Cross-curricular topics: Summer term

Year 1: Houses and Homes

As writers we will write recounts of visits we have been on and poetry using alliteration and rhyme. We will write facts comparing homes in the past with homes in the present day.

As readers we will read stories, poems and non-fiction texts related to houses and homes. We will develop our use of phonics and increase the number of common exception words we can read on sight.

As scientists we will name, describe, compare and group different materials according to their properties. We will perform simple tests to explore which material is best for a particular purpose.

As historians we will compare and contrast houses and homes today with those from within living memory and beyond. We will look at how changes to technology and household objects have improved life at home.

As artists we will look at how artists and designers use and create textiles. We will study and create art in the style of the artists and designers Wassily Kandinsky and Sara Morris.

As designers we will explore weaving, twisting, plaiting, knotting and fringing. We will decorate using beads, buttons, ribbons and threads.

As musicians we will use our voices expressively and creatively. We will experiment with rhythm, pulse, pitch and tempo.

In RE much of our work will focus on what stories from the Bible teach us about Jesus and what prayer means for people of faith.

  • How parents can support learning at home

    Talk about how and why different materials are used in the home. E.g. why do you think glass is used to make windows? Discuss how different household appliances make tasks at home quicker, easier or more entertaining. Have a go at weaving, twisting, plaiting textiles and threads.

  • Words we will use (key vocabulary)

    house, home, bungalow, flat, terraced, semi-detached, detached, caravan, mobile home, house boat

    metal, wood, plastic, glass, fabric, rock, hard, soft, stretchy, stiff, shiny, dull, rough, smooth, bendy, waterproof, absorbent, not absorbent, opaque, transparent

    thread, weave, plait, twist, knot, fringe, dye, sew, attach

  • Enterprise

    We will consider how different materials could be recycled and promote energy saving ideas for home and school.

  • Learning Skills

    We will be developing our ability to learn independently and with others; we will learn when to have a go on our own and when to collaborate.

  • Christian Values

    We will focus on thankfulness, endurance, and hope for the future through our work this term.

  • Global Learning

    As Global Learners we will be developing our understanding of similarities and differences between houses and homes around the world.