Mathematics
In maths this Spring term, we will be developing our place value and money skills. Looking at fractions, Written division and multiplication, written addition and subtraction, area and perimeter, units of measure and doing some work on time.
Knowledge of times tables is crucial in maths but it is extremely important that our times tables are readily recalled in Year 4 because they are formally assessed in June of the academic year.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YEAR 4 PUPILS!
Times tables test / multiplication check: the basics
Primary-school children are expected to know all their times tables up to 12x12. Under the current National Curriculum, children are supposed to know their times tables by the end of Year 4.
The Department for Education says that the check is part of a new focus on mastering numeracy, giving children the skills and knowledge they need for secondary school and beyond.
How will children be tested?
Children will be tested using an on-screen check, where they will have 6 seconds to multiplication questions from all the tables. The test will last no longer than 3 minutes and is similar to other tests already used by primary schools. Their answers will be marked instantly.
How can you help your child practice their times tables?
Because the National Curriculum for maths is so extensive, there is an expectation that parents will help their children learn their times tables at home and not rely on schools to bring them up to speed.
Some of the techniques you can use include:
Practising times tables by rote.
Asking your child multiplication questions out of order – such as "What’s 11x12? What’s 5x6?"
Asking your child the related division facts: ‘What’s 8➗4? What’s 9➗6?’
Using arrays to help your child memorise times tables – you can use fun objects like Smarties or Lego bricks to make it more entertaining.
Giving your child word problems to test their skills, like ‘If Peter has 800ml of orange juice and needs to share it between four friends, how much can they each have?’
Using apps and games like TheSchoolRun’s multiplication games to build speed.
Singing times tables off YouTube or using songs like Percy Parker.
English
This Spring term will focus on the The Ancient Egyptians. We will be doing some reading and comprehension work about The Ancient Egyptians. We will of course be doing spellings and grammar and punctuation work.
Using: https://www.literacyshed.com/the-egyptian-pyramids.html
The children will write a recount from one of the character’s perspectives. They will also write a film review.
Also this term we will write a diary entry written as Howard Carter. A newspaper Report about Howard Carter’s discovery.
- Write a description of the Valley of the Kings.
We will of course be doing spellings and grammar and punctuation work. |
Finding the time to read at school and at home is crucial ...
Year 3 and 4 Spellings ...
Religious Education
This term's key questions are:
What is the ‘Trinity’ and why is it important for Christians?
Who is the Trinity?
THE TRINITY is the core belief of Christianity. It defines our understanding of who God is. As such, it is the basis for our comprehension of all other teachings, but we often misunderstand it.
What the Trinity means
The word Trinity joins the words Tri (Three) + Unity = Trinity.
By doing this, it expresses the Christian understanding of God:
God is three persons but one single essence.
Who the Trinity is
The three persons of the Trinity are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Our Core Values
Each half term we have a different Core Value
This term our Core Value is Friendship
What is Friendship?
A friend is a person who you know, like and enjoy spending time with. A friend may help you when you are in trouble or need help. The relationship between friends is what we call a friendship.
PSHE
During the Spring terms we will be looking at what PSHE is all about and then focusing on
Health and wellbeing.
PE
During the Spring Term we will be doing the following:
Invasion Games Football/Tag Rugby -Throwing
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Catching Passing Receiving Dribbling Shooting Ball Mastery Attack & Defend Basic Possession Games Basic Game Scenarios. |
Computing
During the Spring Term we will be doing the following:
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Creating Media - Audio Editing Exploring devices capable of recording digital audio, ultimately producing a podcast, which will include editing their work, adding multiple tracks, and opening and saving the audio files. |
Science
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Living things and their habitats. |
How have rainforest animals adapted to their environment?
History
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Ancient Egypt Continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of world history, establishing clear narratives within and across the periods they study by learning about where and when the ancient Egyptians lived.
Regularly address and sometimes devise historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference, and significance by learning about the daily lives of many ancient Egyptian people. Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information by learning the about the mummification process used by the ancient Egyptians. Understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources and that different versions of past events may exist, giving some reasons for this by learning about the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. |
Note connections, contrasts and trends over time and develop the appropriate use of historical
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terms by exploring ancient Egyptian writing systems. Construct informed responses that involve thoughtful selection and organisation of relevant historical information by distinguishing information about the different gods. |
Geography
During the second half of the Autumn term we will be doing a topic on Rivers and looking at the following:
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The Water Cycle Where rivers come from How rivers shape the landscape Why rivers are different to canals Why rivers are important Who looks after rivers Rivers of the UK Famous rivers around the world |
Music
During the Autumn Term we will be doing the following:
Exploring Rhythmic Patterns –
Creating simple rhythmic patterns and perform them using body percussion and tuned/untuned instruments
Produce and use graphic notation to support performances
Exploring Arrangements –
Listening to music from other cultures
Developing aural ability to identify the notes used within some of the simple melodies and notating them on the stave
Learning some of the songs and adding rhythmic arrangements using the percussion instruments
Design And Technology
We will be doing a unit of work entitled Sling Shots during which we will do the following:
Work independently to produce an accurate, functioning car chassis
Design a shape that is suitable for the project
Attempt to reduce air resistance through the design of the shape
Produce panels that will fit the chassis and can be assembled effectively using the tabs they have designed
Construct car bodies effectively
Conduct a trial accurately and draw conclusions and improvements from the results
Our next unit of work is entitled Fastenings during which we will do the following:
Identify the features, benefits and disadvantages of a range of fastening types
Write design criteria and design a sleeve that satisfies the criteria
Make a template for their book sleeve
Assemble their case using any stitch they are comfortable with
Art And Design
We will be doing a unit of work entitled Power Prints during which we will do the following:
Create several pencil tones when shading and create a simple 3D effect
Explore the effect of holding a pencil in different ways and applying different pressures
Use charcoal and rubber to show areas of light and dark in their drawings
Demonstrate an awareness of the relative size of the objects they draw
Use scissors with care and purpose to cut out images
Try out multiple arrangements of cut images to decide on their composition
Use different tools to create marks and patterns when scratching into a painted surface
Show some awareness of how to create contrast by including areas with more and less marks
Create an interesting finished drawing based on their original composition, including detail such as contrast and pattern
Work co-operatively to create a joint artwork, experimenting with their methods