I hope that you have had a wonderful Summer break and are excited to learn about what we are going to cover in class up until Christmas.

English

Inspired by our work in Geography, we will begin by learning about William Kamkwamba who is a Malawian inventor, engineer, and author. He gained renown in his country in 2001 when he built a wind turbine to power multiple electrical appliances in his family’s house in Wimbe, 32 km east of Kasungu, using blue gum trees, bicycle parts, and materials collected in a local scrapyard.  We will learn the skills required to write a biography about his life so far.

Next, inspired by our History topic, we will be exploring a Travellers tale about a determined pony.  When Polonius the pit pony escapes from the coal mine he’s worked in all his life, he joins a family of Travellers. Although he enjoys the freedom and the fresh air that their lifestyle offers, he wishes he could give something to the family in return. When the chance arrives for him to do something to help, Polonius uses his skills to save the day.  We will be writing our own short story inspired by Polonius.

After half term we will be reading three thought provoking stories, here is a glimpse of what to expect…

The first is a Shelter for Sadness by Ann Booth, which is a poignant and heartwarming picture book exploring the nature of sadness, beautifully captured by David Litchfield’s stunning illustrations. 

The second is The Last Bear by Hannah Gold where there are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to a faraway Arctic outpost.  But one night, April catches a glimpse of something distinctly bear shaped loping across the horizon. A polar bear who shouldn’t be there–who is hungry, lonely and a long way from home.

Our final book will be Birdsong by Katya Balen when after a devastating car crash, Annie is unable to play her flute and retreats from the music she’s always loved. She exists in a world of angry silence – furious with her mum and furious she can’t seem to play her beloved flute any more.  Then she meets Noah, who shows her the blackbirds’ nest hidden in the scrubland near their flats. As their friendship grows, the blackbird’s glorious song reignites Annie’s passion for music. But when tragedy strikes again, will her fragile progress be put at risk?

Maths

These are the units that will be covered in the Autumn Term, here are the objectives set out in the National Curriculum.

Place Value

• count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1,000
• find 1,000 more or less than a given number
• count backwards through 0 to include negative numbers
• recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (1,000s, 100s, 10s, and 1s)
• order and compare numbers beyond 1,000
• identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations
• round any number to the nearest 10, 100 or 1,000
• solve number and practical problems that involve all of the above and with increasingly large positive numbers
• read Roman numerals to 100 (I to C) and know that over time, the numeral system changed to include the concept of 0 and place value

Addition and Subtraction

• add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction where appropriate
• estimate and use inverse operations to check answers to a calculation
• solve addition and subtraction two-step problems in contexts, deciding which operations and methods to use and why

Multiplication and Division

• recall multiplication and division facts for multiplication tables up to 12 × 12
• use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including: multiplying by 0 and 1; dividing by 1; multiplying together 3 numbers
• recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations
• multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using formal written layout
• solve problems involving multiplying and adding, including using the distributive law to multiply two-digit numbers by 1 digit, integer scaling problems and harder correspondence problems such as n objects are connected to m objects

Measurement – Area

• measure and calculate the perimeter of a rectilinear figure (including squares) in centimetres and metres
• find the area of rectilinear shapes by counting squares

Science

States of Matter

Our first unit up until half term is full of investigation, finding out the differences between solids, liquids and gases.  We will learn about the water cycle, how to measure scientifically and solve problems using our scientific knowledge.

Animals including Humans

After half term we will be getting hands on, and often a little bit messy as we explore the process of digestion, from its beginning to end!  We will explore food chains across different species, and how teeth vary depending on diet.

History

History is taught in the first half of the term, up until the half term break in October.  We will be learning about the Industrial Revolution with a focus on coal mining, both in the North East and further afield.  We will look at why coal was so important at this time and how the mines affected homes and society.

Geography

Geography is taught in the first half of the term, up until the half term break in October.  We will be researching which natural resources were there, and which are now in our local area.  We will look at the different energy sources in the North East, and the geology of the local area.  We will be using maps using 4 figure grid references, and creating our own maps using symbols and keys.

Music

During Autumn Term we will be learning to play brass.  A specialist musician from Durham Music Service will provide the children with a class lesson each week, with instruments being provided and stored in school.

Additional musical opportunities:

Later in the year, children will have the opportunity to continue to learn during the school day in small group or individual lessons.  Private lessons for piano are also available during the school day, with woodwind being taught by Durham Music Service.  If you are interested in any of these opportunities please let the office or Dr Greenwell know and we will provide more information.

Computing

In the first half of the term we will be looking at ‘Computer Systems and Networks’.  The children will apply their knowledge and understanding of networks, to appreciate the internet as a network of networks which need to be kept secure. They will learn that the World Wide Web is part of the internet, and will be given opportunities to explore the World Wide Web for themselves in order to learn about who owns content and what they can access, add, and create. Finally, they will evaluate online content to decide how honest, accurate, or reliable it is, and understand the consequences of false information.

After half term we will be ‘Creating Media – Audio Production’.  We will identify the input device (microphone) and output devices (speaker or headphones) required to work with sound digitally. The children will discuss the ownership of digital audio and the copyright implications of duplicating the work of others. In order to record audio themselves, learners will use Audacity to produce a podcast, which will include editing their work, adding multiple tracks, and opening and saving the audio files. Finally, they will evaluate their work and give feedback to their peers.

French

At the beginning of the year we will review our knowledge of phonics, checking our pronunciation.  We will then move onto colours, numbers 0-20, days and months.  As part of our learning we will be using a bilingual dictionary. 

After half term we will be exploring francophone countries and their traditions.  Before moving on to compare a European and African country. 

PE

We will begin our PE session with Dance, these will be on a Thursday in the first part of the term.

Art

Art is taught in the second half of the term, after the half term break in October.  We will be working with two different artistic processes – sketching and wet felting.

During of sketching lessons we will experiment with different grades of pencil and other implements to achieve variations in tone and make marks on a range of different media.  The children will include in their drawing a range of techniques and begin to understand why they best suit.  

Our lessons on wet felting will be inspired by local artist Claire Priestley.

Design Technology

DT is taught in the second half of the term, after the half term break in October.  Our unit will be linked to our RE unit of Judaism.  We will produce Jewish inspired food for a Hanukah celebration.

RE

We will be learning about two different religions over the term, with us learning the information required to answer these questions:

Judaism  

How and why is Hanukkah important to Jews? 

Christianity 

Why do Christians call Jesus the light of the world?

PSHE

In the first half we will be focussing on ‘Health and Wellbeing’.   We will explore what strengths, skills and interests we have? Discuss what our self-esteem is and how to recover from setbacks.

In the second half we will focus on ‘Relationships’, discussing ‘How do we treat each other with respect?’  We will explore issues such as equality, discrimination and our rights.

Outdoor Learning

Each week we will spend time outside to:

• develop reflective and inquisitive thinking along with problem-solving approaches in ‘real’ situations
• encourage holistic development of children
• develop resilience and adaptability in occasionally adverse circumstances
• allow children to become more able to identify hazards and risks
• develop a love, appreciation and respect for nature and all that is living
• develop an understanding of how we can look after our environment
• develop self-awareness, confidence and self-esteem
• develop collaborative-working and communication skills
• provide positive health benefits – both physically and mentally – and assist gross and fine-motor development
• develop a lifelong love of the outdoors