Anston Park Junior School

Welcome back! We hope you've had a lovely half term break and are looking forward to the rest of term ahead.

Below, is all of the information about the upcoming topics we will be studying over the next term. Have a look around!
If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to speak to the class teacher either in a morning before or after school. Alternatively, you can contact school via email: enquiries@anstonparkjuniors.co.uk 

Over the year, we will be studying a range of different books in English.

We are currently reading: 

Can we save the Tiger? by Martin Jenkins

So far we have also read:

Star of Fear, Star of Hope by Jo Hoestlandt and Erika's story by Ruth Vander Zee

 
Below is our long term plan for the foundation subjects.
This shows the topics that will we cover across the different half terms.

Below, you will find more information about the key questions we will be answering this term across the different subjects. As well as key vocabulary, content and useful links. 

Geography - South America: The Amazon
What is life like in the Amazon?

During this unit, we will: 
find out about the Amazon region of South America considering what it is like to live in the region as well as how it is being damaged and how it can be protected. 

• Extend our knowledge and understanding beyond the local area to include South America
• Develop our use of geographical knowledge, understanding and skills to enhance our locational and place knowledge
• Locate the world’s countries using maps, and concentrate on our environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries and major cities
• Understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region in South America
• Describe and understand key aspects of physical and human geography
• Use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computing mapping to locate countries and describe features studied.

Key Vocabulary:

Useful links: 

https://www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/amazon
https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Amazon-Rainforest/631208
https://www.twinkl.co.uk/teaching-wiki/amazon-rainforest
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zwkfrmn
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zvvmjhv

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Science - Light

During this unit, we will: 
look at beams of light and how light travels to enable us to understand how we see things.

• Recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines.
• Use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain that objects are seen because they give out or reflect light into the eye.
• Explain that we see things because light travels from light sources to our eyes or from light sources to objects and then to our eyes.
• Use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them. 
• Plan different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary.
• Take measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate.
• Record data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs.
• Use test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests.

Key Vocabulary:

Useful links: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zxm96rd
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As part of our wider curriculum, children can also choose to complete homework from our homework menu (see below). This is optional, however, it will be enjoyable for the children and it will allow them to take their learning further and share it with you at home. Once any tasks have been completed please bring them into school and we will do our best to display as many of them as possible.

We would love to see how creative you can be and display your hard work for all to see.

Reading is an essential part of the curriculum and opens up many other curriculum areas. We expect children to read at least three times a week at home. Some children may choose to read independently, which is completely fine, but it is also helpful for adults to check children understand the vocabulary within the text and understand the content of what they are reading.   

Children need to spend time at home practising their times tables. In Y6, children need to have rapid recall of all times table facts up to 12x12 as well as associated division facts (e.g. 5x6=30 so 30÷6=5). Children can prepare for the times table challenge and aim to achieve their best times. Don't forget to visit the Times Tables Rock Stars website to help them practise their tables and earn coins to promote their band! It is their challenge this year to top the leader board and help their band to win the Battle of the Bands. 

https://play.ttrockstars.com/ 

These are the list of statutory words that children need to be able to read and spell by the end of Year 6. The more you practise the more you will know! You could practise these words at home by handwriting them, asking an adult to test you or using some of the spelling strategies we have learnt in school.

Both classes have P.E. on a Thursday and Friday afternoon.
Children should come to school in their PE kits on these days. 

Indoor Kit = white t-shirt or polo shirt (no football shirts), black shorts and suitable shoes (pumps or trainers)
Outdoor Kit = black tracksuit bottoms and warm jacket and shoes suitable for the outdoors (trainers)

Please remember that no jewellery should be worn and earrings MUST be removed by children for any PE session. Long hair needs to be tied back. Also, no football shirts should be worn for P.E.