Prep 6 Curriculum Brief

Spellings will continue in the same way as the Autumn Term and be based on the children’s own targets – focusing on Year 5/6 spelling rules. Spelling tests will continue to be held on Wednesdays and new spellings (10 in total) will be given each week.

Grammar – within our grammar work this term, we will look recap using devices to build cohesion within a paragraph and think about how we link ideas across paragraphs using adverbials of time and place or tense choices. We will also, recap how to link ideas across paragraphs by using a wider range of cohesive devices: repetition of a word or phrase and grammatical connections. In our second topic this term, we will spend time developing detailed paragraphs that help build a wider picture of a story.

As usual in our grammar, we will continue to recap key phrases and terminology.

Punctuation – in our punctuation lessons, we will revise key punctuation learnt in lower KS2 whilst recapping our ability to use brackets, dashes or commas to indicate parenthesis and learn how to use semi-colons and dashes to mark the boundary between independent clauses.

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 be able to identify key literary devices in our model texts.

Creative Writing – During this term, we will start the term by writing a poem based on Robert MacFarlane’s ‘The Lost Words’. We will then focus on writing an expanded piece of fiction based on Ursula Le Guin’s ‘The Wizard of Earthsea’. This will be a longer scheme of work where we develop lots of settings, characters etc within multiple, detailed paragraphs. As a result, it may take a longer period of time to complete.

During the spring term, Prep 6 will continue to have weekly times tables tests and a mental maths session. They will also enjoy some investigation work covering a breadth of topics. The children will be challenged to be problem solvers throughout the topics covered, applying skills to a variety of situations.

Converting units: metric measures; converting metric measures; calculating with metric measures; miles and kilometres; imperial measures.

Ratio: Using ratio language; ratio and fractions; scale drawing; scale factors; ratio problems; proportion problems; cooking recipes.

Algebra: 1-step and 2-step function machines; forming expressions; forming equations; solving 1-step and 2-step equations; finding pairs of values; solving problems with two unknowns.

Decimal numbers: Place value in decimal numbers; rounding decimals; adding and subtracting decimals; multiplying and dividing decimals by 10, 100 and 1000; multiplying and dividing decimal numbers by integers.

Fractions, Decimals and Percentages: Finding equivalent fractions, decimal numbers and percentages; converting fractions to percentages; ordering fractions, decimals and percentages; percentages of amounts in multi-step word problems.

Area, Perimeter and Volume: Calculating the area of triangles and parallelograms; calculating the volume of cubes and cuboids.

Statistics: Reading, interpreting and drawing line graphs; dual bar charts and pie charts; pie charts with percentages; calculating the mean.

We will begin the term concluding our work on South America by looking at the different climates to be found across the continent. We will then move on to look at the topic of Trade and Economics, looking in detail at the goods traded between different countries and continents.  What are the environmental implications of buying imported goods? The children will explore the UK’s trade links today and in the past, particularly with El Salvador and look in detail at how a busy port such as Rotterdam functions on a daily basis. If time, we will move on to the benefits of buying Fair Trade products and the global supply chain.

This term Prep 6 will be learning about what it was like to be a child in Victorian Britain. They will consider what life was like for children in Victorian Britain, comparing rich to poor, comparing modern and Victorian schooling and looking at how children spent their leisure time. They will learn about the changes that took place for children in Victorian Britain. After this, we will then be starting to learn about World War 1. Including what elements led to the start of World War 1, what life was like on the front line, the involvement of animals and what life was like for the people of Britain during World War 1.

We will begin this term concluding our vocabulary revision on the parts of the body, and then move on to our new topic of weather.  We will describe the different weather conditions particular to each season, the months of each season and also important events which take place across the year. We will be asking lots of questions in French beginning with the following: “C’est quand…. De quelle couleur… Combien de….Quelles sont les mois de…Quelle est la date de….Quel temps fait-il?” As always, we will be consolidating our learning through lots of games, role play and singing.

We learn Latin using Minimus, a Latin course for children, based on the lives of a real Roman family living at Vindolanda. We will consolidate our knowledge of verbs, adjectives, adverbs this term and move on to learn positive and negative commands (imperatives). We will also expand our Latin vocabulary for military life and shopping. We will, as always, keep looking at how Latin has influenced the English language and enhance our understanding of Roman life through the myths they told (Odysseus and the Trojan Horse, Actaeon and Diana.)

In this Spring Term, Prep 6 will understand what ‘Epiphany’ means and read information to decipher the reality from the myth.  We will also look at how to recognise the reality of Jesus’ humanity through the stories of his life. During our ‘Multi-faith Week’ we will be learning about the traditions of Budhism. After our half term break, we will study Lent and develop the children’s understanding of the events leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection and how and why Christians celebrate Easter.

Prep 6 will delve into the world of portraiture this term, inspired by African masks and patterns. We will start with some observational drawings, looking at proportion, and then expand into some printmaking and mixed media explorations! This will culminate in a clay relief final piece!

This term in Music the children will be developing their practical musical skills through continuing and elevating their learning of the ukulele, building on their work from previous years. They will improve their proficiency at the instrument through step-by-step group instruction and independent learning, as well as working as a group to participate in ensemble playing. We will also be focusing on consolidating and enhancing their knowledge of music theory.

Moving Toy Designs Using Cams and Cam Followers

This project involves the design and construction of a moving toy, using cam and cam follower mechanisms to create a rotating and/or reciprocating movement. The supporting structure will be a blockwood cube frame 20cm/20cm using the ‘Jinks’ technique of gluing blockwood together using card triangles The children will need to think of a model that they will be moving with the cams (eg swivelling face, soldiers on battlements, abstract designs that produce patterns and effects). They will also be adding decoration, panelling the block wood cube with background scenery. Materials used will be blockwood, dowelling, wooden/MDF wheels for cams and plywood.

This term pupils will complete an internet investigation – History of Communication – producing brief biographies of important figures.  Recap coding with Scratch ahead of set group task – designing and coding a simple Maths game.  They will also use the lessons to continue support for other subject areas. 

This term the pupils will be learning acting and performance techniques and developing an understanding of timing. They will also be learning how to create characters on stage. They will be learning scripts and being able to play set characters. Towards the end of term, they will be introduced to the school production.

Games: Cross Country, Football and Netball. Skills will be developed through various drills and activities, with game situations. Pupils will be asked to think about team and positional play.