Autumn 1 – Rivers
In this unit we will learn about Rivers. The children will use maps to learn about the names of some key rivers in the United Kingdom and the West Midlands region. They will learn about the water cycle and why it is important, be able to describe what rivers are, the features they have, and how they erode and transport materials. Year 6 will learn why rivers are important to people and what they are used for as well as consider river pollution and the effect this has on the environment. The children will carry out a river investigation, ask geographical questions and use a range of secondary resources, including the Internet, to support my geographical enquiry.
We will be describing, in Science, how living things are classified into groups based on similarities and differences including micro-organisms, plants and animals. Feeling fit and supple? Get ready to create gymnastic sequences and get physical with team games in tag rugby. In computing we put our coding skills into action and create a playable game with a timer and a score.
| Writing Journey | Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar |
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Mathematics Skills
Place value
Reading, writing and ordering numbers up to ten million; rounding numbers; negative numbers; multiplying and dividing by powers of ten.
4 operations
Addition and subtraction of larger numbers; long multiplication, short division with remainders; long division(using chunking); worded problems; rules of divisibility; square and cube numbers; square roots; order of operations; factors and multiples; prime numbers and prime factors.
Throughout the half term all topics will be reinforced with reasoning questions and arithmetic based on the skills covered.
Autumn 2 – Amazing Authors
Journey back in time to the days of William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. Study play-scripts, texts and produce drama based on the play Macbeth and the novel Oliver. Film your very own version of Macbeth and key scenes from Oliver, then perform your modern retelling of Shakespeare’s prose using rap! Have you ever taken for granted running water, footpaths, or the indoor toilet? We will look back in time to Victorian Birmingham and compare it to how we live today. A trip to the Black Country Museum will help to bring a bygone era to life for you. Art and Design will entail a reproduction of a Victorian scene using pencil, designing and building a bridge from straws based on the work of Brunel and creating and sewing a cross stitch calendar. Ever wondered how the human body works? The heart, blood vessels and blood will be studied, the impact of diet and exercise and lifestyle on our bodies will be explored and we will learn why nutrients and water are so important to our survival. In computing you will learn about the binary system and how it is used as the basis for representing all types of data in digital systems.
| Writing journey | Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar |
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Mathematics Skills
Fractions
Finding equivalent fractions; simplifying fractions; comparing and ordering fractions; adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers; multiplying and dividing fractions by whole numbers; multiplying fractions by fractions; calculating fractions of an amount.
Measures
Using metric measures for length, mass and capacity; converting metric measures; calculating with metric measures; converting between metric and imperial measurements.
Throughout the half term all topics will be reinforced with reasoning questions and arithmetic based on the skills covered.
Spring One- The Caribbean
Let’s escape to a tropical paradise to study the islands of the Caribbean! Firstly, locate and name the many beautiful islands within the Caribbean Sea. Compare the weather to ours back home, study famous Caribbean figures and the effect that we, as tourists, are having, both positively and negatively, on the islands. Learn about the diverse and rich heritage of the Caribbean through the use of refined internet searches. As well as this, plan your own family holiday to a 5*, all inclusive Caribbean resort. Feel the beat of music through the ages by studying different artists and genres of music, for example Bob Marley, reggae, calypso and rock steady. Move that body whilst choreographing your own rhythmic dance routine. Enjoy listening to traditional stories of the little trickster and Anansi, who despite his size, is fearless and prepared to take on anyone! Put yourself in Usain Bolt’s golden shoes and experience the feelings and emotions of winning the Olympic gold medal.
Bring the colours of the Caribbean to life by weaving a fish to create an underwater scene and design a flag for your own Caribbean hideaway. As part of RE, you will discuss who is responsible for providing justice and how this impacts upon modern society. During Science, you will recognise that living things have changed over time and how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways. Finally, to celebrate the end of a fantastic topic, the year group will share together in a Caribbean Inspiration Day.
Wonderful foods and drinks will be tasted, carnival masks and drums will be designed and decorated, and limbo skills will be put to the test! As part of safer internet day, you will discuss stranger danger online and consider actions which you can take to ensure that you remain safe.
| Writing Genres | Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar |
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Mathematics Skills
Ratio
The language of ratio; using the ratio symbol; ratio and fractions; scale drawings; scale factors; similar shapes; problems involving ratio and proportion.
Algebra
One and two-step function machines; forming expressions; substitution; formulae; solving equations; finding pairs of values; solving problems with two unknowns.
Decimals
Place value within 1; place value in integers and decimals; rounding decimals; adding and subtracting decimals; multiplying and dividing decimals by powers of ten; multiplying and dividing decimals by integers.
Throughout the half term all topics will be reinforced with reasoning questions and arithmetic based on the skills covered.
Spring Two and Summer One – World War Two
Put that light out! Let’s journey back to life in Birmingham during World War 2. We will explore the impact the Blitz had on the home-front in Birmingham, the effect of rationing on people and how to survive a terrifying air raid. Become an international code-breaker to save the British Isles from ‘Operation Sea-Lion.’ In addition to this, you will understand the importance of the Battle of Britain as a significant turning point in British history. Utilising your art skills, you will create a silhouette image of the Luftwaffe attacking Birmingham. Experience life as an evacuee, through the media of film and role play, whilst studying the different characters in Goodnight Mister Tom. Can you imagine years of hiding in storerooms above a warehouse from people who simply do not like your religion? Well put yourself into Anne Frank’s shoes, whose story lives on through her moving, daily diary entries. World War 2 favourite songs, such as ‘run, rabbit, run’ and ‘it’s a long way to Tipperary’ will be performed in groups. PE is a fun mixture of invasion games, such as hockey and football. In computing, you will use spreadsheets to input data and to perform calculations which can support you with your maths project work. In Science you will be studying the topic of light, understanding that light travels in straight lines and being able to explain how shadows are formed. To consolidate your learning, we will enjoy a year group trip to the World War 2 Cannock Chase museum.
Please note this topic covers two half terms as you will also have the opportunity to demonstrate all of your English and Maths knowledge in the Year 6 SATS.
| Writing Genres | Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar |
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· Prefixes and suffixes
· Tenses · Homophones · Active and passive sentences · Rules of speech · Prepositions · Clauses within sentences · Use of colons, semi-colons and dashes · Noun phrases · Spelling: common exception words |
Mathematics Skills
Fractions, decimals and percentages
Decimal and fraction equivalents; fractions as division; understanding percentages; finding equivalent fractions, decimals and percentages; ordering fractions, decimals and percentages; finding percentages of an amount; missing values in percentages.
Perimeter, area and volume
Finding the area and perimeter of rectilinear shapes; finding the area of a triangle; finding the area of a parallelogram; calculating volume by counting cubes; finding the volume of a cuboid.
Statistics
Reading line graphs and bar charts; reading and interpreting pie charts; pie charts with percentages; drawing pie charts; finding the mean.
Geometry – angles, circles and 3D shape
Measuring and classifying angles; calculating angles; vertically opposite angles; angles in triangles, quadrilaterals and polygons; identifying the properties of a circle; drawing shapes; the nets of 3D shapes.
Reading and plotting points in the four quadrants; solving problems with coordinates; reflections; translating shapes on a coordinate grid.
During Summer One the children in Year 6 will also have revision lessons where they will have the opportunity to look at past test papers to improve their exam techniques in preparation for SATs. All children will have extra Maths tuition in small focus groups which will cover all aspects of the Maths curriculum.
Throughout the term, all topics will be reinforced with reasoning questions and arithmetic based on the skills covered.
Summer Two – Lost at Sea and The Mayans
Imagine life on a desert island, separated from your parents, all alone……or are you? Delve into the adventurous world of Michael who finds himself falling overboard on a round the world yacht trip. Washed up ashore, he needs to learn to survive, quickly! We will also set sail to New York upon the world’s greatest ship, the Titanic and experience life as both rich and poor travellers. Use your computing skills to produce a fact file detailing the various species of that incredible creature……the shark. Put your atlas skills to the test and identify the names of all the world’s continents and oceans.
Transport yourself back to 2600BC and experience life in Mayan Society. Use your historian skills to research key aspects of Mayan life such as: their beliefs and gods, food and daily routines. Cricket, rounders and athletics will be our focus in PE lessons. In computing you will learn how to write a blog and a blog post and how to comment on other students’ blogs. Within Science, you will build circuits using: batteries, bulbs, switches, motors and solar panels and will produce scientific diagrams to show our final efforts. Don’t forget your last ever week in your Calshot career, during which you will enjoy putting on the amazing Leavers’ Performance (which will be full of song and dance) an evening at the Year 6 prom, a day out on the mystery trip and the final Leavers’ Assembly.
| Writing Genres | Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar |
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· Noun phrases
· Modal verbs · Adverbs and adjectives · Hyphenated words · All punctuation covered from throughout the year |
Mathematics Skills
Project work
The White Rose Bakery and the Apprentice Project
Children will develop their enterprise skills and work as teams to plan their own bakery. This will include mathematical themes such as profit and loss; calculating with money; using the internet to work to a budget and find the best deals; carrying out market research; presenting data; designing packaging using 3D nets; using ratio to scale recipes accurately.
Throughout the half term, children will also tackle open-ended mathematical investigations.
