Year 5 Summer Term

The Ancient City of Benin - Summer 1
 
Where is Benin? Why is it important? This topic will begin with the children exploring pictures of various artefacts. What do they reveal about the people who crafted them? 

The Kingdom of Benin was a kingdom that existed in West Africa, in the area which is now known as Nigeria. It began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa, and ended in 1897 when the kingdom was annexed by the British Empire.

 

We will explore the history of Africa in a way that will be memorable and enjoyable! We will use the text 'Idia of the Benin Kingdom', which is an empowering children's picture book that takes readers on a beautifully illustrated journey to the 1500s in ancient Africa. Children will be captivated as they watch Idia transform herself from the young and curious daughter of a village warrior to becoming the Queen of the Kingdom of Benin. Idia was an actual queen who helped rule the ancient kingdom of Benin with her wisdom, charisma, and prowess. The book imagines what her childhood may have been like, and shares the story of this well-loved and successful African queen in a way that is relatable.

We will read a range of other short stories from Africa and explore non-fiction texts to find out more about the Ancient City of Benin.  

 

The Benin Empire made great achievements, but it is most famous for its amazing artworks. In art, children will explore different African masks and create their own.

 

By the end of this unit, children should be able to recall key information about the Ancient Kingdom of Benin. They should be able to locate it on the world map. They will be able to retell many of the short traditional tales from Benin. 

 

Science - Animals including Humans 

These Science objectives will be taught discretely during Summer 1. 

We will learn about the life cycle of an insect and amphibian and understand the similarities and differences between them. We will describe and compare the life cycle of a bird and mammal. We will move on to investigate, understand and compare the processes of pollination, fertilisation, reproduction and seed dispersal.