Year 5 Page
2024 - 2025
Science:
This term in science, the children will work either individually or in small groups to complete practical enquiry tasks and record their findings in different ways. The National Curriculum concepts explored will include: Lifecycles of animals and plants: Explore the different animal groups and their lifecycles—how are they similar and different? We will learn about the work of Jane Goodall and her conservation work with chimpanzees in Africa. How do plants reproduce to make new plants through sexual and asexual reproduction. During this project, we will discuss the lifecycle of a human and explore puberty. Materials: The children will carry out and observe a range of activities linked to properties and changes to materials. We will revise the 3 states of matter and learn about reversible and irreversible changes.
Geography: Rainforests
As budding geographers, your child will use atlases to locate and label different rainforests around the world. They will identify and describe the physical and human characteristics of rainforests including the different layers including animals and plants found there, their climates, deforestation, indigenous people and how we, even though in England can impact the rainforests. We will then focus in particular on South America labelling the different countries of this continent and its major physical features. Additionally, we will compare different aspects of Brazil to Sheffield, including climate and rainfall. We will use 4 and 6 figure grid references.
History: Britain during and after WW2
In history, your child will develop their understanding of chronology by constructing a timeline of key events before, during and after World War 2. Through primary and secondary sources, we will explore how World War 2 divided the war, yet conversely also brought people together. We will also look at how sources can show bias. We will research the themes of evacuation, rationing, the roles of men and women in the war years and invite the children to share their ancestors’ experiences of the war years. Linked to our class reader, ‘Letters from the Lighthouse, we will discuss the experiences of different refugees. The children will take part in an evacuation experience.
2023 - 2024
Autumn
Discover Project (History Driver)
"Does adversity bring out the best in people?"
Our History-driven project for this term starts with World War 2. We will be discussing the concept of adversity and how it helped bring people together and built great community spirit during the war years and following times. We will also be making links to the wider world we know today in relation to personal experiences and also the lives of refugees during WW2 and beyond. We will be discussing and debating how adversity can unite people but conversely divide them. Led by the children, we will explore the concepts of duty, adversity, sacrifice, community and resilience in relationship to our project question.
During our project, we will be visited by our local historian, The History Van, who will share Second World War artefacts as well as fascinating facts about life during the war years. Throughout the project, we will continue making links to our project question and analysing other times where great resilience has been witnessed – both by groups and individuals.
As good historians we will be analysing and questioning primary and secondary sources, interpreting bias and constructing timelines of key events. We will include research into the themes of evacuation, rationing, the roles of men and women in the war years.
Spring
Explore Project (Geography Driver)
"Is surviving the same as living?"
We will be exploring different types of settlements in our immediate locality starting with Dronfield itself and what it gives us a community. We will be virtually venturing further afield to explore several different countries linked to texts we are exploring.
As good geographers we will be improving our locational knowledge by being able to locate countries on a map, which hemisphere they are on, the counties’ latitude and longitude; identify key human and physical characteristics of the countries and the resources they provide.
During our project, once we leave Dronfield we will start to travel the world, to learn more about the country. This will include exploring the location of the country, their flag, languages spoken, currency used and traditional foods.
Throughout the project, we will be making links to our project question and will be discussing five concepts: diversity, segregation, prejudice, equality and influence.
By the end of the Spring term, your child will be a critical-thinking geographer who will be able to impart key knowledge on different locations and dazzle you with a wealth of knowledge and skill.
Summer
Create Project (Arts Driver)
Is the sky the limit?
We will study the artist Peter Thorpe and try out his space designs. We will create aliens in jumping clay, led by Mrs Slaney and sketch our creatures from 4 different perspectives. We will also create our own planet’s landscape using chalks and pastels and additionally, marbling inks. Finally, we will create alien collages using monochrome patterns and coloured pieces and design and make a cam-action moving toy.
We will listen to ‘The Planets’ by Gustav Holst. We will use BBC 10 Pieces website to learn about Deliah Derbyshire’s Dr Who music. We will create a solar system that really rocks whilst learning about music, astronomy and coding to program planets to make music and create our own musical solar system complete with spacey melodies.
The concept words that we will be focusing on are: belief, media, truth, creativity and exploration.