Year 6

The big question for the Summer term is...

Are we at the edge of reason?

Curriculum - Summer Term

This term, we will be learning about:

• History: Ancient Greece
• Geography: Erosion and weathering, and how they change the landscape
• Science: Living Things
• Design and Technology: Greek Salad and Mediterranean Diet
• Physical Education: Rounders and Athletics
• Art and Design: Landscapes and Seascapes / Greek vases using clay
• Computing: Publishers and Adventure Gamers
• Passport to the world: New Zealand and China

Homework

• Passport to the world - New Zealand
• Daily reading - at least 30 minutes per day. Please, record your child's reading homework in their reading log. These will be checked daily.
• Daily spelling and arithmetic (see weekly work attached below)
• Instrument practice

Homework Challenges

Maths

Nine squares with side lengths 1,4,7,8,9,10,14,15 and 18 cm can be fitted together with no gaps and no overlaps, to form a rectangle. What are the dimensions of the rectangle?

Once you've had a chance to think about it, click below to see how three different pupils began working on the task.

This is how Anna started:
 

Here is what Brendan tried:

Here is Chandra's initial approach to the problem:

Can you take each of these starting ideas and develop them into a solution?

Writing

Living in Ancient Greece was very different from living in our world today. What would happen if a Greek god or goddess suddenly appeared at our school? How could you help them be part of our community?

Have a go at writing a “How to live amongst humans” guide, explaining the main things a Greek god or goddess would need to know in order to come to our planet safely. Think about what things they might struggle to understand about the human world, such as how it is different from the Elysium or how things like money work.

Science

Find out the names of 10 to 20 animals and plants that live in British woodlands. You could think about living things in your own neighbourhood or places you know about.

Then, classify these organisms into groups with similar characteristics, and investigate how these animals and plants have adapted to live in this habitat. Then, find information about what dangers these creatures are facing and how we can best protect them.

Finally, create a colourful poster including your classification and all the information you have found out.
 

Religious Education

This half term we will learn about St Peter and how the Popes are his successors. Find information about Pope Francis and his work of continuing Peter’s mission, especially in protecting our planet and the poor. 

What do you find inspiring? What challenges might he encounter? Imagine you have been invited to a personal audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican. Write a list of questions you would like to ask him.
 

Reading together at home

Evidence suggests that children who read for enjoyment every day not only perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. Sharing a book with your child allows you to share adventures and experiences in the safe world of the book. It allows you to ask questions, talk about what has happened and decide what you think together, as well as sharing quality time together. 

For these reasons I will be share here the books we will read in class every term, so that if you wish you can read them with your child at home. This half term, our class novel will be:
 

1. "The Adventures of Odysseus" by Hugh Lupton. Set sail with Odysseus as he fights to find his way back home after the brutal Trojan War. On his ten year journey, he endures harrowing ordeals, battles monsters and learns what it means to be a hero. Award-winning professional storytellers Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden’s gripping retelling breathes new life into Homer’s classic The Odyssey.

Let's talk books!

It is important that we begin to prepare children for High School and the expectation of an increased level of homework through online access. Therefore, in addition to their core homework, we have developped a ‘blog’ about books for the children in Y6 in order to aid their transition. Children will be expected to access the blog daily to see if a task has been set (this may be as simple as to post a comment about their favourite book) and to carry out the task.

The comments are being moderated, and no comment will be published without having been read by the class teacher first. Children do not need to log in to access the Padlet, and can post comments without creating an account. Although this is a private blog, we encourage the use of initials or pseudonyms in their post, to avoid posting any personal information online.

Here is the link to access our Padlet blog: Let's Talk Books!

Year 6 have had a wizard day to conclude our first half term! Quidditch, magic wands making, sewing socks for Dobby, writing with quills, brewing potions... We are all waiting for our letter from Hogwarts in the post! 

Times Tables Practice at home

It is essential for children to know their times tables fluently in order to access Maths confidently in Year 6, as well as to improve their pace. For this reason, they should practice their times tables at home daily. Not only they need to know their multiplication facts - they must be quick at recalling them in order to succeed. 

The website http://timestables.me.uk/ is a free site where you can set up automatically generated online times tables test, with an option to print them. You can select:

• The amount of questions you want them to do.
• The times tables that you want to test them on.
• Whether you want them to practice multiplication facts, division facts or both.

This is a fantastic resource for children to practice their times tables daily. At the end of the test, you will get a summary of your child's results, including how many questions they got right / wrong, the time they took to complete them and the answers to the questions they answered incorrectly. It is a great tool for children to improve not only their knowledge of the multiplication but the speed at which they recall them. Challenge them to beat their own score / time - they are always willing to improve their results!

KEY INFORMATION

St Saviour’s School Bank and Shop

We are delighted to re open Sutton Stores and Seacombe Bank. The children who have been successful in applying for jobs will begin their training with Mrs Abbate next week and all children will start earning saves too to deposit into their bank accounts. Below is a reminder of how to earn saves each week. Remember it takes hard work to earn money and the more you work, the more you can earn!

• Representing the school at any event – 2 Saves
• Entering a homework challenge – 3 Saves 
• Entering Passport to The World – 3 Saves
• Completing the half termly reading challenge – 3 Saves
• Getting all weekly spellings correct – 1 Save
• Getting all weekly times tables problems correct – 1 Save
• Being in the winning ‘tree’ at the end of the week – 1 Save
• 100% attendance / punctuality per half term – 3 Saves
• PE kit in school 100 % per half term – 3 Saves
• Working in the Shop or Bank – 3 Saves per half term for managers; 2 Saves for Cashiers
• Children will also have the opportunity to earn Saves if they work as school councillors, playground peacemakers or sports ambassadors

Mobile phones

Children in Year 6 who are walking home may bring a mobile phone to school. During the day it will be switched off and kept safely in the classroom stock cupboard where children cannot access them. They will be handed to children at the end of the day to go home.

All classrooms have clocks but children may wear a simple analogue or digital watch to school as it can help them learn to tell the time. However, no Apple or smart watches please. These will be considered as a mobile device.

Waffle

If you would like to see some of the adventures Waffle has been going on, please go to our 'Waffle' page on the children section of the website where you will find a special message along with some pictures!

Sing Up at Home

If you enjoy singing and would like to learn a new song, follow the link below to visit the Sing Up at Home page. There will be a new song uploaded along with a performance track and backing track each week including pointers and tips on how to sing the song successfully.

Good luck and happy singing!

https://www.singup.org/singupathome/song-of-the-week

Numeracy

Throughout the year, Year 6 will be considering the question below...

We will be focusing on applying their numeracy skills to solve reasoning and real life problems. Children will deepen their understanding of the 4 operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) and how they can be applied to the world around them.

Don't forget to read every night and have your red books signed!

Want to revise?