Spring 1 term in Willow Class

English

This half term we will be writing our own thriller narratives in which we're going to get to create our own ghastly creatures! I know these stories will have us on the edge of our seats following our enjoyment of last terms story time text - we've really got a taste for jump scares! Our second piece of writing will be based on our history topic: World War II. We will be writing non-fiction texts containing survival information for British people on the Home Front. 

Reading

We're really excited to read and discuss our new class text: Skellig by David Almond. As we uncover this fascinating tale, we will work on our inference skills to better understand what we are reading. For storytime, we'll be starting Crater Lake, another Jennifer Killick story as we can't get enough of her writing!

Maths

In Maths, we'll be continuing our work on algebra and beginning a brand new topic as we delve into ratio. By the end of this term, we will have mastered scale and proportion and the skill of calculating ratio. We will continue our regular arithmetic and mental maths practice on a mixture of topics to keep our skills honed.

History

This term and next will see us dive into World War II - we'll focus on the effects on Britain and the Home Front. We'll begin by looking at the causes of the war and its timeline and then move on to how it changed everyday life in Britain, including the experience of evacuees and the role that women played. 

PSHE

Our new topic in PSHE will be DATE (Drug, Alcohol, Tabacco Education) in which we will discuss the risks involved in these substances and situations that can occur. We will participate in role play scenarios and deep discussions to further our understanding and learn some valuable skills for life. We will also be continuing our work on Mental Health through our Mind Mate lessons, focussing on understanding our own strengths and how to keep ourselves balanced.

Computing

This half term will be very busy in computing, completing our work on spreadsheets, creating and editing blogs and begining an exciting coding unit on Text Adventures. Planning and creating our own text based computer games promises to be very exciting! As always we will continue our work and discussions around E-safety at the start of every lesson. 

PE

PE will be on Tuesdays (indoor) and Fridays (outdoor) this half term - children should have blue or black bottoms, a white top and blue or black fleece or jacket. Trainers should be worn for outdoor sessions and indoor sessions will be barefoot. This term we will be working on our social and teamworking skills through Real Gym; using a range of equipment and apparatus.  Our sport will be hockey, in which children will learn a variety of skills to help them improve their control with the ball and exploring the rules through team games. 

Science

In science - we will be looking at the theory of evolution! We will be looking at fossils and the fossilisation process; delving into genetics and inheritable traits; exploring how over time species have changed and adapted; studying the life and works of Charles Darwin! 

RE

In RE, we will be looking at the many events that occur during the Easter period - looking at the last supper, Judas's betrayal, the crucifixion, resurrection and Jesus's ascension into heaven!