Learningjourneytheme:

Mountains, Volcanoes and Earthquakes

Humanities

Our learning journey will be looking at the series of processes that affect how the Earth’s crust moves and shifts, forming mountains and causing volcanoes and earthquakes. We will be looking at mountain ranges around the world and considering how people live in mountainous areas. We will also look at the affect volcanoes have on the Earth, where they occur and why, and looking at Pompeii as an example of the results of severe volcanic activity.

We will also be looking at climates and biomes around the world and how they affect how people live in them.

English

The whole school is continuing a daily regime of phonics and spelling to comply with National Curriculum requirements but I will also occasionally give sets of spellings that the children use regularly to learn at home. This term’s main focus will be imaginative story writing and factual recounts, both of which will be based around our topic work. We will be concentrating on looking at types of sentence construction and how to make written work more entertaining by choosing imaginative vocabulary. We will also be working on consolidating accurate use of punctuation from KS1 and introducing a wider range, including colons, ellipsis and possessive apostrophes.

Mathematics

In Lower Key Stage 2 the emphasis is on increasing fluency with numbers, number facts and the concept of place value and this will form the basis for the first half term. The use of the four basic operations is also a major feature of this Key Stage and addition and multiplication are the particular foci for the second half of the term, with some measurement work.

To give the children the best possible chance to achieve, it is vital that they learn their tables up to 12, and any extra help you can give your child with this will pay dividends.

Science

The subjects for this term are Animals and Humans, which looks in detail at the human digestive system and teeth, and Rocks, which will link with our learning journey as the children find out about types of rocks and the rock cycle.

Computing

Throughout the year the children learn how to use the internet for research and use a variety of programs to record and present their ideas. They will learn how to work with email safely, using their personal email accounts within our school domain. They will learn how to create documents, using word processing and spreadsheet programmes, and how to share and collaborate on documents with others.

Art and Design

We will be looking at Van Gogh’s paintings and using them as inspiration for producing our own versions. We will be paying particular attention to ‘The Starry Night’ and considering his techniques.

Religious Education and SEAL

RE The theme for this term will be Hinduism–looking at prayer and worship using the ‘Discovery RE’ syllabus..

SEAL: Our subject is ‘New Beginnings’: discussing what it is like to start something new and how we can be successful at it.

Music

This term the class will looking at rhythmic patterns in a range of songs and melodies through the ‘Music Express’ scheme of work.

French

The children will continue to learn French using the Catherine Cheater scheme of work. Songs and stories are used frequently to make the lessons as entertaining and child friendly as possible.

Design and Technology

In the second half of the term willmake puppets, learning about different materials and their uses, and how to plan and complete a project.

Physical Education

Gymnastics / Tag Rugby

PE for the first half of the term will be gymnastics, using the fantastic facilities and instructors at the Orchard Gym in Yeovil and tag rugby will be our games subject for this half term.

Football / Dance

PE for the second half of the term will comprise of a dance unit based on carnival dance and our games subject will be football.

Homework / Home Learning

Each week, there will normally be a maths task and usually another English based task, although this may take the form of a learning journey activity set over a number of weeks or it may be linked to targets in school. Initially I will probably link maths homework to times tables.

Reading

The children may continue to pick a book from anywhere within their number zones. The children have taken a new comprehension test to give them their levels to start the year, so they will hopefully have moved up.

Their new levels are recorded on their bookmark.s.

Please read with your child for around 10 minutes a day and ask questions about the texts and language. I cannot stress how helpful this is to your child’s progress and understanding of reading and overall written English skills.

Miscellaneous

If you have any questions or concerns about any aspect of school life, please come and see me. The end of the day is generally a better time for this than the morning.

Parent helpers are always welcome, especially for helping with readers. I would especially appreciate help with guided reading on Thursday mornings. If you feel you could help regularly with this and are willing to be DBS’d please talk to me.

St Mary’sCEPrimary School,

Bradford Abbas

AGuide to the Curriculum for Parents

Autumnterm 2017

Great Western Class
(Class 3)

Teacher: D. Harpham