What we are learning about in Mow Cop Class

English

Children will be learning about a range of different genres this half term including poetry, setting & character descriptions, narratives, diaries and letters of complaint. Children will also have class books read to them and used as inspiration for these writing genres. 

Every Wednesday, we will have an Extended Writing lesson where a creative approach will be used to encourage pupils to use their imagination. Pupils will be given the opportunity to write at length, whilst using a range of different sentence structures to maintain pace, and keep their audience engaged.

Spellings will be practised each week with a focus on a different root morpheme (e.g. ‘centre’, ‘cin’) and which prefixes and suffixes can be added to form different words and meanings. We will be looking at a range of different spelling rules and discuss these in detail in class.

Mathematics

We will be following the Maths-No Problem! scheme and will start the term with understanding place value. Children will then move to apply this understanding tot he four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. 

We will also continue working towards the statutory Multiplication Tests, practicing our multiplication tables daily. 

We are also advising children to practice their times tables at home, they can do this on the Multiplication Tables Check website, using the settings - 25 questions, 6 seconds. 

Science

In Science, the children will begin by looking at ‘Living Things and their Habitats'. Children will learn about vertebrates and invertebrates and learn how to use classification tools to help them idenfity living things. Children will then move on to learning about 'Sound'. They will learn how sound is made through something vibrating and how sound travels. 

Wider Curriculum – History & Geography

Our history focus for the half term will be learning about the lives of the Ancient Greeks. Children will learn about the city-states Athens and Sparta and the different things the Ancient Greeks taught us that we still use today!

Geography lessons will focus on understanding our world more. We will pose the question 'How did that get there?' and look at the differences between human and physical features. Children will learn about mountains, rivers, volcanoes and weather systems. 

Wider Curriculum – Physical Education

To begin this term we will be focussing on our game sense skills and how to work as a team. Children will play team games such as dodgeball, basketball and netball to learn these vital skills. 

During the next half term, children will be taking part in swimming lessons where they learn valuable life-saving skills. 

Wider Curriculum – Art & Design Technology

Children will be focussing on their drawing and painting skills. They will learn how to draw and shade 3D shapes to help them create a wider art piece. 

In DT, children will be learning about mechanisms. Children will learn how levers and linkages are used in designs to help them create Christmas cards with an interactive element. 

Wider Curriculum – Music

Mrs Shakspeare will teach music on a Friday. Pupils will enjoy learning new music as well as playing many musical instruments. They will be looking at different classical and contemporary composers and comparing music from different countries and eras.

We will also be having extra Music lessons on a Monday, taught in lesson time with their class teacher. We are focusing on the difference between major and minor notes particularly in folk music. 

Wider Curriculum – PSHE

PSHE lessons will continue to be taught through assemblies and class discussions. Children will learn about ways to keep safe including how we can stay safe (both in person and online) and healthy. Later in the term they will learn about how we can make a difference in the world. 

Wider Curriculum – RE

Children will be studying Christianity with half terms specifically focused on oe aspect: God, Jesus and the Church. Children will discuss how people choose to live their lives and how religion can impact this. 

Wider Curriculum – Computing

During Computing lessons, children will learn about computer systems and networks. They will learn about how these networks work togethe to create the internet. Children will then move on to look at how audi production can be used resulting in children creating their own podcasts. 

Alongside computing lessons, children will regularly discuss Online Safety and the ways they can protect themselves. We use the mantra Zip it! Block it! Flag it! and want children and families to feel confident when using devices and the internet. 

Wider Curriculum – Spanish

During Spanish lessons, children will continue to broaden their knowledge of Spanish in lessons focussing on presenting themselves and seasons.   

General Class Reminders

• Full school PE kit is required to be worn to school on a Thursday for PE lessons. 
• READING BOOKS need to be brought into school every day. Children will have the option of changing their books weekly. Reading with your child is extremely important and we will provide reading records for you and your child to note their reading at home.
• HOMEWORK will be set every Friday and will be due back in school the following Wednesday. Children will also be given spellings to learn and mental maths to practise. Both of these will be tested on a Friday.
• MULTIPLICATION TABLES will be a large focus of our learning throughout the year, in preparation for the Year 4 Multiplication Check. Children will be expected to support their in-school learning by practicing these at home. Use the link https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check to go onto the practice wesbite. 
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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 8:40am each day unless there is a very good reason for them to be absent. School will end at 3:10pm.

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

Miss Sheady