Year 1 Curriculum letter

Spring term 2020

Humanities This term we will be learning about changes to living memory and will investigate this through transport. We will start with learning about the Wright Brothers and the building of the first aeroplane. We will then continue through time looking at Amy Johnson who was a pioneering English female pilot who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia. Finally we will arrive on the moon looking at the first moon landing and Tim Peak focusing on the improvements made in space travel over the last 50 years. We will learn the names of the continents and oceans and will start to make simple maps using a key.

Science Our Science unit this term is Materials. We will investigate, name and identify wood, plastic, metal, glass, rock, brick, water and other materials. We will then identify their properties and understand that many objects can be made from a range of different materials, for example a spoon can be made from wood, metal or plastic. We will test materials to compare their properties. On the week beginning the 10th of February we will be having a science week, where pupils will be conducting exciting investigations throughout the week. There will also be a family science event so watch this space for details.

LiteracyOur literacy this term will be linked to our Humanities topic of Transport. We will begin with the story ‘Journey’, writing setting descriptions and re-telling descriptive stories. We will also be using Emma Jane’s Aeroplane to travel the world later this term. Please ensure your child is continuing to practise spelling any Year 1 common exception words they are not yet confident with. Please see me if you need a new copy of these words. We are working hard at developing our knowledge of the phase 5 sounds and reading and writing words with these sounds. I will be sending home small flashcards to support the children with these.

Maths Our maths topics will include addition and subtraction, shape and place value. We will count to and from 100 daily and will continue to practise counting in 2’s 5’s and 10’s.

It is really important that children are fluent with their number bonds to 10, including the bonds to all the numbers to ten, for example, bonds to 8 as these are the building blocks for the maths curriculum.

Art and DT In Art we will be making comparisons between the artists Van Gogh and Lowy. Investigating their different styles and what they chose to paint. DT will see us designing cars using axels and wheels.

REIn RE we will be asking the questions ‘Why is it good to listen to and remember the stories Jesus told?’ and will be learning lessons from key stories from the Bible. Later in the term we will ask ‘Why are Saints important to Christians?’ and will look at our school saint - Saint John the Evangelist. Finally we will ask ‘Why is Easter the most important Festival to Christians?

MusicThis term in music we will be covering the topic ‘In the Groove’. Each week you will listen and learn a different style of music including Blues, Baroque, Latin, Bhangra, Folk and Funk. Later in the term our focus will be around one song: Round and Round, a Bossa Nova Latin style.

PSHEWe will start the term learning about feeling safe and safety in familiar situations and what we put into and on to bodies to help us and makes us feel better.

Computing In computing this term we will be making our own animated stories. We will also be looking at spreadsheets, adding images to a spreadsheet and exploring the count function. Later this term we will celebrate internet safety week.

PE Dance is our topic for PE this term. We will be creating movements in response to music and create patterns and sequences of movement.

St John’s Upper Holloway CE Primary School‘Love each other as I have loved you’ – John 15:12

Year 1 Spring term curriculum letter

Our science topic this term is Everyday materials

How can we describe different materials?

Our humanities topic this term is Changes within living memory

Is transport getting better?

Dear parents and carers

Welcome to the Spring term! I hope you have had a wonderful and relaxing break. This will be a very exciting term and I look forward to seeing how much the children can learn. Please make sure your child is in school on time every day. Our first lesson each day is phonics and children who are late will miss vital learning.

Key Dates: School Trip 22nd January- parent volunteers neededScience Week 10th FebruaryClass Assembly Friday 13th MarchAsh Wednesday service Wednesday 26th FebruaryEaster service Friday 3rd AprilParents evenings Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd April

Reminders: PE: Our PE day this term is Tuesday with Coach Jonny. Please come

to school dressed in PE kits and bring your school uniform to change into. The correct kit is a navy T-Shirt, blue shorts or jogging bottoms and trainers. PE kit bags are £6 from office.

Homework: Homework is handed out on Fridays and collected in the following Wednesday.

Please make sure your child reads for at least 20 minutes per day and please record something in their yellow Reading Record.

Reading records are checked daily so need to be in school. They are also used to communicate with parents, so please do check for notes (and of course, feel free to respond).

Links to support learning can be found on the Year 1 page of our school website: www.stjohnuspperholloway.co.uk. All login details are in homework folders.

If you would like to meet me to discuss anything, please feel free to make an appointment for before or after school.

Miss Ross Goobey Year 1 Class Teacher