Year Six (Mrs Livesey)

Welcome to Year 6!

A very warm welcome to Year 6. I hope that you all had restful break and are ready for our first half term together in Year 6. This half term, we have 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 become magicians and will be basing our outcomes around the fantasy genre. To help us immerse ourselves in this exciting genre we will be joining Daniel as he enters a mysterious shop destine to change his life forever ...

Orphaned as a toddler and growing up in a children's home, Daniel is constantly picked on by Spud Harper and his gang of bullies. However, his life changes forever when he stumbles upon The Nowhere Emporium, which has mysteriously arrived in Glasgow.

Its owner and creator, Lucien Silver, quickly spots something special about Daniel. He invites him to come and work at the Emporium, which can inexplicably travel anywhere in the world and at any time. It doesn't take long for Silver to realise the true extent of Daniel's talent - and so begins an exciting adventure to save the Emporium from his lifelong arch-nemesis, Vindictus Sharpe.

Throughout the unit, the children will have some wonderful opportunities to immerse themselves in the world of fantasy writing. We will use the class texts to help us to create our own fantasy stories based on a model text with an innovated plot structure, using plot patterns and shared writing techniques incorporating all our new and old grammar skills as we develop our ideas. Over the half term, we will be creating our very own novels on a theme which we will then present and share with some of our younger children in school.

We will bring the half term to a close by focussing our attention on an information hybrid text in the form of a magazine page.

In Mathematics, we will be starting the half term by focussing on Place Value . In this area of study we will be concentrating on:

Reading, writing, ordering and comparing numbers up to 10,000,000 and determine the value of each digit.
Rounding any whole number to a required degree of accuracy.
Using negative numbers in context, and calculate intervals across zero.
Solving number and practical problems that involve all of the above.

Following this we will shift our focus to Number - Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division when the children will be using and developing their skills to:

Solve addition and subtraction multi step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why.
Multiply multi-digit number up to 4 digits by a 2-digit number using the formal written method of long multiplication.
Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a 2-digit whole number using the formal written method of long division, and interpret remainders as whole number remainders, fractions, or by rounding as appropriate for the context.
Divide numbers up to 4 digits by a 2-digit number using the formal written method of short division, interpreting remainders according to the context.
Perform mental calculations, including with mixed operations and large numbers.
Identify common factors, common multiples and prime numbers.
Use their knowledge of the order of operations to carry out calculations involving the four operations.
Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
Use estimation to check answers to calculations and determine in the context of a problem, an appropriate degree of accuracy.

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.

“God created the world to show forth and communicate his glory: that his creatures should share in his truth, goodness and beauty – this is the glory for which God created them.” (CCC319)

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 Year 6 we will be busy exploring the connect of the Dignity of the human person and the Common Good. Christians believe that the diversity of the world and its people is God’s gift. Jesus in his life and gospel, challenges people to appreciate diversity and to create with it a harmony that reflects the unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our learning this half term will give us the tools needed to ensure that we recognise God's gift to through humanity.

This half term in History, we will be conducting a local history project focusing on the history of our very own Preston Docks. Throughout the half term we will be:

Using dates and a wide range of historical terms when sequencing events and periods of time relating to the construction and development of Preston Docks 
Developing chronologically secure knowledge of the events and periods of time studied.
Acknowledging contrasting evidence and opinions when discussing and debating historical issues focussing on the arguments of the "Party of Caution'
 Using appropriate vocabulary when discussing, describing and explaining historical events.
Describing the impact of historical events and changes focusing on Preston Docks links to the slave trade.
 Recognising that some events, people and changes are judged as more significant than others.

Our Science topic this half term will focus on Biology as we look closely at the classification of living things. In this unit we will be working to:

Describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms, plants and animals.
Give reasons for classifying plants and animals based in specific characteristics.

We will work scientifically by:

Using secondary sources to learn about the formal classification system devised by Carl Linnaeus and why it is important
Using first hand observation to identify characteristics shared by the animals in a group
Using secondary sources to research the characteristics of animals that belong to a group
Using information about the characteristics of an unknown animal or plant to assign it to a group Classify plants and animals presenting this in a range of ways.

In French this half term, we shall be looking at Fruit and Vegetables. In this unit, the children will be focussing on:

Understanding the main points and some detail from a short spoken passage e.g. someone talking about friends, our home town, school, likes and dislikes etc.
expressing simple opinions and ensuring our pronunciation is generally confident and accurate.
Writing a short text on a familiar topic using reference materials / support.

Art this half term will see Year 6 we will be working to understand and apply the principles of painting. The children will be challenged to use Georgia O'Keefe as an inspiration to:

Use Pop art techniques and layering to create a 3D cityscape
understand how to use a palette knife and paint to create textured cityscapes
replicate cityscape photos using different mediums
explore how to create re-flections of cityscapes on water
understand how to add detail into cityscape ink drawings
create a cityscape using any media of choice.

ICT this year is a project that will take us through the whole academic year as we become App. Planners. This half term we will be working towards the outcome of producing a presentation to pitch a smartphone or tablet app. By the end of the half term, the children will be confident in:

Independently selecting, using and combining a wide range of software on a variety of devices.
Designing and creating a range of digital assets such as programs, systems and multimedia content for a defined purpose and audience.
Using advanced searches including the use of operators.
Developing their computational thinking can demonstrate that they can decompose and evaluate their tasks and correct errors in their algorithms and programs.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education this half term is dedicated to 'New Beginnings' In this unit, the class will be encouraged to think about:

Recognising their worth as individuals,
identifying positive things about themselves and their achievements
seeing their mistakes
making amends and setting personal goals.

In Music this half term all our learning will focus around the contemporary song 'Happy' In this unit children will be working to:

To compare two songs in the same style, talking about what stands out musically in each of them, their similarities and differences.
Listen carefully and respectfully to other people’s thoughts about the music.
Use musical words when talking about the songs.
To talk about the musical dimensions working together in the Unit songs.
Talk about the music and how it makes you feel, using musical language to describe the music.
How pulse, rhythm, pitch, tempo, dynamics, texture and structure work together to create a song or music
How to keep the internal pulse
Play a musical instrument with the correct technique within the context of the Unit song.
Select and learn an instrumental part that matches their musical challenge, using one of the differentiated parts – a one-note, simple or medium part or the melody of the song from memory or using notation.

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 sessions will take place on Wednesday afternoons. This half term our focus will be on Dance for all Ages. Remember to arrive in school each Wednesday in full PE kit and trainers or pumps. You will remain in your PE kit for the entire day.

Snack & Water

Toast is available to children for snack. Children must pay £1 at the beginning of the week via the ParentPay app 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. If you would like your child to bring in their own bottle, please ensure the bottle is clearly labelled with the child's name.