Fir Class Page
Welcome to the Fir Class Page.
The Summer Term looks like being a busy and fulfilling term, but hopefully one where we can use our beautiful outdoor spaces a little more, to explore the joys of the wonderful world around us.
English:
We look forward to an exciting Summer Term in Fir Class as we explore our new class text: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold.
This is the story of a young girl’s encounter with a polar bear, whilst living on an Arctic island with her father, a meteorologist. It is a heart-warming story as much about relationships as it is about adventure. It explores current environmental issues of plastic pollution, global warming, the threats to the polar ice caps and the creatures that live there.
Most of our writing work will come from our class text, resulting in a combination of narrative, persuasive writing, imaginative fiction and non-fiction information texts.
Our creative writing is underpinned with regular practice of spellings and grammar. We look at spellings which have common patterns and use a range of strategies to learn and recall these. Grammar work will link directly into the writing, to make sense of sentence structures, tenses and tools to make our writing that bit more purposeful, creative, engaging and exciting.
Mathematics
In maths lessons, we begin by exploring decimals and linking these to the work previously done with fractions. This then develops into money which again makes use of decimals and finally onto the topic of time. Alongside these, we place particular emphasis on our multiplication tables, partly in preparation for the national ‘Multiplication Tables Check’ in June, partly because multiplication tables underpin all the other aspects of mathematics.
TT Rockstars and Hit the Button are excellent resources where children can practise their multiplication tables and number facts.
Science
Our science topic of ‘solids liquids and gases’ links particularly well into the themes explored in ‘The Last Bear’ and indeed the environment within which it is set. Whilst discovering and categorising the states of matter, solid, liquid and gas, we will experiment with properties that can also alter, namely water transforming from its solid form of ice, back to liquid and the subsequent process of evaporation. We will also look at water vapor and condensation, which links particularly well into our geography work.
R.E
Our new RE theme connects religion, family and community: comparing and contrasting these themes within Christianity to those within Hinduism.
Geography
Geography takes the theme of water. We use the text of Rhythm of the Rain to explore subject specific vocabulary: evaporation condensation water vapour precipitation and run off, before the cycle begins again. Alongside this, we will explore where we find water, how we use water and environmental concerns linked to use and misuse.
History
History has a focus on invaders, linking back to our Spring Term topic of the Romans and an update on our Autumn term topic of Royalty, to include recent events and contemporary history. This in turn will enable us to explore wider themes and with them, contemporary perceptions.
French
In French, this half term, we continue to build a range of vocabulary, looking specifically at clothes, the days of the week and answering the register. For a French lessons, we use a scheme called Language Angels which provides a rich blend of listening, speaking combined with written elements too enable the children to build experience and confidence in a second language.
Physical Education
PE lessons focus on Summer sports, which include tennis and, once swimming is complete for this year, rounders.
Children will learn to do the following in tennis:
Keep up a continuous game using different skills and techniques.
Uses a small range of basic racket skills, including forehand and will start to use backhand.
Computing
This term, computing lessons learning focusses on useful applications, including spreadsheets, graphs and PowerPoint as a tool for presentations. Children use Purple Mash and access this both on iPads and laptops. Purple Mash replicates Microsoft products in a child-friendly way.
Music
Music lessons will consist of listening to a range of music, to be able to understand historical context and the musical elements which shape and define the piece. Singing will play a large part in what we do, including part singing, in a range of musical styles.
We will also use iPads to explore further elements of composition and music technology through GarageBand application and the intuitive composition tools within Chrome Music Lab.
