Year 6

Y6 Lanner Matrix 1 overview (1)

English

Reading will be taught daily through our core text: ‘Cogheart’ by Peter Bunzl.

Let’s take a look at where the story is set!

During our writing sessions, we will learn about a range of genres as we immerse ourselves in this book and it’s incredibly rich vocabulary. These writing opportunities will include inventing descriptive flashbacks, publishing discussions on equal rights and planning and designing persuasive adverts for a ‘mech-animal’. Later on in the term, the children will also be examining some some classic Victorian poetry.

Maths

 As mathematicians, we will be learning and applying a wide range of maths skills, including converting imperial and metric heights using census information from local workhouses, embedding Y5 and Y6 place value knowledge, as well as the consolidating and mastering the four operation methods: column addition, column subtraction, short and long multiplication and division. Please visit our Maths page for our current calculation policy.

History

In history, we will be investigating the question, ‘How did the Industrial Revolution impact Victorian Britons?’

We will first examine who Queen Victorian was and how she changed throughout her reign. We then deduce what life was like for the workers of Britain; comparing those from various classes. To conclude our investigation into the Victorian era, we will learn about the fight for children’s rights and the significance of Lord Shafesbury and Dr Barnardo.

Science 

 Our science topic will be ‘Animals, including humans’. We will investigate the following questions:

How does the circulatory system work?
Why is diet and exercise important?
Does exercise have an impact on our heart rate?
What impact do drugs and alcohol have on the body?
Should smoking be banned?

 Art

 In art, we will be exploring the works of William Morris and comparing his work to influential movements from Gothic (medieval) period (13-14th century), Impressionism, Art Nouveau  and Romanticism (19th century) styles.  Who was William Morris and what was his style? Was he really one of the best influential designers of the nineteenth century? Who influenced him?

Design Technology

After our William Morris study, we will research the toys used in the Victorian era (to include automatons). The children will research their designs, plan and make their own automaton. They will explore a focused practical task looking at cams. Will they be able to design an automaton based on the brief? Whose will be the most successful?

Religious Education

During our RE sessions, we’ll be thinking about ‘Does faith help people in Cornwall when life gets hard?’ 

Spiritual inquiry and experiences can be intensely personal or wonderfully collective and Cornwall offers both. It offers space for quiet reflection and is also home to a wealth of faith communities and spiritual groups. Our Year 6 children will given the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences of Cornwall and explore why some people feel that their spirituality or faith is supported by being in Cornwall.

 Computing

During our computing sessions, we will be learning to identify characteristics of effective adverts. The children will then design their own advert for ‘Coghearts’. Throughout this module, we will discuss rules for working with the video cameras, e.g. asking for permission, always presenting, people well, treating the equipment with respect.

PE

‘Gym Sequences’: We will be learning to use balances/ counterbalances and incorporate them into a sequence of movements and balances (symmetrical and asymmetric).

‘Step to the beat’ We will be learning to understand the value of aerobic exercise. We will measure heart rate and note any changes during and after a sequence of step-based activities to music.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.

Many thanks for all your continued support.

Homework

We still expect children to read at home most nights for 25 – 30 minutes either to themselves or with an adult. This could be their school Accelerated Reader book, listening to a story read by someone else or sharing a favourite book. All are equally valuable. Talking about what they have read is also vital to help develop comprehension skills. This is particularly beneficial to the children when completing their Accelerated Reader quizzes.  All children have a reading record book in which parents, carers or the children themselves can record what they have read or make any comments.

In addition, children all have access to Times Tables Rockstars, and Spelling Shed – online sites for practising their weekly times tables and weekly spellings.   Please encourage your child to learn their spellings and times tables regularly – five or ten minutes a day is more beneficial than an hour once a week.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.

We love reading at Lanner!  Reading to, and with, your child is one of the greatest gifts you can give as this early acquisition of a love for reading will ensure your children becomes a reader for life.  Research shows that reading and talking to your child about stories, information books and poems from an early age benefits them for life.

With such a wide range of books available, knowing the ‘right’ one to choose can sometimes be a little confusing, so why not have a look at the recommended reads below for Year 6 children?  Many of these books are also available at the local library so, if you’re not already a member, have a look at the link below to join up and re-invigorate your reading journey!