Term 5 - Traders and Raiders 

WHY DID BRITAIN GET INVADED?

Who’s that waving axes and brandishing swords? It’s the Saxons invading Britain’s shores!

During this half term, we’ll start by making sturdy boats to sail the ocean’s fearsome waves. Using online maps, we’ll plot the location of Roman shore forts and draw our own sketch maps. We’ll make models of Saxon weaponry, homes and jewellery and carefully carve runes using clay tools. When we learn about the Legend of King Arthur, we’ll retell the story, and write character portraits about Alfred the Great.  Using maps, we’ll identify the places where the invaders came from and locate Viking invasion sites. We’ll research Viking beliefs and take part in a scrumptious Viking feast.

Help your child prepare for their project
Watch out – the Saxons and Vikings are invading! Why not visit your local library together to see if there have been any Saxon or Viking invasions in your area? You could also find out more by visiting your local museum to explore Saxon and Viking connections further. Alternatively, read books and watch films together to gain an insight into this period, such as How to Train Your Dragon.

TERM 4 - ONE PLANET, OUR WORLD

Why is our world wonderful?

In the One Planet, Our World project, your child will use maps to locate countries and read four-figure grid references. They will sort and classify human and physical features, and begin to use the eight points of a compass to locate geographical features on a map. Your child will study data to find out about life in three settlements. They will learn about the layers of Earth and study plate tectonics. They will name and describe the five major climate zones on Earth and begin to use longitude and latitude to locate places on a world map. Your child will locate and name countries and capital cities in Europe before studying significant human and physical features in the United Kingdom. They will learn about significant UK counties and cities and carry out fieldwork to study the effect of weather on the local environment. Your child will learn the five main types of land use and carry out an enquiry to discover more about local land use.

TERM 3 - TRIBAL TALES 

Let’s travel back to prehistoric times!

This half term we’re going to find a prehistoric site in our local area by studying maps and researching online. Through our research, we’ll learn about the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. What were people’s daily lives like and what epic battles did they fight? Using techniques such as cutting, scraping and mark making, we’ll make Stone Age tools. We’ll look closely at cave paintings and create our own. As we learn about the Bronze Age, we’ll build monuments and investigate their shadows. Copying the Beaker folk style, we’ll make clay containers. Then, we’ll travel to the Iron Age to learn about hill forts and the properties of iron. We’ll also make Iron Age jewellery. During an exploratory dig, we’ll find all sorts of objects and creatures. What will we uncover?

Help your child prepare for their project
It’s amazing to think that Stone Age people were alive 2.5 million years ago! As they used to paint on walls, why not create a painting on an old roll of wallpaper or a smooth stone from the garden? You could also visit your local library to research the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age history of your local area. Alternatively, visit a site from one of these time periods and imagine what it would have been like to live there.

Term 2 - Blue Abyss 

Grab your wetsuit! We’re going on a deep-sea adventure.

This half term, we’ll visit an aquarium to gain an insight into the ocean world. We’ll sketch different creatures and create clay sculptures of our favourite. Writing poems inspired by our favourite sea creatures will help us to develop a rich vocabulary. Using maps, globes and atlases, we’ll identify the world’s oceans and seas. We’ll also find different ways of grouping living things. Diving back into the 1800s, we’ll learn all about the HMS Challenger. As a challenge, we’ll create model submarines using recycled materials and program an onscreen submarine. After locating the Great Barrier Reef on a map, we’ll learn about the risks it faces. Flippers on? Snorkel ready? Let’s head into the Blue Abyss!

Help your child prepare for their project
Oceans are remarkable and fascinating places that are full of life. Why not visit the coast together to see an ocean or sea up close? You could also look at an atlas or online map to find out which seas and oceans surround Britain. Alternatively, work together to create an under-the-sea collage using different materials to represent the plants, creatures and water.

Term 1 - Gods and Mortals 

Let’s discover a fantastical world of mythical creatures and heroes!

This half term, we’ll learn about Apollo and the other gods who reign from Mount Olympus and create a 3-D head of our favourite god or goddess. We’ll explore the land of Greece, where the sun scorches the wings of Icarus and Helen of Troy inspires the launch of a thousand ships. In PE, we’ll take part in athletics and practise synchronised battle movements just like the ancient Greeks. Using historical source materials, we’ll research daily life in ancient Greece. We’ll write diaries as Daedalus or Icarus and learn about epic battles. In D&T, we’ll design wings, just like Daedalus, and make Trojan horses. We’ll read Theseus and the Minotaur and create amazing labyrinths, using positional language to guide others around the maze. On maps of Greece, we’ll plot the journeys made by ancient Greek characters.

At the end of the, we’ll create our own gods and look forward to presenting these to you on a special manuscript.

Help your child prepare for their project
Greece is a fascinating country that has a long and colourful history. Why not sample some delicious Greek food such as baklava or tzatziki? You could also research ancient Greek pots and sketch the intricate images painted on them. Alternatively, have fun taking part in a back garden Olympics, seeing who can run the fastest or throw a ball the furthest!