Introducing the Year 5 Team:

5LE

• Miss Elwin – Class Teacher
• Miss Javed – Learning Support Assistant

5MM

• Mrs Miller – Class Teacher
• Miss Garbutt – Senior Learning Support Assistant

In Autumn 1, Year 5 will explore what life is like in the Alps. Children will use their map-reading skills to locate this extensive European mountain range, investigating mountain climates and delving into life in the Austrian city of Innsbruck. We will analyse what attracts tourists to this Alpine region, including leisure activities, transport options and attractions, before comparing these features with our own local area. In Autumn 2, children will explore the Maya civilisation and how it compares to the Anglo-Saxons. We will compare the homes of the Maya, their city-states, agricultural and religious practices, with the homes and kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons. Children will begin to make comparisons to other civilisations and cultures across the globe. We will also explore electrical systems in our ‘Doodlers’ DT topic before progressing to Art, investigating and creating our own 3D sculptures and installations.

In the first half term, both our Reading and Writing lessons will centre around our discussion and analysis of ‘Room 13’ by Robert Swindells. We will read a new chapter of this text each week, creating opportunities to learn the meaning of new, powerful vocabulary and the actions, motives and behaviours of our characters. We will use the VIPERS acronym to support our comprehension whilst also writing our own spooky settings, persuasive texts and balanced arguments using modelled examples to guide and develop both linguistic and grammatical skills. We will focus on the legend of ‘Beowulf’ in Autumn 2.

Children will continue to consolidate and develop their sense of number, calculation and problem solving in Mathematics lessons. We will begin with place value and the four operations in the first half term before revisiting fractions and statistics. Rapid calculation and times tables continue be a priority for all. Children will have the opportunity to test their knowledge in weekly Times Table Rockstar sessions each Friday; regular use of Times Table Rockstars at home will also support with this.

In Science we will be investigating materials throughout the term, focusing on mixtures and separation first before moving learning onto the properties of materials in Autumn 2. The children will develop their understanding of sieving, filtering and solving before investigating reversible and irreversible change and they will explore the concepts of transparency and conductivity. They will also design and undertake their own experiments.

Reading will remain to be a significant focus this year and we will have a dedicated reading lesson each day. We encourage the children to read for pleasure and adults will share their love of reading by reading the class text each day: this is ‘The Titanic Detective Agency’ by Lindsay Littleson in the Autumn Term. Additionally, Year 5 will continue to bring home their reading book each day and will also continue to visit the library once a week and have the opportunity to loan a book of their choosing.

Homework

As we strive to foster a passion for reading, the children are expected to read at home each day. We ask that an adult listens to their child read as regularly as possible and records and signs their child’s reading in their Reading Record so that they can continue to progress through the Reading Galaxy, earning their badges. Children are expected to bring in their reading book each day.

Once settled into the new term, each child will be issued with a homework book. Children will be expected to complete one task per week, as instructed by your child’s class teacher, bringing in their completed homework each Wednesday.

Your child also has access to Times Table Rockstars and they will be expected to practice weekly spellings in preparation for a test in class. 

PE

Year 5 will have P.E on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Children should come into school in their P.E uniform on their P.E days:

• • Pale blue t-shirt (school logo)
  • Black or navy blue shorts
  • Navy sweatshirt (school logo or plain)
  • Navy joggers
  • Socks
  • Trainers – essential (for outdoor PE)
  • Plimsolls – optional (for some indoor PE)
  • Dark, plain tracksuit (optional)

Equipment

Year 5 is an important transition year and we aim to best prepare each child for the increased demands of Year 6. Therefore, your child will be expected to take increasing ownership of their own equipment and belongings.

Each day it is expected that your child will bring:

1) Their reading book and reading record

2) A named water bottle

3) Homework and spelling logs (as required)

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Elwin and Mrs Miller