Newsletter
September / October 2016
Creative Curriculum Theme – Hola Mexico
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Science
Explore how light travels enabling us to understand that all objects reflect light.
Identify angles of incidence and reflection, understanding refraction as light bending
or changing direction and explain how a prism allows us to see the visible spectrum.
Computing
Use programming to design, write and debug simple programs, as well as using
sequence, selection and repetition to create a program.
Geography
Incorporate the use of world maps and satellite images to locate Mexico, identifying
which hemisphere it is in and the countries that surround it.
Learn about the animal and plant species found there, the climate, the people who
live there and the difficulties they face.
History
Address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause,
similarity and difference, and significance when exploring the Ancient Mayan
civilisation.
Design Technology / Art
Evaluate ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views
of others.
Follow recipes, effectively using utensils, and cook a range of savoury Mexican dishes.
Use a range of materials to create a 3D ‘Day of the Dead’ (Día de Muertos) skull.
English
Text: ‘Trash’ by Andy Mulligan
 Identify the audience and purpose of the
writing; selecting the appropriate form and
using other similar writing as models for their
own .
Physical Education
Net / wall games - Send and receive a ball
with increasing accuracy.
Athletics - Increase mastery of athletics
skills: running, jumping and throwing.
 Write balanced and persuasive arguments;
select appropriate grammar and vocabulary,
understand how such choices can change and
enhance meaning.
 Use a wide range of devices to build cohesion
within and across paragraphs of a news report.
 Group guided reading with a focus on
comprehension, inference and appreciation.
French
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Talk about weekend activities.
Be able to use negatives.
Give opinions.
Use the third person.
Maths
 Read, write, order and compare numbers up
to 10,000,000 and determine the value of each
digit.
 Use knowledge of the order of operations to
carry out calculations involving the four
number operations.
 Solve multi-step problems in context; deciding
which operations and methods to use and
why.
 Solve problems involving calculation and
conversion of units of measure, using decimals
up to three decimal places.
 Apply formal written strategies to arithmetic
calculations.
Music
 Listen to and appraise traditional
Mexican music and identify instruments
heard.
 Use and understand “staff” and use
unconventional notation when
composing.
Religious Education
Personal, Social, Health Education
Explore commitment; how people show
commitment to other people and their own
beliefs.
Explore strategies to help us cope with our
emotions and make ourselves and others feel
more valued, as well as encouraging healthy
lifestyles.
Homework
Year 6 children are expected to practise their assessment techniques in reading comprehension, maths
(arithmetic and reasoning) and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPS).
Some useful Internet sites are:
• BBC Bitesize • Primary Tools (particularly for reading comprehension and maths reasoning papers)
• Entering: ‘Past SATs Papers’ into a search engine, can bring up many other helpful websites.
Children are also required to complete at least one project each half term from the selection below.
Which part of Mexico would you prefer to live in,
and why?
Find out about Mexican flowers, trees and animals.
Some are really different to the ones in UK!
Present your ideas on an information page, justifying
your choice.
Record what you learn in a notebook or picture chart.
Do your family or friends know anyone who has been
to Mexico? If so, can you talk to the person and find
out more? What is their impression of the country?
Record the information you find out through the
interview — make sure it’s exciting and eye-catching.
In Mexico, the most common spoken language is
Spanish.
Can you find out how to say some phrases in Spanish?
Do you know anyone who speaks Spanish? Impress
them with a Spanish conversation!
Find out more about Maya hieroglyphs and symbols.
Can you write your name or a short message to a
friend?
Go to the supermarket and see if you can find out
about any food that is imported from Mexico – try fruit
or vegetables.
Present your findings on an information page.
Plan an imaginary trip or holiday to Mexico.
Look at holiday brochures or research online. How
many ways are there to get there? How long would it
take? How much would it cost?
Try making your own musical instruments – simple
drums, guitars, shakers – from everyday household
objects, like plastic bottles, elastic bands, and rice.
Make an itinerary for your trip, showing what you would
like to see and do while you are there.
Reading
Children must bring their Home School
Link Books in at least once a week,
with a comment from parents or
carers, to have their book changed;
those children who are free readers
are also required to bring in their books
for class teachers to monitor their
reading progress.
Times tables and mental strategies
To support children with their maths, it is
important that they are practising their
times tables (up to 12 x 12) and their
mental strategies at home so they can
rapidly recall this information.