Magpies 2024 - 2025

Welcome to Magpies Class

We are a Year 4/5 class who are taught by Mrs Whittaker

This is what we will be learning about in the Summer term:

Maths:

Y4:

Decimals:  Make a whole; Partition decimals; order decimals; compare decimals; round decimals; halves and quarters as decimals

Measurement:  Write money using decimals; Convert between pounds and pence; Compare amounts of money; Estimate with money; Calculate with money; Solve problems with money; Years, months, weeks and days;  Hours, minutes and seconds; Convert between analogue and digital times; Convert to the 24 hour clock; Problem solving – converting time.

Geometry: . Identify angles; Compare and order angles; Triangles; Quadrilaterals; Polygons; Reasoning about polygons; Lines of symmetry;  Complete a symmetric figure;

Statistics:    Interpret charts; Solve problems with charts; Interpret line graphs;  Draw line graphs;

Geometry:  Describe position; Describe position using coordinates; Plot coordinates; Draw 2D shapes on a grid; Translate on a grid; Describe translation on a grid.

Y5:

Geometry: Understand and use degrees; Measure angles up to 180°; Draw lines and angles accurately; Calculate angles around a point; Calculate angles on a straight line; Lengths and angles in shapes; Regular and irregular polygons; Parallel lines; Read and plot coordinates; Perpendicular lines;  3D shapes;  Problem solving with coordinates; Translate shapes; Translate points; Lines of symmetry;  Reflection in horizontal and vertical lines;

Fractions (including decimals and percentages) : Add and subtract decimals within 1; Complements to 1; Add and subtract decimals (bridging); Add and subtract decimals with the same number of decimal places; Problem solving with decimals; Decimal sequences; Multiply and divide by 10, 100 and 1,000;

Place Value:  Understand negative numbers; Count through zero; Compare and order negative numbers; Find the difference; 

Measurement:  Kilograms and kilometres; Millimetres and millilitres; Convert units of length;  Imperial units of length; Imperial units of mass; Imperial units of capacity; Convert units of time; Timetables – calculating;  Problem solving – units of measure.

English:

We will develop our reading and writing skills across a range of genres and text types using high quality texts.

The children will write a journey story and a narrative describing how a natural environment is restored based on our study of Wild is the Wind and Greta and the Giants.  After half term, we will be reading Who Let The Gods Out by Maz Evans and using it to inspire our writing of an information text and an advertisement.

Science:

Life Cycles:  

During this unit, children will explore the processes of sexual and asexual reproduction in plants, find out about sexual reproduction in animals, investigate the differences in the life cycles of different animals and find out about the work of naturalists

Great British Scientists:

We will investigate Newton’s work on the three laws of motion and how he discovered the colour spectrum. The children will discover black holes with Stephen Hawking and evolution with the help of Anning, Wallace and Darwin.

History:

Benin:

The children will learn in depth about where the ancient Kingdom of Benin was located and how it came to thrive, what the people there believed in and how they showed this in their artwork. The will explore western attitudes towards African civilisations, comparing the achievements, oral tales and artefacts of ancient Benin to those in Europe at the same time. The children will also learn about the story of Eweka and finally discover how European invaders threatened the civilisation of ancient Benin.

Geography:

Magnificent Mountains:

The children find out about the major mountains of the world and the UK. They find out the different ways in which mountains have been formed, and how different features of mountain ranges have been shaped over time. Children will have the opportunity to consider what the weather is like in a mountainous environment and to evaluate the impact that tourism has on a mountainous region.

Computing:

Coding with Scratch

In this unit about Coding with Scratch: Developing Games, the children will learn how to design their own backdrop with increasing complexity. They will also learn how to code a sprite to move when certain keys on a keyboard are pressed. The children will also become familiar with if, then statements to create conditions with a game.

Art:

Painting and Mixed Media Self-Portraits

This unit offers the children opportunities to develop skills in creating interesting portrait drawings, using words, experimenting with materials and techniques, and constructing self-portraits that represent aspects of themselves. It will enhance their understanding and application of art vocabulary and encourages thoughtful decisions in their artwork composition.

Design and Technology:

Making Mini Greenhouses:

Children will find out the purpose of a greenhouse and how it works, before moving on to exploring how structures like these can be made stable, and what materials would be the most appropriate to use. Children then apply this knowledge and understanding when designing, making and evaluating their very own mini greenhouse!

Religious Education:

Christianity – The Trinity

While investigating the question ‘Does belief in the Trinity help Christians make better sense of God as a whole?’, the children will learn to describe the members of the Trinity with some reference to the roles they have and start to understand that they are consubstantial.  They will then go on to make links between the consubstantial nature of God in 3 persons and the attributes that these persons share.

Buddhism - Buddha’s teachings:

The children will investigate the question ‘Is it possible for everyone to be happy?’ in this unit of work and will be able to talk about the important parts of the Buddha’s life story in the right sequence and start to explain how he felt at certain points. They will also learn about some of the things Siddhattha did to try to be happy and explain why they think these didn’t work for him.

Music:

Africa:

The children will sing a traditional African song unaccompanied and learn how to hold the tune of their part within a group performance.  They will be encouraged to sing unaccompanied whilst using expression.

Ancient Egypt:

Based on the theme of Ancient Egypt, children learn to identify the pitch and rhythm of written notes and experiment with notating their compositions, developing their understanding of staff notation.

M.F.L.:

Going Shopping

In this unit the class will learn about the shopping experience in France. The children will learn specific vocabulary of fruit, vegetables and clothes. They will learn key phrases for asking the questions needed when going shopping.

Physical Education:

The children will have two P.E. sessions. Outdoor PE will be taught on a Monday. In the Summer term children will be working to improve their striking and fielding skills and athletics. Indoor PE will be taught on a Monday. Lessons will include dance.

On these days, the children will need to come to school dressed in their P.E. uniform: navy shorts and light blue t-shirt; navy tracksuit and light blue t-shirt. No logos or football kits. Trainers should be plain black or plain white. All long hair should be tied back and earrings should be removed.

P.S.H.E.:

Y4:

Aiming High:

This term children will be focussing on goals and aspirations. They will start by discussing achievements they have accomplished so far and the type of attitude that helps us to succeed. We will identify ways of applying a growth mindset to new challenges and learn about the importance of resilience.

 Growing Up:

This topic builds on children’s knowledge of the human body; how we grow and change, both physically and emotionally. We will learn about their own and others’ bodies and how male and female bodies play a part in human reproduction. They will also learn about different relationships and family structures.

Y5:

Diverse Britain:

We will identify how they can make a positive contribution to the community. They will learn about the law and the consequences of not respecting it. They will also learn about the workings of local and national government and the role of charities and voluntary groups in British society.

It's My Body:

We will learn about how to take care of our bodies. This will involve learning about consent and autonomy, learning about body image and stereotypes and learning about substances which are harmful to our bodies. The children will also learn about the importance of sleep and keeping clean, especially as their bodies change during puberty. Children will be encouraged to consider the choices they have and learn about the support that is available to them.

Homework:

Maths: Maths homework will be set via Class Dojo on a Friday to be completed by the following Wednesday. We ask for all children to continue to access Times Table Rockstars online to practice and improve instant recall of key multiplication and related division facts.

English: English homework will be set via Class Dojo on a Friday to be completed by the following Wednesday. We ask that the children also engage frequently with Spelling Shed to practise their spellings.

Reading: At Weston, we encourage children to develop a lifelong love for reading. We ask for children to read regularly at home to adults and to themselves. Reading is fundamental to the wider academic and personal development of children and the need for children to read widely from a broad and challenging range of texts continues to be important. Children will be provided with quality texts appropriate for their age and ability.