Year 4

Welcome to Year 4

Mexico City - Your teacher is Mrs Lawrie.

Rio De Janeiro - Your teacher is Miss Davenport.

Miss Valente will be your year 4 teaching assistant who will work across both classes.

Our PE days are Tuesday and Friday.

English – Writing

As part of our English curriculum, we use the PALS approach to support and develop pupils' writing skills:

P – Purpose

A – Audience

L – Language

S – Structure

Through the use of exciting and engaging high-quality texts, alongside the PALS approach, children are inspired to write for a range of purposes and audiences. By considering these key elements, we will be learning how to make effective choices about the content, language and organisation of our writing. Throughout the year, we will explore a variety of writing genres, helping us to develop our creativity, communication skills and understanding of different text types.

During the Autumn Term, we will have opportunities to write in a range of genres, including letters and diary entries, alongside other carefully chosen text types that support learning across the curriculum.

Our texts this term are:

Autumn 1 –Counting on Katherine by Helaine Becker

Autumn 2 –Leon and the place between by Grahame Baker-Smith

Over the course of the year, pupils will work towards meeting the following writing objectives:

Use commas to make clauses in complex sentences
Create sentences with fronted adverbials for when (e.g. As the clock struck 12, they sprang into action.)
Create sentences with fronted adverbials for where (e.g. In the distance, a lone wolf howled.)
Use inverted commas and other punctuation to indicate direct speech (e.g. The tour guide announced, “Be back here at 4pm.”
Explore, identify, collect and use noun phrases (e.g. the crumbly cookie with marshmallows
Use the first three letters of a word to check its spelling in a dictionary
Discuss and record ideas for planning (e.g. story mountain, boxing up, story boards)
Use paragraphs to organise writing in fiction and non-fiction texts
Proofread to check for errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation
Write with consistency in size and proportion of letters (e.g. by ensuring lines of writing are spaced sufficiently so that the ascenders and descenders of letters do not touch)

This progressive approach enables children to build confidence as writers and develop the skills needed to communicate clearly, accurately, and purposefully in a range of contexts.

English – Reading

Autumn 1 - A world full of animal stories 50 folk tales and legends by Angela McAllister

Autumn 2 - The train to impossible places by P.G. Bell

Maths

In Maths this term we will be focussing on the following new concepts; Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, Area and Multiplication and Division (A).

Place Value

Represent and partition numbers to 1,000
Number line to 1,000
Thousands
Represent and partition numbers to 10,000
Flexible partitioning of numbers to 10,000
Find 1, 10, 100, 1000 more or less
Number line to 10,000
Compare and order numbers to 10,000
Roman Numerals
Rounding to the nearest 10, 100 and 1,000

Addition & Subtraction

Add and subtract 1s, 10s, 100s and 1,000s
Add up to 2 4-digit numbers (with and without exchanging)
Subtract 2 4-digit numbers (with and without exchanging)
Estimate answers
Checking strategies

Area

What is area?
Counting squares
Make shapes
Compare area

Multiplication & Division (A)

Multiples of 3
Multiply and divide by 6
6 times-tables and division facts
Multiply and divide by 9
9 times-tables and division facts
3, 6, 9 times-tables
Multiply and divide by 7
7 times-tables and division facts
11 times-tables and division facts
12 times-tables and division facts
Multiply by 1 and 0
Divide a number by 1 and itself
Multiply 3 numbers

Focus tables:

x3, x4, x6, x7, x8, x9, x7, x11 and x12

X2, x5, x10 (From Key Stage 1)

Geography –Settlements

In this unit, we will explore why people choose to settle in different locations and how settlements have changed over time. We investigate the features of villages, towns, and cities, examine the physical and human factors that influence where settlements develop, and compare settlements from different historical periods. Through map work, fieldwork, and enquiry-based learning, we develop our understanding of how people shape and are shaped by the places they live.

History –The Celts

In our unit of work, we will explore the lives of the Celts and discover what life was like in Britain before the Roman invasion. We will learn about Celtic homes, communities, farming, beliefs and traditions, as well as how we know about the Celts through archaeological evidence and historical sources. We will also investigate the relationship between the Celts and Romans and consider how the arrival of the Romans changed life in Britain.

Art –Storytelling through Drawing

In this unit, we will explore how artists use drawing to tell stories, express ideas, and capture emotions. We will experiment with a range of drawing techniques, including line, tone, texture, and composition, to create illustrations that communicate a narrative. Through studying the work of artists and developing our own creative ideas, we will learn how images can be used to engage an audience and bring stories to life.

DT –Mechanical systems

In this unit, we will explore the history and development of the automobile, discovering how designs have changed and improved over time. We will investigate existing products through market research, develop our own design ideas and use a range of tools and materials to create mechanical cars. We will test and compare our designs and evaluate our finished products against specific design criteria. We will also respond to feedback and make improvements to our designs based on the needs and preferences of the intended users.

Science

Autumn 1 –Animals including Humans

In Science, we will learn about the human digestive system and the important roles of different teeth in breaking down food. We will explore how food chains show the movement of energy between plants and animals and investigate the relationships between producers, predators, and prey. Through practical activities and scientific enquiry, we will develop our understanding of how animals, including humans, obtain the nutrients they need to survive and stay healthy.

Autumn 2 –Sound

In this unit of work, we will explore how sound travels and investigate the relationship between volume and pitch. We will explore how sound changes as it travels over a distance and investigate how different materials can absorb sound. We will also learn how we hear sounds and explore the different parts of the ear that work together to enable us to hear.

PSHE

Autumn 1 –Being me in my World

In this unit, we explore our rights and responsibilities as members of a class, school, and wider community. We learn about teamwork, cooperation, and how our actions can positively impact others. We develop an understanding of democracy, rules, and making responsible choices, while building confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging within our community.

Autumn 2 –Celebrating Difference

In this unit of work, we explore the effects of judging someone by their appearance, understand how influences can affect our choices, what bullying looks like and the effects of this and problem-solving.

Autumn 1 –Are all Religions Equal?

In this unit, we will explore different world religions and consider the similarities and differences between our beliefs, practices, and values. We will learn about the importance of respecting diverse viewpoints and investigate how faith can influence the lives of individuals and communities. Through discussion, enquiry, and reflection, we will develop our understanding of equality, diversity, and the role of religion in the modern world.

Autumn 2 –What makes some texts sacred?

In this unit, we explore the importance and significance of scripture across different worldviews, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. We will learn about the origins and development of key religious texts, such as the Buddhist Canon and the Guru Granth Sahib, and consider why these scriptures are valued and respected by believers today. We will also compare scriptures from different traditions, making links between beliefs, practices and the role scripture plays in people’s lives.

Autumn 1 –Look, run, avoid

In this unit, there is an important focus upon pupil's movement skills. We will consider how we can use ‘look run avoid’ to find space and evade defenders.

Autumn 2 –Hand, feet, equipment

In this unit of work, we will develop our dribbling skills. We will explore dribbling with different types of equipment and using different parts of our bodies to develop object control.

Computing

Autumn 1 –Coding

In this unit, we will develop our programming skills by designing, creating, and debugging simple computer programs. We will learn how to use sequence, repetition, and selection to control outcomes, while exploring how algorithms are used to solve problems. Through practical coding activities, we will build logical thinking, resilience, and computational skills as we create our own interactive projects.

Autumn 2 –Animation

In this unit, we will learn how to use digital animation and the techniques used by animators. We will learn how to use traditional animation methods and compare these using the program 2Animate.

PE - Our PE days are Tuesday and Friday.

On these days we ask that children come to school in their PE clothes rather than their school uniform.

Weather dependant they can wear their shorts and school coloured PE T- shirt and House PE sweatshirt. If the weather is cold, then track suit bottoms/leggings would be more suitable. Trainers are preferable to pumps as it is possible the children may be outdoors for lessons.

Spellings - Spellings will be given out on Friday. These will also be on the Weekly Poster.

MTC Links

Multiplication check parents document: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6543c1ef9e05fd0014be7c64/2024_Information_for_parents_Multiplication_tables_check_PDFA_v1.1.pdf

Multiplication check practise: https://www.timestables.co.uk/multiplication-tables-check/

Useful Links

Times Table Practice

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

Times Table Songs

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers/ks2-maths-collection/z7frpg8

Purple Mash

https://purplemash.com/sch/wistaston

Reading