You can find all the weekly news from Year 6 linked below.
As part of our SATs revision, the children made a human sentence and rearranged themselves from an active sentence is a passive one. We also discussed which word was the subject, the verb and the object. This is just one fun way we are supporting the children with their revision.
As part of our Maths learning about 3d shapes, the children were set the challenge of designing nets for dice, ensuring that opposite sides total 7. Children were surprised to find that there is more than one way to solve the challenge.
Working collaboratively, the children have made some excellent posters as part of our new Geography topic about Global Trade. Groups were given the task of researching and presenting information about the Stone Age, the seventeenth century, the 1800s-1900s or the 21st century.
Our DT project has been hugely successful this week, and we were particularly proud of the way the children worked together so well. Collaboration is a key pillar underpinning our curriculum at Dorchester, and it was wonderful to see the children working well at both their DT skills and at working well together. Communication skills were used effectively as well as helping each other with more tricky challenges. The children's problem-solving skills were in full use!
As part of our Science topic about Electricity, children in Year 6 have been carrying out an investigation into how to change the brightness of a bulb or the speed of a motor. We planned this last week and carried it out this week. The children have been learning about Independent Variables, Dependent Variables and Control Variables through this too. They enjoyed working collaboratively and then writing high-quality conclusions to their starting question.
The reaction to our History lesson about equality for women and how this had increased since 1945, produced some passionate responses from our children. One of the pillars of our curriculum is Fairness for All, and it was encouraging to see that the children in Year 6, who are nearing the end of their primary education, could recognise inequality and are so determined to eradicate it in the future.
Our Science topic this half-term, Electricity, involved lots of practical investigation, using wires, batteries, bulbs and switches, as well as buzzers and motors. The children worked enthusiastically to construct circuits using a range of circuit diagrams and vice versa.
In Maths this week, we have been exploring the volume of solid shapes. The children used cubes to explore the concept and were able to count them and then work out the formula for themselves. They enjoyed investigating various questions using the cubes too. The use of manipulatives always underpins our Maths teaching and helps us with our understanding of concepts.
In Art this week, children in Year 6 have been considering Street Art and also the environment. They have been inspired by various examples of street art, including graffiti. This provoked an interesting discussion about the legality but also the reasons why some people choose to express themselves in such ways, when they know the risks. The children were inspired to create their own example after watching a short video about the environment. They were very passionate in the messages they wanted to portray through their art. We have been amazed by their talents and determination to make our world a better place.
In Science this week, the children have been exploring what happens when white light hits a prism. They have made colour spinners to try to replicate how the colours blend together to form white light. It was tricky to be able to spin their spinner fast enough, but with perseverance, some did manage to get the colours to begin to blend. The children also watched a video, showing it happening,
In History this week, we have been considering how the role of women changed as a direct consequence of World War Two. We have looked at the use of propaganda posters as a powerful, persuasive tool to encourage women to serve their country in a variety of different ways and therefore help the war effort. The children examined statistics showing the numbers of different jobs women did and also considered how they felt about this. They then designed their own propaganda posters, some to encourage women to work and some for other aspects of the war.
World War Two Day today, has been hugely exciting, with many children making a fantastic effort with their costumes. We have seen a lot of evacuees, land army girls and some soldiers in class today. The children have learnt about and experienced evacuation as well as trying some rationed food, along with seeing Ration Books and ID Cards. As well as being a real highlight of our year, the children have begun to consider the devastating impact of war on society as a whole.