Spring Term 2020/21

Welcome back. I hope you have had a relaxing Christmas and New Year despite current restrictions. Below is an overview of what we plan to learn this term whether that be at home or in school. 

Hello Year Six.

My name is Mr. Sheehan and I will be your class teacher this year. It's going to be a tough but exciting year and I am looking forward to sharing that with you all. As I am going to be with you most of the time, you should know a little bit about me. I'm a married father of two children - a daughter and a son. I have two cats, called Bella and Primrose, a Cockapoo called Digby (who loves to be cuddled and eating my socks!) and a selection of tropical fish. 

I studied Fine Art at University and I am a keen portrait painter. In my spare time, my wife and I enjoy going to the cinema and watching all the latest films - Tenet is the latest one I have seen and it is mind-blowing! Eating food and ordering a Indian curry is also a favourite past time of mine. I have recently acquired a new skill of baking and have made a selection of delicious brownie cakes with my daughter. One ambition of mine this year is to improve my fitness by running more regularly.  

Microsoft Teams  - please click the link below to access your home learning.

WWF’s Living Planet Report, released in 2018, revealed the scale of human
impact on our precious natural world. To support your understanding of this theme, we recommend watching The Netflix original documentary series
'Our Planet' which tells the story of the one place we all call home, because if we understand our planet, we can create a future where we all thrive.

Connected Curriculum  - Geography

For our Connected Curriculum this term, we will be learning about Our Planet and how the different biomes, species and natural systems of planet Earth connect and support each other to maintain human life. Most importantly, children will build their knowledge and understanding of sustainability issues, explore their own values and attitudes and develop key skills so that they feel empowered to take action in shaping a brighter future for our planet.

We will be learning how to:

• identify and describe how the human and physical features of a location affect the human activity
• describe how countries and geographical regions are interconnected and interdependent
• use a range of resources (atlases, simple maps, OS maps, aerial photographs, data) to research a location
• give views on the effectiveness of the different resources.
• use fieldwork techniques to collect raw data ( rainfall, temperature, wind speed, noise level etc.)
• compare data to data from another location to help me draw conclusions about a locality
• describe geographical diversity across the world
• describe how locations around the world are changing and explain some of the reasons for the change
• describe the significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Tropics of Cancer, Tropics of Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circles and time zones.
• identify and describe key features of a location using the language: climate, climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, economic activity including trade links,

In Maths this term, we will be working on:

- Fractions, Decimals and Percentages 

Use common factors to simplify fractions; use common multiples to express fractions in the same denomination
Compare and order fractions, including fractions > 1

Add and subtract fractions with different denominators and mixed numbers, using the concept of equivalent fractions

Multiply proper fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers, supported by materials and diagrams

Multiply simple pairs of proper fractions, writing the answer in its simplest form

Divide proper fractions by whole numbers

Use written division methods in cases where the answer has up to two decimal places

- Algebra

Generate and describe linear number sequences

Use simple formulae

Express missing number problems algebraically

Find pairs of numbers that satisfy an equation with two unknowns

Enumerate possibilities of combinations of two variables

-Ratio and Proportion 

Solve problems involving unequal sharing and grouping using knowledge of fractions and multiples

Solve problems involving the relative sizes of two quantities where missing values can be found by using integer multiplication and division

Solve problems involving similar shapes where the scale factor is known or can be found

- Measurement - imperial and metric measures 

Use, read, write and convert between standard units, converting measurements of length, mass, volume and time from a smaller unit of measure to a larger unit, and vice versa, using decimal notation to up to three decimal places

Solve problems involving the calculation and conversion of units of measure, using decimal notation up to three decimal places where appropriate

Convert between miles and kilometres

- SATs Practice 

Spring Term Spellings

Please find a list of words frequently used in the Year 6 SATs past papers. It is recommended the children learn these spellings in preparation for their exams in the summer term in addition to the weekly spellings set on Spelling Shed- find the link below to access. 

This term, we are exploring our PSHE theme through the book 'Kick' written by Mitch Johnson. We will be exploring in depth the themes of being proud of who you are, holding onto hope, and the importance of friendship and family bonds as well as global socio-economic inequalities and poverty. Opportunities for learning and discussion are vast and this book will have even the most reluctant reader hooked from the beginning!

Synopsis:

Budi's plan is simple. He's going to be a star. Budi's going to play for the greatest team on earth, instead of sweating over each stitch he sews, each football boot he makes. But one unlucky kick brings Budi's world crashing down. Now he owes the Dragon, the most dangerous man in Jakarta. Soon it isn't only Budi's dreams at stake, but his life. A story about dreaming big, about hope and heroes, and never letting anything stand in your way.

Kick is more than just a football book. It has heart, soul, twists and turns and will keep even the most difficult-to-engage class on the edge of their seats.

Activities linked to Kick

What happens next?
Write an additional chapter to the novel set a year later. Is Budi still working in the factory? Is he still obsessed with Real Madrid and Kieran Wakefield? Is Rochy still at school? Has anything changed about any aspect of their lives? Before you begin to write, consider Budi’s character. Think about how he speaks, and the kinds of words he uses (his “narrative voice”). Then try to re-create his voice in your own piece of writing.
Create a collage
Using images sourced from magazines, newspapers, the Internet, and perhaps also even your own drawings, create a collage representing Budi’s world, character and story. Think about his family, his passions, and his hopes. Think about the setting of the novel (perhaps re-read p.17 and p.45 as reminders). You might also like to include some key quotes to convey Budi’s character.
Create a comic strip
Illustrate and write an eight-frame comic strip that tells the story of Kick. Before starting, break down the book into key episodes and plan each frame.
Create a cover
Design an alternative cover for Kick. Think about the themes and setting of the book, and the mood you wish to convey. Think about whether it should feature an illustration or photograph. Choose a font for the title and author name that will reflect the themes, setting and mood. You might like to write and include your own strapline to express the essence of the book.