Orca Class
In the lead up to Christmas, Orca Class have an action-packed term with weekly Forest School, a trip to the Imperial War Museum in London, and travelling back in time to experience being an evacuee during WW2 Day!
This page will be updated throughout the year with information about Orca Class. Please check out our school to see photos of our incredible learning journey.
During the first two terms, our ‘driver’ topic is ‘Britain at War’ and, consequently, our English and Guided Reading Sessions will be linked to this.
Our Learning Environment
Learning in Term 2
During the second term, our ‘driver’ topic continues to be ‘Britain at War’ and, consequently, our English and Guided Reading Sessions will be linked to this.
English
At the beginning of term, we shall be exploring aspects of life on the Home Front during WW2 through reading a thrilling adventure ‘Letters From the Lighthouse’ which tells the story of three children’s quest to unearth hidden secrets when evacuated to Devon.
During this study, the children will participate in drama-based activities, as well as creating a range of fiction and non fiction writing, including a diary recount, newspaper article and balanced argument.
Reading
As well-developed reading skills are vital to enable children to access all areas of the primary curriculum, this term, the children will be reading either ‘When the Sky Falls’ or ‘Thief’. Each week, the children will read, discuss and answer VIPER questions about chapters of the story with the class teacher.
Your child will also continue to bring home a reading folder, which will contain a Homework Diary and a fiction/non-fiction book. We ask that they read for 20 mins each day and we would be grateful if the record could be signed to show that this has taken place. In this way, we hope to enthuse the children and make them realise that books can open up a world of endless possibilities.
Maths
In Maths, this term, we will continue our Power Maths Learning, exploring Fractions:
- Find fractions equivalent to a unit fraction
- Recognise equivalent fractions
- Convert improper fractions to mixed number and vice versa
- Compare fractions less than 1
Year 6 (additional foci)
- Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers
- Use multiplication and division when working with fraction
- Find fractions of amounts
During these sessions, the children will be supported to solve a range of question types, including arithmetic and reasoning, in preparation for the Year 6 SATs. They will be encouraged to use a range of manipulatives during these sessions, as well as use mathematical language to explain their answers.
As the children are now entering the latter part of Key Stage Two, it is even more important that they have a secure understanding of their times tables and can use the four operations to calculate mental arithmetic questions.
Every child has access to Times Table Rockstars, (https://ttrockstars.com) a fantastic resource that we urge your child to use each week. The children will have their own logins inside their Homework Diaries
You can access TT Rockstars via this link: https://ttrockstars.com/
Wider Learning
This year we will continue to use the ‘Cornerstones Curriculum’ to support our wider learning.
History: Britain at War
In this term, the children will learn about the causes, events and consequences of the Second World Wars, the influence of new inventions on warfare and how life in Great Britain was affected during this period.
Science: Light Theory
This project teaches children about the way that light behaves, travelling in straight lines from a source or reflector into the eye. They will explore how we see light and colours, and phenomena associated with light, including shadows, reflections and refraction.
D/T: Make Do and Mend
In connection with ‘Britain at War’ This project teaches children a range of simple sewing stitches, including ways of recycling and re-purposing old clothes and materials
French: En Classe
As well as learning a range of conversational phrases, by the end of this unit, pupils will have the knowledge and skills to present both orally and in written form about what they have and do not have in their pencil cases and/or school bag in French. This is a unit that focuses on recycling previously learnt grammar, using it with new vocabulary and having a better understanding of the negative form, demonstrating a growing ability to create independent responses.
Computing
We will continue to follow the ‘Teach Computing’ Curriculum.
R.E
Our topic is going to be ‘What matters most to Christians and Humanists?’ This investigation enables pupils to learn in depth from Christianity and from Humanism, a non-religious way of life.
PSHE
We are going to be focusing on relationships and how to respond to hurtful behaviour.
Forest School
5th Nov - shelter building, learning knots
20th Nov- orienteering
27th Nov - capture the flag
4th Dec - salt dough decorations
11th Dec - willow wreaths
18th Dec- campfire smores and hot choc
P.E.
Our P.E day is Monday; please make sure your child comes into school wearing their full P.E. kit on this day. We are going to be focusing on Gymnastics this term.
Home Learning
Homework will be set on a Monday (spelling) and Friday (Atom Learning) and is to be completed by the following Friday. This will be set on Google Classroom.
Each Monday, the children will be set their weekly spellings on Spelling Shed
As part of their home learning, we encourage children to read every day to support their reading fluency and vocabulary.
Contact us
We are always available on the playground after school if you need to talk! Alternatively, if it is not urgent, you can email the families' email. This email is checked regularly and will be forwarded on to the class team. You can find the email here: families@bethersden.kent.sch.uk
We are looking forward to the exciting term ahead of us!
Orca Class Team
