4ST

This Autumn term our History topic is Ancient Egypt. We will be learning about life for Egyptians, the famous Pharaoh Tutankhamun, Egyptian gods and how they prepare for the afterlife (mummification). We will understand that the Egyptians were just one culture, based in one region, and that there were other advanced societies around at the time. We will understand some of the features that these civilisations had in common: based on a fertile river, similar latitude (where the climate was not too hot or cold), developed some kind of writing which enabled them to organise their society and record trade, laws and also provide us with evidence of their way of life, developed the first cities and built bigger and more complex structures (Pyramids and Temples).

Our Geography topic is Mountains. They should have some sense of how mountainous areas are different from flatter land. We will be learning the names and locations of UK and world mountains, and the 5 different types of mountains. We will also look at maps, how to locate, create and use a map to find our way around. Children will be able to understand and explain how mountains are formed and why tourism is important in mountain areas.

In English we use our Talk4Write scheme, where children rehearse with actions and get to know the text really well, drawing and following the text map so they are able to produce an imaginative final piece of writing at the end of each unit. Our non-fiction text types include an autobiography and a newspaper report. In the autobiography we will be focusing on different sentence openings, headings and organising our work into paragraphs. In the newspaper report we will be focusing on the addition of interesting facts and ensuring each paragraph has a subject focus. Our fiction text types include a fairytale and portal story. Within the fairytale, children will be looking closely at the setting of where their story takes place, making sure it is descriptive with adjectives to excite the reader. In the portal story, we will be focusing on alternative endings, creating drama and suspense to make the reader want to continue reading.

In Maths we will start with place value so children can recognise and understand the value of each number as we move onto bigger numbers up to 10,000. We will be looking closely at partitioning numbers into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones as well as how we can do this flexibly, combining some of the thousands and hundreds or hundreds and tens, tens and ones to make it easier and quicker for us to see the whole number. We will then move onto addition and subtraction which includes 4-digit numbers. After this we will be looking at area and how to calculate this when looking at shapes. We will finish off this term looking at multiplication and division, starting with the times tables: 3, 6, 9, 7, 11, 12, multiplying 3 numbers together and dividing by 1. In year 4, all children will take an official times table test so we will continuously be practising our times tables in class and it would be a great help if you could do this at home too. There is a useful website that can be accessed at home called ttrockstars.com.  Your children should know their password but I will provide each child with their login again, in case it has been forgotten.

In our Guided Reading lessons, we will be reading a variety of text types and books by a variety of authors. Fluency and comprehension is very important. To help children with their vocabulary we will introduce two new words each week related to our reading text. This is to improve their understanding and encourage them to use these words in their writing. Children will then practise their comprehension skills by answering a range of questions that focuses on different skills: retrieval, meaning of words, summarising, inference and prediction. To support your child’s reading at home they should be reading for at least 10 minutes every day and you could  ask your child some questions to improve their understanding of the book. Your child will have their banded/level reading books changed twice a week and are encouraged to take an additional book home to read for pleasure. Please sign their reading records to acknowledge they have read at home.

In Science we will be looking at Electricity, this will include the uses of electricity, how to make and understand simple circuits and switches. As well as looking at different materials that work as conductors and insulators. Then we will move onto Sound. Children will learn how sounds are made, sound vibrations and understanding pitch and volume.

We will continue with our weekly PE sessions, this will be on a Monday afternoon. It is compulsory and part of the curriculum for year 4 to have swimming lessons; ours take place at Broughton Swimming Baths. Swimming will take place on a Thursday morning (this will change to a Wednesday afternoon after half term).

Our school PE kit is: A white t-shirt, black shorts or tracksuit bottoms and black trainers or pumps. Black trainers can be worn as part of your child’s school uniform. No jewellery should be worn on either of these days, girls should only wear stud earrings that they can take out themselves.

Swimming kit: Girls: a swimming costume, a swimming cap (which can be purchased from the office for £3) and a towel. Boys: tight-fitting swim trunks (not shorts), a swimming cap and a towel.

Homework: In Year 4 we will send your child home with a list of spellings each Friday, for them to learn for a small test the following Tuesday. They will also get a piece of homework each week which will have a Maths or English focus. This will need to be completed and returned by the following Wednesday so it can be marked. Please use TTrockstars to practise times tables whenever you can as well.