Our Year 4 Class

A very warm welcome to our Year 4 class page.  In Year 4 we are looking forward to the challenges ahead as the children are now fully settled into KS2. During this year the children will be encouraged to be proactive in their independent learning as well as building good relationships in order to work effectively as teams. The children will be nurtured and encouraged to work alongside others in a variety of contexts with a focus on problem solving, research and sharing ideas. 

Our Year 4 Class 2024-2025

Class Information

This half term.... Spring  Term 1 (January - February 2025)

In English, we will start the term off with a narrative unit (writing to entertain) based on the Ted Hughes book 'The Iron Man'. The children will use the opening chapter as inspiration for developing their scientific writing. We will be using the 'Writing Rainbow' to help us to scaffold our sentences and using plot points to structure our writing. 

After this we will look at persuasive letter writing (writing to persuade), looking very carefully at the language and the techniques used. It is very important that the children continue to use the basics in their writing and consistently get these correct. 

Non-Negotiables for Y4:

• Capital letters for the start of sentences, 'I' and all proper nouns. 

Example: Can I go to London this weekend? 

• Spell of and off correctly.

 Example: The BFG ran off into the night. 

                Beware of the dog!

• No misplaced capital letters.
• Full stop (or ?/!) used correctly at the end of every sentence.

Throughout this term we will continue to practise our joins (please continue to do this at home too!) in our handwriting lessons. The children are all working extremely hard to gain their pen license. Our grammar work this half term will focus on:

• using determiners correctly
• understanding the different uses of apostrophes
• using commas after fronted adverbials
• use the past, present and progressive form
• recognise verbs in the present and past simple
• use pronouns correctly.

During our whole class reading sessions, we will also be developing our comprehension skills and thinking carefully about our reading VIPERS (vocabulary, infer, predict, explain, retrieve, sequence or summarise) It is important that the children continue to read a range of books/comics/newspapers at home and develop their comprehension skills and vocabulary. This will help consolidate the reading work we will be doing in class. In Year 4, we feel it is important for the children to develop a love of reading as this gives their 'imagination wings'.

In our spelling lessons we will be looking at:

• Words with the 'sh' sound spelt 'ch'
• Adding the suffix 'ion'
• Adding the suffix 'ous'
• The 'ee' sound spelt with an 'i'
• Challenge words

In Mathematics we will continue to develop our times tables. TTrockstars, Hit the Button and Maths Shed are excellent resources, so please encourage your child to practise them regularly. It is crucial that the children continue to practise these at home along with counting in different multiples. Please could the children continue to consolidate their understanding of place value at home as well as the written strategies for addition and subtraction.

• Roman numerals to 100
• counting in 25's and 1000's
• ordering 4-digit numbers
• negative numbers
• rounding numbers to the nearest 10, 100, 100
• Adding and subtracting 4-digit numbers
• If you would like some advice or extra work with any of these then please call in to speak to me or send a message via SEESAW. 

This half-term we will start our work on multiplication and division. The children are continuing to develop their reasoning skills and each week.

In our multiplication and division work, the children will be learning to:

• use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally, including multiplying by 0 and 1; dividing by 1; multiplying together three numbers.
• recognise and use factor pairs and commutativity in mental calculations
• multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by a one-digit number using a formal written layout
• solve problems involving multiplying and adding, including using the distributive law to multiply two-digit numbers by one digit, integer scaling problems and harder correspondence problems such as n objects are connected to m objects
• solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and a combination of these, including understanding the meaning of the equals sign

We will then move onto a short unit on area. During this unit the children will:

• Find the area of rectilinear shapes by counting squares
• Estimate, compare and calculate different measures, including money in pounds and pence

Geography

This half term our topic is ‘Water’ where we will be learning about the water cycle, understanding floods, treating water and understanding how clouds and rain are made. Here is a quick overview below.

• Changing State

Describe and understand key aspects of the water cycle in the context of learning about the changing states of matter.

Explain the three states of matter.

• The Water Cycle

Describe and understand key aspects of the water cycle in the context of explaining the water cycle.

Explain the key aspects of the water cycle.

• Making Clouds and Rain

Describe and understand key aspects of the water cycle in the context of learning about clouds and rain.

Explain how clouds and rain are formed.                

• Treating Water

 Describe and understand key aspects of the water cycle in the context of learning about the water treating process. Explain how and why drinking water is cleaned.

• Floods

 Describe and understand key aspects of the water cycle in the context of learning about flooding.

Explain the causes and effects of flooding.

• Water Pollution

Describe and understand key aspects of the water cycle in the context of learning about water pollution.

I understand the causes and effects of water pollution.

DT - Our DT topic this half term links with our electricity unit in Science. The children will be designing and making their own torches. In this unit they will:

• Learn about electrical items and how they work.
• Learn what electrical conductors and insulators are and know that a battery contains stored electricity and can be used to power products.
• Learn how to identify the features of a torch and understand how a torch works.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of different torches and understand what’s important in torch design.
• Design a torch, learning how to factor in who their product is for in their design criteria. They will learn how to consider the needs of their client, ie: Is it more important that the torch is small and portable or that it’s bright and powerful? Does it need to be able to stand freely, more like a lamp? Does it need a loop or keyring to attach to? Etc
• Make and evaluate a torch with a working circuit and switch. They will know how to use appropriate equipment to cut and attach materials and be able to assemble a torch according to their design criteria
• Test their torch to evaluate its success and compare their product with their peers. They will share ideas or designs that they think could have helped improve their own torch.

Science - This half term our topic is 'Electricity' During this topic the children get lots of opportunities to work scientifically. They will:

• Identify common appliances that run on electricity
• Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers
• 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
• Recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors.
• Recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit
• Recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables
• Use results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions
• Use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings.
• Ask relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them
• Identify differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes

RE -   This unit begins to introduce Hindu Dharma to pupils, building on some encounters they may have  had in EYFS and Key Stage One. In this unit pupils act as philosophers considering how Hindus might
see the world. They look at the concepts of Brahman to build up understanding. They use some stories, examine some Hindu texts and consider how deities exemplify qualities of Brahman.  

Here is some key vocabulary for this unit;
• Brahman
• Deity
• Namaste
• Shiva
• Aum
• Atman
• Lakshmi
• Vishnu
• Brahma

Heartsmart - The Heartsmart principle for this half term is 'Too much selfie, isn't healthy! 'The children will be thinking about how they can be 'unselfie' by working well with others, listening to others and having a positive attitude to other people's views, even if they are different to ours. It is about moving away from thinking about ME and starting to think about WE.

Visit the website www.heartsmartprimary.com for more information on what Heartsmart is all about.

During our 'Wellbeing Wednesday' work, the children will be introduced to 'Waves of Wellbeing'. We will be thinking about:

• Coping with changes
• Finding your inner drive
• Dealing with loneliness
• Keeping calm
• Being adaptable
• Thinking before you react

Computing - Creating media: Website design

• Use most of the tabs (e.g. insert, pages, themes) on Google Sites on their website.
• Create a clear plan for their web page and begin to create it.
• Create a professional looking web page with useful information and a clear style, which is easy for the user to read and find information from.
• Create a clear plan by referring back to their checklist.
• Create four web pages with a range of features on their website.

French - Our focus this half term will be French numbers, calendars and birthdays. The children will learn:

• French numbers 1-31
• days of the week
• months of the year
• dates and seasons 

Music- The children will be continuing with their WOPPS guitar lessons on a Thursday afternoon with Barry and Sam. This half-term the children will be continuing to develop their guitar playing whilst learning new songs.   
    

P.E  

Our sporting value for this half-term is 'Teamwork' 

'Treating everyone equally, supporting each other and working together to have fun and achieve. Celebrate each other's success and be  positive team player.'

Indoor PE - This half term are topic will be ‘Dance’. We will be working with the WigLE Dance team delve through the history of dance, starting from the 20’s all the way up to the modern day. Here are the key skills we are working on.

• Actions, dynamics, space, relationships
• Social: co-operation, communication, inclusion, collaboration
• Emotional: confidence, empathy, determination
•  Thinking: observe and provide feedback, select and apply skills, creativity, comprehension.

Outdoor P.E

This half term our outdoor P.E topic is Outdoor Adventerous Acvitivty, or OAA for short. We will be competing a range of different activities to work on key transferable skills. Here is a list of the skills we will be working on.

• Physical: balance, run at speed, run over distance, co-ordination
• Social: communication, co-operation, collaboration
• Emotional: determination, resilience, honesty, trust, confidence
• Thinking: problem solving, evaluation, reflection, create, select and apply

Autumn Term 2 NEWS!… (October - December 2024)

What a busy and action-packed half-term it has been!

The children have continued to work hard in Maths this term and show a good understanding of multiplication and division. Their times tables are improving, and they have developed a good understanding of the written methods for all four operations of numbers. It is very important that they continue to practise these at home. As a class, we have continued to develop our problem-solving and reasoning skills and will continue to do this next term. One area where we have re-focused is our use of practical resources. It remains crucial to be able to answer questions in a variety of different ways to achieve mastery.

In English, we have been working hard on narrative writing with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Once we finished, the children then went on to make their own stories with a twist. The children’s confidence continues to grow along with their vocabulary choices. I have been impressed with how they are using both their jotters and writing rainbow symbols. The overall presentation of their work has also improved. A key target is to continue to keep checking the basics!

In Science, the children have been learning about the dangers to living things. We explored how pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change can harm animals and plants. The children were able to discuss how these dangers affect ecosystems and what we can do to help protect living things in the environment.

In PE, the children have made excellent progress in both tennis and gymnastics. During tennis, they showed impressive control and precision with their swings and serves, demonstrating a clear improvement in their coordination. In gymnastics, the children displayed increasing confidence and skill, especially when performing sequences of movements and balancing exercises. What stood out most was their strong sense of teamwork and determination. It was fantastic to see them working together, supporting each other, and pushing through challenges to improve their skills.

In PATHS lessons, the children have been developing their social and emotional skills. Through activities and discussions, we’ve focused on building self-awareness, understanding emotions, and learning how to manage them effectively. The children have worked hard on recognising their feelings, learning how to express them appropriately, and practising empathy towards others. It has been wonderful to see their emotional growth and their ability to handle different situations with maturity.

Through our Heartsmart, RE lessons, and Picture News, the children have shown maturity, created lots of discussions, and grown in confidence when giving their opinions. It is a joy to see the children discussing global and important issues with each other and reflecting deeply. Great job everyone!

It has been a very busy half-term, and I’m sure the next will be just as busy. Well done, everyone!

Autumn Term 1 NEWS! .….(September - October 2024)

During the first half of Autumn Term, we have found our feet! We had a great half-term, developing routines and relationships and the children have amazed me with their work ethic and teamwork. We have shared learning in our Geography, Science and RE lessons as well as in English and Maths. We have shared our ideas and understand how working as a team or with a partner can help our own learning journey. I am proud of all the hard work the children have put into their learning this half term!

I have absolutely loved sharing The Nothing to See Here Hotel with the children and seeing their love for reading develop. The children have developed both their reading and writing skills through our class novel and it has been wonderful to see them engaged and reading for pleasure. The children are really growing into confident writers who are not afraid to challenge themselves. I am also pleased that they are beginning to proofread their work more and working hard to make sure all their sentences make sense. We will be introducing more editing this half-term, another important skill for a developing writer. The children's inference skills are slowly starting to develop and they are now starting to use evidence from the text which is pleasing to see. We will continue to develop our comprehension skills through our VIPERS questions.

In Maths, we have spent the half-term focusing on place value. The children have shown through their explanations that they are developing their reasoning skills and are able to show examples of their thinking. This is a key area we will continue to develop throughout the year. They have enjoyed using all the concrete equipment and have become more confident with 4-digit numbers. The children must continue to practise all the skills we have learnt to keep it bubbling! 

Our Science lessons have been a hive of activity. The children have loved our topic on teeth and eating, especially our lessons on the Digestive System. It is been wonderful to see them so engaged and enthused about their learning and thinking scientifically. They also worked well and participated fully in class discussions which was a pleasure to see!

In Geography we learnt more about the UK, understanding the difference between the UK and Great Britain, the different types of geography of the UK as well as looking at energy uses and the many renewable energy sources that we have in the United Kingdom. Through our RE, Heartsmart lessons and Picture News, the children have shown great sensitivity and really developed their reflective thinking. They have really thought about the choices they make and what God looks for in our hearts. We have also explored friendship and the qualities of a good friend.

Our first unit of French, ‘Moi et ma famille’ (Me and my family) got off to a promising start! We spent a lot of time on phonetical work, grasping the French alphabet and revisiting previous learning.  We also made some progress with early vocabulary learning (focusing on who is in our family).

I can't wait to get back and start Autumn 2!