Year 6 - Devastating insults, map reading and rangoli

In English, Year 6 has begun to find out more about William Shakespeare as part of our topic on the Tudors. We have read and ordered events from his life and about some of the plays that he wrote and why he was so famous. We have found out that Shakespeare loved to experiment with language and that he made up many words and phrases that we still use today like ‘blunt-witted’ and ‘all that glitters is not gold’. We also discovered that Shakespeare used his mastery of the language to create devastating insults and we enjoyed creating a few of these ourselves! We then watched the animated tale of Macbeth and created our own scene with the three witches, in drama, in preparation for our trip to the Globe next week!

We have returned to the topic of fractions this week, and began by discussing the different qualities and properties of fractions. Year 6 had to think carefully to decide whether statements such as ‘When you multiply one fraction by another the answer must always be bigger, were ‘Always True’, ‘Sometimes True’ or ‘Never True’. This was a great opportunity for the children to provide careful mathematical proofs, using diagrams, numerical statements and mathematical vocabulary. They have been reviewing how to compare and order fractions and mixed numbers, and are looking forward to manipulating fractions using all four operations next week!

In Science the children have been learning about classification. They have looked at how the animal and plant kingdoms can be broken down into smaller and smaller groups. The children have enjoyed grouping animals according to set criteria. A highlight has been using what they know about classification to create their own living being that can easily be classified by others. Their imaginations really ran wild! The children have now started to look at microorganisms and are beginning to plan a mould experiment.

The focus in Humanities has been on map reading. The children learnt that there are a range of maps such as Ordnance Survey (OS), Tube and road maps that can be used for different purposes. Using an OS map of London, the children used their knowledge of compass directions, four and six-figure grid references to locate features and complete a treasure hunt. The children compared a Tudor map of London with a modern map, which gave them insight into how London has evolved over the centuries. They were surprised to learn that London Bridge was the only bridge to connect both sides of the river in Tudor times!

Music lessons have included exciting South American Latin rhythms such as the Samba and Mambo, and pupils composed their own complex versions.

Diwali rangoli has been the theme in Art and Design & Technology with Year 6 pupils researching the art form of making rangoli patterns. Pupils worked in teams to design and create their own vibrant and original rangoli. The finished pieces will be judged and points awarded accordingly to each house.

In MFL, Year 6 are leaving their German behind them and now getting back to French. They have been getting excited to discover the name of their new French pen pal. Each Gateway School Year 6 pupil will be matched up with a pen pal from one of two French schools in the towns of Aubenas and Vallon in the Ardèche region. They are going to prepare a letter to introduce themselves in French.