1. MOUNT PLEASANT PRIMARY SCHOOL SUMMER 1 YEAR 5 MATHS In Maths this term we shall be focusing on securing our knowledge of decimals by investigating place value, ordering, doubling and halving and rounding them to various degrees of difficulty. In addition we shall be securing the 4 written operations and extending our written multiplication by moving onto the multiplying of decimals. As always these skills will be applied to real life problems. We shall then be moving onto shape where children will be identifying and calculating angles. Finally the children will be improving their puzzle solving skills. As usual, regular mental maths tests will be taken the children will improve their problem solving skills through guided maths. As usual, regular mental maths tests will be taken the children will improve their problem solving skills through guided maths. YOU CAN HELPYOU CHILD BY: -Helping them secure their times tables -Question them on mental maths type problem s regularly. -Allow them access to MyMaths on a regular basis to boost their skills. SCIENCE In science the children will be investigating the exciting topic of sound. In this unit they will explore how sound is created and how it can travel through air as well as travelling through different materials. The children will explore sound through instruments, making paper cup telephones and other exciting activities. Finally they will explore how sound can be muffled, where they will conduct an investigation into which material make effective sound barriers. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY: -Allowing them access to a library for further research. -Extending their knowledge by investigating how human hearing works. -Letting them explore the internet for any other sound related topics. ENGLISH This half-term we are reading ‘Billionaire Boy’ by David Walliams. In this unit we shall be writing pieces of both non-fiction and fiction including a character description of the main character, an anti-bullying leaflet and a newspaper report. We will be exploring the story through role-play and will be making inferences about the text to further develop our understanding. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Reading other books by the author mentioned above, reading with your child everyday and encouraging them to use their writing skills frequently. Children should be reading a wide range of material, not just stories. Comprehension exercises which can be found online and in popular book stores will certainly help your child move on with their reading. Geography In geography this term we will be looking at ‘Energy and Sustainability’. We will be looking at why this is an important current issue, the sources of energy currently used and how it effects us and future generations. We will also look in to renewable and non-renewable energy sources and the impact these have on the world we live in. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Discussing how they use energy in their everyday lives and how they could reduce energy consumption. MFL In Modern Foreign Languages this term we will be learning how to read, write and speak in French. The topics we will be covering are: Numbers Greetings Understanding and giving instructions Ask and respond to questions YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Discussing new words they have learnt. ICT In ICT we will be exploring the different functions of a program called Scratch. Children will programme their own game, to which they will add more information to each week. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Exploring this programme from home using the following link: http://scratch.mit.edu/ PHYSICAL EDUCATION The children will be swimming every week as well as having a session taught by our PE specialist, Mr Simmons. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Making sure they have their PE and swimming kits at in school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays respectively. D&T In DT this half term the children continue making strong links with our History topic of Ancient Greece. They will be studying the origins of Greek theatrical masks and then they will design and make them. In addition the children will explore the medium of clay when they create pots based on artefacts found in ancient Greece. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Letting them engage in creative activities at home where they can make 3D models of their own choice. TARGETS Reading: In year 5 pupils are challenged to read for 20 minutes everyday. Please use their planners to let the teacher know if they have been reading. Help them meet the reading challenge and receive their rewards. Maths: Each week the children will be tested in the ‘Kung Fu Maths’ challenge. They will need to learn their times tables to pass each test and move on to the next level. To ensure children can spell common words, they will be tested on their jujitsu spellings each week in addition to their regular spelling homework. As always, the children will have writing targets which will help them make progress. Ask your child about their targets and help them achieve them at home. PSHCE In PSHCE the children will be developing their emotional maturity through the exploration of relationships. Children will discuss the people who are important to them, how to deal with embarrassment and explore their own goals and how the people close to them can impact upon them. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Talking about how to deal with embarrassment. RELIGIOUS EDUCATION In RE children will be introduced to the various rules and codes which govern different religions. The children will explore Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and Hinduism. YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD BY – Discussing the laws of society and how they link with their own religious codes and rules. In addition the you may wish to make comparisons between your own beliefs and those of other religions. COMPREHENSION This half-term we will continue our comprehension work in order to improve your child’s understanding of what they are reading. You can help your child by questioning them when they read to you and using comprehension activity books which are available through several book shops.