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Bitterne Manor Primary School

Bitterne Manor

Primary School

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Autumn Topic

Africa (Maafa)

 

This Topic teaches children about Africa past and present and the development of the slave trade. It also explores Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, the causes and consequences of the European colonisation of Africa and the worldwide communities that make up the African diaspora.

 

                            

 

 

English

Throughout the topic we will be looking at different texts to focus on in our reading and
writing journeys. These will include the story ‘Freedom’ by Catherine Johnson, first-hand
accounts and non-chronological reports about the transatlantic slave trade and
newspaper reports.

 

                                         

 

The children will use their knowledge and understanding of our topic and different text
types to produce the following outcomes:
⮚ Narrative poems
⮚ Newspaper reports
⮚ Persuasive letters
⮚ Recounts and setting descriptions
Our reading journey will focus on texts linked to our topic. These texts will help us to
explore the comprehension-based skills that the children need to develop as they move
through year 6. Some tasks children will be asked to complete will include making

predictions, inferences, exploring interesting vocabulary, summarising their own
understanding of passages of the texts and retrieving information they have read. Further
to this, the children will also be given the opportunity to read independently to encourage
reading for pleasure among the class.

Maths

We begin the Autumn term by developing an understanding of the place value of
numbers to 10 million. We will be comparing, ordering and rounding large numbers and
learning to use negative numbers in context. We will revisit mental and written strategies
for addition and subtraction and apply these to real-life problems. In the second half of
the term, the children will learn about factors, multiples, prime, square and cube numbers
and will use this knowledge to solve a range of mathematical problems. They will also
extend their understanding of both mental and written multiplication methods.

 

Foundation Subjects:

 

History - Maafa (link to English/Geography)

This project teaches children about Africa past and present and the development of the slave trade. It also explores Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, the causes and consequences of the European colonisation of Africa and the worldwide communities that make up the African diaspora.

 

Geography - Africa (link to English/History)

We will be looking at; Africa – countries, land use, natural resources, location, settlements, population, climate and physical features.

 

Art (link to Maafa topic)

In art, we will be looking at the project ‘Trailblazers, barrier breakers’. This project
teaches children about significant black artists and their work, and provides
opportunities to analyse and create artwork inspired by them.

 

Computing 

During the autumn term the children will be building on their prior knowledge of online
safety and recapping their understanding of how to remain safe online. In addition to this,
they will learn about how to code, covering lessons that show them how to design codes
including a range of functions. Finally, the children will also learn about networks and how
to use the internet to support researching different topics.

 

PE

In Physical Education, the children will be learning tactics for invasion games and develop
their gymnastics skills. PGL residential will also take place during this term. 

 

RE

Our Religious Education concept for the first half term will be Justice and stories of justice
from different religions. The second half term will focus on the concept of Peace and the
Revelation of the Qu’ran.

 

PSHE

This term, the children will be looking at how to respect themselves and others; valuing
diversity and challenging discrimination and stereotypes.

 

How you can help at home

 

Parents can support by encouraging children to read lots of information books about Black history. Below are some useful websites which the children may want to explore...

  •   BBC Teach - Black History Month - Primary - KS1/5-7
  •   National Geographic Kids - Black History Month
  •   Black History Month - All you need to know - Newsround

 

As well as this, it is important that your child reads their book at least four times a week and brings it back to school so we can monitor their progress. We will check reading logs every Tuesday and the children will be rewarded with extra breaktime on a Thursday (for every 3 occasions they have read 4x a week or more.)  Reading at home will help enhance children’s reading skills as well as their writing.  Homework will be given out every Tuesday and Friday and asked to be returned on the same day the following week. It will be linked to what your child has been learning about in school that week so discussing their home learning with them would be a great way to help with their speaking and listening skills too!  

 

Thank you for your support, any questions please ask! :) 

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