Mitchell Brook
Primary School
‘Colours of Innovation’
A Black History Topic
The life and times of Lewis
Latimer
Year 5
Overview of theme:
Black History – Lewis Latimer
Autumn 1 2016/2017
This half term, the whole school will be focusing on looking at significant people in Black History in a topic
called ‘Colours of Innovation’. Each year group will centre their learning around the lives of great inventors
from Black History. Year 5 will be focusing on the life and times of Lewis Latimer.
Children’s
learning:
Core Quality
texts:
Information
for parents:
The children will look at the contribution Latimer made to inventions
such as the toilet system, the light bulb and the telephone. We will look
into the life of his father George Latimer and his escape from slavery
and explore the events surrounding the Civil War, in which Latimer
fought in.

Words Set Me Free – Lesa Cline-Ransome
The inspirational, true story of how Frederick Douglass, a
prominent African American, found his way to freedom one word
at a time.
Reading - Please continue to encourage your child to read every
day at home for at least 20 minutes. Where possible we advise that
you read to the at least twice a week to model reading. The children
will be expected to bring in the reading record books daily
completed with information and comment about their book.
Comments can be written by either the child or the parent.
Practise – Practise will be handed out to the children on Friday.
Home practise is something we want to continue to push, as it
consolidates what they have learnt in school. Ensure home practise
books return every Wednesday morning to be checked.
P.E/ Swimming – P.E will be on a Thursday each week. Each class
will also have the opportunity to take part in swimming lessons at
Willesden Sports for a half term. The classes will be notified by letter
individually as to when their lessons start.
Trumpet – Every Tuesday the children will have trumpet lessons in
class provided by Brent music services. Trumpets will be provided
and will remain in school.
Important dates to remember:
Wednesday 28th September – Year groups meeting will take
place in place of individual parent’s consultations.
Friday 30th September – Juniper Extravaganza
Wednesday 19th October – Black History Month Celebration of
Learning
Home
Learning
linked to
curriculum
theme:
Children can visit the following web links to learn more about Black
History and Lewis Latimer.
http://www.timeforkids.com/minisite/black-history-month
http://www.biography.com/people/lewis-howard-latimer-9374422
Black History – Lewis Latimer
Autumn 1 2016/2017
Literacy
This half term we will focus on three main areas of literacy:
 Letters
 Biographies
Through these areas of Literacy we will look at a range of grammatical skills
including using clauses consistently, the appropriate use of commas, the
specific layout and form of both biographies and letters. We will be up-levelling
work both our own and that of others, learn how to use research in various
formats and extend and develop this into our own words using re-phrasing.
Mathematics
This half term we have two main areas of learning we are covering:
Number and Place Value – The children will be building their understanding of
number in order to apply their skills to any context such as money and
measure. Children will learn to read, write, order and compare numbers to at
least 1 000 000 and determine the value of each digit and use this knowledge
and understanding to solve number problems and practical problems that
involve all of the above.
Science
Light and its sources will be our science focus for this term. We will be
investigating the different light sources and how they are made, the creation of
shadows and how light travels in straight lines. We will be investigating the
movement of the Earth and Sun and how this affects us on Earth.
Art and
Design
Linking to Science and being inspired by the work of Lewis Latimer. The
children will be creating their very own fashion forward light source that could
be used for travelling to and from school during the winter months.
History/
Geography
Children will explore Black history and what life was like for people in America
in the 19th century. The will make connections with Lewis Latimer’s struggles in
the work place, his family life and the wider world.
Music
Children will be learning to play the trumpet this year.
Singing assembly is taught once a week for all children, where they get to
develop their musical skills and train their vocal cords. Singing Assembly will
take place on Tuesday at 9am.
P.D.
In these circle time sessions, we will be discussing how we can ensure that
school is a safe place for all. The children will develop strategies in order to
cope with conflicts and possible difficult situations.
R.E.
The children will learn about the traditions and spiritual practices involved in
Buddhism. We will take an in-depth look inti the choices made by Buddhists
and the rationale behind them.
Black History – Lewis Latimer
Autumn 1 2016/2017
Sequence and structure to curriculum theme
Phase 1
Begin scientific investigations into a range of light
sources, how they have evolved over time and how they
shine light. Using a chronological order of the evolution
of light will lead children to see the prevalence of the
modern day light bulb filament. Children to look at
designing their first draft of their lightbulb invention.
Phase 2
Children to discover the invention team behind the light
bulb. Through research, children to discuss Lewis
Latimer’s contribution being the most significant to the
invention. The year group will begin to look at letters to
discover what life was like for Latimer as well as other
African American of the 19th century. Through the use of
these letters, the writing focus will be on the
professional relationship between Thomas Edison and
Latimer when working on completing the filament
lightbulb first.
Phase 3
The children will use the information gathered to write
biographies on Lewis Latimer. The investigation of
material and circuit types suitable for their fashion
forward light source and complete the first part of the
making stage.
Phase 4
Children to complete their biographies and finalise the
construction of their light sources to share at the
celebration of learning during the final week of this half
term.
Black History – Lewis Latimer
Autumn 1 2016/2017