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 Autumn term:

Maths:

Y4:

Number and place value; addition and subtraction; measurement; multiplication and division

Y5:

Number and place value; addition and subtraction; multiplication and division; fractions (including decimals and percentages

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 biography and an adversity narrative based on our study of Stories for Boys who Dare to Be Different and Goodnight Rebel Girls.  After half term, we will be reading The Secret Sky and using it to inspire our writing of a transformation narrative.  We will go on to read The Great Kapok Tree and write a persuasive letter.

Science:

Earth and Space:  During this fascinating unit, the children will be able to describe the movement of the Sun, Earth and Moon; they will explore how the rotation of the Earth creates day and night; and how the tilt of the Earth creates seasons.  We will then go on to learn about the phases of the moon; how theories about our solar system have changed before investigating the planets. 

Circuits and conductors:  The children will identify which common appliances run on electricity and how to keep safe around electricity.  They will then construct simple circuits, recognising common conductors and insulators before using this knowledge to create a simple device which includes a circuit.

History:

Crime and Punishment

The children will find out about the legacy of the Roman justice system and crime and punishment through the Anglo-Saxon, Tudor and Victorian periods. They will also deepen their historical awareness and understanding of how our past is constructed through studying the famous highwayman, Dick Turpin. Towards the end of the learning, the children will be given time to reflect upon and evaluate what they have learnt, as well as comparing modern day crime prevention and detection methods with those from the past.

Geography:

Somewhere to Settle

The children in Magpie class will be heading back in time to find out how the towns and cities of the UK first developed. They will think about the needs and requirements early settlers had when choosing a place to build a home, before looking at place names around the UK to see how the Anglo-Saxons, Romans and Vikings all left their mark. Through use of digital and paper maps, the class will investigate land use in different sized settlements and the ways in which settlements are linked together. At the end of the unit, we will draw together all their learning about settlements to design their own new settlement!

Computing:

Online Safety

The children will children learn about preventing and dealing with cyberbullying; how to use search engines efficiently; how to avoid plagiarism online; and how to be a good digital citizen. The unit ends with children applying their new knowledge to design a character to be displayed around school to promote online safety..

Word Processing

In this unit children will learn about formatting images and organising content into and effective layout. They will learn how to format images and make them suitable for a poster advertising a cake sale. Throughout the rest of the unit, children will learn

new skills and techniques and apply them to creating a range of different word documents (posters, letters to parents, job rotas, recipe cards and e-vouchers) which they will use during the cake sale project.

Art:

Cityscapes:

We will use the inspiring work of Charles Fazzino, a 3D Pop artist to create a cityscape based on his work.  They will then be introduced to the work of Leonid Afremov who created work using a palette knife and use this to create their own.  They will learn new art techniques and will discover ways to combine these techniques to create their own original pieces of art work.

Design and Technology:

American Food

The children will investigate how America’s diverse climate regions affect the food they grow, learn the techniques used by indigenous Americans to preserve food and discuss the different types of food eaten by rich and poor.  They will then learn about the foods of Mexico before identifying foods that are heathy and unhealthy.  Throughout the unit, the children will develop the practical skills involved in cooking, including measuring, cutting, mixing and moulding.  They will put all of these skills and knowledge together to prepare a shared meal.

Religious Education:

Diwali

The children will learn to investigate what happens during the festival of Diwali and whether the celebrations bring a sense of belonging to Hindus.

Christmas

After half term, the children will be studying the Incarnation in their work about Christians and asking whether the celebrations and traditions help Christians understand who Jesus was and why he was born.

Music:

Ancient Worlds

The children will be exploring Ancient Egypt, they will explore 20^th Century minimalist music inspired by the story of Akhenaten and compose music using a layered pyramid structure.

Singing Spanish

The children will sample the sounds and sights of the Spanish-speaking world, as they learn greetings, count to 12 and play a singing game.  They explore part singing and accompaniments in four contrasting songs.

Communication

Children create a news programme complete with school news headlines.  Using songs and raps, this musical news bulletin will alert the school to the burning issues of the day.

Time

Music using clocks helps children to understand rhythm and syncopation.  They learn and sing bell patterns, listen to an orchestral clock piece and create their own descriptive music.

M.F.L.:

All Around Town

The children will learn to develop their intercultural understanding by being introduced to the sights of some typical French cities. They will also learn to describe places in a town, count to 100 and give their address in French.

Physical Education:

The children will have two P.E. sessions. Outdoor PE will be taught on a Monday. In the Autumn term children will be working to improve their football and hockey skills and techniques. Indoor PE will be taught on a Thursday. Lessons will include sports-hall athletics and multi -sports skills.

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. All long hair should be tied back and earrings should be removed.

P.S.H.E.:

Y4:

Be Yourself

Children will explore their strengths and achievements, how to express their thoughts and feelings respectfully and how to be assertive when in uncomfortable situations. The children will also have an opportunity to explore the influence of the media in how we view ourselves and analyse the reality of these messages. They will also explore how to make things right when we make mistakes and the importance of learning from these mistakes.

One World

Children will look at a case study of a fictional girl who lives in Malawi and they will explore different aspects of her life. Children will see how people’s life experiences and opportunities differ throughout the world and that our actions can have both positive and harmful effects on people living in different countries. Children will explore the concepts of inequality and stereotypes and be encouraged to reflect on what they can do to help make the world a fairer place. Children will also learn about climate change and its effects, fair trading practices and organisations which help people. They will learn about how to be a good global citizen as well.

Y5:

TEAM

Children will consider the key qualities and skills needed for a team to be successful. They will explore what collaborative learning is and learn how to compromise to ensure a group task is completed successfully. They will address the importance of caring for team members and the shared responsibilities a team has.

Money Matters

Children will think about how money is used in the wider world. They will discuss the possible consequences of taking financial risks and identify ways to avoid these. Children will also learn about influences advertisers try to use to encourage us to spend our money and how to see the real value of products by being critical consumers. Children will learn about budgeting and discuss what happens if people cannot afford what they need to buy. Children will also have the opportunity to discuss how our earning and spending can contribute to society through the payment of tax.

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.