Year 6 Topic 1

Year 6 - Topic 1

History - Local History - Victorian Birmingham

 

In this topic we will be looking at changes in politics, technology, workplace needs and human rights and how this led to new laws around schooling. This will help us understand why schooling became compulsory during the Victorian times. We will also look at what Birmingham was like during this period and in turn look at local history. There will be an opportunity to see what is still the same and what is different. Children will also have a chance to explore lifestyle, inventions and politics, noting what changed and what did not. Children, in this topic, will also have the opportunity to experience what an actual school day would be like as they will have the opportunity to experience this when they go on the trip to the Black Country Museum. The children will also learn about Queen Victoria and what she was like during her time as queen, they will learn about her life and the changes she made to England when she was Queen. The children will also have the opportunity to learn about their local area Ward End and how that has changed since Victorian Britain.

 

In Science, the children will be able to describe how living things are classified into groups according to some observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences. They will be able to also give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristic by asking relevant questions and organising organisms using a classification key. The broad groups that we will be identifying are separated into vertebrates (organisms with a backbone) and invertebrates (without backbones), which will be further divided into groups including mammals, amphibians, fish, birds and reptiles. Pupils will also apply this knowledge to help them understand how organisms are adapted to their habitats and how their characteristics determine which habitats they are suited to. Pupils will find out about the significance of the work of scientists such as Carl Linnaeus, a pioneer of classification. The children will also have the opportunity to work on their scientific skills such as making scientific observations and record data once an investigation is conducted.

 

In Art, we will be exploring the artist Henri Rousseu. The children will have the opportunity to explore a piece of Henri’s work and they will be analysing the skills and techniques used in the picture. The children will have the opportunity to recreate artwork created by Henri Rousseu. The children are going to have an opportunity to create mark making and they are using different art tools like crayons, pencils and chalk to create the mark making. Children will also have the opportunity to create a collage and add this as something to their final art piece. They will also be commenting on the mood and atmosphere that is created in the artwork that Henri has used.