Our Year 6 Class

A very warm welcome to our Year 6 class page.  Year 6 is a hard year, but a memorable one. The children are our oldest pupils and they are therefore expected to be role models to the rest of the school. It is our intention that the children's experiences will stay with them and they will be able to look back at their time at Christ Church with fond, happy and special memories. 

Our Year 6 Class 2024-2025

Class Information

This half term.... Autumn Term 1 (Sep-Oct 2024)

Over the next half term our topic will be 'The Ancient Greeks'

We will start the year with a fascinating look at the Ancient Greeks. We will first learn about who the Ancient Greeks were, when they lived and how and where they were able to establish their empire. They will learn how the political system worked in Ancient Greece, investigate the legacy of Democracy and compare it with the political systems we have today. The children will also compare and contrast the modern day Olympics with the Ancient Greek events and present their findings. Children also will learn about and order key events  and present them from a specific viewpoint. In addition to this they learn about Ancient Greek religion, research information about a variety of Greek gods and look at a number of different Greek myths. Finally they use historical evidence to find out about the Trojan War and use the information to re-enact scenes from it. There will be lots of Design Technology opportunities throughout the unit with the children designing and creating their own Greek sandals amongst other things.

In Literacy we will continue to produce writing following targets from our Writing Rainbow. We will start the term by using our writing skills to produce a first person narrative recount and a report.  Grammar is taught both through writing and in a 'stand alone' lesson and we will begin the year by looking at word classes and sentence types. There will also be big focus on learning our suffix words during spelling lessons. We will draw inspiration for our writing from 'The Literacy Shed', notably a unit of work entitled, 'Titanium'. Later on in the term we will be creating our own narrative story based on a short film called 'Paperman'. Our class reader is 'Who Let The Gods Out', By Maz Evans, which fits in nicely with our topic work on Ancient Greece, and also gives the children the opportunity to improve their VIPERS skills for reading.

In Maths we will be ensuring that knowledge of place value is secure. Children need to be confident with the value of all digits up to 10,000,000 including decimals. We will look at various representations of numbers (place value charts, place value counters, dienes equipment, partitioning) to ensure the children have a firm grasp of the value of the number. We will also be learning how to use standard written methods for all four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In all of these topics, we will be applying fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills. These are now non-negotiables for Year 6 and are crucial for their end of year SATs tests. There is also a big push on recall of number facts.  Children in Year 6 are expected to know all their number bonds, be able to halve and double mentally and recall all the facts from their times tables (up to 12 x 12).  It is important that children spend time at home rehearsing these if they do not already know them. Times table Rockstars will continue and we encourage all children to be visiting this regularly.

In Science, we will be looking at light. The children will learn how light travels and how this enables us to see objects. They will demonstrate their knowledge by making and starring in their own television programme. The children will have the opportunity to make a functioning periscope, finding out about mirrors and the angle of reflection and incidence. They will be encouraged to work scientifically and collaboratively to investigate refraction, carrying out some fascinating experiments into the effects of bending light. Furthermore, they will have the chance to predict what will happen in an exciting investigation into the visible spectrum. They will look at how light creates the colours that we see, and finally learn about Isaac Newton and his theory of light and colour.

Computing - Coding

• Explain that codes can be used for a number of different reasons and decode messages.
• Explain how to ensure a password is secure and how this works.
• Explain the importance of historical figures and their contribution towards computer science.
• Present information about their historical figures in an interesting and engaging manner.
• Develop an idea for a computer of the future and create a simple design.
• Produce a simple audio advert with simple edits, which demonstrate an understanding of how to use the software.

RE - We have a lovely first topic for RE, 'How Do Christians Live?' Key questions to help lead the learning in this unit include:

• What can we learn from the Sermon on the Mount?
• How do some Christians follow Jesus’ example in caring for those In need?
• Why do Christians follow Jesus’ teachings?
• How do some Christians follow Jesus’ example in caring for those In need?
• How far do Jesus’ teaching and actions inspire others?

Heartsmart - 'Get Heartsmart'

HeartSmart is a creative approach that our school uses to build character, emotional health and resilience in children. It equips them with foundational principles and skills that will improve their mental health, relationships and academic achievement.

PATHS

PATHS is a programme for educators designed to facilitate the development for self-control, emotional awareness, peer relations and interpersonal problem-solving skills. This half term we will be focusing on the following objectives:

• All about us
• Reviewing the problem-solving chart
• Learning a way to clam down
• More ways to calm down and handle stress
• Making good decisions
• Getting help from others

Music - We are very lucky to have Mr Wilkinson teaching us music this year and we'll kick off with a really fun unit. Objectives in this unit are as follows:

• Mambo by Leonard Bernstein - listen and evaluate
• Mambo - Play Latin rhythm
• Mambo - Keep a mambo pulse
• Mambo - Learn 3 mambo rhythms 
• Mambo - tuned percussion
• Mambo - compose a mambo style piece.

Art -  We will be kick starting our Autumn artwork topic 'Making our voice heard'. Unit outcomes include:

• Collect a good range of imagery, adding annotated notes and sketches.
• Make relevant comparisons between different styles of art.
• Use tools effectively to explore a range of effects.
• Respond to the meaning of a spirit animal through drawing.
• Generate symbols that reflect their likes and dislikes with little support.
• Create a tile that is full of pattern, symbols and colours that represents themselves.
• Discuss ideas to create light and dark through drawing techniques.
• Explain the term chiaroscuro.
• Apply chiaroscuro to create light and form through a tonal drawing.
• Understand the impact of using techniques for effect.
• Participate in a discussion that examines the similarities and differences between different styles of art.
• Form their own opinions about what art is, justifying their ideas.
• Identify a cause and decide what message they want to convey.
• Understand artist’s choices to convey a message.
• Review sketchbook and creative work to develop a drawn image.
• Review and revisit ideas to develop their work.

French - Madame Kirkman will be delivering the French sessions this term and I know the children are really looking forward to it. Here's what the children will be learning:

• To express an opinion about sports and say which sports you play.
• To learn the words in French for countries around the world.
• To conjugate the verb 'to go' and say I or someone else is going to a country.
• To rehearse orally new vocabulary.
• To learn about the French game of 'petanque' and to rehearse new vocabulary.
• To write an interview article about the Olympic Games.

PE - Dance (Indoor) - Urban Freestyle 

Throughout this unit of work, children are taught to:

• Create and develop new movements to include: travelling, turning, jumping, balance, levels and using different planes of movement within a specific style including dance styles from different times, places and cultures.
• Combine skills to consistently demonstrate flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance.
• Create and express imaginative ideas in a specific style

Basketball (Outdoor)

Throughout this unit of work, children are taught to:

• Dribble with the ball using some elements of the correct technique
  - Occasionally look up when dribbling with the ball
  - Use elements of the correct technique to pass the ball over a range of distances
  - Sometimes combine dribbling and passing at a walking pace
  - Sometimes move around the court using an effective technique without a ball but find it more challenging when a ball is introduced
  - Know the rules for pivoting and sometimes perform this skill, using the correct footwork
  - Occasionally combine more than one skill, such as dribbling and pivoting, at a walking pace
  - Use at least one technique while dribbling to protect the ball from a defender to keep possession
  - Know what to do when an opposition player is in possession of the ball and sometimes adopt elements of the defensive stance when marking
  - Know how to man-to-man mark and sometimes do this with success
  - Attempt to get free from a defender, sometimes with success
  - Understand and sometimes use attacking and defending skills and tactics to contribute towards the success of their team
  - Understand what being part of a team involves
  - Evaluate their own performance, with support