Lower Key Stage 2 Project Overview
Our Intent - what we want our curriculum to achieve
At North Featherstone J & I School, we want every child to be motivated to be the very best learner they can be. This means inspiring them with new and varied experiences every half-term. We want children to have age-appropriate knowledge and the skills to access the curriculum. Early reading, writing and number are essential for children in the Lower and Upper Foundation stages. As children progresses from Year 1 to Year 6, it is essential that children are able to access the curriculum with age expected skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Our curriculum is based on our four-stage philosophy: Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express.
Projects
Over a term children will have a memorable experience, the opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills, a week to demonstrate how they can use and apply the knowledge and skills they have been taught and an opportunity to express what they have learned to a range of audiences. This process forms the four-stage philosophy of Engage, Develop, Innovate and Express.
The four stages:
- Engage - Implementing the curriculum
- Develop - Implementing the curriculum
- Innovate - Evaluating the impact of the curriculum
- Express- Evaluating the impact of the curriculum
Engage – In this part of the curriculum children will engage in purposeful and contextualised learning experiences; in and outside the classroom. This may include visits out of school and visitors into school.
Develop – In the following weeks children develop knowledge, understanding and subject skills required to progress their learning through focussed learning tasks and experiences. Here the children will record their work in a variety of ways through art work, written work, dance, music or construction.
Innovate – Children are given the opportunity to innovate by applying their knowledge and skills and understanding through a challenging provocation using their own and negotiated ideas.
Express – Children express and evaluate their knowledge, understanding and skills, as outcomes of the learning in different memorable forms including using a variety of media and technology. Examples of activities the children may do here are: presenting cooked meals in the style of a Dragon’s Den, write stories and publish them as books, create photo albums or create a dance or presentation for an audience.
Cycle 1
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Autumn 1 |
Flow
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From humble beginnings, the river flows down the mountain and into the sea. Pull on your wellies and wade right in. How deep does it go and how fast does it travel? What soil types can you find by the river? Which animals make their homes there? Let’s get down to the river bank and find out. Now hop on an imaginary boat and travel some of the world’s most majestic rivers – the Ganges, the Thames, the Amazon and Nile – and keep a journal as you follow their course. Time to investigate. As part of the local news team, it’s your task to track down the source of some mystery pollution. Where did it come from and who is to blame? Let’s meander through the world of rivers, taking a dip into their watery world.
This project has a geography focus. |
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Autumn 2 |
Potions
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Potion: a poison, a mixture, an aromatic brew, a vapour, a liquid or sticky goo. Welcome to the amazing magical world of potions and their properties. Now scientists, beware. There are some powerful and deadly potions out there, dangerous, unpredictable or tragic (just ask Romeo and Juliet.) Use what you know about materials and their properties to create incredible potions in Professor Hazard’s Potions class. Feeling sleepy? That orange juice did taste a little strange...
This project has a science focus. |
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Spring |
Blue Abyss
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Grab your wetsuit. We’re going deep into an underwater world of incredible coral and mysterious sea creatures. Head to your local aquarium and learn about life in the ocean. Can you pick a favourite fish, plant or animal? What do real divers get up to below the surface? Create a fishy story about exploring an amazing underwater world. Time to go a little deeper into our seas. What are those bright lights in the distance? It’s a group of bioluminescent sea creatures. Look closely and create a colourful, 3-D art exhibition when you rise to the surface. Flippers on? Snorkel ready? Let’s head into the Blue Abyss.
This project has a science focus. |
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Summer |
Traders and Raiders
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Big and strong, powerful and brave, the Saxons wave their battle axes and brandish their swords as they begin to invade Britain’s shores. Sail back to the Dark Ages, where battles were rife and fear reigned. Find out about the lives of the Saxons, including how they lived and where they came from. Meet the bloodthirsty Vikings from Scandinavia – never before had such terror swept the land. Make a Saxon sword or a Viking brooch and decorate it with intricate patterns. Choose to be a Saxon or Viking and trade your crafty goods, but let’s keep it cool. We don’t want a fight breaking out. Are you ready to shine a light on the dangerous and deadly Dark Ages?
This project has a history focus. |
Cycle 2
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Autumn 1 |
Scrumdiddlyumptious |
Tuck in and enjoy a yummy journey of discovery, tasting fantastic fruits, venerable vegetables and tantalizing treats. Work up an appetite with delicious stories about food, have fun with a vegetable orchestra or become a fruity sculptor. Find exciting recipes to read – and write your own, too. Then get busy in the kitchen, making tasty dishes from across the world and discover how good food helps you grow fit and strong. Be a whizz and create your own scrumdiddlyumptious smoothie for Squeezy Joe and his team of fruity friends. And here’s food for thought – if you are what you eat, what does that make you?
This project has a Design and Technology focus |
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Autumn 2 and Spring 1 |
Tribal Tales
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Take a moment to step outside and stand quietly and still. Turn off all your technology and try to forget the modern world. Imagine this place 5000 years ago. What would you have seen? Head back to prehistoric times to gather berries and hunt down dinner. Unearth ancient objects and visit astonishing mystical monuments that reveal the secrets of an ancient time. Learn how the people of Britain developed over thousands of years, from the Stone Age to the Roman invasion. Work as a tribe to build a seasonal monument to celebrate the coming of spring. Then sit quietly and reflect, waiting for the sunrise. What tribal tales will you have to tell?
This project has a history focus. |
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Spring 2 |
Burps, Bottom and Bile
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Open wide – let’s take a look inside. We’re on a voyage of discovery to investigate the busy world inside your body. Do you have a toothy grin or a winning smile? Take dental impressions and test the effects of sugary substances on your pearly whites. Follow a tasty morsel as it makes its way through your digestive system, helped by some mouthwatering saliva. And don’t forget the importance of good hygiene at both ends. And whilst we’re talking business, could you recognise an animal just by its poo? Are you brave enough to take the challenge? Make a working model of the digestive system and use it to persuade others to eat healthily. Learn how to look after this marvellous belching, squelching, mixture making machine we call our body. This project has a science focus. |
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Summer 1 and 2 |
Road Trip USA
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Buckle up, sunglasses on. We’re going on a road trip across the good old US of A. Flying from London Gatwick, and landing at JFK airport New York, it’s time to explore the sights and sounds of the Big Apple. Use your map skills to navigate your way around some of its most famous landmarks and send a postcard home to ask the question ‘Do you wish you were here?’ Learn how to send an email to book a day trip or reserve a room. Make sure you ask the important questions ‘Does your hotel have a pool? Is there 24-hour room service?’ Meet the Iroquois tribe; Native Americans with amazing customs and traditions. Then plan a bespoke road trip for Mr Smith and his family of four. They want to spend three weeks in the sunshine. It’s going to be a long ride. Put the roof down and let the wind blow through your hair. We’re off. This project has a geography focus. |
