Dear Parents & Carers, This half term is once again full of interesting and challenging subjects to tackle culminating with the long‐awaited Robinwood trip. Literacy: Our Literacy lessons this half term will focus mainly on improving basic skills especially those linked to grammar, punctuation and sentence structure, particularly on ways to “up‐level” their work. These skills will be applied to their writing whilst focusing on a range of text types including: instructional and explanation texts, non‐chronological reports and fiction. Numeracy: This half term the children will tackle a range of shape and measures maths including exploring the relationship between the area and perimeter of shapes; calculating the area of triangles and quadrilaterals and understanding how to work out the volume of 3d shapes. They will consolidate and build upon this work in our maths morning during which the Y6s and Y5s will work in their house groups on a range of shape and space related tasks. After revising the conversion of units of measurement (e.g. litres to ml), the children will tackle a range of multi‐step problems involving capacity. Finally, we will also start revising and tackling practice papers as part of our SATs preparation. Topic: After looking at features of the U.K. we are moving onto to warmer climes to study the Mediterranean. This will involve map and atlas work; understanding features peculiar to the Mediterranean and how the sea affects people’s lives; studying how Italy is divided into regions before looking at Naples and Bologna in depth. Also, we will be conducting some fieldwork by taking a walk past the River Mersey and through Ashton Village to look at land use, local features and recording these in order to produce a digital map. P.E: Tennis will be our P.E topic this half term. The children will learn how to stand at the ready position, use forehand and backhand strokes and how to play tactically. In addition, the specialist sports coaches will be introducing the children to lacrosse with an emphasis on letting them enjoy the sport but also teaching them good collecting, passing and shooting techniques. Science: In science, we will look at the human circulatory system. We will identify and name the main parts of the system, explain the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood; make our own ‘blood’ (using orange juice, marshmallows, cranberries and rice to represent the different components), make a lung capacity measuring device and conduct investigations into lung capacity. Computing: In computing lessons, we are looking at stop‐motion animation. After researching various examples, the children will storyboard their own animations before creating them using appropriate software. R.E. The subject this half‐term is, ‘New Beginnings’. This will see the children thinking about the Easter story and understanding what lessons they can derive from it. Reminders
 Homework – Literacy homework will be given out on Wednesdays and is due in the
following Monday. One week will be spelling and grammar and the alternate week
will be comprehension and maths.
 Reading Books – Reading books should be in school every day. Please make time
to ensure your child is reading at home every night and that they read aloud
regularly. Please sign and date reading record books. If your child is a ‘free
reader’ please ensure that record books are completed.
 Spellings – Please help your child practise a selection of their spelling list as often as
possible. When your child feels they are ready to be tested, they should put their
name in our spelling book.
 Fieldwork walk – we may need a small handful of volunteers to help with our fieldwork
walk on 31st March. This will take place from 9:30 – 10:30: If anyone would like to help,
please let us know.
Important
dates:
‘We Aspire’
careers
workshop:
10th – 11th
March.
Robinwood:
21st -23rd
March
Ashton-onMersey
fieldwork
walk: 31st
March.
Please note:
P.E. is on
Wednesdays
and Thursdays.
Please ensure
children have
the correct kit in
school which
should include
outdoor trainers
and jogging
trousers as it
can be cold in
outdoor P.E.
sessions.