Curriculum Newsletter – Term 1a

We hope that you will find the following information useful in supporting your child in his or her learning at school and at home. With this to hand you will be able to deepen the learning experiences of your child by asking them questions and discussing the learning. This information includes only the main themes, questions, the main skills and objectives which the children will experience.

Planning is based on the Primary Frameworks for Literacy and Mathematics, the requirements of the National Curriculum.

Area of Learning / The Learning
Literacy
/ Research skills and note taking (Modern Mexico)
  • Can I use contents pages, indexes and skim reading to find key information in information texts?
  • Can I take effective notes, showing understanding of what I have read?
  • Can I present my research in my own words?
  • Can I use paragraphs effectively, including one main idea which is explained further in following sentences?
Narrative (The Piano)
  • Can I identify the narrative of a short film?
  • Can I select and use powerful vocabulary in my own writing?
  • Can I develop my writing to include detailed description?
  • Can I use a range of sentence structures in my writing?
Poetry (Benjamin Zephaniah: Talking Turkeys)
  • Can I identify the style and message of a poem?
  • Can I the features identified as a starting point for my own poetry?

Mathematics
/ Mathematics classes will continue following the UK National Numeracy strategy, at level of challenge suitable for the set. This half of term we will be focusing on units D1 and E1. Key areas of leaning include:
D1
  • Can I solve problems involving measures, including converting units?
  • Can I solve problems involving time, including the 12 hour and 24 hour clocks?
  • Can I work out the perimeters of regular polygons?
E1
  • Can I work with fractions, decimals and percentages, and relate the three?
  • Can I solve problems involving percentages of amounts?
  • Can I use efficient methods for multiplication?

Connected Learning
(Thematic approach)
/ Our theme this half-term is ‘Aztec Adventure’. The children will be learning the following skills...
Humanities (the Aztecs)
  • Can I place events, people and civilisations in the correct place in time, using the correct historical vocabulary?
  • Can I use dates and vocabulary relating to the passing of time, including ancient, modern, BC., AD., century and decade?
  • Can I select and combine information from different sources?
  • Can I show my knowledge and understanding of history in a variety of ways?
Learning these skills will help the children to answer our key driving question.
  • How were The Aztecs similar and different to ourselves?
Art (Clay with Claude/Aztec patterns)
  • Can I describe and use the different skills involved in clay modelling, sculpture and construction.
  • Can I observe and use pattern and symmetry to create my own designs?
Science (Heart rate experiment)
  • Can I plan and carry out a fait test, selecting and using equipment accurately?
  • Can I take repeated measurements to ensure accuracy?
  • Can I communicate findings in tables, bar charts and line graphs?

Information and Communication Technology /
  • Can I research on the Internet effectively using Google?
  • Can I research about Modern Mexico without plagiarising?
  • Can I create an animation about Aztecs?

Personal, Social, Health Education

/
  • Can I identify moral codes that we live our lives by?
  • How were the morals of the The Aztecs different? Were they wrong?
In our PSHE and circle time sessions this half of term we will be reviewing the attitudes and attributes identified in the IB learner profile.

Thai

/ Thai for Thai speakers
Listening and Speaking
Can I...
  • listen to and read aloud a poem?
  • talk about words, rhyming words and parts of a poem; notice the poem’s pattern?
  • explain the main ideas of selected texts and stories?
Reading and writing
Can I ...
  • read and interpret the meaning of Thai proverbs?
  • read poems and recognise rhyming words andsummarise the main ideas?
  • write a summary of the text read?
  • write a paragraph using the given vocabulary and sequencing words?
Thai for Non-Thai speakers
Can I...
  • listen to and respond appropriately to simple instructions, classroom commands, short statements and questions?
  • perform simple communication using simple words, phrases and short sentences about my house, hobbies, activities, health and feelings?
  • name and describe people, places and objects?
  • ask and respond to questions about celebrations, some Thai festivals, customs and culture: Loi Krathong, Thai costumes, Father’s Day and the King of Thailand?
  • research aspects of Thai culture and compare with my own?
  • recognise and understand some familiar words and simple signs in written form?

Music

/
  • Can I sightsing a 4 beat do, re, mi melody and show handsigns too?
  • Can I sing Hot Cross Buns/Who’s that Yonder whilst clapping a 4 beat rhythmic ostinato?
  • Can I sing using my head voice?

PE

/
  • Can I recognise the three elements of athletics. Running, jumping and throwing giving examples for each with performance tips.
  • Can I choose and maintain an appropriate pace when running different distances against the clock and my peers.
  • Can I show good physical understanding and technique when throwing and jumping and understand the need for explosive movement.
  • Can I continue to develop and improve my stroke technique and stamina in swimming.
  • Can I apply the relevant areas from the Rookie Lifesaving scheme in my water safety lessons.

Modern Foreign Language

French /
  • Animals
  • Numbers up to min 20
  • Games
  • Colours
  • Shapes
/
  • I can say what pets I have and ask someone
  • I am aware of gender
  • I can describe shapes by their colours
  • I can say what game I (don’t) have and (don’t) like
  • I can count up to min 20

German /
  • Pencil case items
  • Classroom equipment
  • School subjects
/
  • I can say what I have in my pencil case
  • I am aware of gender
  • I am aware of article changes with the verb ‘haben’
  • I can ask for and give a price of a stationary item
  • I can say what school subjects I like and do not like

Japanese /
  • Talking on the phone
  • Giving your age
  • Telling the time
/
  • I can tell someone what the time is
  • I can state my age and ask other’s their age
  • I can answer the phone and tell people my phone number

Mandarin
/
  • Family members
  • Age
  • Colors
  • Uniform/clothes
/
  • I can introduce my family members
  • I can state my age and ask others their age
  • I can say the colour I like and dislike
  • I can describe what I wear
  • I can remember 10 more radicals

Spanish
/
  • Items for school
  • Objects in the classroom
  • School subjects
  • School facilities
/
  • I can understand school items vocabulary
  • I can ask and answer questions about classroom items
  • I can say words for subjects
  • I ask and answer questions on opinions of school subjects
  • I can talk about school facilities.

Curriculum Update

As a Primary School we were able to share with you on the 28th September two presentations about Learning at Home (Homework) and Curriculum Development that is taking place. If you were unable to attend or would like to review the presentation again then please enter the Parents Gateway Student Specific Links Homework Information.

We know that children learn best in context, when the learning is connected and when they are responding to real life events. This develops a deeper learning experience which helps to nurture the desire for life-long learning. In addition to the essential skills of literacy, numeracy, ICT as prescribed by the UK National Curriculum, we also look to develop the 21st Century skills of critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration as these are the skills students will need to be successful in today’s world. These skills are becoming embedded in our daily curriculum.

“Within the context of core knowledge students must also learn the essential skills for success in today’s world, such as critical thinking, problem solving, communication and collaboration.”

(Partnership for 21st Century Skills)

Assessment Focus This half term focus is understanding.

To develop understanding the students will be organising, translating, interpreting, giving descriptions and stating main ideas. As you can see from the newsletter this half term the learning always has understanding as a key feature. Once the student has grasped a new learning concept it is how they then apply that to different situations.

Below are some examples of the questions you may wish to ask:

  • How would you compare/contrast ...?
  • Can you explain what is meant by ...?
  • What could have happened next if ..?
  • Can you tell it in your own words?
  • Can you distinguish between ______and ______?
  • What differences exist between ______and ______?

Celebration of learning – Aztec Day: Wednesday 7th December

We trust you find this information useful as we further develop our learning partnership. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact Ben Hawkins, Head of Curriculum (), Angela Speirs, Senior Teacher, Assessment () or Clare Sharp, Assistant Primary Principal, ()