Year 5

This term we are looking at the theme of adventures.

This involves reading ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ by Michael Morpurgo.  As well as considering the characters and themes of the novel, we will also be exploring a Japan, the birth place of Kensuke (a key character from the story).  We will learn about the location of Japan, the islands it is made up of and its physical and human geographical features.  During Geography lessons, we'll also look at how longitude and latitude lines help us to give coordinates to locate countries of the world and all about how earthquakes happen.  Across other areas of the curriculum, we will be creating our own art and music inspired by Japanese themes and styles.

In English we'll be learning to write a variety of different texts with different themes and stimuli.  Beginning with character description and an informal letter based on a film about an ‘unsung hero’.  Moving onto setting descriptions and diary entries inspired by incredible real life stories of people who have survived against all the odds.  Later, we'll read and write autobiographies and biographies, including looking at how a narrative introduction can be an interesting way to lead into a more factual and formal account.  Finally we’ll be looking at stories involving heroic animals to inspire our writing.