with
Miss Lillis (4 Craufurd) Mrs Seker & Mrs Davis (4 Field)
supported by Miss Cooksey
PE in the Autumn Term: Monday and Wednesday
Children are required to wear their PE kits (with trainers) to school on their PE days.
We strongly encourage children to complete set homework. This can really help them to embed and extend the learning that takes place in school.
Reading for fifteen minutes every day at home can make an impact on all areas of the curriculum. In Year 4, we have a "STARBOOKS" reading incentive. Children are rewarded for reading five times a week and having their reading diaries signed. They will have their Starbooks loyalty card signed each week and after eight weeks, will get a reward! Each week, everyone who reaches cup five enters our prize draw and two lucky winners get to a enjoy a hot chocolate treat at the Starbooks bar. We have even invested in a pod machine to make it an extra special treat!
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.
4. Check Rising Stars online to see if there is a comprehension to complete for home reading books. (Not every book has one linked online, but many of them do, so please check each one)
5. Aim to change home reading books every 1-2 weeks. Book change day is Friday in Year 4.
6. Read as widely as possible- not just your school book- read your library book, books from your shelf at home, swap books with friends, read on a kindle device, read magazines, newspapers- whatever you enjoy!
7. Read to your children as much as possible. Hearing stories really helps them to develop attention and listening skills, imagination and vocabulary. It even impacts on writing skills. Plus, it's a lovely way to spend quality time together.
8. Look out for the books we are reading in school and treat your child to their own copy at home. We often refer to them on Dojo.
Maths - Children each have their own Mathletics account with the same log in as last year. The tasks will compliment class work, and are usually set on a weekly basis. If you have a mobile device, there is a free app to download. It is also available through most web browsers. Your child will have opportunities to practice on school equipment if you are having technical problems.
This year we will be concentrating on counting and tables facts. In Year 4, children are expected to be able to recall all the facts up to 12 x 12. We will be learning these regularly in preparation for the statutory Year 4 Multiplication Check. For a challenge, you can even learn the division facts to match! You might like to use Mathletics or Hit the Button to help you learn your tables as well as Supermovers times tables
Update: Try this fab new app! My team of tables novices have been trying this out, and the verdict- it is great! It's called Ten Minutes a day Time Tables from DK- here's a link. You can download it on android link and Ios (link).
This section of our webpage will be updated every term. Please check back to find out what we will be learning as well as suggestions for enriching learning at home including projects and competitions!
For the whole of the spring term, we will be donning our khakis as we emulate one of the greatest environmentalists of our time, Sir David Attenborough. Our studies will take us venturing deep into the Amazon as we become a...
Our BIG QUESTION is:
What would the world be like if there were no rainforests?
Building on our geographical knowledge, we will review the globe and climatic zones of the world, focussing more on the features of different biomes, as well as studying the physical and geographical features of South America.
As well as investigating the water cycle, we will compare the Amazon River to the River Stour- you might be surprised at how much they have in common!
Our science will also have links to the rainforests as we will be looking at animal habitats and food chains .
National Curriculum Learning Targets:
In English, we will continue to practise fluent, joined writing with our pens. We have done really well so far, but practice makes perfect! Our focus on basic skills of spelling and punctuation will continue to be a priority.
There are so many fantastic rainforests books and stories available. Our first writing unit will be based on The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. We will explore the power of persuasive voices and speech punctuation as we try to save the rainforest animals' homes.
We will also be writing letters to persuade some important and influential leaders to take action in support of the environment.
As courageous advocates for the natural world, we will take on responsibilities as global neighbours to see what difference we can make to the environment.
Our first class reader is an exciting and sometimes hair-raising adventure into the Amazon with Dylan who sets off on a mission to save his beloved home farm from developers in South America. Watch this clip of the author, Emma Rae, telling us all about her epic book, "My Name is River."
In Art , we will continue to improve our sketching and drawing skills, focussing on shape, colour and form when we draw an array of rainforest animals. We will transfer these skills to fabric as we design and create some stunning rainforest-themed batiks, using hot wax and dye.
This half term in Maths, the units will cover multiplication and division followed by length and perimeter. We will continue to develop our skills and knowledge through concrete (practical resources), pictorial and abstract methods. Once confident through fluency, the children will be stretched through reasoning and problem solving.
Multiplication and Division
Examples:
The second half term will focus on the units of are fractions and decimals.
The children will be completing the government required times table check in June. We have been helping the children work on this from the beginning of Year 4. We have learnt all the times tables up to 12 x 12. This term, we will be accessing an online version of the check. There are 25 questions with 6 seconds to answer each question. You can also access this at home through the following link:
https://www.timestables.co.uk/multiplication-tables-check/
Please practise as much as possible.
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In RE this half term we are looking at a unit of work based on Salvation. We will be considering why Christians call the day that Jesus died 'Good Friday'. Also, discussing why Christians remember the events of Holy Week each year. We be revisiting the Easter story and thinking about the actions of Jesus, Judas and Peter.
Do you want to enrich your learning this term, earn extra dojos and see your work celebrated on Class Dojo? Then why not try one of these activities below:
*Visit the library to explore how many amazing rainforest books there are;
*Visit the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham. The tropical house there is humid, just like the Amazon. Why not create a slideshow of your visit to share with the class?
*Research your favourite rainforest animal. Create a poster or project about it.
*Look out for Rainforest Alliance and FSC products. Learn about the work they do and encourage your family and friends to make ethical buying choices whenever possible.
*If you're lucky enough to visit the south of England, why not pay a visit to the Eden Project in Cornwall?
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