Cross Curricular
#smithdownxcurric Tweets
Cross Curricular Planning
We plan and tailor our curriculum to make the most out of pertinent cross curricular links. For example, when year 4 study the Romans in History, they study Italy in Geography and Mosaics in Art.
Please see our individual curriculum pages for more information.
Maths Across the Curriculum
Mathematics is a server subject and teaches children fundamental skills that allow them to access many other areas of the curriculum. Below are some examples of the links between Maths and other subject areas. These also demonstrate how making links between Maths and different subject areas can deepen mathematical knowledge, understanding and skill to develop true mastery.
Science and Maths
Maths and science are tightly linked together. Almost every scientific investigation is likely to require one or more of the mathematical skills of classifying, counting, measuring, calculating, estimating, and recording in tables or graphs. Statistics are used extensively in Science. Most charts and graphs used in science are initially taught in maths lessons.
Geography and Maths
- Collecting and representing data from field work.
- Grid references and coordinates.
- Using scales on Ordnance Survey maps to establish the correct distance between two points.
Physical Education and Maths
- Time, distance and speed of races can be incorporated into Mathematic sessions to enable children to work out averages and convert between different measures.
- Data can be collected and analysed to assess performances.
- As in Geography, maths skills are needed when orienteering: using grid references, angles and direction.
- Averages (Mean, Mode and Median) can be used to assess an athlete’s performance.
- Creating sequences for gymnastics.
- Discussing symmetry on the football pitch or netball court.
Design Technology and Maths
- Reading Scales.
- Measuring ingredients and working out proportions.
- Using ratios in recipes.
- Being able to measure things accurately is an important skill in DT when making products.
- Estimation is also important when working out quantities of raw materials.
Computing and Maths
- Angles and direction which can be drawn and measured using floor robots and apps.
- Information can be represented through Excel documents.
- Logic is used in programming as is problem solving.
- Logical Reasoning during programming.
- Scratch Maths allows children to use their mathematical skills to program computers.
Art & Design and Maths
- Symmetrical art can be analysed and the number of lines of symmetry can be found. Also, the order of rotational symmetry can be studied.
- Ratio is used to mix paints. For example, to make purple, you mix 3 parts red to 7 parts blue.
- Many artists and architects have proportioned their works to approximate the Golden Ratio, believing this proportion to be aesthetically pleasing.
- Perspective can be used to show enlargement of shapes on square paper
- Tessellations in different pieces of artwork.
- Works of art from the Cubism era of the 20th century link to nets and 3D shapes.
History and Maths
- Historical (scaled) timelines can be used as a basis for finding the difference in dates and giving an understanding of lengths of time over periods in History.
- Historical dates can also be utilised for sequencing events.
- Charts and graphs can provide extremely useful historical information, which children can analyse.
Cross Curricular Chatter
Ancient Greek tiles
After designing our tiles, we made them out of clay and added the finishing touches of paint/colour today. Can you recognise some famous characters? Odysseus? Athena? Hera? Cerebus? Zeus? Medusa?
20
Looking at the celebration of Chinese New Year
Yesterday, we took part in a dragon dance workshop and made moving horse using the colours of fire.

Festive Feasts – Chinese New Year
Last week, year 4 used clay to make Chinese food. This week, they painted these and created a Chinese New Year feast table. Creativity skills were put to the test and the children made lanterns and fans to add more detail to our table. 🧧🇨🇳🥡🥢🥠 The children then received their very own fortune from fortune cookies.
189
Chinese New Year Workshop 🧧
We were very lucky today to attend a Chinese New Year workshop where we practised a Chinese dance with fans and parasol ☂️ 🐉 🇨🇳

Art Final Piece
We have merged our art topic (festive feasts) and our R.E. topic (festivals and celebrations) to sculpt food out of clay to represent Chinese New Year. The children worked together to create a ‘feast’ on their tables and then showcased the skills learnt from this topic to create these foods. The children absolutely loved this. 🇨🇳🥠🥢
We will paint these next week once our clay has dried.

Greek Names
As part of our Ancient Greece unit, we had a go at writing our names in Ancient Greek script.
32
Stone Age Man (Archaeologist visit)
We have had an amazing afternoon! We had a visit from an archaeologist who brought lots of artefacts from the Stone Age. We looked at and held things that were thousands of years old. The children demonstrated a great attitude and an already super knowledge when answering questions.
176
Sustainable plastics
In Year 3 we were very lucky to have some trainee teacher teach us about sustainability and how we can reuse some plastics to prevent them damaging our environment if not recycled properly.
189
What a wonderful world
We created a new version of “What a Wonderful World”. We used different adjectives to describe the world around us. We then performed our new song in KS1 and KS2 assemblies.
235
Palaeolithic Cave Art
Within our history lesson, we looked at the first stage of the Stone Age. We have then applied what we know to our art lessons where we used different techniques to sketch with charcoal and create some cave art.
192
Kennings and a Cyclops!
Year 6 had some fun today writing a Kenning for the cyclops character from our class text – Odysseus. And … some wonderful sketches to accompany it too !
27
Computer technology to make music
We are learning how to use a software programme to compose music to suit a film soundtrack / scene.
41
Our new book… curiosity
This week we have been introduced to our new book ‘Curiosity: A story of a Mars Rover’ by Markus Motum. We have created our own curiosity journals so that we can add things as we learn about them!

Cleaning up!
We have started our new class book ‘The Secret Sky Garden’ and we were inspired to get outside and clean up our playground. We even braved the rain to do it!
231
A Speech To Save The Earth
With our whole school text, ‘Here We Are’ Year 6 had the task of writing a speech. We combined knowledge gained from our recent Geography topic to help us do just this. We have also been performing them for our class, working on our intonation and expression to gain and retain audience attention.
49
We have been developing our fine motor skills and mark making to make The Big Dipper constellation after looking at them in our new book.
Our amazing theatre sets
Take a peek at some of our amazing sets for Goodnight Mr Tom. Some of us made Little Weirwold (a fictional village) and some made London during the war.

Year 3 Winter Crafts
WHAT AN AMAZING TURN OUT! Thank you to all our Year 3 parents and carers for coming and helping finish off our DT mechanism cards.
Thank you!
253
Our amazing WW2 school trip.
We were blown away with how much the children already knew about WW2 and the impact on Liverpool. They loved seeing the museum and everything in it. Please ask your child about their trip at home.

Local Area Walk
1JR have had lots of fun this afternoon on our walk to our local park. We looked at what we could see when looking north, east, south and west. We also looked at how our environment has changed for winter.
217
WW2 propaganda for rationing
Today we have learnt why Britain rationed during WW2 and why it was so important. Firstly, we guessed how much food people were allowed. We have created rationing posters to convince others!

Creating databases in science
Today we have used data from our investigation to create a database on Google Sheets. We used the database to answer questions such as ‘Who jumped the highest?’ And ‘Who jumped higher than 1.9m’.

Welly Walk
Y1 PK went on a Welly Walk to Crown Street Park. We followed directions – North, South, East, West and spotted what we could see. We also looked for signs of Autumn and that Autumn is changing into Winter.
66
Space workshop
On Friday we learned so much about space and how Neil Armstrong explored the moon. We also used teamwork and communication skills to recreate images about space .
Amazing theatre set designs!
In Year 5, we have been designing our sets for Goodnight Mr Tom, either based in Little Weirwold or London. The children did a fantastic job of thinking of the different dimensions and what props they will be designing.

Little Weirwold
Last week, Y5 created art work using setting descriptions from our class text ‘Goodnight Mr Tom’. We highlighted key phrases then accurately tried to recreate the wonderful village from WW2.

Script writing and performing
We have written scripts for two characters in our book. We have used our inference skills to create a conversation that might have happened between them. Then we had some children perform their scripts to the class.
231
Year 2 Poppy Art
Year 2 worked so hard on their carbon printed poppy art for Remembrance Day
204
























































