Ash Class - Year Six (Mrs Livesey)

Welcome back!

A very warm welcome to Spring 2 term in Year 6. This half term, we have a lots to look forward to as we continue on our learning journey, working and worshipping together.  Attached below is a summary of the subject focuses we will be looking this half term.

English

In English, this half term, we will be basing our outcomes around Classic Fiction. To help us immerse ourselves in this exciting topic we will be following the yellow brick road by reading the much loved 'The Wizard of Oz' by L.Frank Baum as a class novel.

Throughout the unit the children will have some wonderful opportunities to immerse themselves in the world of fantasy and classic fiction. We will use the class texts to help us to create a new chapter from 'The Wizard of Oz'
 using plot patterns and shared writing techniques incorporating all our new and old grammar skills as we develop our ideas. 

Following this, we will turn our attention to Poetry through songs and lyrics. In this unit we will explore the texts in groups to deepen our comprehension of the themes within and across song, poems and lyrics. We will analyse and evaluate how authors use language, including figurative language, to capture the readers' attention. We will then prepare our own poems based on common themes to read aloud to some of our younger children in school and perform using dramatic effects. 

We will bring the half term to a close by using our persuasive writing skills to write a formal review of a live performance. Within this area of key learning we will recognise and adapt authors' techniques to influence and manipulate the reader, By using our reading skills to scan a text for key information, skim for gist and a combination of both to locate specific detail, we will further develop our skills in explaining the effect on the reader of the authors' choice of language and reasons why the author may have selected these. These skills will enable us to write a review of the poetry performances held in school last half term. 

In Mathematics we will be start the half term by continuing our focus on Algebra . To succeed in this area the children will need to be able to:

• Use simple formulae
• Generate and describe linear number sequences.
• Express missing number problems algebraically.
• Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns.
• Enumerate possibilities of combinations of two variables.

Following this we will shift our focus to Measurement. We will concentrate on converting units, perimeter, area and volume. To be able to succeed in this area the children will be required to:

• Solve problems involving the calculation and conversion of units of measure, using decimal notation up to three decimal places where appropriate.
• Use, read, write and convert between standard units, converting measurements of length, mass, volume and time from a smaller unit of measure to a larger unit, and vice versa, using decimal notation to up to 3dp.
• Convert between miles and kilometres.
• Recognise that shapes with the same areas can have different perimeters and vice versa.
• Recognise when it is possible to use formulae for area and volume of shapes.
• Calculate the area of parallelograms and triangles.
• Calculate, estimate and compare volume of cubes and cuboids using standard units, including cm3, m3 and extending to other units (mm3, km3)

We will draw the half term to a close by shifting our area of focus to ratio. In this area of study we will be concentrating on:

• Solve problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities where missing values can be found by using integer multiplication and division facts.
• Solve problems involving similar shapes where the scale factor is known or can be found.
• Solve problems involving unequal sharing and grouping using knowledge of fractions and multiples.

You can help your child at home by helping them to practice their times tables and division facts. Just ten minutes a day will make all the difference to their rapid recall.

 “For to us a child is born,to us a son is given,and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6

At Sacred Heart, Religious Education is at the core of the core curriculum, it is embedded in everything we do and say. This half term in Ash Class we will be exploring Jesus The Messiah. As we approach the most special and reverend festival in the church calendar, we will analyse the events of Holy Week from many different perspectives. We will continue our journey together as disciples of Christ by considering in the world today there are people who do not know about the Resurrection of Jesus. We will use all modern means of communication to make known the events of the Resurrection and the New Covenant that we have entered into with God through His son, Jesus Christ.
 

 Our Art based topic this half term focusses on the Abstract Art of Wassily Kandinsky. We will learn about the life and work of Kandinsky and the struggles he endured in Nazi Germany. The children will be focussing their attention on some of Kandinsky's later work (Bauhaus period) when Kandinsky was trying to develop a 'language' for art: a way of conveying feelings and ideas through images. To be able to immerse ourselves in this important period for abstract art we will listen to a part of Wagner's 'Lohengrin Overture' to explain that Kandinsky was inspired by music, and used shapes and colours to express the sounds made by instruments of an orchestra. The techniques developed by Kandinsky, for example, mixing paint with sand to create texture will be adopted and adapted by the children as they work to create their own abstract piece of art based on the work of Kandinsky before developing their very own, unique style.

Our Science topic this half term will see continue our focus on the world of physics as we explore the world of electricity. The children will be working scientifically to make circuits and draw circuit diagrams.  

The children will be working to associate the brightness of a lamp or the volume of a buzzer with the number and voltage of cells used in the circuit. Furthermore, they will compare and give reasons for variations in how components function, including the brightness of bulbs, the loudness of buzzers and the on/off position of switches before using recognised symbols when representing a simple circuit in a diagram. 

General Class information

Reading

By Year 6, children are confident with reading, the task now is to ensure that children understand what they are reading.  It is important that they read a wide variety of genres and text types.  Fiction, non-fiction, leaflets, websites, newsletters etc.  The more children read and discuss the deeper their understanding becomes.  Encourage the children to explain what they have read, ask them questions and describe how they know the answers.  On occasion allow them just to read for pleasure, because they want to and they are enjoying it.  Read with them and continue to read to them.  Love books together!

PE

PE sessions will take place on Monday afternoons.  Please ensure children's PE kits are in school on this day and clearly labelled.

Snack & Water

Toast is available to children for snack.  Children must pay £1 at the beginning of the week for a slice of toast each day.  Children are able to bring in their own snack for playtime.  This can be a cereal/breakfast bar, fruit or veg.  Water will be available to the children throughout the day.  If you would like your child to bring in their own bottle, please ensure the bottle is clearly labelled with the child's name.

If you have any queries or just want to chat about your child's progress, feel free to catch me in the playground at the end of the school day, or alternatively make an appointment with Mrs Thompson in the school office.  

Mrs Livesey.