Year 6 children sit the SATS tests in three subject areas: Reading; Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling; Maths. This happens in the week beginning 12^th May, 2014. In common with last year, children’s performance in writing is teacher-assessed in school and is based on ongoing classwork throughout the year.  We encourage the children to judge themselves against their own previous performance and to celebrate the progress they have made rather than to compare themselves with others.

Spring Term  – To Boldly Grow…

Successful Learners

Areas of learning

As historians and geographers we will:

• learn about early circumnavigations of the world, the search for new routes to China and The Spice Islands an considering the effects the explorers had on the people already living there;
• learn about the foundations of modern Mexico.

As scientists we will:

• investigate electrical circuits, switches and how they can be used;
• investigate the effect of friction on movement.

As artists we will be:

• designing, imagining and presenting new ideas of planets, landscapes and alien life forms.

As writers we will

• develop our ability to use adjectives and figurative language and similes to describe settings effectively, e.g., in science fiction.

On sci-fi day we will bring together all of these elements as well as drama, photography and filming!

Responsible Citizens

Environment

• The children develop their class garden plots, possibly with species characteristic of Tudor and/or Mexican gardens.

Spiritual & Moral

• When studying the European exploration of the New World we will consider the – often disastrous – effects on the indigenous peoples.

Communities

• We will invite parents to watch our class assemblies. We will also invite our parents and buddies to see our display of alien artefacts created on Science fiction day.

Year 4   Subject Skills

Literacy Links

• To recognize Science Fiction as a genre and to introduce some of the features of this writing; to use factual research to inform sci-fi writing ;to explore the process of writing a sci-fi story; to consider what readers expect of a sci-fi story; to reflect on overall structure; to identify specific conflicts that will be resolved in the story.
• To develop use of settings in own writing – e.g., in science fiction – making use of work on adjectives and figurative language to describe settings effectively; to write own examples of descriptive, expressive language based on those read; to develop the use of adjectives and similes; to understand how the use of expressive and descriptive language can create moods and arouse expectation.
• To recognise explanation as a non-fiction genre; to identify its purpose and audience;
• To recognise the use of subject specific language in explanatory texts; to understand that an explanation can be represented as a flow chart.
• Use information sources to research a topic; to practise note-taking, writing information in the third person.
• To give a context and purpose for research.
• To appraise an information poster for its content and usefulness.
• To be able to take notes on a non fiction source. To understand the meaning and use of a glossary.

Numeracy Links

• Make mathematical connections throughout the unit where applicable.
• Appreciate the need to use numerical skills competently in every day contexts.

Science –

Electricity

1) Pupils should be taught:

• Simple circuits
• 1a To construct circuits, incorporating a battery or power supply and a range of switches, to make electrical devices work [for example, buzzers, motors].
• 1b How changing the number or type of components [for example, batteries, bulbs, wires] In a series circuit can make bulbs brighter or dimmer.
• 1c How to represent series circuits by drawings and conventional symbols and how to construct series circuits on the basis of drawings and diagrams using conventional symbols.

Forces and motion:

• 2b That objects are pulled downwards because of the gravitational attraction between them and the Earth.
• 2c About friction, including air resistance, as a force that slows moving objects and may prevent objects from starting to move.
• 2d That when objects [for example, a spring, a table] are pushed or pulled, an opposing pull or push can be felt.
• 2e How to measure forces and identify the direction in which they act.

Scientific Enquiry:

• 1b That it is important to test ideas using evidence from observation and measurement.
• 2a Ask questions that can be investigated scientifically and decide how to find answers.
• 2b Consider what sources of information, including first-hand experience and a range of other sources, they will use to answer questions.
• 2c Think about what might happen or try things out when deciding what to do, what kind of evidence to collect, and what equipment and materials to use.
• 2d Make a fair test or comparison by changing one factor and observing or measuring the effect while keeping other factors the same.
• 2e Use simple equipment and materials appropriately and take action to control risks.
• 2f Make systematic observations and measurements, including the use of ICT for data logging.
• 2g Check observations and measurements by repeating them where appropriate.
• 2h Use a wide range of methods, including diagrams, drawings, tables, bar charts, line graphs and ICT, to communicate data in an appropriate and systematic manner.
• 2j Use observations, measurements or other data to draw conclusions.
• 2k Decide whether these conclusions agree with any prediction made and/or whether they enable further predictions to be made.
• 2l Use scientific knowledge and understanding to explain observations, measurements or other data conclusions.
• 2m Review own work and that of others’ and describe its significance and limitations.

Green Plants

• 3a The effect of light, air, water and temperature on plant growth.
• 3b The role of the leaf in producing new material for growth.
• 3c That the root anchors the plant, and that water and minerals are taken in through the root and transported through the stem to other parts of the plant.

ICT

• 2b To create, test, improve and refine sequences of instructions to make things happen and to monitor events and respond to them.
• 2c To use simulations and explore models in order to answer ‘What if ?’ questions, to investigate and evaluate the effect of changing values and to identify patterns and relationships.

Art / DT – Making Castles

Science Fiction Day

• 4d To use electrical circuits, including those with switches, in creating alien artefacts or futuristic gadgets.

History

Explorers

• 1a Place events, people and changes into correct periods of time.
• 1b Use dates and vocabulary relating to the passing of time.
• 3a Recognise the past is represented and interpreted in different ways, and give reasons for this.
• 4a Use a variety of sources to find out about events, people and changes.
• 5b Use dates and historical vocabulary to describe the period.

Aztecs

• 2a Characteristic features of the periods and societies studied, including ideas, beliefs, attitudes and experiences of men, women and children.
• 2b Social, ethnic, cultural, religious diversity of the societies studied.
• 2c Identify and describe reasons for, and results of events and changes.
• 2d Describe and make links between events, and changes across periods.
• 3a Recognise the past is represented and interpreted in different ways, and give reasons for this.
• 4b Ask and answer questions. Select and record relevant information.

Geography

• 2c Use atlases, globes, maps and plans at a range of scales.
• 3a Identify and describe what places are like.
• 3c Describe where places are
• 3g Recognise how places fit within a wider geographical context and are interdependent.

PE  – Gymnastics

• 1a Consolidate existing skills and gain new ones.
• 1b Perform actions and skills with more consistent control and quality.
• 2a Plan, use and adapt strategies, tactics and compositional ideas for individual, pair, small group and small-team activities.
• 2b Develop and use knowledge of the principles behind the strategies, tactics and ideas to improve their effectiveness.
• 2c Apply rules and conventions for different activities.

MFL Links

• How to employ their foreign language in real situations

Music Links

• 1b Play tuned and un-tuned instruments with control and rhythmic accuracy.
• 3a Analyse and compare sounds.
• 4a Listen with attention to detail and internalise and recall sounds with increasing memory
• 4c Learn how music is produced in different ways

Latchmere MT Topic Plan Yr4 Spring To Boldly Go