthdays either. We will start by celebrating a birthday of someone in school. We will learn geographical information about Saudi Arabia and learn what life could have been like for the young Muhammad. Furthermore, we will learn about the life of Muhammad and his characteristics that caused him to be chosen as a prophet by Allah. Throughout the term we will notice and respond sensitively to some similarities between different religions and world views.
The key themes we will consider an examine are: honesty; to be trustworthy; and what makes a good leader?
For the key words and vocabulary associated with this topic, please view our “Milad un Nabi Glossary”.
Term 4: Judaism – Purim
The festival of Purim occurs within the month of March. It is a lively festival that commemorates the strength of the Jewish people. Practising Jews wear costumes and visit the synagogue to listen to the story of Queen Esther who prevented Haman, her husband's servant, from killing the Jewish people. After attending the synagogue, families and friends gather together to eat, dance and exchange gifts. We will begin our learning by making Purim graggers to create celebratory noises when listening to stories from the Torah. Through story and role play we will learn the significance of story of Esther. Children will then be supported to re-enact the story of “The Queen Who Saved Her People” by Tilda Balsley. At the end of the term we will learn that giving a gift to at least one person during Purim is called Mishloach Manot. It is a mitzvah (rule) of Judaism. Jews give inexpensive gifts including two foods, such as hamantaschen, sweets, fruit, nuts or bread to make sure that everyone has enough food for the Purim celebrations. The gifts are delivered after hearing the story of Esther. Many Purim gifts are presented in baskets. Children will be given the opportunity to make a variety of biscuits and sweets. They will choose, wrap and label their gifts in a homemade basket and give to another class. We will then reflect on how the act of giving felt.
The key themes we will consider and examine are: celebration; the story of Queen Esther; and recognise some different symbols and actions, which express a community’s way of life,
For the key words and vocabulary associated with this topic, please view our “Purim Glossary”.
Over the course of term 3 and 4, we will continue to follow our Jigsaw PSHE scheme of learning. Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE is a progressive and spiral scheme of learning. In planning the lessons, Jigsaw PSHE ensures that learning from previous years is revisited and extended, adding new concepts, knowledge and skills, year on year as appropriate.
For more information regarding the knowledge and skills progression, please view the Jigsaw Knowledge Skills and Progression Document for ages 5-6.
Term 3: Dreams and Goals
In this puzzle we will think about how to set ourselves simple goals and how to stay motivated when doing something challenging. Following this, we will set a goal and work out how best to achieve it, even when it is difficult. We will discuss how to work successfully with a partner or in a group. Furthermore, we will develop the skills of how to tackle a new challenge and understand that this might be difficult. We will consider how to maintain a positive attitude and reflect upon our journey to success by how we overcame obstacles which make it more difficult to achieve our challenge. Our puzzle piece for the term will then consider how we can use these skills to help others achieve their goals. Finally, we will celebrate our success and share how it feels to succeed in a new challenge and how we would celebrate.
Term 4: Healthy Me
The outcome for this puzzle piece if to learn about how to create “The Happy, Healthy Me Recipe Book”. A metaphorical book where children can piece together their learning of how to be happy and healthy. We will start the term by learning to understand the difference between being healthy and unhealthy, and know some ways to keep ourselves healthy. We will start to introduce the concept of making healthy choices with regard to food types and learn about eating a healthy, balanced diet. Children will then learn how to keep themselves clean and healthy and understand how germs cause disease and illness. We will learn that all household products including medicines can be harmful if not administered properly. Medicine safety will be our next focus area as we learn that medicines can help us if we are unwell, and we learn how to use them safely. Road safety will be the next topic focus as we learn how to keep safe when crossing the road and about people who can help us to stay safe. We will end the puzzle by celebrating our amazing bodies and identify the ways we have learnt to keep ourselves safe and heathy.
Following the GetSet4PE scheme of learning, our Physical Education (PE) lessons for term 3 will focus on multiskills and gymnastics. Our PE lessons for term 4 will focus on net and wall, and striking and fielding. Our PE lessons will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays; children can wear their PE into school on both of these days.
Multiskills
Throughout our multiskills lessons, we will take part in a range of fitness challenges. They will learn about different components of fitness; speed, stamina, strength, coordination, balance and agility.
Gymnastics
Throughout the term we will explore the movement of travelling actions when linking high quality, diverse shapes with our bodies. We will learn about stability and strength when performing balances. we will develop techniques and control when performing shape jumps. We will learn how to execute a barrel, straight and forward roll with technique. Finally, we will learn to link gymnastic actions to create a sequence.
Net and Wall
In term 4, we will develop our skills of throwing, catching, hitting a ball and tracking a ball. We will learn how to defend a space and to play againt an opponent. We will explore hitting with a racket and to develop racket and ball skills. We will progress then to sending a ball using a racket and introducing the concept of hitting over a net.
Striking and Fielding
This topic of PE will enable children to develop their underarm throwing and catching, which will then progress on to overarm throwing. We will develop striking a ball with our hands as well as with equipment. We will learn how to collect a ball when fielding and how to get a batter out. We will have opportunities to develop the skills of decision making within a game and understand how to score points.
To find out more, view our GetSet4PE Knowledge Organisers
Term 3: “How Does Music Make The World A Better Place?”
This unit of work celebrate a wide range of musical styles that are all focused around the theme.
Term 4: How Does Music Help Us To Understand Our Neighbours?
This unit of work celebrate a wide range of musical styles that are all focused around the theme
Following the Charanga Musical School scheme of learning, these units are organised into 3 main parts:
- Listen and Appraise the songs.
- Musical Activities - learn and/or build on our knowledge and understanding about the interrelated dimensions of music.
- 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 1 knowledge organisers