Year 1: Summer Term (Castles)

This term our wonderful topic is ‘Castles’.  Through this topic we will explore the history of castles, features of a castle, how they developed including how they were attacked and defended, life in a castle in Medieval times as well as exploring the role of a knight.

Through our literacy activities we will explore writing a recount of events, information texts (labeling parts of a castle / brochures) and researching using different sources of information to find specific answers. Within writing will continue to develop the children’s use of a range of punctuation, focusing on question marks, exclamation marks and commas in lists within a sentence e.g. Castles have a sharp portcullis, wide battlements, deep moat and a wooden drawbridge). The children will be expected to continually use adjectives, connectives and different sentence starters within their writing. Our reading focus throughout this half term will be to ensure children can confidently use their phonic knowledge to read a range of sentences. They will be expected to recognize all their Phase 3 sounds within words including some Phase 5 such as spilt diagraphs (a-e in same, e-e in scene, i-e in bite, o-e in home and u-e fume). They will be also expected to be able to read with fluency and expression showing an awareness of punctuation, as well as discuss and answer questions around the text they are reading.

In mathematics we will continue to explore counting forwards and backwards from any given number in steps of 2s, 5s and 10s and solve addition and subtraction problems including problems with missing numbers. The children will learn how to group objects into sets, count how many sets and begin to use and recognize arrays as the start of multiplication. Doubling, halving and sharing will be explored through hands on activities and the children begin to recognize the relationship between these skills e.g double 4 is 8 and half of 8 is 4. Measures such as capacity, time and money will also be focused upon throughout the half term.

The children will be involved in wonderful Art and Design activities based upon medieval artwork including Heraldry (shields). They will use mixed media to create their own representation of a castle as well as use junk materials within their ‘Cool Time’.  Medieval dance will be taught each week within our P.E sessions, which we hope to perform to parents at the end of the term.

Science activities will develop the children’s understanding of materials. Science Day will bring the children’s learning to life when the sort, test, name and describe the properties of materials needed to make a new suit of armour.

To develop the children’s cultural and religious understanding we will be exploring the schools Values especially focusing on ‘Forgiveness’. Our work will culminate in a fantastic library display and will continued to be explored through our collective worship sessions.

Our topic will culminate in a wonderful showcase of learning in which the children will show off all their wonderful knew found knowledge and understanding.