Topic Overview
Brilliant Bees
Key Question?
How can I help the bees?
This year, our whole-school learning journey has taken children on an exciting exploration of our world through time and place. In history, pupils discovered what our world was like in the past, while in geography they explored what it is like today. As we move into our final topic, we are proud to become Planet Protectors, focusing on how we can care for our world in the future. Through our inspiring enquiry, “How can I give the world a hug?”, children will develop their PSHE skills by considering how their actions can make a positive difference. Each year group will explore the question “How can I make the world a better place for…”, with Reception learning about polar bears, Year 1 about bees, Year 2 about turtles, Year 3 about elephants and Year 4 about orangutans. Throughout this journey, we will champion our core values of being caring, curious and courageous, empowering children to speak up and take action. Although their voices may be small, they are powerful, valued and truly deserve to be heard.
English
This half term in literacy we will have a big focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar. We will look at question marks and exclamation marks, and when to use them correctly in a sentence and recap using capital letters for proper nouns. We will expose the children to a range of common suffixes to enhance their vocabulary and ensure they understand how a prefix and suffix can change the meaning of a word.
Inspired by our topic, we will have a go at writing our own summer garden poems and write information texts about the importance of bees in our environment. Can the children begin to apply the joins learned in handwriting to their written work?
Please continue to read daily. We encourage the reading of any books at home, as well as our Little Wandle books. When reading with your child, please try to discuss what has happened and how characters are feeling. It would be great if you could predict what may happen and encourage expression.
Thank you for your support!
Key Vocabulary:
- Suffix (-ed, -er, -est, -ing)
- Prefix - un
- Punctuation - . ‘ ? !
Oracy
At Archibald, we are developing children’s speaking and listening skills through a strong focus on Oracy. Through dedicated Oracy sessions, discussion activities and engaging games, pupils are learning how to express their ideas clearly, listen carefully to others and build confidence when speaking. We encourage children to use ambitious vocabulary, take turns in conversation and share their thoughts respectfully, helping them to become confident communicators both in the classroom and beyond.
Our oracy targets this half term are:
- Class 3 - To look at someone who is speaking to me.
- Class 4 - To look at someone who is speaking to me.
Phonics
Phonics continues to be taught daily in Year 1. At school we use the Little Wandle program and there is a great part of the website just for parents/carers: https://www.littlewandle.org.uk/resources/for-parents/ Take a look at the following resources:
Maths
In numeracy this half term we will be finishing Year 1 by looking at fractions. The children will identify halves and quarters of both shapes and amounts. We will then move on to exploring place value to 100. The children should be able to read, write, compare and order numbers to 100. They will also use analogue clocks to begin to tell the time. We will focus on o’clock and half past to begin with and help the children to understand minutes and hours. We will then move on to quarter past and quarter to as a little challenge. Finally, we will explore the coins and notes of our money system. We will learn to recognise them, understand their value and add them together to make different amounts.
Websites:
Key Vocabulary:
- Centimetres, metres
- Grams, kilograms
- Whole, half, quarter
- Multiply and divide
Science
Science will be a key focus of this half term as the children explore physical features in their surroundings. We will begin our topic by recapping animal classification, with a focus solely on insects. We will look at a variety of common trees and plants found in the UK and explore their structure. The children will learn about evergreen and deciduous trees and be able to classify these.
Key Vocabulary:
- root
- stem
- flower
- deciduous
- evergreen
Computing
In computing we will explore software to create our own digital art through animation software. The children will also revisit their word processing skills using Microsoft Word to create a fact file about bees.
Art and Design Technology
Each half term the children will have a week dedicated to art and/or DT. During art week, we will collapse the curriculum and deliver a full arts week.
Art: Inspired by Katie and the Sunflowers, we will look at the great Vincent Van Gogh and appraise some of his most famous paintings whilst looking at his unique technique. Inspired by his sunflowers painting, we will revisit a key element of art; colour, and build on our skills of colour mixing to create our very own piece. To finish the week, the children will also create their own sculptures on sculpture day. We will explore different shapes and designs and work collaboratively to create a team sculpture.
Music
The children combine all the musical concepts learned throughout Year 1 for an underwater-themed performance incorporating instrumental, vocal and body sounds. They will be able to play and sing high and low sounds. They will also be able to investigate moving to represent the tempo of the music.
PE
Year 1 are very lucky to receive cricket lessons from Northumberland Cricket Board. We can’t wait! We will also be continuing with forest school as well.
PE Days: C3 - Tuesday and Friday C4 - Monday and Tuesday
Religious Education
Throughout our weekly R.E. lessons, the children will continue to explore the Christian faith. They will look at the way in which Christianity is taught through stories and characters. They will compare Noah and Moses as leaders.
PSHE
Our big question this half term is: How can I make the world a better place for bees?
- This will be our main focus this half term, and will link closely with science and geography. Inspired by our core text “Omar the Bees and Me”, the children will learn about the importance of bees to environment. We will then work together to explore our local area and look at ways to encourage more bees to visit. Where do Bees like to make their home? How can we help make our local environment more bee friendly? The children will be encouraged to think carefully about our local area, looking at photographs, aerial images and plans. We will use everything we have learned to plan a route for a bee corridor in order to help our school grounds and local environment flourish, making sure that we look after these precious animals along the way.
Key Vocabulary:
- pollination
- insect
- bird
- environment
No Outsiders
Our stories and key messages this half term are... how are we all different and how do we show we are proud of our differences. Our key text is: Hair - it's a family affair.
Refugee Week at Archibald
In 2024, we proudly became a School of Sanctuary. The School of Sanctuary Award is given to schools in recognition of their good practice in fostering a safe and inclusive school environment, building understanding and empathy towards people seeking safety and working collaboratively to strengthen community approaches to welcoming refugee children and families. Biannually we celebrate Refugee Week. This year it is will be from 8th - 12th June where the children will be exploring this year's theme of Courage. Each Year group will also be reading and doing work around an age-appropriate text with themes of relocation, refugees and how we can show kindness and be welcoming.
In year 1 we will be thinking about refugees who have come to our country and drawing pictures to make them feel welcome.
Spanish
The children will learn all about superheroes. They will be introduced to a series of colours and high frequency verbs to help describe each superhero character (I am called, I have, I live, I am and I am able to). Each lesson will be accompanied by a song that pupils will be encouraged to actively participate in.
Our Values
Please Instagram us @archibald_1st if you see your child being #AFSCurious #AFSCaring #AFSCreative or #AFSCourageous
If you would like any further details about this half term's curriculum, please speak to your child's teacher.