Year 5 – Term 2 Blog: Fallen Fields

This term, Year 5 have been fully immersed in our World War 1 topic, Fallen Fields. It has been an exciting and thoughtful journey filled with hands-on learning, creativity, and special events that helped us understand life during the Great War.

Walking Through History: Our Trench Experience

One of the highlights of the term was visiting a real-life trench. Stepping down into the narrow, muddy pathway helped us imagine what daily life was like for soldiers on the front line. The children asked fantastic questions and reflected deeply on the sights, sounds and challenges the soldiers would have faced. It brought our topic to life in a way that books alone never could.

Painting the Past: War-Themed Artwork

Inspired by artists such as Paul Nash, the class created powerful war paintings. Using dramatic colour palettes and brushstrokes, the children captured scenes of battlefields, silhouettes of soldiers, and the stark contrast between peaceful skies and the chaos below.

Science – Forces in Action

In science, we explored forces and how they affect movement—perfectly linking to our history learning. We investigated gravity, friction, air resistance and even had a go carrying out some experiments! The children made excellent connections between scientific ideas and how forces would have affected soldiers and equipment during WWI.

Class Assembly – Sharing Our Learning

Our class assembly was a wonderful opportunity to share everything we’ve discovered this term and last. From letters to artwork and historical facts, Year 5 confidently presented their learning to families and the school. Their performance was thoughtful, informative and full of pride.

Christmas Concert on the Playground

To finish the term, we took part in our festive outdoor Christmas concert on the playground. With warm coats, bright smiles, and lots of enthusiasm, the children sang beautifully and helped spread Christmas cheer to everyone who came along.

What a fantastic term it has been! Year 5 have worked incredibly hard, shown curiosity, creativity and respect throughout our Fallen Fields topic, and ended the year with plenty to celebrate. We’re excited for what’s to come next term!