2024/25
Term 5
During this term, Oak Trees will be looking at programming in Computing and for Geography we will be comparing Maidstone and London. In English, our focus will be on 'writing to inform' using the books 'Sulwe' by Lupita Nyong'o and 'Oliver and the Seawigs' by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre. In Maths, we will be looking at fractions and time. Our PE days will continue to be on Mondays and Fridays.
Programming
For our first learning experience, we will be looking at what algorithms are and how they are implemented. We will then create and debug simple programs. Finally, we will use our logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.
We investigated how Indy worked! We were able to make him go faster or slower!
Term 4
During term 4, Oak Trees will be learning about castles in History, materials in Science and, for DT, we will be looking at cooking by making healthy snacks such as fruit or vegetable kebabs. Finally we will be using Charanga again to cover music. In English, our focus will be on 'writing to entertain' using the books 'The Invisible' by Tom Percival, 'Mr Penguin' by Alex T Smith and 'On the Ning Nang Nong' by Spike Milligan. In Maths, we will continue our learning of multiplication and division before moving on to length and height and mass, capacity and temperature. Our PE days will continue to be on Mondays and Fridays with Mr Brooks.
Everyday Materials
This learning experience will see Oak Trees identifying and classifying a number of everyday materials including: wood, metal, rock, glass, water and plastic. They will be able to distinguish between an object and the material it is made from as well as compare and group materials based on their properties. Finally, they will investigate and test different materials for their effectiveness.
We then went on to test for flexibility.
We tested a variety of materials for absorbency.
We worked in small groups to identify and sort everyday materials. We then created a whole class example.
Fruit Kebabs
For this learning experience, the children will practise their peeling and cutting skills before moving on to taste-testing a variety of fruits to investigate flavour combinations. They will then plan and make a fruit kebab based on flavours, colours or patterns before inviting their parents in to taste and evaluate the kebabs.
We invited our grown-ups to school to taste-test and create another kebab with us, as well as evaluate the fruit kebabs.
Final design! We used our cutting skills to chop the fruit!
We then tasted a variety of fruit!
We learnt how to use peelers and knives correctly to prepare food.
Castles
During our first learning experience, Oak Trees will be covering history and looking at castles. To start the experience, we will be visiting Bodiam Castle and looking at the features and, due to our trip to Leeds Castle last term, we will be able to compare the two castles. We will be looking at the features of a castle, as well as the different types and why that might be. We will also be looking at how and why castles change. Finally, we will be looking at medieval castles and what daily life would have been like.
After looking at the different types of castles, we designed our own.
We designed our own castles and labelled the features.
We had a fantastic time exploring Bodiam Castle!
Term 3
During term 3, Oak Trees will be learning about Christians in RE and, during our Geography lessons, we will be completing a non-European country study. After that, we will look at seasonal changes in Science before ending the term with PSHE, looking into health. In English, our focus will be on 'writing to inform' using the books 'The Pirate Mums' by Jodie Lancett-Grant and 'Sam Wu is not afraid of ghosts' by Katie and Kevin Tsang. In Maths, we will be looking at money and multiplication and division. Our PE days will continue to be on Mondays and Fridays with Mr Brooks.
Leeds Castle
We were lucky enough to be invited to visit Leeds Castle, and we thoroughly enjoyed the day!
Health
For our last learning experience of the term, we will be looking at the PANTS lesson, where children will learn about the scientific names of body parts. We will also be looking at personal hygiene routines and how we can help stop germs from spreading. We will also have a visit from a dental nurse who will show us how to clean our teeth properly. Finally, we will discuss the importance of medicine and correct doses.
The visit from the dental nurse was very exciting! We got a goody bag to take home that contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, a timer and a chart!
We did an experiment to see how washing our hands with soap encourages the germs from spreading.
Country Comparison
During this learning experience, Oak Trees will compare the UK with Mexico. We will be understanding the geographical similarities and differences between the two through the study of the physical and human features of both countries, as well as discussing the climate, location, population and culture.
Finally, we created a leaflet comparing the two countries and invited our parents to come in and see all of our fabulous work.
We compared the similarities and differences of the landmarks of each country.
We also looked at the climate of both countries.
We then used our map skills to locate Mexico and the UK on a world map, the equator line and the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
To begin this experience, we had a carousel of activities whereby we learnt about Mexico. We learnt about the food, music and the language spoken.
Maths
We have begun our new topic of money and investigated the different coins we use.
Christians
During this learning experience, Oak Trees will be asking key questions, including: Who is a Christian and what do they believe? How and why do we celebrate special and sacred times? And finally, what does it mean to belong to a community?
We thought about the impact Christians have on the community and what community means to us.
We then discussed what is important to Christians and ourselves and realised that a lot of the values overlapped, so we created a Venn diagram to show this.
We then drew and explained the important symbols.
We looked at artefacts and discussed what symbols are important to Christians and why.
To start this experience, we learnt about the fingertip knowledge we must know about Christianity. This includes the name of the religion, the followers, the sacred text, the deity and finally, the place of worship.
Term 2
Throughout this term, Oak Trees will be learning about transport in History, digital music in Computing and creating masks in Art. In PSHE, we will be looking at physical health and mental wellbeing and during our Music lessons we will be learning to play the Glockenspiel. In English, our focus will be on 'writing to entertain' and we will do this through the books 'Where the wild things are' by Maurice Sendak and 'Pugley on ice' by Pamela Butchart. Our Maths learning will continue with addition and subtraction before moving onto shape. Our PE days will continue to be on Mondays and Fridays with Mr Brooks.
12 Days of Christmas!
Oak Trees thoroughly enjoyed the 12 days of Christmas and had lots of fun!
Attendance
One of our attendance treats this term was time on the bikes! We had lots of fun!
Hey You!
Our final learning experience of the term is music, where we will be learning to play the Glockenspiel. We will be learning the song Hey You! by Joanna Mangona. We will be learning to appraise the music and compare it to other songs, including The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and You can't touch this by MC Hammer! We will learn to play the instrument alongside the singing and continue with our knowledge of pulse, rhythm and tempo.
Oak Trees became confident with playing the Glockenspiel!
We learnt how to listen carefully to the pitch and repeat rhythms. Scan the QR code to hear how good we are!
We performed Hey You! Scan the QR code to hear how well we did!
Then we got to use the Glockenspiel to create music, making sure we stayed on time with the rhythm.
We used our bodies to create rhythm.
Digital Music
For this learning experience, Oak Trees will be learning how to create music digitally using technology. We will be using the app Chrome Music Lab to learn about pulse, rhythm and tempo. We will create a piece of music that will represent how we think certain animals may move.
After we had experimented, we learnt the importance of tempo and created music based on our chosen animal. Scan the QR code to check out our masterpieces!
Then we understood the importance of tempo.
We experimented with pulse and rhythm first!
Where the Wild Things are Masks
For this learning experience, Oak Trees will be looking at the artists Kimmy Cantrell and Romuald Hazoume and comparing their creations with the Wild Things that are featured in the book by Maurice Sendak. They will also be developing and applying skills such as cutting, measuring and arranging. They will use these skills to then create a mask based on the Wild Things.
Craft (Where the Wild Things are)
Creating our masks!
We then used our cutting skills (and resilience) to cut the shape out. Once completed, we carefully pierced holes so we can see when wearing the mask.
To create the base of our mask, we measured the width and length of our face and drew the measurements accurately onto a piece of card, before joining them to create an oval shape.
We used our measuring skills to draw shapes to scale. We then practised our cutting skills.
We practised our measuring skills by accurately using a ruler and correctly holding a pencil.
We started this learning experience by comparing and analysing the two artists with images of the Wild Things which we annotated using our artistic opinions.
Physical Health and Fitness and Mental Wellbeing
For our next learning experience, we will be looking at the importance of having an active and physical lifestyle and how it links to improving mental wellbeing. We will be keeping a diary of the activities we are involved in throughout the week and record our feelings before and after taking part in physical activity. We will also be talking about different emotions and that it is normal to have those feelings.
Physical Health and Fitness Mental Wellbeing
Maths
We have started looking further at place value and exchanging ten ones for one ten and vice versa when adding or subtracting across a ten.
Transport
During this learning experience, Oak Trees will be looking at the enquiry of 'how has transport developed through time?' We will do this by examining the questions 'what is transport?' and 'what did early forms look like?' We will also look at how cars, air and rail travel have changed over time. Finally, we will be investigating how the invention of the steam engine impacted Britain and how travel has changed in Kent. As part of our learning, we will be visiting Dover Transport Museum, which will help the children to understand the questions we will be asking ourselves.
We had the best day visiting Dover Transport Museum!
Term 1
During term 1, Oak Trees will be learning about animals (including humans) in Science, making bird and bug sculptures in Art, and during DT, we will create moving books. Our English lessons will be based around the book 'Mixed' by Arree Chung with a focus on 'writing to entertain'. Our class book will be 'Fantastic Mr Fox' by Roald Dahl, which we will read together during shared reading time. In Maths, we will be learning about and understanding place value. Our PE days will be on Mondays (invasion games) and Fridays (dance) with Mr Brooks.
Attendance
Oak Trees have earned a gold medal twice this term, one of which was a double, which allowed us to roll the dice and move around the Classopoly board three times. Our treats are: new books for the classroom, quiz games and bikes and scooters! We were very happy with the choices!
Moving Books
For this next learning experience, Oak Trees will be learning what sliding and lever mechanisms are and how they can create one to make a still image move. To begin with, we will analyse existing products by looking at a range of books with moving mechanisms. Afterwards, we will look at what wheel mechanisms are and test them out, before planning, creating and analysing our own moving book!
We worked in small groups to recreate the story of the Gruffalo, using our new-found skills of mechanisms to create a moving book.
To continue our learning of mechanisms, Oak Trees learnt how to create a wheel which enabled us to show different images within one still image.
Once we learnt how to create a slider, we looked at how pivoting works and how we can use it to make images move.
Oak Trees learnt how to create levers to make a moving picture.
We looked at existing products and analysed the different mechanisms used to create the moving parts.
Virtual author session
Oak Trees had a virtual session with author Hamza Yassin, who was talking about his new book Wild World. We learnt lots of interesting facts, such as how a silverback gorilla beats its chest and what the fastest animal in the world is!
Sculpture: Bugs and Birds
During this learning experience, Oak Trees will be looking at the artists Barbara Kobylinska and Vicki Atkinson and how they create their sculptures of bugs and birds. They will also experiment with and manipulate man-made and natural resources. Once they have done so, they will learn how to use tools they will be using safely. Oak Trees will then be able to plan their sculpture before creating their final piece using wire.
After discussing how we could improve our sculptures, we decided they needed to look more 3D, and we could create this by wrapping wire around itself. We are very proud of our final sculptures!
Our initial sculptures.
We are proud of our learning!
We started to manipulate the wire to create shapes.
We worked in small groups to create our sculptures.
We then experimented with different materials to create shapes and sculptures.
We looked at pictures of birds and bugs and compared them to the sculptures by the artists. We then annotated the pictures to describe the colours, shape and texture.
Maths
We did lots of learning in our first week of Maths. Including being able to use a place value chart and write stem sentences explaining the values in each column! We were very proud of our work!
Animals (including humans)
During this learning experience, Oak Trees will be identifying and naming a variety of animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. We will also be identifying carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. We will also be investigating the five senses of humans by conducting a fair test as well as looking at pattern-seeking. We will also be making observations over time around school. Finally, Oak Trees will be visiting the Rare Breeds Centre to consolidate all of their learning.
We conducted a scientific experiment that included taste-tasting different flavours of crisps! We were able to make predictions using our senses, we were also able to use words such as: salty or spicy!
Oak Trees visited the Rare Breeds Centre and had the best day! We were able to pet lots of different animals and use our new knowledge to determine what group of animals they belong to. We also had lots of fun exploring the surroundings and enjoyed the tractor ride and playing on the equipment!
We built on our previous knowledge to identify and classify animals based on whether they are herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.
We went on a walk around school to use our senses, and we were able to hear, see, smell, taste and feel lots of different objects, including the rain, which allowed us to use all five senses at once!
To begin this experience, Oak Trees sorted and identified a range of animals into groups.
