Thursday 12 September 2019

Year 4 Curriculum letter



13th September 2019

Year 4 - Autumn Curriculum Newsletter

Welcome to the Autumn Term, we hope you had a fabulous Summer! Hopefully, you find this letter informative; please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Homework:

Our expectation at Mead is that every child should do the following every night:

● 15 minutes reading to themselves or an adult (signed in the reading record)

● 15 minutes practicing spellings

● 15 minutes rehearsing times tables facts (including multiplication and division)

If children would like to attempt an additional challenge, we have a new Learning Challenge for children to attempt this term. All of the activities are based around the topic ‘Who are our European Neighbours?’. Children do not have to attempt every activity but instead select the activities that they are most interested in and compile a project that reflects the extra time and effort that they have put into their challenge. We hope that children will take their time with the challenge and be proud of the work they produce. The children should hand this into their teacher at the end of the Half Term.

Mathletics:
A reminder that all children received their mathletics account details last term and are encouraged to make the most of this resource.

Timestables Test: In the summer term, the children in Year 4 will be sitting a statutory times tables test. The test is completed online. The children will only get 6 seconds to answer each question. It is really important for the children to practice their times tables. There are lots of websites where they can practice under the same conditions as the test. A couple of these can be found at:

https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/477/Multiplication-Tables-Check
https://www.timestables.co.uk/multiplication-tables-check/
https://ttrockstars.com/

Spellings:

Spellings will be given out at the beginning of each term (there will be spare copies in the classroom if needed). The children should practice their words every evening. Spelling tests will happen every Friday.

P.E
PE lessons are on a Thursday. Please ensure that your child is in possession of a full, named PE kit for their lessons.

Swimming
Swimming lessons are on a Monday. As it is part of the Year Four curriculum, children are expected to attend every swimming session. Please ensure that your child is in possession of a full swimming kit for their lessons which include a swimming costume (not a bikini) or trunks, a towel and a swimming hat. No Jewellery is permitted.

Parental help
It is always extremely valuable to have parents who are able to volunteer time to help hear the children read, or support them with their times tables. If you think that you are able to give regular time to support the children then it would be warmly welcomed.


Enrichment
This term promises to be an exciting one full of enrichment! Please see below for the experiences that will take place this term.

Pantomime
Food tasting
The British Museum

Year 4 Showcase
We welcome all Year 4 parents into school on Wednesday 4th December 2019 so that the children can show you what they have been learning over the term.


Curriculum Information
We have included a summary of the topics which the children will be covering this term. If you would like to make any suggestions of what you or your child would like to learn, please inform your child’s class teacher as we welcome any suggestions you may have.

Thank you for your continued support, we look forward to the year ahead and are sure it will be full of fabulous learning experiences!

Yours sincerely,
Miss Spinks
Year 4 Lead


Autumn Term

1st Half Term
2nd Half Term
Literacy
Fiction: Dilemma Story
Non-Fiction: Information Texts
Fiction: Poetry
Non-Fiction: Instructions
Please fill in the reading journal after hearing your child read. For a good selection of children’s books, visit your local library. Useful web links: http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy/ http://durham.schooljotter.com/coxhoe/Curriculum+Links/Literacy
Maths
  Place Value
Properties of number
Mental strategies
Calculations (addition and subtraction)
Calculations (multiplication and division) 
Fractions
Measures
Geometry 
Statistics 
Please practice the times tables with your child. The school is continuing to focus on arithmetic this year and it would be of great help if your children could learn them. Useful websites:
ICT
Coding
Science
Living things and their habitats. 
Sound
History/Geography
Who are our European Neighbours? 
What is the Shang Dynasty and why is it important?
RSHE
Think Positive
People of Faith 
PE
Tag rugby 
Gymnastics/Basketball 
Music
Music around the world-Europe
Elements of  music- pulse meter and pitch
Christmas Production
Art/Design and Technology
Drawing 
Making biscuits 
French
Animals
Parts of the body 
Adjectives and nouns 
Food