A very happy New Year to everyone! This Spring Term in Year 4, the children will continue to enjoy a wide range of learning opportunities both in the classroom and beyond as we move towards Easter. They have settled back into school life wonderfully after Christmas and it has been a real joy to welcome them back. I am confident that the Spring Term will provide many opportunities for the children to practise and develop the skills and knowledge that will help them flourish both as learners and as individuals.
This term, we continue to explore our whole-school theme, ‘The Treasure Within’. The children have been sharing the treasures in their own lives through the Treasure Trove Backpack activity, which every child will have the opportunity to complete during the year.
In Religious Education, our next topic is ‘Galilee to Jerusalem’. This unit helps the children to understand why Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah and how his words and actions showed God’s love for everyone, particularly those who were excluded by society. The children will explore key Christian beliefs, prayers and sacraments and reflect on how Jesus continues to inspire people today to live with faith, hope and love.
In English, our first focus text is ‘The Iron Man’ by Ted Hughes. The children will be writing their own descriptive pieces inspired by this powerful story. We will continue to expand vocabulary through spelling work and whole-class reading, discovering new words in texts and exploring exciting “super synonyms”. After half term, our next class text will be ‘Varjak Paw’ by SF Said.
In Maths, learning will focus on Multiplication and Division, followed by Length and Perimeter, Fractions and Decimals. With the Multiplication Tables Check taking place in June, we will place extra emphasis on times tables practice in school, including during Computing lessons and additional lunchtime clubs. Support at home through online resources such as Times Tables Rock Stars will be extremely beneficial, thank you in advance for supporting your child in this way.
Our topic title this term is ‘Roman Britain: Inventers and Innovators’. In Geography, we will investigate Italy and will compare the North and South based on the physical and human features. In History, we will be learning about the Romans expanding on the children’s previous knowledge from Year 3.
In Science, we will be learning all about states of matter, the particle arrangements and how everything on earth is classified into solids, liquids or gases. In DT, we will be exploring textiles skills linking our creations to our Geography topic. In Art, we will be developing our drawing techniques and will be using them to create our own ‘power prints’.
In PE, the children have brilliant opportunities this term for varied and beneficial learning. Year 4 will have lessons in ball skills, athletics, football and gymnastics.
In French lessons, children will be exploring the units ‘Going Shopping’ and ‘Where in the World?’.
Music will focus on film music and country music! Choral music singing is continuing and hymn practices shall continue ahead of whole school Masses.
Correct PE kits should be in school every day. This includes black shorts, a white t-shirt and black trainers or plimsolls for indoor PE and joggers, a jumper and trainers for outdoor PE while the weather remains chilly. Children may take their kits home at the weekend for washing but should return them to school on Mondays.
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