Prep 5 Curriculum Brief

Spellings will continue to be based on the children’s own targets and focus on Year 5/6 spelling rules. Spelling tests will still be held on Thursdays and new spellings will be given each week.

Grammar – within our grammar work this term, we will refresh our understanding of key grammatical terms (adjectives, verbs, adverbs/ adverbial phrases etc…) and learn to identify and use new terms – hyperbole and idiom. We are going to continue looking at using devices to build cohesion within a paragraph and think about how we link ideas across paragraphs (using adverbials of time or place, tense choices, repetition of a word or phrase and grammatical connections). In our final poetry topic, we will recap poetic devices (rhyming, personification, onomatopoeia, similes/metaphors etc) whilst continuing to develop our vocabulary and try to use words that have a powerful impact on the reader.

Punctuation – we will again revise key punctuation learnt in lower KS2 whilst continuing to master the use of semi-colons, colons and brackets dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis.

Reading/ Comprehension – in our reading this term we will continue to read our own target books but also read a variety of genres and gain a deeper understanding of different writing styles and widen our vocabulary. We will continue to answer comprehension questions that get us to support answers with evidence from the text and develop our ability to infer information from fiction texts. This skill becomes harder as our texts become harder – so we will practise this skill using abridged versions of older texts (Treasure Island, Oliver Twist etc)

Creative Writing – To start the summer term, I would like to practise planning our own stories and develop our ability to write for extended periods of time. To do this, we will re-write fairy tales with a twist. To do this, we will study ‘The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig’ by Eugene Trivizas. After this, we will write a class book about different species of animals (linking with our science topic) – focusing on ‘Animalium’ by Jenny Broom and Katie Scott as our model text. If we have time, we will finish our year by studying the poem ‘I am a Cat’ by Jackie Morris. From this, we will create our own, complex acrostic poem.

During the summer term, Prep 5 will continue to have times tables practice and mental
maths sessions. The children will be challenged to be problem solvers throughout the topics
covered. The main areas of topic work will include the following:
Statistics: Drawing, reading and interpreting line graphs and tables.
Geometry – Shape: Using degrees; classifying, estimating and measuring angles; drawing lines and angles accurately; calculating angles around a point and on a straight line; lengths and angles in shapes; regular and irregular polygons and 3D shapes.
Geometry – Position and direction: reading and plotting coordinates; problem solving with coordinates; translation; lines of symmetry; reflection.
Decimals: adding and subtracting decimals; decimal sequences; multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000.
Negative numbers: counting through zero in ones and multiples; comparing and ordering negative numbers; finding the difference.
Measurement – Converting units: kilograms and kilometres; millimetres and millilitres; converting between metric and imperial units; converting units of time; calculate with timetables.
Measurement – Volume: cubic centimetres; comparing and estimating volume and capacity.

This term Prep 5 will be continuing their learning about Earth and Space. This will include exploring the Solar System, the Earth and Sun and the Moon. They will describe the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the sun in the solar system and use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky.

For the second half of the term Prep 5 will be learning about forces such as gravity, friction, water resistance and air resistance. Children will also learn about the use of mechanisms such as levers, gears and pulleys. The children will identify forces and find out about Isaac Newton and his discoveries about gravity. The children will look for patterns and links between the mass and weight of objects, using newton meters to measure the force of gravity. They will also work collaboratively to investigate air and water resistance, participating in challenges to design the best parachute and boat. They will have the opportunity to work in a hands-on way to explore friction, developing their own brake pad for a tricycle or scooter. During some of the practical science work, the children will discuss how variables other than the one being tested can be kept the same to help make a test fair. Finally, they will find out about different mechanisms, including levers, gears and pulleys.

This term we will be looking at mountains in detail. We will locate the great mountains and ranges of the world, looking in detail at the Himalayas and Mount Everest. We will discuss the positives and negatives of climbing the world’s tallest mountain and ‘overtourism’ and its damaging effects. We will discuss who is responsible for limiting the damage overtourism can cause. We go on to study how mountains are formed (including volcanic and plateau mountains) and their main features.

This term Prep 5 will be learning about the Benin Kingdom. They will learn about where the ancient Kingdom of Benin was located and how it came to thrive, what the people there believed in and how they showed this in their artwork. They will also explore western attitudes towards African civilisations, comparing the achievements, oral tales and artefacts of ancient Benin to those in Europe at the same time. The children will also learn about the story of Eweka and finally discover how European invaders threatened the civilisation of ancient Benin.

They will then be learning about the Stuarts. This will include the reigns of King James 1, King Charles 1, Oliver Cromwell and the English Civil Wars. They will study the Pilgrim Fathers, The Gunpowder Plot, The Great Plague and the Fire of London.

This term we will be formulating questions using ‘est-ce que’ and asking friends if they are hungry, thirsty, hot, cold etc using the verb avoir. We also will also be revising our knowledge of hobbies and using the French ‘quel’ and ‘préféré’ to ask questions about likes and dislikes. E.g. Quel est ton sport préféré?

We will be completing Chapter 3 of Minimus, Work, work, work. We will be looking in detail at verb endings, particularly those ending in -o, -t, and -nt and understand that the ending of a Latin verb tells us who is doing the action. We will think about what it was like to be a Celtic and Greek slave for a Roman family and look at how wealthy Roman children were educated at home.

We shall spend the first part of the term looking at “prayer” and then lead into Pentecost.  This will bring us back to the life of ‘Peter’ and how his life changed with the power of the Holy Spirit.  We shall be thinking about how we can grow in knowing Christ and how we can tell others about Him. Towards the end of the term, we will begin to reflect on the past year and give thanks.

Following on from last term’s project ‘Figures in Motion,’ prep 5 will be creating a large-scale collaborative ‘sporty figures’ art piece inspired by the graffiti artist Keith Harring. We will be creating some 3D ‘figure trophies,’ inspired by the Olympic games and sculptor Giacometti, as well as exploring one point perspective and making some artwork in the style of Mondrian. Its going to be busy!

The focus this term will be preparing to perform ‘Aladdin’ at the end of the summer term. We will look at different ways to bring songs to life as well as how to rehearse and prepare for a performance.

Due to the exploratory and ‘spontaneous’ approach in this subject, we will often go off in different directions depending on the ideas and interest of the children. And so the formal lesson plans are often deviated from to preserve a flexibility and originality of approach. New projects often ‘evolve’ from the children’s ideas in the sessions and it is an important part of the approach and style in this subject to maintain this flexibility and spontaneity. This generates a feeling with the children that they are going on a ‘journey’ in this subject each term. The formal lesson plans are only intended to be used as a basis and guide to the type of work and projects that are covered and are not intended to be rigidly adhered to.

Week 1, 2 and 3

‘Peg in hole’ puzzle design

This project involves the design and construction of a board game involving wooden pegs (dowelling) in a plywood base drilled with 4mm holes.. The children will need to think of a theme for their games and also devise a scoring system for two players. They also need to think about decoration and stability and have an opportunity to test their designs.

Weeks 3, 4 and 5

The children will be looking at the topic of ‘theatre designs.’ This project combines artistic creativity with three dimensional design work involving plywood, jelutong and balsa. The children may use some other materials to incorporate into their designs. The children will have a card front to their theatre (40cmx20cm). They will then decide on the theme, scenery, props. They will then be given the opportunity to present mini performances using their theatre designs.

Weeks 6, 7 and 8

Oil Bottle project

This project involves the design and construction of a ‘scene in a bottle’. Using vegetable oil and careful choice of shiny materials. Choice of waterproof materials will be important, including considering colour, optical effects and a possible ‘theme’ for the design.

Weeks 9 and 10

Design Kits. This project will involve the children thinking of a product to market which will be a simple and neat design kit for children aged 6 – 10. The materials used will need to be simple so that they can be sold in an A5 zippablewallets. Their ‘product’ should make use of easy to obtain materials and not be too complex. They should include some instructions with their designs which will be included with their product. They may use a range of materials which will need to fit in the bag and be safe for children to use at home.

The latter part of term will involve individual projects of the children’s own choice, provided that they can show necessary thought and planning has gone into their ideas.

This term the pupils will be completing work on use of tables in Excel/Word. Research and prepare a presentation on a famous astronomer – their life and work. Links to coding using SCRATCH/Microbits.

PE/ Games – Games: Simple cricket activities, based around limited game situations. The skills involved in catching, throwing, bowling and hitting will be developed. Athletics – to include sprints, hurdles and relays. In field events simple javelin/ long jump/high jump (where possible).
P.E. A collection of activities linked to the cricket/rounders sessions. Racket skills linked to tennis and table tennis.
Swimming: Water time will be spent on the development of correct technique and other related activities. All work based on the ASA ‘National Plan for Teaching Swimming’.

They will rehearse the school play in the summer term. They will be learning acting and performance techniques and working with musical theatre. They will also be learning how to create characters on stage. They will also gain an understanding of how to put a play together including lighting, props and backstage instructions.

This term in PSHE Prep 5 are learning about how drugs are common to everyday life (including smoking/vaping – nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and medicines) can affect health and wellbeing. They will learn that some drugs are legal (but may have laws or restrictions related to them) and other drugs are illegal.
We will look into how laws surrounding the use of drugs exist to protect them and others and how people can prevent or reduce the risks associated with them.
After half-term we will be looking into career paths. They will understand that there is a broad range of different jobs and people often have more than one during their careers and over their lifetime. We will discuss how they might choose a career/job for themselves when they are older and what might influence their decisions.