St Pius X Catholic Primary School

'Restore all things in Christ'

01229 828406

admin@st-piusx.cumbria.sch.uk

Schneider Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 4AA

YEAR 5

Autumn 2023

This term, we have been learning about 'Living things and their habitats'. This has included describing and comparing life cycles of mammals, amphibians, insects and birds; researching the lives of Sir David Attenborough and Jane Goodall. We have also touched on the process of reproduction in some plants and animals.

Summer 2023

During the summer term, year 5 have been learning about 'Properties and changes of materials'. Within this unit the children have been comparing and grouping materials based on their properities; knowing that some materials will dissolve in liquid to form a solution and find out how to recover a substance from a solution. With their knowledge of solids, liquids and gases (from year 4) they have investigated how mixtures can be seperated through filtering, sieving and evaporating. 

Spring 2023

In this term, we have been exploring earth, space, and forces. We learnt about the phases of the moon using Oreo biscuits! We explored the distances of the planets from the sun and their sizes, and discovered that our solar system is heliocentric!

We investigated how the shape of an object affects the speed of movement through water and how to reduce water resistence and drag. We also took part in a rocket workshop, looking at applying our knowledge of air resistance to make a rocket which is streamlined.

Autumn 2022

During the autumn term, year 5 have been exploring pollination by re-enacting the reproduction of plants through the pollination process and seed dispersal. They have also been investigating how humans change overtime by measuring a 2 year old, a 9 year old and an adult, and exploring patterns.

Summer 2022

During the summer term, we have been learning about Forces in science and investigating how air resistence affects the rate of a parachute falling. We also investigated the effect of a pulley on the amount of force needed to lift a mass. The children could really feel the difference between no pulley, an a pulley, and pulley's of difference sizes.

We attended the Furness STEM Show at Furness College which was incredible!

We have been learning about Earth and Space. We thouroughly enjoyed finding out about the phases of the moon by using Oreos as a prop.

Spring 2022

This term, we have been investigating changing materials and developing our working scientifically skills.

Autumn 2021

This term we have been studying how humans change over time. We enjoyed measuring each other and compared our measurements to those of one of our Nursery children and an adult. We also had a visit from a 4 month old baby and an OAP so we could ask about physical and mental changes.

We enjoyed a wonderful STEM Day working in teams to build structures which were tall and strudy.

We have also been following our recovery curriculum, learning about teeth and digestion. We enjoyed recreating the digestive system in class!

Summer 2021

During the summer term, we explored 'Forces'. We studied gravity and Sir Isacc Newton, we investigated the link between the weight and mass of an object using the appropriate equipment - a Newton Meter. We also explored the effect of air resistance by creating the 'Perfect Parachute'. We planned an investigation to explore which material would make the perfect parachute, we kept our test fair and made predictions. We then tested our parachutes and compared our results with our predictions.

Spring 2021

During the spring term we were in lockdown again! Most children were isolating at home but this didn't stop our learning of 'Properties and changes of materials'.  We recapped our prior knowledge and understanding of solids, liquids and gases, and explored the different ways in which mixtures might be separated. We understood that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible.


Exploring mixtures

Autumn 2 2020

During the second part of the autumn term, year 5 had the chance to catch up on the science curriculum they had missed during the lockdown - we explored sound. We identified how sounds are made, through vibrations and how they travel through the ear. We also found patterns between the pitch and volume of a sound.

Autumn 1 2020

During this term, year 5 explored the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird.  Using our iPads, we were able to create a short animation of our life cycles using Chatterpix.  We also compared our life cycles using a Venn diagram and identified the life cycle of a human.

Autumn 2019

As part of their topic, Properties and Changes of Materials, the children have been investigating how to separate mixtures of materials using different processes.