Year 5

We have been writing descriptive narratives and focusing on character and setting descriptions using exciting vocabulary and openers to make our writing more effective, adding dialogue to move the action forward.

We have also been honing our grammar skills to recognise and use a wide range of grammatical techniques and practising answering questions from reading comprehensions to ensure we find evidence and information in the text to help support our answers and understanding inference.

Maths

Using the White Rose Maths Mastery approach, we have been learning about place value up to 8 digits, rounding, factors and multiples. We focus on formal methods for the four operations e.g. long multiplication and division and furthering our fluency by challenging ourselves with reasoning and problem solving and practising using our mathematical language.

Year 5 develop our knowledge of globally significant places, including their defining physical and human characteristics. We learn about the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time.

We become competent in the geographical skills needed to: collect, analyse and communicate a range of data gathered through experiences of fieldwork that deepen our understanding of geographical processes; interpret a range of sources of geographical information, including maps, diagrams, globes, aerial photographs and Geographical Information Systems; communicate geographical information in a variety of ways, including through maps, numerical and quantitative skills.

In year 5 children concentrate on,  ‘What shapes my world? (weather, water, tectonics plates, climate zones’ and ‘Fantastic Journeys’ (key countries and features of the world)

In Year 5, we can take part in a residential visit to deepen our understanding of our natural environment and fieldwork skills such as map reading. We do this through a range of adventurous outdoor activities. This year, we went to Malham Tarn Field Studies Centre.

We expect all children to read three times a week in year five and twenty minutes should be a minimum. But, if your child can’t put their book down because they are so engrossed, that’s the magic of reading. Please ensure you sign the reading log to confirm this reading is taking place.

My Book Journal

We use our Book Journals to promote independent reading in Year 5. We use this book at home, and bring it back to school to be checked. Included at the front of the book, is a range of tasks to complete, correlating with a book we are currently reading. The tasks can be done in these books. After each activity is finished, parents / carers are expected to sign and date the activity for proof of completion. Independent reading, or reading to others can also be dated and signed for to work towards fortnightly prizes.

After much deliberation, here is my list of must-read books for year 5 children:

• A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
• Beowulf by Michael Morpurgo
• Clockwork by Philip Pullman
• Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce
• Darkmouth by Shane Hegarty
• Floodland by Marcus Sedgwick
• The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks
• Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan
• Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
• Time Travelling With a Hamster by Ross Welford
• There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom by Louis Sachar
• Why The Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo

Clarinet lessons                             

On Thursday afternoons we are very fortunate to be joined by a music specialist who teaches the children how to play the Clarinet. These lessons build upon the skills learnt in year four by exploring new chords and more complex songs.

Physical Education

Physical education is fundamental to a healthy lifestyle, therefore Year 5 has two  P.E. lessons,  so as to ensure this foundation is laid. We have been developing our skills in health and fitness and orienteering, concentrating on team building, communication, and healthy bodies. Please ensure that the children have their correct school P.E. kit in school first thing on a Monday and it will go home with the children at 3.00pm on Friday to be washed. This allows for some flexibility in the timetable and ensures that the children are prepared for any additional P.E. sessions that are delivered by external organisations.

This years texts also include:

Throughout the academic year, we use a number of websites to support our learning.