History

The Industrial Revolution

During this unit, the children will look at the similarities and differences between the impact that the Industrial Revolution had on the lives of the rich and the poor.

The children will learn that through harnessing fossil fuels to power engines, factories and machines, the Industrial Revolution fundamentally changed the way that human beings live. During this unit, we will focus in on the role that the iron and textile industries played in the Industrial Revolution, as well as the development of the steam engine and steam train. The children will not only learn about the economic and technological benefits of the Industrial Revolution but will also explore the social context, with a focus on how life changed for those who began working in factories during this time.

The unit will also discuss the lives of significant people who had an influential national (and even global) impact, such as Richard Arkwright, James Watt and George Stephenson.

In addition to looking in detail at the iron and textile industries, the children will look at the importance of the steam engine and the steam train. 

This unit concludes by focusing in on the treatment of working children at this time.

Art and Design

Printmaking

Children are introduced to printmaking by looking at Hogarth’s series of prints Industry and Idleness. They consider how printmaking allows the production of many copies of one image which can be cheaply produced. They go on to consider different printmaking processes looking at examples by famous artists: screen printing by Warhol, relief printing (in particular, wood cuts) by Hokusai and intaglio printing (dry-point
and etching) by Rembrandt.

Design & Technology

Sew: Bags

Children will make a bag decorated with the appliqué/embroidery with a plaited handle for their own/a family member’s/a friend’s use at home.

Geography

New Zealand and the South Pacific

Children will learn about the physical geography of New Zealand and plate tectonics theory.  Learning about it will help children to understand why New Zealand experiences earthquakes.

In this unit children look at the issue of sea levels rising and consider the impact on low lying islands such as those in the South Pacific. Children will learn about the Māori; the race of people who have lived in New Zealand and the Cook Islands since before the arrival of Europeans, descended from Polynesian voyagers. Understanding this will support children’s understanding of migration.

Science

The Human Body

In this unit, building on their knowledge of how our bodies work and how we care for them, pupils will study the changes that happen to the human body from conception through to old age. They will cover the period of growth known as adolescence and will learn about the changes to the human body including muscles and bones growing larger, the growth of hair in armpits and around genitals, menstruation and voices breaking. 

Pupils will compare the different gestational periods of animals, including humans, and will understand that human infants need care and attention for many years before they are independent. They will consider growth stages and the features of these for animals and humans. 

Pupils will learn about changes to the human body in old age and the importance of a healthy lifestyle at all ages.  It is important that children understand that even with the healthiest of lifestyles, the aging process cannot be stopped altogether.