Autumn - From Coast to Coast

Why do people move from coast to coast? What else is transported from coast to coast? What impact does movement from coast to coast have? 

We will be answering all of these key questions during our topic.

Have you ever discovered anything exciting washed up on the beach? Well, what if it was a message in a bottle? In the autumn term, we are inspired by  our key texts, The Island and Kensuke’s Kingdom which lead us to learn about life aboard the seas and give us clues as to what it might be like to survive on a desert island. We visit Shoreham to learn about the history of the port and how imports and exports have impacted the land use along the coastline. We develop our observational drawing through mixed media artwork and clay sculpture and explore the RHE themes of isolation, resilience and tolerance of others. Our science during this term explores theories for evolution, and how fossils might provide evidence for this. Alongside this, in RE, we explore the idea of Creation. We also learn about our circulatory system, including how to keep our heart and bodies healthy.

Questions we'll be asking:

• What does it feel like to be bullied and suffer racism and prejudice?
• What makes a good friend?
• What does evolution mean?
• What does inheritance mean?

Trips

In this term we are going to enrich the learning with…

• Trip to Shoreham to visit the port and the RNLI lifeboat station
• Novium Museum visitor

Supporting your child

You are invited to share in your children’s learning with the “Takeaway Tasks” they will be doing for homework.

Spring – When the Siren Sounds

How were children affected by World War II? How were children kept safe? What was the impact on children’s daily life? How were children around the world impacted?

These are the key questions that we answer in our spring term topic. We experience what life was like for a child living in the time of the Second World War. As war begins, and the air raid siren sounds, we first find out about life in our country during wartime - how people protected themselves, how rationing affected diet, and what it felt like for a child who was evacuated away from their family. A trip to Newhaven Fort enhances our topic by learning about wartime defences and the Home Front.

We will sing wartime songs and learn 1940's-style dances, cook authentic wartime meals - using rationed ingredients, and our artwork will be inspired by L.S Lowry. Our science topics during the spring term are light and electricity.

During the second half of the spring term, we learn about the effects of war on children in different countries around the world. We are introduced to The Holocaust through our texts Rose Blanche and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.  In RE, we learn about the Jewish faith and explore how people’s faith may affect their choices: focusing particularly on Anne Frank. Finally, our wartime journey ends with a VE Day-style celebration- come and celebrate with us!

Questions we'll be asking:

• Which countries were involved in the Second World War?
• What was rationing and how did affect people’s lives?
• Where were children evacuated to?
• How did the war impact on children from around the world?

Trips

See the section marked 'Letters' for a copy of the corresponding letter.

• Newhaven Fort trip- to learn about wartime defences and the Home Front.

Supporting your child

Some things to do at home with your child:

• Speak to older relatives about their memories of the 1930s- 1940s
• Visit Michelham Priory or the Imperial War Museum in London to find out more
• Visit the Anne Frank exhibition at Worthing town hall 25th-29th January
• Watch some episodes of Dad’s Army!!!

Homework

Our homework this term will primarily be focussing on revision for the SATs in May (see separate revision timetables)

Please keep focussing on the basics:

• spellings & punctuation
• times tables
• mental and written methods for +, -, x and ÷

Summer – Up on the Downs

Beginning Year 6 down at the sea, we end our year by venturing up to The South Downs and exploring the diversity of our local habitats and wildlife.

Reflecting on and enjoying our natural world is our priority this term! Rich in folklore and legends, the South Downs inspire our writing through poetry and narrative. Our key text, Skellig, enables us to explore themes of nature, life and death, conflict, freedom and independence. We develop our map reading skills by planning and completing a walk back to school from Cissbury ring and broaden our historical knowledge by conducting a local history study of how Broadwater has changed over time. 

Our art for this term is based on the ancient art of paper cutting – an art with a long history! We also explore printing and the work of artists, Georgia O'Keefe and William Morris. The inspiration for our own printing is based on our own beautiful wildlife. In Science, we explore classification of species, looking specifically at the scientist, Carl Linnaeus and The Linnaean System.

In RE, we look at the concept of Salvation, focusing on the resurrection. By the end of this unit of learning, we produce a piece of artwork that depicts our own interpretation of the resurrection and what this means to us.

Questions we'll be asking:

• Can you locate features on the OS map whilst on a field trip?
• How has Broadwater changed over the last 200 years? What has it lost and gained?
• How can we use The Linnaean system to classify species?
• What do you know about our locality?
• Why is the South Downs a National Park?

Trips

Chessington trip

Lodge Hill Residential

Supporting your child

Some things to do at home with your child:

• Go up to The Downs and explore!
• What landmarks can you see from where you are?
• How many of the “50 things to do before you’re 12" list can you achieve? (National Trust list)
• Find out about the history of where you live: your road and your house.

Homework

Our homework this term will primarily be focusing on revision for the SATs in May (see separate revision timetables)

Please keep focusing on the basics:

• spellings & punctuation
• times tables
• mental and written methods for +, -, x and ÷