Mrs Payne would like to wish everyone a very Happy New 2024!
This term is going to be full of interesting and exciting things that will help you with your learning journey into Year 4.
Maths
In maths this Spring term, we will continue with developing our place value skills by multiplying numbers by 10, 100 and 1000 as well as using money including decimals to add and subtract. We will also be learning how to find fractions of quantities and solving money problems.
Practicing your times tables is also very important in year 4.
Everyone in year 4 now has their TT Rockstars login. Please use this to help with your times table knowledge.
Click on the link below to find out just how good you are!
English
Our English genres this 1st Spring term will begin by reading various different types of SETTINGS and then describing the inside of an Ancient Egyptian pyramid!
We will also be focusing on developing our writing skills further by using our knowledge on Ancient Egyptian Myths and their Gods and Goddesses.
Click on the image above to discover more about Egyptian Gods and Godesses.
Our topic for this Spring term is...
Ancient Egypt
Year 4 will be studying the achievements of this ancient civilisation. They will learn about how and where the ancient Egyptians lived, what was important to the daily lives of ancient Egyptians, who Tutankhamun was and how mummies
were made. The children will also learn about how Egyptian people used hieroglyphs to communicate and compare the powers of different gods!
Click the picture below to find out more!
Science
Our science topic this Spring term is 'Living things and their habitats'
Some of the things we will be studying are:
- recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways
• explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment
• recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things
For more information please click on the picture below.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
This 2nd Spring term our Christian Value is...
FORGIVENESS
Christian teachings on forgiveness cover issues of peace and conflict as well as different interpretations of some of those teachings. Some Christian believers, despite suffering personal tragedy, have chosen to forgive those who have sinned against them as part of their faith.
In Matthew’s Gospel, the teaching on forgiveness is continued, with Christ making it clear that in order to be forgiven, humans must forgive others:
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins
In class our R.E. question will be -Unit L2.5 Why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’? [Salvation]
Our key objectives will be...
Make sense of belief:
• Recognise the word ‘Salvation’, and that Christians believe
Jesus came to ‘save’ or ‘rescue’ people, e.g. by showing them
how to live
• Offer informed suggestions about what the events of Holy
Week mean to Christians
• Give examples of what Christians say about the importance of
the events of Holy Week
Understand the impact:
• Make simple links between the Gospel accounts and how
Christians mark the Easter events in their communities
• Describe how Christians show their beliefs about Jesus in
worship in different ways
Make connections:
• Raise thoughtful questions and suggest some answers about
why Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’, giving
good reasons for their suggestions.
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 practise 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.