Welcome back to our final 2 terms of the year! I hope everyone had a great and restful Easter break. Terms 5 and 6 bring some exciting opportunities and I’m looking forward to a great summer term.
Please do contact me or come and see me after school if you have any queries.
Many thanks!
Miss Mayhew
History
Our theme for these two terms is Empire. We will be thinking about the questions: ‘How did the British Empire impact the lives of its inhabitants?’ and ‘Why was slavery abolished in the British Empire?’. We will be finding out about where, why and how the British Empire worked, who the East India Company were, what they did and what role the Empire had to play in slavery. We will also be looking into how the British Empire affected different countries, and thinking critically about whether the Empire was a good thing or not. To support this, we also have a brilliant trip to the Cutty Sark in London planned!
Reading
During whole class reading this term we will be reading ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B White. These sessions give the class an opportunity to read a book together, practice reading aloud with expression, and answer comprehension style questions.
Maths
Term 5 and 6 brings lots of different maths topics. The year 4s will begin by looking at money, following on from their decimals unit last term, whilst the year 5s will complete their fractions, decimals and percentages learning. We will then move onto looking at length, including converting between different lengths, perimeter and area. Following this, we will look at shape, position, and direction and angles. We will finish the year by covering statistics. During these terms the year 4s will also revise time, which will include a small recap for the year 5s.
Times Tables
We will also continue to have a big focus on times tables throughout the last two terms, which children should be practicing at home regularly. It is especially important for the year 4s in order to prepare them for their multiplication tables check that will take place in June.
RE
This term we will be considering the questions, ‘What kind of a King was Jesus?’ and in term 6, ‘How does faith help when life gets hard?’.
Art
This term Miss Butler and Mrs Hall will be supporting the children with their painting and mixed media skills each Tuesday afternoon.
Music
The children will be learning songs for their end of year production this term and enjoying the benefits of ensemble singing and performing.
English
To start off term 5, we will be studying the poem ‘Windrush Child’ by John Agard, before moving onto reading ‘Henry’s Freedom Box’ by Ellen Levine which tells a true story about a child on the underground railway. In term 6, we will be moving onto the great book ‘Journey to Jo’burg’ by Beverley Naidoo. The children will be undertaking reading and writing tasks inspired by these books.
Spelling
We use ‘Superhero Spellings’ to support our spelling skills. This approach has 3 stages: learn, build and show. The children will be given opportunities to practice the words for the rule throughout the week, before completing 10 dictation sentences on Fridays. These will be stuck in the back of homework books for the children to refer back to if needed. The children will be split into year groups during these sessions.
Science
In term 5 and 6 in science we will be studying evolution, adaptation and inheritance. This will involve looking at how plants and animals adapt in different environments, and how things have changed overtime. We will also link this in with fossils towards the end of the term.
PSHE
For PSHE, we follow the Jigsaw scheme of work. In term 5, we our topic will be ‘Relationships’ and in term 6 we will be looking at ‘Changing Me’.
PE
In both term 5 and 6, the children will be developing their cricket skills. In term 6, we will be joined by the year 5s from Class 5 for PE lessons due to the year 6 swimming lessons. We are also lucky enough to have specialist PE sessions from ‘Sports Cool’ in term 5, working on Athletics, and Zara Breeze is back in term 6 for some fitness, strength and conditioning. PE will take place on Mondays and Tuesdays. Full summer PE kit is expected.
French
For French this term we will be learning the names of food items and working on ordering food in restaurants.
Computing
For computing in term 5, we will be looking at AI. This will involve gaining a full understanding of its uses and thinking critically about the ethics of AI. In term 6, we will be learning about how search engines work.
Homework
The children will be sent home with a homework menu for the term. Each week the children will select one task to complete. This is sent out on Wednesdays to be handed back in on a Monday.
Spelling
Each week the children will be working on a different spelling rule and receive 10 spelling words. A list of these can be found stuck into homework books for the children to practise at home.
These will also be worked on in class and at the end of the week the children will complete dictation sentences including these 10 words.
Dictation sentences will be stuck into the back of homework books each week in order to see progress and any words/spelling rules that may need to be worked on further.
Reading
Reading is required every night which is to be shown in their reading records. Please bring completed reading records in for reading certificates.
Times Tables
Don’t forget to keep practicing times tables at home whenever you can. We have a leader board for studio speed/Rockstar status up in the classroom which is updated weekly.
If you need your TT Rockstars or Purple Mash logins, just send me an email.
Key Dates
Monday 5th May – Bank Holiday
Thursday 8th May – Uckfield College PE session
Friday 23rd May – End of Term 5
Monday 2nd June- Start of Term 6
2nd June – 13th June – Year 4 Multiplication Check
9th June – Assessment Week
16th June – Year 4 and 5 Cutty Sark Trip
25th June – Sports Day
Friday 11th July – Move up morning
Monday 14th July – Reports Out
Wednesday 16th July & Thursday 17th July – School Production Performance
Friday 18th July – Last day of term 6, Games Day & Cup Assembly
