Summer Term In P6

Welcome back to the Summer Term – last term in P6! I hope you all enjoyed the Easter holidays despite the awful weather.

Here is a little resume of what the final term holds. You will see that some of it is an extension of last term or completing ongoing work.

Mathematics
We have covered massive amounts of work on all areas of maths and so we will be revising all and extending it where appropriate. Mostly this term I want to really get the children thinking mathematically and I will be extending our work on problem solving. We will use some carousel work to revise the numeracy we have already covered and the children should be prepared to ask the questions they still need to ask about the number work we have already covered. It is essential that they achieve a solid base for mathematics. Times tables will feature again and mental math’s “tests” where they can challenge themselves to improve their mental dexterity!
Data handling will be taught and then embedded through our social studies theme on atlas work and varying climates.

Language
Reading
This term in reading I will be focusing on close reading work, or comprehension if you like, and how to complete this type of task successfully.
For those children who have done substantial book reviews, I will not expect any more from them this term. For some, however, if I have not had sufficient quality reviews, then these may continue for a while. The aim is to increase reading amount and verbally explore their texts with a partner instead of writing the review. They will still have to keep a record of the books they have read and the genres and I will continue to monitor this.
Reading workshops will be class work for a while as we explore the story of “Babe” as a text and as a film. The children will be asked to write a comparison of both mediums. After that we may well continue to read as a class and explore some of the new class texts that have recently come into school. The focus will be on picking apart a text to look at setting, character development, theme, author’s craft and the types of language that an author uses to tell a good story. This should transfer to their own creating writing.
Writing
We will be continuing the theme of the short story this term and trying to really spot where we are using certain skills in making our story more engaging for the reader. This will include a written commentary about the skills the children have chosen to use to enhance their story.
This term as a part of our election campaign the children will be writing manifestos, speeches, arguments and so on – lots of opportunity to make use of their developing discursive skills. Some of HWB work will also be looking at the power of advertising and the language of persuasion.
Spellings will continue and I will be merging one of the groups.

HWB
In health and wellbeing we will be continuing with all the work on social wellbeing and much of this is covered through our critical skills style approach to our learning. The main emphasis this term will be on Keeping Myself Safe – computer generated programmes to watch and discuss linked to the dangers they might come across as they get older. Linked to this work on keeping myself safe I will ask the community police officer to come and work with the children on alcohol and drug misuse. This will be geared to P6 age and stage.
One of the activities we ran out of time for last term was the invitation for parents / grandparents/ aunties uncles etc. to come in and talk to us about their work and the world of work. I am not setting aside specific times for this work and would invite ANY PERSON WHO HAS A WISH TO SHARE THEIR EMTHUSIASM FOR THEIR CARREER WITH THE P6 CLASS TO SIMPLY LET ME KNOW AND WE WILL ARRANGE A DATE OVER THE TERM. Thank you in advance.
Tennis is still on the agenda and I am hoping that Mhairi’s mum is still keen to help with this and if so, we are thinking about the last 6 weeks of term. Tuesday afternoons from 2.20pm would be ideal as that is my hall time.
We will be completing our Olympic work with our own mini Olympics when we go back. This will include, running races, throwing competitions, 5 a side football and a shared marathon with everyone running a piece. Medals will be issued and there will be a winning country.
In food and nutrition we will be looking at the journey of food and this is likely to be a homework project and include some data handling. The importance of food labelling will also form part of this work.
The power of advertising will also be considered as we look at how easily persuaded we are and the tricks that are used to convince us to buy a product.

Social Studies
The children want to continue their work on democracy through an election process. This will include the children developing their own parties, considering their own priorities, writing manifestos and designing and developing campaigns to sell themselves. As you can imagine there will be a lot of cross curriculum work covered in this approach.
Our second area of study this term is to look at maps and atlases. We will be learning how to use an ordnance survey map to locate places using 6 figure references. We will also be learning to make full use of an atlas to explore countries and then to contrast them in terms of climate. This should allow us to make use of our data handling skills again.

Technology
It is my intention to invite Carl Rodgers from NBHS to come and show P6 how to use programming software. They will then use this knowledge to put together a simple computer game.
I would also like to teach the children how to use Google Sketch Up or something similar and I am looking for anyone who has expertise that they might share with the children and myself in order to facilitate this.

RME
We are continuing the work begun last term on world religions. The children have been researching their own chosen world religion and they are now ready to get together with other children who have chosen the same religion. They have a challenge to present their learning at an assembly in the new term.

Expressive Arts
We have a drama specialist coming in in the new term to work on a drama called “Arrival”. We are looking forward to this.
Creative dance will be worked on as a challenge this term and the children will have the chance to work in small groups and choose their own piece of music to choreograph a dance to. This will be filmed.
In art the children will have a choice of what art work they wish to work on; detailed pencil drawing, still life painting, model making with modroc.

As you can see this is another very busy but hopefully enjoyable term. I am also hoping that if the weather is good, we will complete much of our work outside. It would therefore be prudent to make sure your child comes to school with long lasting sun-cream on or a small bottle to self- administer, sunglasses and a hat!

Can I take this opportunity to say how lovely it was to see you all on parents’ night and to be able to tell you about all the lovely work your children do in school. I have enjoyed having this class so much and feel privileged to have been their teacher for two years. I hope they maintain this standard of work throughout their educational years and beyond.