Constantine’s Creative Curriculum

Year 6 – Autumn Term
Ancient Egypt
Special event:Truro Museum to handle real artefacts and see a genuine Egyptian Mummy!

This topic will transport the children to the Ancient Civilisation of Egypt. They will learn about the people, their beliefs and traditions. A workshop at Truro Museum will allow the children to handle real Egyptian artefacts and get an insight into the excitement the archaeologists must have felt and are still feeling today. They will study some Egyptian excavations in detail and learn about Howard Carter and his pioneering work. Desert animals and plants will be studied and observations made about how they are adapted to this environment. Giant sculptures will be created in art and in DT there will be an Egyptian Jewellery workshop. Their studies will then come forward in time as they use the Bible and modern films to look at Moses, Prince of Egypt. The Nile delta will be a focus for the geography of this topic with a look at how the river serves modern day Egypt.

Enjoy and Achieve: Archive and modern film clips and hands on experience have been planned in order to really bring this topic alive for the children. By trying their own archaeological dig they will get a real insight into what it is like for archaeologists when they uncover treasure. At the museum they will see a real Egyptian mummy and learn about the processes of mummification, again bringing the history books to life and deepening the learning.

  • Assistance with trips


Science
The children will look at adaptations of animals and plants to desert life with a main focus on the camel. They will look at how the human body copes in extremes of heat and through this learn about the circulatory and digestive systems in animals and humans.
Programme of Study
Working scientifically
During years 5 and 6, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content:
  • planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary
  • taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate
  • recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs
  • using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests
  • reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations
  • identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments.
(Pupils in years 5 and 6 should use their science experiences to: explore ideas and raise different kinds of questions; select and plan the most appropriate type of scientific enquiry to use to answer scientific questions; recognise when and how to set up comparative and fair tests and explain which variables need to be controlled and why. They should use and develop keys and other information records to identify, classify and describe living things and materials, and identify patterns that might be found in the natural environment. They should make their own decisions about what observations to make, what measurements to use and how long to make them for, and whether to repeat them; choose the most appropriate equipment to make measurements and explain how to use it accurately. They should decide how to record data from a choice of familiar approaches; look for different causal relationships in their data and identify evidence that refutes or supports their ideas. They should use their results to identify when further tests and observations might be needed; recognise which secondary sources will be most useful to research their ideas and begin to separate opinion from fact. They should use relevant scientific language and illustrations to discuss, communicate and justify their scientific ideas and should talk about how scientific ideas have developed over time.)
Animals including humans
  • identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood
  • describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including humans.
Evolution and Inheritance
  • identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution.
  • recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to their parents
What could this look like?
  • Children researching and annotating diagrams to show adaptations to environment of desert animals
  • Research on transport of water and nutrients around the body.
  • Experiments on the effects on the body of getting hot.
  • Dataloggers for temperature.
(-Pupils should build on their learning from years 3 and 4 about the main body parts and internal organs (skeletal, muscular and digestive system) to explore and answer questions that help them to understand how the circulatory system enables the body to function.
-They should be introduced to the idea that characteristics are passed from parents to their offspring, for instance by considering different breeds of dogs, and what happens when, for example, labradors are crossed with poodles. They should also appreciate that variation in offspring over time can make animals more or less able to survive in particular environments, for example, by exploring how giraffes’ necks got longer, or the development of insulating fur on the arctic fox..)
Progression in skills:
  • Scaffold withdrawn from group work.
  • Predictions draw on past experience. Simple knowledge and understanding used.
  • Three measurements taken routinely. Adults introduce scanning results for abnormal readings.
  • Oral communication moves from description to explanation.
Key vocabulary:adaptation, evolution, circulatory, heart, lungs, digestive system, kidneys, brain, thermostat, temperature, regulate, artery, vein, capillary, blood vessels, oxygen, carbon dioxide, sweat…
Attainment targets: By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
  • I can explain how certain animals are adapted to their environment
  • I can begin to explain how these adaptations are part of evolution – survival of the fittest
  • I can explain how circulatory systems work.

History
The main focus of this topic is to gain an understanding of the Ancient Civilisation of Egypt, using detective skills to answer questions about the past.
Programme of Study
During their historical studies children need:
  • To continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study.
  • To note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical terms.
  • To regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance.
  • To construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information.
  • To understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources.
  • the achievements of the earliest civilizations – an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared and a depth study of one of the following: Ancient Sumer; The Indus Valley; Ancient Egypt; The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China
In planning to ensure the progression described above through teaching the British, local and world history outlined below, teachers should combine overview and depth studies to help pupils understand both the long arc of development and the complexity of specific aspects of the content.
What could this look like?
  • Children generating questions and conducting research using different sources of information.
  • Children explaining the main achievements of that civilisation
  • Report writing about discoveries
Progression in skills:
  • Compare accounts of events from different sources – fact or fiction.
  • Confidently use library and e-learning.
  • Compare life in early and late times.
  • Produce chronologically structured work.
Key vocabulary: ancient civilization, timeline, compare, discovery, artefacts, evidence
Attainment targets: By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
  • I can use my observations and research to answer questions about the past.
  • I can put the Ancient Egyptians on a time line and use appropriate dates and terms.
  • I can use different sources of information for my research.
  • I can link the discoveries of the past to my knowledge of the present day.
  • I can summarise aspects of the Ancient Egyptians in a variety of presentational formats.

Geography
The River Nile will be the main geography focus as the children discover its importance for the whole of Egypt both in ancient times and today. They will use this river to establish key facts about all river systems, problems like flooding that arise from them and also how they affect the economy of a place. The children can also use fieldwork techniques to map their archaeological dig.
Programme of Study
Locational knowledge
  • locate the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe (including the location of Russia) and North and South America, concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical and human characteristics, countries, and major cities
  • identify the position and significance of latitude, longitude, Equator, Northern Hemisphere, Southern Hemisphere, the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, Arctic and Antarctic Circle, the Prime/Greenwich Meridian and time zones (including day and night)
Human and physical geography
describe and understand key aspects of:
  • physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle
  • human geography, including: types of settlement and land use, economic activity including trade links, and the distribution of natural resources including energy, food, minerals and water
Geographical skills and fieldwork
  • use maps, atlases, globes and digital/computer mapping to locate countries and describe features studied
  • use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and key (including the use of Ordnance Survey maps) to build their knowledge of the United Kingdom and the wider world
What could this look like?
  • Locating and labeling main features of River Nile
  • Physical and human processes affecting the river system and flood plains
  • ????
Progression in skills:
  • Use four figure grid references to locate places.
  • Describe the character of an environment in different parts of the world.
  • Ask questions about the past and the future.
  • Use 8 compass points.
  • Draw maps with a scale.
Key Vocabulary: delta, flood plain, desert, drought, irrigation, nilometer, shadouf, cubit, papyrus
Attainment Targets:
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
  • I can explain the importance of the River Nile to Egypt
  • I can explain the physical processes that affect the River Nile
  • I can explain the human processes that affect the River Nile

Computing
The Constantine rolling programme Computing/Espresso Coding/scratch Spreadsheet modelling will be incorporated.
The main focus of ICT for this topic will be to use a control program to navigate a pyramid maze using Scratch. The children will also create databases or archaeological finds from the Ancient Egypt. They will use Powerpoint and word processing packages to publish some of their written work.
Throughout the topic digital literacy (e-safety) skills will be developed.
Programme of Study
During their computing studies pupils:
  • design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
  • use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
  • use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
  • use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content
  • select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
  • Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.
What could this look like?
  • Children write a algorithm using variables and loops to create a maze game, targeted for a given audience
  • Children choose the most appropriate program for the task and can explain their reasoning
  • Children are able to debug their programs by identifying the problem and making appropriate changes, keeping a record of their computing work
  • Children research archaeological finds using the internet and simulations
  • Children apply their presentation skills, combining text, images, video and animation when publishing their written work.
Progression in skills:
  • Write an algorithm that includes variables and loops
  • Tailor the context of the algorithm to suit a given audience
  • Test the program and debug it as necessary
  • Search using Boolean search strategies- and, or, not, and not
  • Skim read information and modify search strategies.
  • Copy and paste text and images from Internet to word processing package.
  • Can change page setup and choose formatting effects to suit the given task
  • Choose their own program to perform a task.
Key vocabulary:URL, copyright, abstraction, selection, variables, loops, Boolean search
Attainment Targets:
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
  • I can design programs that accomplish specific goals
  • I can design and create programs
  • I know how to debug programs that accomplish specific goals
  • I can use repetition and variables in programs
  • I use logical reasoning to detect and correct errors in programs
  • I appreciate how search results are selected
  • I can select a variety of software to accomplish given goals
  • I know how to select, use and combine internet services
  • I can analyse and evaluate information
  • I can collect and present data
  • I can identify a range of ways to report concerns about content
  • I can recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour
•I am discerning when evaluating digital content
Design and Technology
The children will use various resistant materials including clay and pasta to make their own designs for Egyptian jewellery. The designs will be researched and the children will create mood boards to show their inspiration.
As bread was a staple part of the Egyptian diet, children will learn how to make their own bread.
Programme of Study
Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils should be taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an iterative process of designing and making. They should work in a range of relevant contexts [for example, the home, school, leisure, culture, enterprise, industry and the wider environment].
When designing and making, pupils should be taught to:
Design
  • use research and develop design criteria to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that are fit for purpose, aimed at particular individuals or groups
  • generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams, prototypes, pattern pieces and computer-aided design
Make
  • select from and use a wider range of tools and equipment to perform practical tasks [forexample, cutting, shaping, joining and finishing], accurately
  • select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials, textiles and ingredients, according to their functional properties and aesthetic qualities
Evaluate
  • investigate and analyse a range of existing products
  • evaluate their ideas and products against their own design criteria and consider the views of others to improve their work
  • understand how key events and individuals in design and technology have helped shape the world – what were the technology/ tools/ materials in Ancient Egypt?
Cooking and nutrition
As part of their work with food, pupils should be taught how to cook and apply the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. Instilling a love of cooking in pupils will also open a door to one of the great expressions of human creativity. Learning how to cook is a crucial life skill that enables pupils to feed themselves and others affordably and well, now and in later life.