Welcome to Year 4

Mrs Summers, Mrs Turner, Miss Jones and Miss Julian

Our theme for Summer 2 is:

What do I know about the UK?

Our Theme

This term, our driver theme this term is ‘What do I know about the UK?’ (Countries, counties, settlements and geographical regions), which is a Geography theme. The children will begin by recapping what they already know about the UK.  Following that they will be looking at topographical features of the UK such as hills, mountains, coasts and rivers. After that, we will look at counties of the UK and geographical regions. We will then look at how cities have changed over time and then we will then focus on two cities, Birmingham and Blackpool and then will compare the two. Lastly, we will look at London and its human geography and how its culture has changed over time.

English 

In English this half term, we will be using the book ‘To the edge of the world’ as a basis for our writing, using it for reading comprehensions as well as for writing character and setting descriptions. We will also be exploring the setting of the story, finding out more about the story’s location as well as the animals that inhabit the island and writing some non-fiction pieces.

Reading, as always, will be a crucial part of the children’s learning. The children will continue to use Accelerated Reader for their daily reading books, which they will also bring home. The children will also have whole class reading comprehension lessons using a variety of books linked to our topic and focusing on different domains such as retrieval, prediction, vocabulary and author’s choice.

Maths

In Maths, we will be looking at 2D shape and symmetry. Following that, our next unit is on position and direction where the children will be reading and writing coordinates as well plotting coordinates of polygons. After that, the children will be looking at patterns and sequences. We will finish by looking at 3D shape.

Science

This half term, in Science, we will be finishing our unit ‘Good vibrations’ all about sound.

Our next topic is called ‘Where does all the food go?’ All about digestion and oral health.

RE

In RE, this terms’ theme focuses on Christianity and asked the big question ‘Do people need to go to church to show that they are Christians?’

DT

In Design and Technology, we will be learning about electrical systems, looking at simple circuits and switches. The children will be using simple programming and controls using the ‘Crumble’ programme.

PE

This term the children will be taking part in Athletics as their PE lesson with Onside coaching.

For their second PE session, the children will be going swimming on a Thursday afternoon. The lessons will undertaken by qualified swimming instructors at the Alan Higgs centre. 

Computing

We will be completing our unit on ‘Spreadsheets’.

PSHE

In PSHE this half term, the theme will be ‘Changing me’. This unit will cover being unique, having a baby, girls and puberty, confidence in change, accepting change, preparing for transition and environmental change.

We will send details of the lessons every week in the weekly notices.

Important information

• PE this half term is timetabled for a Tuesday and the children will continue to have their swimming session on a Thursday afternoon.  
• The children will need to bring in their AR books daily to read in school and should bring them back home, You should continue to read with your child at least 3 times a week. The children will come home with their AR book at the beginning of next week.
• Homework-this will be given out on a Friday and will consist of spellings based on the rule that we have been working on that week, an English activity based on the learning for that week as well as a Maths activity to consolidate what the children have been working on that week in class. We also encourage the children to play on Times Tables Rockstars to improve their multiplication and division fact recall even though most children have now completed their check as this is a skill that needs to keep on being practised.

How you can help at home

Encourage your child to complete activities on Times Tables Rockstars particularly on the ‘Garage’ tab where the children will then develop their own ‘heatmap’ which will identify the weaker times tables which they can then practise. Practise times tables recall with your child.

Listen to your child read at least 3 times per week and have discussions about the text (record the reading sessions in their reading records). Encourage them to summarise what they have read. I have now added a list of the types of questions you could ask your child when reading with them to the class page in the form of a bookmark.

We work with a company called SEND Supported at school and they are releasing newsletters each week offering support and guidance to parents of children who many have additional needs in school. Please find below a link to these newsletters:

There are also lots of other resources and information available on their website. The 'Things to do Issue 2 - Resources' file has some lovely activities for all children regardless of whether they have additional needs or not. There are lots of great visual puzzles and games for children to play so please have a look if you can. There are also resources available now to support with developing children's memory skills in 'Thing to do Issue 3 - Resources.'

Literacy Links

Free e books - just register  

Maths Links

P.E Links  

Look out for information being sent to you with login details to use this at home!

Daily half an hour workouts Monday - Friday 9 a.m (Don't worry if you missed it, they are all saved)

Curriculum Links                                      Myleene's Music Klass