This term our concepts were....

Change, Community and Trade

English

Explanations

The children learned new skills when writing an explanation text. These were opening statements, labelled diagrams, writing cause and effect complex sentences using conjunctions (such as otherwise, as a result) and using causal adverbs like therefore, though and due to.

Fantasy 

After this, we started reading the Snow Queen where Gerda searches for her friend Kay across the wilds of Lapland meeting some interesting characters along the way. We used this to invent our own fantasy stories.

Maths

This term, we learned how to multiply and divide by 6, 7, 9, 11 and 12. The children began to understand mathematical vocabulary such as 'quotient' in relation to division. They learned how to calculate multiplication equations using the multiplication facts that they know and began to understand the difference between sharing and grouping. They learned about the commutative law in multiplication and also how solve problems involving multiplication and division.

Science

We learned about electricity.

We learned about appliances that need electricity to function, conductors and insulators, and using a range of components including buzzers, bulbs and switches to produce series circuits. We also created explanation texts on how circuits work and how electricity reaches our homes.

Geography

We learned about the country where the Romans came from: Italy. We investigated the human and physical features of this area, including volcanoes (like the famous Mount Vesuvius), mountains, coasts and ancient buildings like the Colosseum.

The children also wrote an explanation text on how volcanoes erupt.

Art 

This half-term, we produced a piece of art in the style of a well-known artist - Piet Mondrian. We used different media (watercolours and pastels) to create a background of the Northern Lights. We then experimented with ways to add surface detail (line, form and shape, tone and texture) using charcoal and different grades of pencil, before we used these skills to draw a tree in the style of Piet Mondrian.

PSHCE

This term, we began learning about strategies to evaluate the reliability of sources and identify misinformation online. We then learned how to make safe, reliable choices from search results.

Computing

We started to learn about web-browsers, and what computer networks do and we experimented with variables to control models.  We then linked our learning in computing to our PSHCE learning, by exploring how information on the internet may not be accurate or reliable and may be used for bias, manipulation or persuasion.

Finally, we debugged a program, gave an on-screen robot specific instructions that takes them from A to B and made some predictions, explaining why something will happen when programming. 

What a busy and fun-filled half term we had!