Years 5 & 6

Years 5 and 6 Curriculum Overview

Welcome back after the Christmas break. This term the children will be learning about space and our topic is called Stargazers.

We will be learning about the eight planets, the Sun and the Moon. The children will develop their scientific skills by investigating gravity. They will compare different times of the day at different places on the Earth and learn about GPS satellite navigation systems.  They will learn about the 1960’s Space Race and significant individuals such as Galileo Galilei and Isaac Newton.

In our writing we will be producing mnemonics; looking at myths and legends, newspaper reports, biographies, persuasive writing and poetry.

We will continue to ensure that the children have a good understanding of the non-negotiables – the building blocks that support their maths learning. We will be developing the children’s reasoning skills and their ability to use and apply the mathematics they have been taught when problem solving. Please encourage them to learn their multiplication tables and their division facts as these are used in many areas of the maths curriculum. All pupils have access to Times Table Rockstars and this is a fun way to learn the multiplication tables.

The children will be set some project homework do along with their regular maths homework. Homework will be set on a Thursday and the children will receive spellings to learn each week.

Ideas for home learning

• Keep a Moon diary over the course of a lunar month.
• 24 astronauts have visited the Moon. Find out their names and interesting facts about them.
• Design your own astronaut space helmet using junk materials.
• Search the night sky and identify the Moon, stars or even some of the other planets in the solar system. You might be able to download an app to help you locate the position of the stars.
• Make a 3-D model of the solar system which displays the planets in order.
• Imagine an alien space ship has landed in your garden. Write your own story about what happens next.