Topic

Our Topic is the Amazon Rainforest

GEOGRAPHY: Americas and the Amazon Rainforest

Prior Knowledge:  Coastal features, parts of a river, erosion, mountains, biomes and vegetation belts; mapwork—locating countries, OS maps and symbols

Children will:

· Identify the position and significance of the northern and southern hemisphere in relation to the UK and South America

· Name and locate countries of North and South America

· Name and locate major physical features and cities (Andes , Rockies, Mississippi , Amazon, polar regions)

· Identify and explain the position and significance of the Arctic and Antarctic circles

· Locate the Amazon and identify significant geographical features( Including the countries of the rainforest and the river)

· Know the structure of a rainforest and its importance to the environment

· Understand the geographical differences between UK woodland and the Amazon rainforest (climate, biome, rivers, land use, economic activity, distribution of natural resources)

· Learn about the Impact of human activity upon the environment ( deforestation, urbanisation, green belts, pollution)

MUSIC: Livin’ on a Prayer / jazz stage 1

Prior Knowledge: Play instruments, singing in tune

Children will:

· Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music

· Improvise and compose music for a range of purposes

· Use graphic notations to show an awareness of a link between shape and pitch

· Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts

DT– Structures: indigenous rainforest huts

Prior Knowledge:  Sliders and levers; building boxes, vehicle building.

Children will:

· Children investigate and make annotated drawings of a range of portable and permanent frame structures, e.g. tents, bus shelters, umbrellas.

· Use photographs and web-based research to extend the range

· Use a construction kit consisting of plastic strips and paper fasteners to build 2-D frameworks. Compare the strength of square frameworks with triangular frameworks. Reinforce square frameworks using diagonals to help develop an understanding of using triangulation to add strength to a structure.

· Demonstrate how paper tubes can be made from rolling sheets of newspaper diagonally around pieces of e.g. dowel. Use these tubes and masking tape or paper straws with pipe cleaners to build 3-D frameworks such as cubes, cuboids and pyramids. How could each of the frameworks be reinforced and strengthened?

· Demonstrate the accurate use of tools and equipment. 

· Develop skills and techniques using junior hacksaws, G-clamps, bench hooks, square section wood, card triangles and hand drills to construct wooden frames, as appropriate.

· Demonstrate skills and techniques for accurately joining framework materials together e.g. paper straws, square-sectioned wood. Practise these, mounting their joints onto card for future reference.

· Discuss the brief of designing and making a small-scale frame structure e.g. Who is the intended user and what is the purpose of the frame structure? Will it be permanent, or can it be easily dismantled? What materials will you use? How will it be joined? How will it be reinforced? How will it be finished?

· Generate innovative ideas, drawing on their research. Ask children to develop a simple design specification to guide their thinking.

· Produce a detailed, step-by-step plan, listing tools and materials.

· Annotate sketches  with notes to help develop and communicate their ideas.

· Model their ideas first using materials such as paper, card and paper straws e.g. How will you make it stable? How will it stand up? How could you make it stronger? Where are the weak points? How could you reinforce them? What tools and materials will you need? How can you improve the design?

· Make their products with accuracy.

· Regularly evaluate their work and their completed product, drawing on their design specification, and thinking about the intended purpose and user

Art: Effect of light and tone on objects / perspective / complementary colour mixing

Prior Knowledge: light and shadows; accurate drawings of facial features; proportion and placement; colour mixing shade and hue

· Observe and use a variety of techniques to show the effect of light on objects and people e.g. use rubbers to lighten, use pencil to show tone, use the tones of the same colour.; know the effect of light on an object from different directions.

· Use a variety of techniques to interpret the texture of a surface e.g. mark making, different textured paint.

· Produce increasingly accurate drawings of people

· Produce increasingly accurate preparatory sketches for painting and other work

· Draw with perspective.

· Work on a variety of scales and collaboratively

· Artist Study : Rosetti , Van Gogh and Frieda Karlo

·  Control and experiment qualities of tone, shades, hue and mood.

· Know how to create texture in colour and paint (glue, sawdust, shavings, sand) on different surfaces;

· Know how to use colour to express moods and feelings.

· Be able to identify suitable equipment for a particular purpose e.g. size of brush or paper needed.

· Artist Study: Rousseau