Hello and welcome to Year 4’s webpage :)
Teacher: Miss Thompson
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Etchells
- Term 1a: Blue Abyss Grab your wetsuit. We’re going deep into an underwater world of incredible coral and mysterious sea creatures. Head to your local aquarium and learn about life in the ocean. Can you pick a favourite fish, plant or animal? What do real divers get up to below the surface? Create a fishy story about exploring an amazing underwater world. Time to go a little deeper into our seas. Make a model deep sea submarine that can withstand great pressure and travel to the deepest, darkest places on Earth. Make sure you test it first. What are those bright lights in the distance? It’s a group of bioluminescent sea creatures. Look closely and create a colourful, 3-D art exhibition when you rise to the surface. Flippers on? Snorkel ready? Let’s head into the Blue Abyss.
- Term 1b: Road trip USA! Buckle up, sunglasses on. We’re going on a road trip across the good old US of A. Flying from London Gatwick, and landing at JFK airport New York, it’s time to explore the sights and sounds of the Big Apple. Use your map skills to navigate your way around some of its most famous landmarks and send a postcard home to ask the question ‘Do you wish you were here?’ Learn how to send an email to book a day trip or reserve a room. Make sure you ask the important questions ‘Does your hotel have a pool? Is there 24-hour room service?’ Meet the Iroquois tribe; Native Americans with amazing customs and traditions. Then plan a bespoke road trip for Mr Smith and his family of four. They want to spend three weeks in the sunshine. It’s going to be a long ride. Put the roof down and let the wind blow through your hair. We’re off.
- Term 2a: Burps, bottoms and bile Open wide – let’s take a look inside. We’re on a voyage of discovery to investigate the busy world inside your body. Do you have a toothy grin or a winning smile? Take dental impressions and test the effects of sugary substances on your pearly whites. Follow a tasty morsel as it makes its way through your digestive system, helped by some mouthwatering saliva. And don’t forget the importance of good hygiene at both ends. And whilst we’re talking business, could you recognise an animal just by its poo? Are you brave enough to take the challenge? Make a working model of the digestive system and use it to persuade others to eat healthily. Learn how to look after this marvellous belching, squelching, mixture making machine we call our body.
- Term 2b and 3a: Invasion This project teaches children about life in Britain after the Roman withdrawal. Children will learn about Anglo-Saxon and Viking invasions up to the Norman conquest.
- Term 3b: Misty mountain, winding river This project teaches children about the characteristics and features of rivers and mountain ranges around the world, including a detailed exploration of the ecosystems and processes that shape them and the land around them.
At the end of year 4, all children will sit a mandatory multiplication test set by the government. They will be tested on their multiplication and division knowledge up to 12 x 12. There are various ways to practise: On Timestable Rockstars (logins stuck into the front of reading records), with hit the button (a free website found here: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button) or just generally practising at any given opportunity. Walking the dog, between adverts, getting ready in the morning, walking to school, during teatime… anywhere! Short, regular bursts are the best way for anyone to learn their timestables. Make it a competition: who can beat who? Who can say their timestables the quickest? How ever you decide to do it, have fun with it!
Swimming is on Wednesdays. Please ensure swimming kits are in school every Wednesday morning and taken home Wednesday evening to be washed ready for the following week. Strictly no earrings or jewellery to be worn for swimming. For appropriate swimming kits, please see parent mail sent out in September 2021 or speak to Mr Whaite on the playground after school.
In year 4, we are very fortunate to have Tameside Music Service come in and teach us keyboards! This will happen on Mondays.
Homework:
- Children are expected to read regularly at home: being a fluent reader is key to learning across ALL subjects and it’s a key life skill. It is ideal to read a book over a few days to allow your child to discuss what they have read to embed learning and demonstrate a clear comprehension of the text. You may wish to ask the children questions or discuss the meanings of keywords within the book.
- All homework is optional. It will be set on Microsoft Teams. It will be given out on a Friday and due in the following Wednesday. Yellow homework books have been handed out at the beginning of the year for work to be completed in. There is no expectation for you to print out whatever is set, so children can either edit the document online or complete work in the homework book. If you have any queries, let me know.
- Spellings will be set on Spelling shed. The children will be tested every Friday.
Thank you for your continued support!
As always, stay safe, have fun and be kind (not only to others but yourself as well).
Miss Thompson and Mrs Etchells