Otters - Year 5 Class

This half term, Year 5 will be developing their skills across the curriculum through a range of creative, practical and investigative learning experiences, alongside exciting enrichment opportunities.

English: Our key texts this half term are The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein and The Whale by Ethan Murrow and Vita Murrow. Pupils will produce a range of writing including fact files, journalistic reports, setting descriptions, letters of advice, persuasive speeches, dialogue and descriptive pieces. Outcomes will include a newspaper article and a film pitch. During Poetry Week, children will also explore and perform poetry. Grammar work will focus on expanded noun phrases, relative clauses, cohesion, modal verbs and persuasive language features, while spelling lessons will cover a range of suffixes and spelling patterns following the Read Write Inc programme.

Maths: Children will develop their understanding of fractions by multiplying fractions, finding fractions of amounts and using fractions as operators. They will then move on to decimals and percentages, recognising equivalents and ordering and rounding decimals. Later in the term, pupils will learn how to calculate perimeter and area, including finding the area of compound shapes. Throughout, there will be a strong emphasis on reasoning and problem-solving.

Science: Pupils will explore reversible and irreversible changes. They will investigate evaporation and condensation, observe chemical reactions such as rusting and burning, and explore effervescence through practical experiments including pop rockets and the classic coke and mentos reaction. Children will develop their understanding of key scientific vocabulary such as solute, solvent, combustion and corrosion, while working scientifically through observation and fair testing.

PSHE: Through the Jigsaw unit Healthy Me, pupils will explore dreams and goals, healthy lifestyle choices and the importance of informed decision-making. They will learn about the impacts of smoking, vaping and alcohol, consider peer pressure and media influence, and discuss body image and self-respect.

History: This half term focuses on the Victorian era. Pupils will place the Victorians on a timeline and explore what life was like for children during this period. They will learn about Queen Victoria and write a newspaper report about her coronation. Children will investigate primary and secondary sources to understand daily life, including the experiences of poor children, and consider how life changed over time.

PE: Children will develop their skills in dodgeball and football. They will refine their throwing, catching and aiming skills in dodgeball, while in football they will build confidence in passing, dribbling, shooting and teamwork through small-sided games.

Computing: Pupils will use Micro:bit devices to create LED outputs, program sound and respond to sensory inputs. They will learn to debug code and design and develop a virtual pet, considering how persuasive design features can keep users engaged while reflecting on digital wellbeing.

Art and DT: Children will work collaboratively to plan, build and evaluate structures such as marshmallow towers and paper bridges. They will explore nets to construct 3D shapes and design and build a habitat and casing for their virtual pet, developing their understanding of materials, structures and evaluation.

Music: Pupils will study songs including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. They will listen and appraise a range of old school hip-hop tracks, learn lyrics, improvise using instruments and perform as a group, developing their understanding of pulse, rhythm, beat and composition.

MFL: Pupils will build vocabulary to talk about themselves, their family, animals and where they live. They will practise speaking in simple sentences and applying new vocabulary confidently.

RE: Children will explore different representations of Jesus and consider how these reflect personal beliefs. They will examine stories from the Gospels and explore symbolic language used to describe Jesus, reflecting thoughtfully on their own ideas.

This half term also includes a range of enrichment opportunities, including World Book Day, Book Week, Poetry Week, a Quidditch match, a virtual petting zoo experience and a visit to Reading Museum for a Victorian school experience.

We look forward to a busy and engaging half term as Year 5 continue to grow in confidence and independence across all areas of learning.