Year 5 Spring Term - 2

China - Spring 2
 
This half term, in our geography lessons, we will be learning about China. This topic will begin with the children using a map on Purple Mash to follow a route using the 8 compass point. We will locate China and its capital city on a world map and learn about its physical and human features. We will begin to understand what life is like for people that live in China, looking in detail at population, weather, climate, Mandarin, farming and export. We will then use our knowledge about China (Beijing) to contrast it with the UK (Birmingham).  
 

In English children will study ‘Oranges in No Man’s Land’ by Elizabeth Laird in their Reading lessons. They will then write short narratives based on a chapter.  

 

In science, we will continue to learn about materials by exploring and comparing the properties of materials, including what we have already learned about magmatism and electricity. We then explore reversible changes, including evaporating, filtering, sieving, melting and dissolving and irreversible changes, such as burning and other reactions, for example, vinegar with bicarbonate of soda.


We will work scientifically by carrying out tests to answer questions, such as which kitchen roll is the most absorbent? Or will salt dissolve best in hot or cold water? We research and discuss how chemical changes have an impact on our lives, for example cooking eggs is an irreversible change and melting chocolate is a reversible change.

In design technology we will design, make and evaluate a structure based on a wooden frame, acting as a test model of a high-rise office building so the architect can see if the design can withstand a simulated earthquake (purpose). 

 

Our PSHE sessions will continue to be facilitated through the Choices programme via Choices Lab.