Language & Literacy – In this half term we will be studying:

GRAMMAR

• review the importance of word order and the work that words do in sentences, in particular:

• Comparative adjectives
• Prepositions
• Apostrophes
• Direct Speech

WRITING –

Work on class novel ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ to be completed

Poetry

We will be looking at how poets use the following powerful techniques:

• Metaphors
• Similes
• Personification

The pupils will also look at the following forms of poetry and write their own -

• Haiku
• Kennings
• Limericks

WRITING – Journalistic Reports and Debates

• Engage with texts that can be used to inform, persuade, mislead and sway the reader
• Use Journalistic techniques to write news reports
• Study how effective arguments are constructed in journalistic writing
• Write a balanced report on a controversial issue
• Take part in class debates

Planning and redrafting of a final writing piece will also be carried out by the pupils.

World Around Us (Topic Work) -

Our topic this half term is ‘Space’

Children will:

1. In groups children will discuss and record what they know about Space and also what they want to find out.
2. Use a torch to investigate how the earth, moon and sun move around to create day and night and the seasons.
3. Using the internet to find out facts about the sun, moon and stars.
4. Visit to Armagh Planetarium
5. Investigate the phases of the moon
6. Find out about and investigate gravity – use different sized objects to create a fair test to see if larger objects fall quicker than smaller objects.
7. Learn the names of the planets and create nuemonics to help them remember the names. Explain that Pluto is no longer seen as a planet. http://www.ict4us.com/mnemonics/en_planets.htm
8. Find out about the history of space travel – using the internet and books. Find out about the most important events e.g. first man in the moon. Children to create a presentation, they can use different media, e.g verbal, powerpoint or make their own poster.
9. Mission to space – children will have to solve a series of problems after being given the task on a Mission to Mars – they will have to decide what to take with them and stay with in a budget. (Assessment Opportunity – Numeracy)