Mrs Joshua - 4 Craufurd

Mrs Smith - 4 Field

supported by Miss Pearce, Mr Lawrence, Mrs Graham & Mrs Hicks

 

Important dates: 

 

Key information:  

P.E. - Tuesday & Friday 

Children will come to school in their P.E. kits on their allocated P.E. days. Please ensure that children are wearing the correct P.E. kit (black shorts / red t-shirts, black trainers) and that long hair is tied up and earrings are removed on these days. During the colder months, black tracksuits are advised as we may be outside.

Reading 

We value reading and have fabulous reading areas for the children to enjoy. We actively promote reading at home, aiming for 15 minutes per evening. Each class has an engaging, fun reading incentive, where the children can move their names around on the display each day in recognition of their efforts with home reading and can earn a treat at the end of the week. 

We have daily reading lessons which will develop your child’s passion for reading as well as their comprehension skills. We also have a reading session where the teacher reads their class text to the children. We will be exploring and discussing the language, vocabulary, feelings and themes within a variety of high-quality texts. In addition to this, we will be listening to the children reading a range of texts and teaching them how to talk about books confidently and develop their comprehension skills to a deeper level. 

Books will be changed on Fridays.  
Remember - Please make sure that reading diaries and books are in school every day and that you comment in and sign your child’s reading records each time they read to you.  

If children have read their book from school, we encourage children to read books from home. Why not visit the library? It's the perfect opportunity to look at different texts and find an author you love! 

Tips for reading at home: 

1. Try to hear your child read aloud as much as possible. If this is not possible every day, then ask them to summarise for you, what they have read independently.

2. If your child comes across a tricky word which they can't read, try not to tell them the word straight away. Encourage them to sound it out or re-read the sentence to see if they can work out the meaning. 

3. Always check that your child understands what they have read by asking them questions about the book.

 

Doodle

https://doodlelearning.com/ 

There are 4 areas/apps:

Spellings, Maths, Times Tables and English. 

New activities will be assigned each week. Please ensure children log in and engage with the activities. We recommend that children take part in 5-10 minutes of spelling and maths every day - little and often. This helps embed the children's learning into their long term memory ensuring that they are secure. Children have the opportunity to earn lots of fun, exciting prizes!

 

MTC

The children will be sitting the statutory Year 4 Multiplication Check this year.  We will work together really hard throughout the year learning and practising their tables. 

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

https://www.timestables.co.uk/multiplication-tables-check/

 

Handwriting

Our handwriting scheme follows Kinetic Letters. We will practise our letter formation and cursive handwriting.  

If you would like to support your child at home with their handwriting, please follow these video links on quick 'how to' guides. 

The Abracadabra Family

https://youtu.be/sFUMIZ0hs4c

The Jumper Family

https://youtu.be/k4i7NGKBVsU

The Window Cleaner Family

https://youtu.be/jpfbqTal660

The Slider Family

https://youtu.be/98n63jCwDBI

 

Phonics

We follow the scheme, 'Rocket Phonics'.  Please use the sound mats below to support your child with their writing at home. 

Dojo

Please keep a regular watch on Class Dojo where you will find messages, reminders, photos of the learning and fun activities that take place in our classrooms and the reward points that your child receives.  Be mindful that we can only check our Dojo messages at certain points in the school day.  Therefore, if you have an urgent message or want to let us know that someone else is collecting your child at the end of the day, please contact the school office who will pass this information on to us.  

 Please note- any links above will take you away from the Oldswinford CE Primary website- we urge you to check ahead for unsuitable adverts on YouTube

Our topic this half-term is:

From Farm to Fork

Geography

This term, we will be exploring where our food comes from and whether everyone gets a fair share. The children will use maps and atlases to locate countries and explore different climates, biomes and geographical regions around the world. We will investigate how food is grown, transported and traded, learning about natural resources, trade links and Fairtrade. The children will also develop their geographical skills by using maps, compass points and fieldwork to collect and present information.

English

In English we will be following the Ready, Steady Write scheme. Our first unit is based around the wonderful story The Whale by Ethan Murrow and Vita Morrow. 

Through this unit, the children will develop their narrative and non-fiction writing skills, learning how to create engaging settings and write their own newspaper reports. We will be building on our knowledge of grammar, sentence structure and punctuation, including using expanded noun phrases, fronted adverbials, direct speech and a range of verb tenses.

The children will have lots of opportunities to read, discuss, plan, draft and edit their writing, developing their vocabulary and confidence as writers along the way. We are looking forward to seeing their creativity shine as they bring their ideas to life!

Reading

During our reading sessions, we will be reading our class text. We have two this half term, The Great Food Bank Heist by Onjali Q Rauf and Madame Pamplemousse and Her Incredible Edibles by Rupert Kingfisher.

     

Maths

This term, we are following the White Rose Maths scheme, beginning with place value and 4-digit numbers. The children will develop their understanding of the value of each digit, partitioning, comparing and ordering numbers, before moving on to addition and subtraction. The children will develop their mathematical understanding through the concrete, pictorial and abstract (CPA) approach, using practical resources, visual representations and written methods. They will apply their skills to reasoning and problem-solving activities, building confidence and fluency in maths. 

RE

Our question this half term is, “Why is food an important part of faith?” We will explore the role that food plays in different religions, including Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and learn about the meaning and symbolism behind particular foods and festivals. The children will explore religious stories, traditions and beliefs, sharing their own thoughts and ideas respectfully.

Science

The children will be learning all about the human body and how we stay healthy. We will explore why our bodies need different types of food and investigate the main food groups and the importance of a balanced diet. We will also learn about the digestive system and how food travels through our bodies, as well as identifying the different types of human teeth and their functions. Children will develop their scientific enquiry skills through sorting, observing, questioning and recording their findings.

PE

Year 4 will be developing their fundamental movement skills and improving their ability to move confidently and safely. Children will practise running, jumping, balancing, changing direction and coordinating their movements, while also developing their ball skills through throwing, catching, dribbling and controlling a ball. They will take part in a range of fun games and challenges, working on teamwork, communication, coordination and applying their skills in different situations.

Art

This half term, we will be exploring food through art, developing their drawing and painting skills. We will investigate how artists use light, shade, tone and observation to make objects look three-dimensional. Children will create and develop their own sketchbook ideas, explore still-life and food artwork, and learn about the work of the famous artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo. They will experiment with different techniques, including sketching, shading and watercolour, before creating their own food-inspired artwork.

PSHE

We will be exploring feelings, emotions and wellbeing. Children will learn to recognise and talk about different emotions, understand how feelings can affect our thoughts and behaviour, and explore healthy ways to manage worries and difficult feelings. We will also focus on building positive relationships, developing resilience and knowing when and how to ask for help.

French

Un Salon de Thé - We will be learning French vocabulary for food and drink. They will practise ordering items in a French tea room, developing their speaking and listening skills while using simple phrases and questions.

Optional additional activities:

• Grow your own fruit/vegetables

• Create a comic strip following one food from its beginning on the farm to being eaten.

• Make a rainbow food plate

• Learn where different countries are in the world

• Visit a local farm

We would love to see anything that the children do at home linked to our topic and would love to share it with the class! Dojo's up for grabs for any extra learning.