You can find all the weekly news from Year 6 linked below.
In Science, we have spent two lessons, planning then carrying out an experiment to discover which bird's beak shape could collect which type of food the best. This is linked to what Charles Darwin discovered on the Galapagos Islands, which helped him form his theory of Evolution. It allowed for children to practise using vocabulary such as 'Dependent Variable' and 'Independent Variable'.
This week has generated some high-level discussion about the rights and wrongs of deforestation. We have considered both sides of the argument, including what we gain from the rainforest, as well as the effects of destroying trees on life within the rainforest and the global situation. Children have worked hard to present both sides of the argument in writing.
In Science, Year 6 have been considering the link between adaptation and evolution. We have found out why adaptation is so crucial and how some plants and animals have changed so that they can continue to exist in a specific environment. In our ever-changing world with global warming, more and more living things are having to adapt to new aspects to their environment.
This week, we have begun our Science topic of Evolution and Inheritance. Our first enquiry question saw us using the Mr Men and Little Misses to help! Children enjoyed combining characteristics from one of each to create an offspring. They had great fun discussing which characteristic came from which 'parent'.
The children have made a fantastic start to Year 6 and are getting involved with our Geography topic on Brazil with much enthusiasm. They very much enjoyed sampling the empanadas made by some of the children, to kick our topic off. The Samba drumming was great fun and the Carnival headdresses allowed the children to express their ideas in bright and colourful ways.
We were delighted to welcome into school again, three teams from Sutton Schools Workers Partnership tp talk to each Year 6 class about leaving primary school and starting secondary school - facts that are becoming very real to the children right now. The children responded well and enjoyed the presentations. They had some thoughtful answers to the questions and situations posed by the workshop leaders.
What a performance! The children were absolutely fantastic and put on an incredible show. They have worked so hard since Easter, to pull this off, learning lines, songs, dance routines, stage management and using lighting and technology as well. They have also learnt about teamwork in quite a spectacular way, supporting each other, standing in for absent peers and working together to perform to their very best. On the night, the children did everything for themselves to bring this production to life. We are so proud of them. What a way to (almost) end their time at primary school!
Year 6 enjoyed a fascinating Science lesson this week, as part of our topic on the Circulatory System- one of our highlights of the school year! In groups, the children wore aprons and gloves to dissect a lamb's heart, using a proper scalpel. They were shown how to use the scalpel correctly and all were encouraged to try. The children explored the various chambers of the heart, as well as the valves, and were extremely interested finding out about how it felt to touch.
As part of our Science topic about the Circulatory System, the children have made models of a lung, using a plastic bottle and 2 balloons. They were able to use vocabulary such as 'diaphragm' , 'oxygen' and 'trachea' to explain this. It was quite tricky to stretch the balloons correctly and the children needed to persevere to complete it but many did, and they were excited to watch the inner balloon expand.
Year 6 have had a visitor from the charity Narconon, who visit schools to deliver key information about the dangers of different types of drugs, including cigarettes, vapes, alcohol, caffeine in energy drinks etc. We also learnt about the reasons why some people decide to experiment and the effects on mental health as well as physical health. It was a fascinating talk and the children were very engaged by the information given. They behaved well and asked some thoughtful questions.