Term 3

Our topic for this term is 'Extreme Earth', the children will be investigating volcanoes and earthquakes around the world. This Extreme Earth unit will teach your class about the destructive powers of nature, from volcanoes and earthquakes to tsunamis and tornadoes. Through discussion and practical tasks, children will learn about how and why these natural phenomena occur, and the ways in which they affect people and the environment

In science we are learning all about electricity. The skills the children will be learning are:

- To identify common appliances that run on electricity. 

- To Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers. 

- To identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery. 

- To recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit. 

- To recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors. 

- To identify materials that are conductors and insulators. (Children should know which materials are insulators and conductors prior to the investigation. The purpose of the demonstration is to prove what they know - not to discover for themselves)  

- To plan an investigation to check the conductive properties of materials, with pupils predicting that metals will allow a circuit to be complete, but that other materials will not. Test the predictions and record in a table.

Our book for this term is 'Escape From Pompeii' by Christina Balit.

The ground begins to shake, the sky to darken. People run gasping for air. Heading for the harbour, Tranio and his friend Livia hide on a boat and witness one of the most terrifying moments in recorded history-the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and the destruction of their beloved city, Pompeii.