What we are learning about this term in Chester Class with Miss Mulholland.

English

This half term will begin with a focus on poetry. The children will explore the structure of poems and focus on the descriptive language used. The children will read a range of poems during guided reading lessons and they will learn and recite some poems, adding actions to them. The children will build up to writing their own poems in their writing lessons. We will then be moving our focus onto handwriting, looking at how to form letters correctly, ensuring they start and finish in the correct places. We will then look at sentence development, focusing on word classes and structure. After the half term, we will move onto character and setting descriptions, focusing on descriptive language. The children will continue their daily phonics lessons and develop their reading skills.

Mathematics

This term we will start by focussing on recapping simple place value and number facts, before moving onto place value with numbers up to 100. The children will spend time developing their understanding of number bonds and number patterns to support their learning of place value. Following this the children will move onto calculations. They will begin with a focus on addition and subtraction before moving onto multiplication and division. We will be using the 2, 5 and 10 times tables throughout the year. After the half term break the children will be learning about measurements. We will be focussing on length, mass, and temperature.

Science

In the first half term we will be learning about ‘Plants’. The children will focus on the parts of a plant and their functions. They will learn about the life cycles of plants and what happens once they have been planted. We will focus on what a plant needs to grow and whether they can grow in different materials. Before looking into what happens if plants do not have a basic need, such as light or water. 

Then our focus will move onto living things and their habitats. The children will look at what living things can do and what they need to survive. We will then be learning about food chains and the children will learn about the producer, the consumer and the predator in a simple food chain. We will focus on different types of habitats and why different animals need to live in specific habitats. 

Wider Curriculum – History and Geography

This half term we will be focusing on History. Our topic is called ‘History of Flight’. We will create a timeline of inventions in terms of flight. We will focus on important figures in terms of flight inventions, such as the Wright brothers. We will look at the differences between new and old planes and the impact flight has had on the world and the environment. After the half term break we will be focusing on Geography. Our topic is called ‘Pole to Pole’. We will be learning about different forms of transport around the world and what transport we would need to use to travel to certain places. We will then focus our learning on the seven continents and the five oceans of the world, looking in more detail at where we live. Towards the end of our topic the children will begin to learn about the weather and the climate, and how different parts of the world have different climates.

Wider Curriculum – Computing

This term the children will be learning about online safety and effective searching. They will be learning how to safely search on the internet and about their digital footprint. They will then learn that emails are a form of digital communication and securely send and reply to an email through Purple Mash. Following this the children will learn about their digital footprint and how to search effectively on the internet. After the half term the children will be focussing on coding.

Wider Curriculum – Physical Education

This term our focus in PE will be on ‘Locomotion’. The children will focus on jumping and dodging. The children will learn how to dodge effectively and how to apply this technique into games. The children will also learn about the roles of attacking and defending in games. Following this the children will focus on jumping, and how to effectively jump and use jumping as a technique when playing games. The children will then focus on different types of jumping, such as jumping for speed and jumping for distance.

PE lessons will be taught outside wherever possible. Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately: joggers, jumper and waterproof coat can be worn.

Wider Curriculum – Art & Design Technology

This half term we will be focusing on art. The artist we are focusing on is 'Yayoi Kusama'. The children will be developing their drawing skills by working on developing tone and through exploring different shading techniques. The children will learn about the secondary colours and how we can make them by mixing the primary colours when painting. They will explore different painting techniques before they begin planning their final art piece.

In the second half term we will be moving on to a DT focus. The children will be learning about wheels and axles. They will research, design, make and evaluate a moving mechanism with wheels and axles.

Wider Curriculum – Music

Mrs Shakespeare will teach the children music. Their music lessons will take place every Friday. The children will enjoy learning about different elements of music such as rhythm, pulse and pitch, as well playing different musical instruments.

Wider Curriculum – PHSE

To begin the term, we will be focusing on the school and classroom rules. Then we will focus on safe relationships. The children will learn about what it means to be a good friend and the special people in our lives. We will think about how we can show kindness to our friends and special people. We will then move onto learning about what to do if we feel uncomfortable or unsafe in a situation, and how we can ask for help.

Wider Curriculum – RE

This term our focus in RE will be on Christianity. We will think about the importance of looking after our world. The children will start their learning with the Christian creation story. We will then learn about ways in which we can look after our world. After half term the children will be thinking about why Christians believe Jesus is the ‘light of the world’.

Wider Curriculum – Spanish

This term in Spanish the children will learn the numbers to ten, the colors and greetings. The children will learn through a range of speaking, listening, reading and writing activities.

General Class Reminders

• Full school PE kit is needed on WEDNESDAY for PE lessons.
• Reading books and reading records need to be brought into school every day.
• The children’s reading books will be changed on a Friday.
• Homework will be set every Friday and will be due back in school the following Wednesday.
• The children will be given spellings to learn each week. These will be tested on a Friday.

Your child’s attendance in school is extremely important.  Time missed is learning that can’t always be made up.

Please ensure your child attends school for 8:40 each day unless there is a very good reason for them to be absent.

Throughout the term, work completed by the children will be put onto our blog or Twitter page. Please look at our work by visiting http://www.castleviewprimaryschool.co.uk/ or Castle_ViewPS

If you have any concerns or issues, please do not hesitate to speak to me after school.