Welcome to 4F's Class Page 2022/23

 

CLASS PHOTO:

 


STAFF:

Teachers in our class are Miss Foster, Mr Newton, Mrs Berry, Mrs Boyd and Mrs Buksh.


Year 4 Creative Challenge Homework


UPCOMING EVENTS...:

 


PE DAYS:

All Year 4 children have now started swimming lessons which take place on a Thursday afternoon. 

The last session will be on Thursday 13th July  

Children will need their swimming costume/shorts/trunks and a towel. 

Those with longer hair will also need a swimming cap and may want to bring a brush or comb. 

If any children bring deodorant, please ensure that these are sticks or roll on and NOT sprays.

READING:

Please bring your reading book to school every day so we can read with you.

Please read a few pages at home every day and ask an adult to sign your reading record.

 

 

Y4 Curriculum.

 

Our creative curriculum is driven by the 4Cs of communication, conflict, conservation and culture which meets the needs of our diverse school community.  It is designed to inspire an enthusiasm for learning, engaging with and learning about challenging 21st century issues, dealing with tomorrow’s issues today. 

 

Y4 are Adventurers. 

CURRICULUM LETTER:

Here is our Summer curriculum letter so you can see what we are learning about this term: 

Year 4 Curriculum Letter - Summer

SPELLINGS:

Here is our spellings for Summer 1. There are five groups for spellings and your child should know which group they are in. Spellings are tested each Friday with the dates shown on the sheet: 

Year 4 Spellings - Summer

SUMMER 1 HALF TERM THEME OVERVIEW:

“Window on the World” is a geography-based thematic unit with a focus on settlement and trade. Pupils will learn about physical features that make a location suitable for habitation, trade links and the interdependence between countries importing and exporting and will build on learning about biodiversity through a focus on captive breeding programmes.

READING:

In Summer 1, our 5 Reads books that we read in story time each day are:

The Last Wolf by Mini Grey | Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker | Little Turtle and the Sea by Becky Davies | Sonam And The Silence by Eddie Ayres | The Visible Sounds by Yin Jianling

Our class novel we are also reading in English lessons and Class Novel time is:

'My Name is River' by Emma Rea and our focus in English lessons is character-driven adventure stories. 

My Name Is River - Emma Rea

PHOTOS:

Amazing Events we have done in Summer 1:

Author Afternoon - Poetry!

Our focus for author day was poetry.  All children in lower key stage 2 (Years 3 and 4) were put into mixed groups and took part in different activities in the 4 classrooms.  In Miss Foster's room, we looked at nature poems in the book 'I am the seed that grew the treee?' compiled by Fiana Waters. We read poems for each day of the year. We focused on the poem 'What is Green?' by Mary O' Neill and then wrote our own nature poems based on a given colour. In Miss Manly's room we found out about the Victorian poet, Christina Rossetti.  We read her poem, Have You Seen the Wind? and then rehearsed it chorally.  We then made wind spinner which had the first stanza of the poem printed on. In Mrs Johnson room, we looked at the book 'Tiger Tiger Burning Bright' and explored animal poetry with syllable counts. In Mrs Clarkson's class, we created our own riddle poems in the style of kennings.

Coronation Lunch:

To celebrate the King's coronation, we had a special dinner with all our friends.

Eid Party!

We had so much fun celebrating Eid with our friends. We played lots of games and dancing as well as ate lots of yummy food!

Our learning:

Theme: Our theme unit is called 'Window on the World' where we look at human geography..

Look at some of our photos of the things we have done:

Sandpit:

We've had lots of fun playing with our friends in the sand pit whilst we've had such lovely, sunny weather.

Science - String Telephones:

After making string telephones, we thought about whether the volume would change depending on the length of the string. We worked in groups and had 3 string telephones, each with a different length string. We found out that the shorter the string, the louder the volume because the vibrations have less distance to travel. We worked so well in our groups and enjoyed using the dataloggers to record the volume heard.

Science - Creative Challenge:

As part of our homework and linking with our science unit of sound, we were asked to create our own musical instruments using items and home.  We had some amazing creations which all produced different sounds. it was clear to see that sound starts with vibrations.  Some of our instruments  could change pitch. Members of staff voted for the best creation and the winner won a special science box prize.  Everyone who took part received a smaller gift. 

PSHE - Debating:

We have been thinking about how we communicate our ideas and then discussed what a debate is.  We agreed that a debate is a way of communication our ideas whilst trying to persuade others.  We debated different  questions as a class and voted on whether we agreed, strongly agreed, disagreed or strongly disagreed with the question posed. This was followed by a discussion where we put forward our arguments for our chosen stance.

English - News Broadcast:

We worked in small groups to prepare a news item about our class novel, My Name is River.  In the book, children have uncovered a terrible secret project organised by one of the employees of an international company.  This is what our news report was based on. 

Science - Pattern seeking with rulers:

Our science unit is all about sound.  We observed what happened when a ruler is held at the edge of a desk and then 'twanged'. We changed the length of the ruler by having more of the ruler hanging over the edge of the table and recorded what we observed.  We repeated this with a wooden ruler to compare results with the plastic ruler.  We found out that, the shorter the ruler the higher the frequency which results in a higher pitch noise.  

Maths - Pounds and pence:

We have been learning about money in maths. To start with, we looked at each coin and note to learn their values as well as their similarities and differences. After, we started to look at making amounts to £1, £5 and then £10.

Science - Researching using secondary sources:

In our science lessons, we have been learning all about sound and how we hear.  We found out that sound starts with particles vibrating.  We used science text books to research how our ears work and how we hear sound. 

Science - Sound travelling through different states:

We have investigated how sound travels through different mediums including through the air (gas), water (liquid) and a metal fork with a string (solid). We explored how this changes the sound heard. Then, we created our own paper cup telephones to see how the sound travels down the string ready for another investigation next week.

English - Hotseating:

We have thought about our main characters and their motives in the story. We wrote super questions for the characters to find out more information. To finish our lesson, we put our characters in the hot seat to find out the answers to our questions.

Maths - Using counters to make decimal numbers:

We have been learning about decimal numbers and about how to compare and order them.  Some of us having been using counters and/or place value grids to help us with our understanding of value. 

Maths - Times tables:

Children in Year 4 our preparing and practising for  the Year 4 multiplication tables check which will begin in June. We have been playing lots of games, both as single players and with/against our friends.  

Commando Joe:

This half term we are continuing to work with Commando Joe to build up our resilience, team work and problem solving skills.

Science - Investigating Sound:

To start our new unit on sound, we explored a range of instruments and how they make sound as well as how to change the sounds they make. We learned that sound is made by vibrations of particles.

Art - Jack Kirby:

Last half term, during our animation theme, we researched the comic book artist Jack Kirby, This week, we have spent time looking at different painting techniques. Then, we created our own superheroes inspired by the works of Jack Kirby.

Art - Eid Cards:

This week, we spent time making cards to wish our families a happy Eid. Take a look at the beautiful, detailed designs on our moons...

CURRICULUM LETTER:

Here is our Spring curriculum letter so you can see what we are learning about this term: 

Year 4 Curriculum Letters


SPELLINGS:

Here is our spellings for Spring 1 and 2. There are four groups for spellings and your child should know which group they are in. Spellings are tested each Friday with the dates shown on the sheet: 

Year 4 Spellings Spring

SPRING 2 HALF TERM THEME OVERVIEW:

“That’s All Folks!” is a thematic unit based around the history and development of animation and cartoons. It primarily takes in elements of history, art and computing / ICT and starts with learning about the beginnings of animation, looking at zoetropes and flip books, before moving on to the dawn of the Disney age. Then, the process of animation is explored further, with an opportunity for pupils to exchange their own design ideas and create their own animated films.

READING:

In Spring 2, our 5 Reads books that we read in story time each day are:

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore by William Joyce | Leon and the Place Between by Angela McAllister | Ocean Sky by The Fan Brothers | The Dragon Machine by Helen Ward | The Lost Homework by Richard O’Neil

Our class novels we are also reading in English lessons and Class Novel time is:

'Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the witch and the wardrobe' by C.S. Lewis and our focus in English lessons is stories set in imaginary worlds. 

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 2)

PHOTOS:

Amazing Events we have done in Spring 1:

Lindow Ensemble:

On Tuesday 28th March, we had visitors in school playing some wonderful music from all around the globe.  Four of our children were special judges who had to score each piece of music.  We all had a great time. 

Church - Easter Service:

On the 29th March, we went to church with our whole school for our Easter service. Each year group shared work related to the Easter story and we had lots of fun singing hymns.

Animation Workshop:

On Friday 24th March, we had lots of fun at our Animation workshop. An animator came to our school to show us how to make a stop motion animation. Firstly, we chose our background and planned out our storyboard in groups. Then, we each made our own clay figures for our animation. Finally,  we carefully placed and moved our clay figures and took pictures that all joined together to create our animation. We had lots of fun!

World Book Day 2023 (with PSHCE):

The whole school celebrated World Book Day 2023 with a theme of reading for pleasure.  Each class focussed on one of Tom Percival's 'Big Bright Feelings' books. Year 4 read 'Meesha Makes Friends' and then carried out a range of activities based on this book including roleplay, class discussion and making paper 'toys' which including instructions on how to make friends and make people feel welcome.  They all thoroughly enjoyed the book and could reflect on their own feelings. We also managed to spend some time in our beautiful school library and 'buddy up' with Reception class and read to the smaller children. 

Science Day 2023:

We had lots of fun being scientists on Science Day! In the morning, we explored the questions 'Do taller people have bigger feet?' where we started off by the children ordering themselves by height.  We then split into groups (ensuring a range of heights were in each group) and then the children measured and recorded their results. In the afternoon, we completed some experiments to look at liquid density. The children poured different liquids into a measuring cylinder and then observed what happened.  The different liquids created layers due to the different densities.  Different small objects were then placed into the cylinders and the children were surprised to find out that they settled in different places too, again due to density. The children recorded their observations in their books. The children showed fantastic observation skills!

Great British Spring Clean!

As part of the Great Big School Clean 2023, we went out in our local area. We were disappointed by how much litter we found but we worked hard to help tidy it up.

Our learning:

Theme: Our theme unit is called 'That's All Folks' where we look at the history of animation.

Look at some of our photos of the things we have done:

PE - Rugby:

This half term, in P.E, we have been learning all about the skills in tag rugby. We have learned how to pass the ball, how to intercept and tackle as well as how to score. To end our half term, we used all our skills in a full game of tag rugby.

Art - Easter cards:

We have spent time this week making some beautiful cards to wish our families a 'hoppy' Easter!

Science - Making and testing toothpaste:

We have been learning about how to keep our teeth healthy.  Previously, we had tested the effectiveness of different toothpastes. We followed recipes to make our own toothpastes and then tested them in the same way to find out how effective each one was. 

Art - Mothers' Day cards:

For Mothers' Day, we made cards to show how much we appreciate all that our mothers and carers do for us. We really enjoyed making them so we hope you love our cards too!

History & Art - Animation:

We have been learning about early types of animation.  We started by making flipbooks and then learned about other Victorian animation such as thaumatropes, phenakistoscopes and zoetropes.  Each 'toy' had some similarities and differences.  Each did involve having different 'frames' and tricking the eye (optical illusions).  We learned a new phrase. 'persistence of vision'. Take a look at how we got on...

History & Art - Flipbooks:

We had to take lots of care with our flipbooks so that each picture was only slightly different. Once we'd created our pictures, we stapled them together in the correct order. When we flip them, the pictures 'move' together and create an animation.

History & Art - Thaumatropes:

Next, we made thaumatropes which we found were a lot quicker to make as it only included two images. We found the 'persistence of vision' creates a very interesting trick that makes the two images join together.

History & Art - Zoetropes & Phenakistoscopes:

Lastly, we made two more versions of early animation. We had to work carefully and kindly in our groups to follow the instructions as these types were a little trickier to build. We had lots of fun!

PSHCE - Collaboration:

In PSHCE, we have been developing our understanding of collaboration and what makes a good team. We realised that sometimes working with our friends isn't always the best option as it depends on the task we have been set and the skills we need. We learned about the importance of listening to each other. We created a list of rules and then we worked with children we wouldn't usually to learn new things about the children in our class.

SPRING 1 HALF TERM THEME OVERVIEW:

In Spring 1, we start by continuing our Autumn 2 theme 'Come Fly with Me! Africa'. This is a thematic unit based around the continent of Africa, with a key focus on geography and history. Pupils will be learning about the location of Africa and identifying its largest countries. Alongside this geography element, they will study the Benin era. They will also learn about African culture, in particular typical African food and folk tales.

In Autumn 2, our second theme is called 'Saxon King: Harold Godwinson'. This is a competency-based thematic unit with a history focus, telling the inspirational story of Harold Godwinson. He is famous for being the last Anglo-Saxon king of England, ruling as a talented leader in peace and war. Pupils will learn, through his life story, all about his achievements and what makes him such an important historical figure.

READING:

In Spring 1, our 5 Reads books that we read in story time each day are:

Arthur and the Golden Rope by Joe Todd Stanton | Lao Lao of Dragon Mountain by Margaret Bateson-Hill | No Dinner! By Jessica Souhami |

Chandra’s Magic Light by Theresa Heine | The Flower by John Light

Our class novels we are also reading in English lessons and Class Novel time are:

The Firework Maker's Daughter by Philip Pullman

The Firework-Maker's Daughter : Pullman, Philip, Bailey, Peter, Bailey,  Peter: Amazon.co.uk: Books

PHOTOS:

Amazing Events we have done in Spring 1:

The Anderton Centre (again!):

After our first - very rainy! - visit to the Anderton Centre, we were so excited to return and join in with the activities we missed out on the first time around. We showed super team work skills during our crate stacking as well as team games. It was lots of fun and, thankfully, a lot sunnier too.

NSPCC - Number Day 2023:

To help raise money for the charity, NSPCC, children in school dressed up as rock stars and made a donation.  During the day, children were involved a range of maths activities.  Y4 logged onto TTRockstars and earned some points - practise in preparation for the Year 4 multiplication check coming up later in the year. 

Our learning:

Theme: Our first theme unit continues from Autumn 2 with 'Come Fly with Me! Africa' where we look at the continent of Africa and learn all about the history, geography and culture of this continent.

Our Second theme unit is 'Saxon King: Harold Godwinson' where we explore the life of Harold Godwinson who was the last Anglo-Saxon king. We will be looking at his life story, his achievements and his importance as a historical figure.

Look at some of our photos of the things we have done:

Music - Clapping the beat:

This week in music, we learned a version of 'The Grand Old Duke of York' to suit Harold Godwinson's journey to his battles. After, we looked at clapping out the beat and following the musical notes on the board. As a final challenge, we create our own small tunes using crochets and quavers in groups.

Science - What affects our teeth?

We have been learning about our teeth and how to keep them healthy.  We talked about the impact different drinks have our our teeth.  We carried out an enquiry to find out the impact of different liquids.  We used eggs as the shells of eggs are made of a similar substance to tooth enamel.  

PSHCE - Mental Health Week 2023:

To recognise 'Children's Mental Health Week' children across school took part in different activities with a theme of 'connections'. In Year 4, children played a game of connections bingo.  To play the game, children were given a bingo card and had to complete it by finding someone who fit a certain criteria.  For example, 'find someone who has a sister' or 'find someone how can play an instrument.' We linked the activity with out physical health and played the game during our PE session.  Children took part in a fitness session and, when the whistle blew, they had to make their way to a new station to find someone to help complete their 'bingo card'.  To make it a little bit more challenging and to encourage the children to talk to others outside of their friendship group, the teachers set extra rules.  Children could only find someone from the opposite Year 4 class and each child had to have a mixture of boys and girls on their card.  This did take some of the children a little out of their comfort zone but were surprised to learn some facts about their peers. 

Computing - Safer Internet Day 2023:

It was Internet Safety Day on Tuesday 7th February.  Children talked about and explain what internet safety actually means and looked at different ways to stay safe on line.  Some children shared some of their own experiences of people being quite mean online.  After the discussion, they completed a Venn diagram thinking about if certain activities online were positive, negative or a bit of both. 

Science - How Muscles Work:

Today, we looked at how our muscles move in our arms. We created our own model arms and labelled on the bones and muscles involved.

History - Harold Godwinson:

We have looked further into Harold Godwinson’s life including his powerful family and the control they had over different parts of the country. We worked in groups using iPads for our research and created a poster to display the key facts we had learnt.

Geography - African Climates:

We have researched different foods grown in Africa and plotted them on a climate map. We found out that where the food grows depends on the climate of the area.

PE - Dance:

In PE this half term, we are looking at movement and dance. So far we have looked at different ways we can move our bodies to represent aspects of nature including rivers, lakes and raindrops.

Art - African Dance Masks:

In ART, we have looked at African dance masks and why they are important. Then, we used 3D form and paper mache to create our own African masks using bright colours, feathers and beads to decorate.

Science - The Digestive System:

We carried out a practical experiment to show digestion. After, we looked at what each part of the body was represented as in our experiment. Then, we spoke about the importance of each body part involved in the digestive system. We had lots of fun, even though some of us found it very disgusting!

English - Performance Poetry:


This week in English, we have been looking at the poem ‘Walking With My Iguana’ by Brian Moses. On Monday, we looked at good performance techniques and then worked in small groups to create our own performance of this poem. After this, we created our own versions of this poem with an African animal. To end our week, we recapped the important features of performance poetry and looked at how we can further improve our performance with musical instruments. We looked at the 7 elements of music to explore in our performance. Then, we looked at a range of instruments and chose ones we thought was most suitable for our African animal. We had lots of fun!

 

AUTUMN 2 HALF TERM THEME OVERVIEW:

In Autumn 2, our first theme is called 'Rocky the Findosaur'. This is a thematic unit based on a thematic unit based around rocks and fossils, with a key focus on science. It teaches about different types of rocks as well as solids, liquids and gases.

In Autumn 2, our second theme is called 'Come Fly with Me! Africa'. This is a thematic unit based around the continent of Africa, with a key focus on geography and history. Pupils will be learning about the location of Africa and identifying its largest countries. Alongside this geography element, they will study the Benin era. They will also learn about African culture, in particular typical African food and folk tales.


READING:

In Autumn 2, our 5 Reads books that we read in story time each day are:

Last by Nichola Davies | Anansi and the Golden Pot by Taiye Selasi | Lila and the Secret of the Rain by David Conway |

Cinderella of the Nile by Beverley Naidoo | The Lost Words by Robert MacFarlane

Last: by Nicola Davies : Davies, Nicola: Amazon.co.uk: BooksAnansi and the Golden Pot by Taiye Selasi, Tinuke Fagborun | WaterstonesLila and the Secret of Rain: Conway, David, Daly, Jude: 9781847800350:  Amazon.com: BooksCinderella of the Nile (One Story, Many Voices) : Naidoo, Beverley,  Vafaeian, Marjan: Amazon.co.uk: BooksThe Lost Words: Rediscover our natural world with this spellbinding book :  Macfarlane, Robert, Morris, Jackie: Amazon.co.uk: Books

Our class novels we are also reading in English lessons and Class Novel time are:

Children of the Benin Kingdom by Dinah Orji | The Story Thief by Andrew Fusek Peters

Children of the Benin Kingdom : Dinah Orji, Sonya McGilchrist:  Amazon.co.uk: BooksThe Story Thief (White Wolves: Stories from Different Cultures) eBook :  Peters, Andrew Fusek: Amazon.co.uk: Books


PHOTOS:

Amazing Events we have done in Autumn 2:

On Tuesday 20th December it was Christmas party day:

 

Om Monday 21st December we went to watch A Christmas Carol at The Octagon:

Christmas Fair 2022:

On Thursday 8th December it was our Christmas Fair. We had a wonderful time playing games and meeting Father Christmas.

The Mayor's Christmas Concert:

On Friday 2nd December we wore our Christmas jumpers to raise money for Save the Children then we went to the Victoria Halls to the Mayor's Christmas Concert where we listened to and sang Christmas songs with an orchestra and a choir. It was amazing!

Church Visit - Advent:

On Wednesday 30th November we went to church to celebrate the start of Advent.

Parent/Carer Reading Afternoon:

We are so happy to finally welcome parents/carers to our beautiful, new library after such a strange few years. It was a fantastic turn out and we are so grateful to everyone who came. We cannot wait to do it all again in the Spring term.

Rocks and Fossils Workshop:

On Thursday 24th November, Year 4 were very lucky to have some special visitors who came to deliver a workshop about rocks and fossils.  Children were able to look at and talk about different kinds of fossils.  They were able to see them through an onscreen microscope.  They also were able to explore different kinds of rocks and group them according to different properties.  It was a great way to reinforce their learning in our theme, "Rocky the Findosaur". 

Author Afternoon - Autumn 2022:

On Friday 18th November it was author afternoon.

Years 3 and 4 had a lovely time going into different classrooms

looking at and doing different activities about 4 non-fiction books:

Maths Week - Times Table Competition:

England Rocks

As part of Maths Week we participated in a KS2 competition on Monday 14th November to Wednesday 16th November.

Unfortunately, we were not the winning class.

 

Our learning:

Theme: Our first theme unit in Autumn 2 is 'Rocky the Findosaur' which we started in the last week of Autumn 1. In this unit we look at rocks and fossils.

Our second theme unit is 'Come Fly with Me! Africa' where we look at the continent of Africa and learn all about the history, geography and culture of this continent.

 

Look at some of our photos of the things we have done:

RE - Making Christingles:

We learned all about Christingles and what they represent in Christianity. Then, we created our own Christingle using an orange, candle, dried fruit, sweets and ribbon.

Art - Hanukkah & Making Dreidels:

In RE this week, we have been learning about the Jewish festival Hanukkah. After, we created our own dreidels and played the game in groups.

English - Benin Kingdom Non-Chronological reports:

After finishing our class novel, we spent time recapping the features of non-chronological reports from last half term. Then, we spent some time using non-fiction books to deepen our learning on the Benin Kingdom. Once we'd researched and planned, we wrote a double page spread non-chronological report. All the children worked so hard on their writing and improving their presentation.

Class Novel - Book talk:

Today, we finishing reading our class novel, Children of the Benin Kingdom by Dinah Orji. After we had finished reading, we discussed what we liked and disliked about the story as well as made connections to other stories we have read. Finally, we thought about anything we were still wondering about the book and discussed the questions we still had as a class.

Science - Classification Keys:

We have looked at a range of African animals and thought about their similarities and differences. We thought about their animal classes, habitats, diets as well as more specific features of their physical appearance. Then, we worked in groups to create our own classification chart of African animals.

Art - African Collages:

Our current theme in Year 4 is 'Come Fly With Me - Africa'.  We decided to base our collages on African line art.  We used red and orange to create a sunset with a yellow sun, different shades of green to create hills, cotton to create a dress, card for a face, felt tips for ams and legs and binka for a fruit basket.

Research - African Countries with the 'Big 5':

We have been learning about the 'Big 5' animals in Africa and which countries have all 5 of the animals. After, we researched some of these countries to learn their capital cities and population as well as some interesting facts to continue to deepen our understanding of the continent of Africa.

Practical Maths - Finding the Perimeter:

Year 4 children have been working on measure and perimeter.  We worked out the missing edges using sticks to help us. Take a look at our fantastic problem solving skills in the pictures.

Art - Christmas Card Craft:

This week, we have started thinking about the Christmas festivities by making cards for the elderly in our community. We hope they love them as much as we loved making them!

Geography - African Countries:

To continue our theme work on Africa, we have been spending time learning the countries of Africa. This week, we chose a country of interest to us and researched this country to find out more. We presented our findings on the country - including their customs and culture - to the rest of the class.

PE - Invasion Games:

This half term, in PE, we are looking at different invasion games and developing skills for these games. So far, we have practised our dribbling and catching skills for different invasion games using a range of balls.

Science - Investigating Melting Points:

 

We tested to see which material (out of butter, chocolate and ice)  would melt the fastest using a tea light.  Most of us predicted that the ice would melt first but were surprised to find it was the butter.  We also left a sample of each on the window sill and it was the ice which melted first.
Science - Changing Freezing Points:

We had lots of fun learning about how the melting, freezing and boiling points change with different materials. We worked well in our group and created some delicious orange slushies by lowering the freezing point of ice with salt.

Science - Investigating the Water Cycle:

Today, we have learned about the water cycle. Then, we set up an experiment to demonstrate the water cycle.  We used zip lock bags and drew the water cycle on them.  After, we poured in warm water and closed the bag. We will observe them over the next few days to see the cycle of how water changes through evaporation, condensation, precipitation and collection.

Research - Changing States of Matter:

We researched how and why water changes its state from ice to water to vapour. We created a power point to show our findings.

Science - Learning the 3 States of Matter:

We learned the three states of matter - solids, liquids and gases. We acted as each as a representation of the particles in each state of matter. Then, we grouped different objects into solids, liquids and gases.

Science - Investigating Soil Permeability:

We learned about what soil is made from. Then, we compared the permeability of two different soils - chalk and sand - and recorded our findings. We all worked well in our groups and showed some fantastic scientific investigation skills.

English - Exploring Poetry Forms:

We looked at three forms of poetry; haikus, tankas and cinquains. We learned all about their syllable structure and then had a go at grouping some unknown poems into the correct poetry type. After, we performed our favourite poem in our pairs or threes using expression and actions.

Science - Different Rock Properties:

We investigated different sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks to compare their hardness permeability and acidity. We recorded our results in a table in our books.

Science - How Rocks are Formed:

Today, we learned the three different types of rocks and how they are formed. Then, we worked in groups to model how the different rocks are formed using starburst sweets.

AUTUMN 1 HALF TERM THEME OVERVIEW:

In Autumn 1 our theme is called 'Athens vs Sparta'. This is a thematic unit based on Ancient Greece, with a key focus on history. Learning is centred on how the Greeks used to live, including the key aspect of mythology, especially highlighting the conflicts that characterised Ancient Greece.

PHOTOS:

Amazing Events we have done in Autumn 1:

Greek Workshop - Athens VS Sparta:

As part of our theme learning this half term, we had a fantastic Greek day where we met a woman from Athens and a man from Sparta who taught us all about the daily lives in these places of Ancient Greece. We got to join in with lots of acting, looking at artefacts, playing games, creating clay coins and lots more. To finish our day, we had a vote to see whether we'd rather live in Athens or Sparta. Take a look at all the exciting things we got up to...

Anderton Centre:

Year 4F went on a trip to the Anderton Centre and took part in lots of different activities which all involved team building including a very wet and windy trip across the reservoir on paddle boards! Despite all the rain, the children all had a fantastic day.

Music Concert:

We watched a fabulous music concert by some music teachers...

 

Rivington Pike:

On the 16th September, we had a fantastic walk all the way up Rivington Pike. We had lots of fun in the lovely weather. Take a look at our pictures below...

National Poetry Day 2022:

For National Poetry Day this year, we looked at a poem called I Shall Protect The Forests by Lenore Hetrick. We chose this poem to fit in with this year's theme of the environment. We read the poem and discussed the importance of its themes. Then, we practised performing it aloud as a whole class thinking about our expression, rhythm and volume. Later, we performed it to our whole school. 

Our learning:

 

Our theme unit in Autumn 1 is called Athens vs Sparta. In this unit we have a look at how the Ancient Greeks used to live, including the key aspect of mythology, especially highlighting the conflicts that characterised Ancient Greece. We are learning about forces with floating and sinking in science. We are learning about e-safety in computing. We are doing gymnastics in PE. We are learning about the importance of David in the psalms in RE. In English we are reading lots of different myths and legends from Ancient Greece as well as writing our own. In maths we are learning about place value, addition and subtraction and multiplication and division. We are developing our independence and resilience with Commando Joe.

Look at some of the things we have done:

Science - Observation over time:

This week in science, we have been developing our observation skills. Firstly, we poured out our liquids; lemonade and water and made careful comparisons. Then, we predicted what would happen when we added raisins - would they sink or float? In the lemonade, we had some interesting findings of a cycle of floating and sinking. Using our careful observations, we found out that the air bubbles help the raisins rise up and float. After they reach the surface, the air bubbles pop and the raisins sink back down.

Art and Design - Greek Pots:

In history, we have been learning all about Ancient Greece and we used ancient artefacts (including vases) to help us learn about their daily lives. Then, we designed our own Greek pots and, finally, we had a go at making a traditional Greek pot using a coil technique. We learned how to slip and score the clay to help it form a strong and solid foundation. We were all very proud of our designs and final products.

Science - Liquid Resistance:

Following on from our learning about floating, sinking, density, water resistance and water displacement, we were left wondering if different liquids would have the same resistance as water if an object was dropped.  We tested different liquids: washing up liquid, bubble bath, cooking oil and water.  We timed how long it took for a ball of plasticine to sink to the bottom of a measuring cylinder.  We made sure that the amount of liquid, the size of the cylinders the same.  The liquid with the highest resistance was the bubble bath.  We decided that this was because it was much thicker than the others.

PE - Gymnastics:

This half term in PE we have been doing gymnastics. This week, we continued to look at jumps as well as balances. We thought about what body parts we can balance on and created different 1, 2, 3 and 4 point balances.

The Persian Wars:

In History this week, we have been looking at key battles in the the wars between the Persians and the Greeks. We worked in groups to research key facts on a specific battle and presented our findings to the class. Then, we created a timeline of events from the earliest to the latest battle.

More Commando Joe!

We are having so much fun with Commando Joe this half term. Here is some more pictures from the 'missions' we have completed. This week we had to work as a team to break down a huge 'ice berg'! Then, as we were so super speedy, we had time for some team games too.

Science - Floating:

 

We explored floating and sinking using a plasticine ball. We completed a set of challenges to explore what affects an object’s ability to float. Firstly, we used timers to see how long it takes for the plasticine to sink. Then, we thought about how we could slow down the time it takes to sink. Afterwards, we worked as a team to explore how we could change the plasticine’s shape to make it float.

Geography - Ancient Greece Empire:

 

We learned all about the Ancient Greek Empire and how it was organised into different city states with their own rules and leaders. Then, we worked in groups to recreate a map of Ancient Greece. At first, we tried to create it with no help whatsoever and then we slowly received some clues of the locations and positions of each city state in relation to each other.

PSHCE - Conflict and resolution:

 

We have learned about what conflict means and then reflected upon recent times we have been involved in a conflict. We thought about how these situations started and the outcome. Afterwards, we re-enacted the scenarios and thought about creating a better outcome so that the conflict could be avoided. We worked well in our groups and showed good reflection skills on our own conflicts and the situations in our life.

Science - Water displacement:

 

We read the story 'Mr. Archimedes Bath' and thought about what happens to the water when we go in the bath! Then, we investigated three different sizes rocks to see how they affect the water too. We found out that the bigger the rock, the more water is displaced.

Commando Joe:

 

This half term, we are building up our resilience and team work skills with Commando Joe. This week, we had to work in pairs to get across the 'choppy sea' (the skipping rope!) without it touching us. We showed such determination and also cheered on all the other teams with kindness. 

English - Drama:

We have been learning about Greek myths and legends in our English lessons.  We read the myth 'Theseus and the Minotaur and discussed the message of the story.  We then worked in groups to act out different sections.

 

Maths - Place Value:

Our first unit in maths is place value.  In our first lessons, we have been revising the value of digits in a number and represented numbers in different ways.  We have used counters, part-whole models, place value grids and arrow cards.  

 

Science - Floating and Sinking:

In our science lesson today, we have been learning about the five types of scientific enquiry.  We reflected on our previous lessons in forces and then thought about water resistance, density and buoyancy. We tested objects to see which float and sink and thought about the materials that each object was made of.  We found out that, if an orange has skin on, it will float.  However, if the skin is removed, it will sink. 

 

Art - The Dot... 'Making our Mark!':

We read a beautiful book called The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds that is all about a little girl who doesn't believe she can draw so instead she draws a 'dot'. We discussed how we can do anything we put our mind to and made lots of beautiful dots to show us making our own mark. Take a look at some of our work below...

PSHCE- Our Class Charter:

To start the year, we thought about how we wanted our classroom to be and how we wanted to feel in our classroom. We thought about our rights in the classroom, including our right to feel safe and have a good education. Then, we thought about all our responsibilities so that everyone can get their rights in our classroom. We signed a coin on our Class Charter rainbow to show we agree to the responsibilities.

 

        

EXTRA LEARNING:

Here are some apps our children have logins for at home. These apps will help support their learning in school. The times tables are particularly helpful to help improve speed at their times tables, ready for the Year 4 test in June.

MATHSFLEX                                                         TIMESTABLE ROCKSTARS                                             READING EGGShttps://st-matthews.bolton.sch.uk/images/download.png                                                                    Learning to Read for Kids | Learn to Read with Phonics | Free Trial – Reading  Eggs

https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/login?c=0   |        https://ttrockstars.com/                             |          https://readingeggs.co.uk/

 

We have put together some useful websites that will help support your learning.

 

Click on the picture and it will take you directly to the website.

         https://st-matthews.bolton.sch.uk/images/vFYOm4_3_400x400.jpg  https://st-matthews.bolton.sch.uk/images/main-oxford-owl.png        https://st-matthews.bolton.sch.uk/images/p0818pf5(1).pnghttps://st-matthews.bolton.sch.uk/images/social-sharing.png

 

 

 

Have a look at all the wonderful, exciting things 4F in 2021/22 got up to:

 

In our class, the teachers are Miss Foster, Mr. Newton, Mrs Ahmed and Mrs Lewin. 

We have swimming on Thursdays and PE on Fridays. Please bring in your swimming kit/PE kit on these days only.

Please bring your reading book to school every day so we can read with you.

 

Have a look below to see what we are up to each Summer half term:

Year 4 Summer

 

Summer 2:

Our theme this half term is 'Under Attack'.

“Under Attack!” is a thematic unit, based around invaders and settlers with a key focus on history. It begins by looking at  he invasion of the Anglo Saxons and their settlement in Britain, then it is followed by the Vikings. Pupils will learn about sources of evidence and their reliability.

Here are the spellings for this half term:

Year 4 Spellings Summer

On Monday 18th July, a local author Sean Perkins read us his story Oscar and Ben. It was brilliant:

 

Art afternoon - James Naughton

On the 13th June, we had a lovely afternoon spent with a local artist. We created a beautiful sunset picture of the mountains. Take a look at our beautiful work above...

Sports Day

On Monday 4th July, it was our Year 3/4 sports Day. We had a fabulous time working in teams to compelte different challenges and it was lovely that our parents came to watch. 

Viking Gods

We learned all about the gods that the Vikings worshipped. Then, we completed a matching game in groups to matchv the gods to the correct information.

Rivington Pike

On the 28th June, we had a fantastic day walking all the way to the top of Rivington Pike and back down again. We walked over 5 miles and felt very accomplished when we had finished!

Art Day

For Sky Access All Arts Week 6-10 June 2022, we took part in a full day of Art where we looked at 2D mark making across a range of different medium. We had a go at using crayons, oil pastels, felt tips, water colours, chalks, printing and blow paint. We looked through an art gallery and discussed what we like and why. Then, we created our own alternative pieces inspired by these artwork in our own chosen medium.

Refugee Week

For Refugee Week, we spoke about what refugee means and how we can make everyone in our country feel welcome. THen, we played some games where we all had to work as a team.

Father's Day Cards

To thank our fathers and guardians for all they do for us, we made our own Father's day cards. We used an ice lolly design and wrote our own lovely messages inside to wish them a Happy Father's Day.

Science - Muscle Models

We looked at how our muscles move in our arms. Then, we created our own model arms and labelled on the bones and muscles involved.

Year 6 Fun Day!

For Year 6 fun day, we had lots of fun playing games and having a go at different activities that the Year 6s had created. Have a look at some of the things we did...

Summer 1:

This half term our theme is called "Come Fly With Me! Africa”. This is a thematic unit based around the continent of Africa, with a key focus on geography and history. Pupils will be learning about the location of Africa and identifying its largest countries. Alongside this geography element, they will study the Benin era. They will also learn about African culture, in particular typical African food and folk tales.

Platinum Jubilee Picnic

We had so much fun celebrating the Queen's platinum jubilee with all our friends and family. We had a picnic on the school field and played lots of fun games and dancing. Thank you to everyone who came to join us.

Digestion Experiment

In science this week, we were instructed through a very strange experiment of our digestion! We learned how our body digests our food starting from the mouth and going right along to when we go to the toilet!

Christian Aid Day

To celebrate Christian Aid week, we spent on afternoon thinking about different types of disasters. We found out where in the world they occur, how Christian aid helps and what we can also do to help.

Sand Pit

Now it's getting sunnier, we can finally spend time in our sand pit... over this half term we have loved to spend time with our friends making sand castles.

Bolton Library

We had a lovely walk down to the library in Bolton town centre and spent the afternoon exploring all the wonderful books they have there. We cannot wait to go back!

African Food Research

We were given seeds from a range of foods grown in Africa, including; cassava, plantain, mango, lowland rice and pomegranates. In groups, we used iPads to research the best places for each of the plants to grow. Then, we used atlases to locate where in Africa this place was and added it to our large whole-class map. Afterwards, we discussed what climates each seed grew in and why. 

Library visits

We love spending time in our school library each week! Every week, we look at different genres and types of book and spend time reading alone, in pairs and in groups with our peers. We love finding new books to read and spending time in our beautiful, calming library.

Numeracy Day - 18th May 2022

Today was Numeracy Day and Year 4 took part in a Guinness Book world record attempt by having the highest number of live viewers during a rolling numbers YouTube stream.  We sang songs, danced and chanting our times tables.  We even played the very popular 'Guess my Number' game which encourages the children to use reasoning skills when asking questions. 

Sleepover! May 2022

On Friday, 13th May, lots of the Year 4 children attended a sleepover at school.  Children arrived back at school at 7:30pm and played games.  Some chose to play on the climbing frame, some chose to play sports (football and basket ball) whilst some played with the parachute.  After this, we watched a film with some snacks before brushing our teeth and changing into our pyjamas and settling down watching a second film.  After breakfast on Saturday morning, children went back home.  Probably to get some more sleep. 

Eid Mubarak!

To wish our families a happy Eid, we made our own beautiful cards. We designed our cards using our own mehndi patterns on a moon. Take a look at our finished cards below...


 

African Masks:

We have learned about the importance of masks in African culture which are used for special social and religious events. We looked at a range of different African masks to help us think of our own designs. Then, we made our masks using paper mache to form the nose and mouth as well as paint, pipe cleaners and feathers for decoration.

 

African Collage:

We created our own collage of a traditional African scene based on African line work. We used a range of different materials, including; card, felt and hessian, to create a brightly coloured piece of artwork. 


 

Classifying Animals:

We looked at a range of African animals and thought about their similarities and differences. We thought about their animal classes, habitats, diets as well as physical appearance. Then, we worked in groups to create our own classification chart of Africal animals.


 

Performance Poetry:

We watched a performance of 'Walking with my Iguana' by Brian Moses and created a list of important features when performing a poem. We used super expression and actions in our performances.

 

Keep Britain Tidy - Great British Spring Clean!

As part of the 'Great British Spring Clean', we went out into our community and did 1 hour of litter picking. We had lots of fun and take great pride in our local area.

 

St George's Day:

We learned about the facts and the myths about St. George. Then, we designed our own commemorative stamps to celebrate.

Spring 2:

This half term our theme is called 'Athens vs Sparta'. This is a thematic unit based on Ancient Greece, with a key focus on history. Learning is centred on how the Greeks used to live, including the key aspect of mythology, especially highlighting the conflicts that characterised Ancient Greece.
 

Greek Day:

Year 4 had a fantastic day when we were visited by very special guests all the way from Athens and Sparta.  We learned all about each city. We were soldiers, we danced, we acted, we tried on clothes, we explored artefacts and we played games.  We had to vote for which city we would have liked to have lived in during Ancient Greek times.  The winner was Athens.


 

Making Clay Pots:

We looked at some Ancient Greek pots and looked at what their designs can teach us about Ancient Greek life. Then, we designed our own pots using a slip and score technique to correct coil pots.


 

Science - Floating and Sinking:

We investigated a range of objects in our class to see which ones float and which ones sink. We first made predictions and then tested each object to find out the results. We also invfestigated oranges and how the peel changes the buoyancy. 


Science - Water Displacement:

We have investigated water displacement. We used three different sized rocks and observed how this affected the water level in our tubs. We marked on our box where the water level came to originally and then marked on the new water level after placing each rock in the water separately.
 


Greek Food Tasting:

We had lots of fun working in groups to make tzatziki and hummjus. Then we taste tested our creations as well as many other Ancient Greek foods.


Easter Cards:

To wish our families a Happy Easter, we made our own cards used a variety of patterns strips of card to create a rabbit design. Take a look at our finished cards...


Mother's Day Cards:

To show the mothers and those who look after us how much we love and appreciate them, we made them a beautiful Mother's day card. Take a look at our finished cards...


Science Day:

On Science day, we had a whole school investigation on "Which Biscuit is the Best for Dunking?". We worked in our groups to create our own plan to investigate this questions. We chose our own biscuits to compare and either counted number of 'dunks' or time take for the biscuit to break. We wrote up our findings with a results table and graph. We had lots of fun finding out the best biscuit! In the afternoon, we also spent time making lava lamps and our own 'robohands'. 

Comic Relief Day:

On our Science day, it was also Comic Relief day! As chosen by School Council, we had a "funky Friday" theme so could dress however "odd" we wanted to with crazy clothes and hair. We all brought in £1 to raise money for Comic Relief.

Climbing Wall:

On the 22nd March, we had a very exciting visit from the climbing wall. We all had lots of fun seeing how high up the wall we could climb. Some of us even made it to the top!

RE - Easter Drama:

In RE this half term, we are looking at trust and betray in the Easter story. This week we focused on Peter’s denial of Jesus and Jesus’ later forgiveness of Peter’s wrongdoing in the Easter story. We re-read this section of the Easter story in our Bibles. We thought about why Peter made this mistake and how he felt after his betrayal. Then, we thought about Jesus’ reaction and why he forgave Peter. After, we worked in groups to act out this part of the story.

British Values Day:

On British Values Day, we learned about what the British values are (democracy, rule of law, respect & tolerance and individual liberty). We reflected upon how we follow these values in school. Then, we had 5 minutes to see which responsibilities from our class charter and rules from our whole school rules that we could remember. Afterwards, we looked at how many we could remember and discussed why each one was important. We also spent time learning about an important event from British History 'The Great Plague of London'.

Maths - Fractions:

We have been learning about fractions in our maths lessons. We have looked at finding tenths and hundreds. We used lots of different equipment to represent this in lots of different ways.

History Day:

On our History day, we focused on local history and a man called Samuel Crompton. We found out lots of information about him and who he was. He was an inventor who had an important role in the industrial revolution.

The Persian Wars:

We learned about the Persian wars and focused on 5 of the most important battles; Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataea and Mycale. In our groups, we all researched a different battle and found out when they took place, who was in charge (both Greek and Persian armies) what happened and who won the battle. Then, we presented our findings to the rest of the class. After learning when each battle was and sharing our research, we created a timeline of the events.

Ancient Greece Map:

We learned about this city states of ancient Greece and then were given 'clues' to help us place each city state in the correct position on the map.

Fairtrade Day:

On our Fairtrade day, we learned all about how chocolate is made and all the people involved in this process. Then, we thought about how much each person earns and whether this is fair. Then, we learned about fairtrade chocolate and how this helps everyone get a fair share of the money.

PE - Tag Rugby:

In PE this half term, we are learning all the skills involved in Tag Rugby and how to play the game. Take a look at the skills we have learnt so far...

PSHCE - Conflict:

We learned about what conflict means and then reflected upon recent times we have been involved in a conflict. We thought about how these situations started and the outcome. After, we acted out the events and thought about creating a better outcome to avoid conflict.

Evaporation Experiment:

After learning about the water cycle, we have set up our own mini 'water cycle' in Ziploc bags to observe the effects of evaporation.

Ash Wednesday:

We learned all about what Ash Wednesday is and how Christians celebrate. We read our Bibles together and created our own 'kindness jar' with a different kind act for us to do on each day of Lent.

Author Zoom - Adam Hills:

We had a fantastic time listening to Adam Hills talk about his new book 'Rockstar Detectives' and reading us the 1st chapter. Then, we created our own book cover. Excitingly... we were chosen to win copies of his new book for some very lucky children in the class!

World Book Day 2022:

We had a fantastic day dressed as animals and reading 'The Barnabus Project' by the Fan brothers. We learned about a little hybrid animal who was part elephant and part mouse. Then, we created our own hybrid animals and wrote about them. We thought about ourselves, how we are all different but we all belong.

Spring 1:

Our theme this half term is called 'Rocky the Findosaur' which is science-based and is all about rocks.

Making Rocks:

We learned the three different types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic) and how they are formed. Then, we worked ingroups to model how the different rocks are formed using starburst sweets!

Investigating the Properties of Rocks:

After learning the three different types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic), we became 'Rock Detectives' and investigated the properties of rocks. We looked at hardness, permeability, acidity and also made observations on the way they look and feel.

Making Fossils:

We have learned all about what fossils are, what we can learn from fossils and also how fossils are formed. Today, we had lots of fun making our own fossils using shells to create an imprint in clay and filling with plaster.

Soil Permeability Investigation:

In Science, we investigated "Which type of soil is most permeable?" We tested 3 types of soil: clay, sandy and chalk soil. We used filter paper inside funnels. Then, we filled the funnels with soil before pouring in the water. We then waited 2 minutes before recording how much water had been filtered through. Take a look at our super investigating skills...

States of Matter:

We learned what the 3 states of matter are and then looked at how the particles move in each state.  After, we went outside and acted as particles.... Take a look at us being solids, liquids and gases!

Freezing Point Experiment:

We used our learning on freezing points to make.... orange slushies! We used salt to lower the freezing point of ice and then placed this around a bag of orange juice to freeze it. After a couple of minutes, it turned into a slushie and we all got to have a drink of it... it tasted delicious!

Melting Point Experiment:

We looked at how melting points are different for different materials using ice, butter and chocolate. We showed good investigation skills to carefully and safely use candles to melt each material. We recorded the time it had taken for each material to melt and then compared them to see which melted the quickest.

Number Day:

On the 4th February, it was NSPCC's number day! We wore clothes with numbers on and donated £1 for NSPCC. we spent the day doing lots of number activities including times table rockstars and a number quiz.

Safer Internet Day:

On the 8th February, it was Safer Internet Day 2022. We discussed all the ways we know for staying safe online and then looked closer at online games and how to know why we cannot trust everything we see online.

RE - Learning about Jesus, the Son of God:

In our RE lessons, we have been looking at Jesus, the Son of God. We read have read lots of stories in our bibles about Jesus. Today, we looked at Jesus in the temple, Jesus heals many people, Jesus raises the widow’s son, Jesus feeds the five thousand and Jesus heals the leper. We discussed each story and thought about what this shows us about Jesus. Afterwards, we worked in groups to act out one of the five stories focusing on what we think was the important message in the story.

Celebrating Shabbat:

This week in RE, we looked at the Jewish holy day of Shabbat and how Jewish people celebrate this day. We then had our own Shabbat celebration together.

Author Zoom - Maz Evans:

We had a very exciting author visit on Zoom with Maz Evans the author of 'Who Let the Gods Out?'. Maz Evans showed us her new book and showed us a new way to plan our ideas for stories.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

To end the year, we have been having so much fun celebrating Christmas. We had so much fun at our Christmas party, creating Christmas cards for our friends and family as well as welcoming some very special visitors... reindeers! Take a look at all we've been up to below...

 

Autumn 2:

Our theme this half term is called 'That's All Folks' and is all about the history of animation.

As part of our theme, we have learned about different types of animation. Take a look below at the four types we have learned about and made: Flipbooks, thaumatropes, phenakistoscopes and zoetropes.

Flipbooks:

Thaumatropes:

Phenakistoscopes and Zoetropes:

Bonfire Night:

We learned all about the importance of Bonfire Night and why we celebrated it. We debated whether Guy Fawkes was a good or bad person and how he could have dealt with his dilemma differently. Then, we created our own onomatopoeia artwork pieces of fireworks.

Remembrance Day:

We learned all about the importance of Remembrance day and the symbol of the poppy. We debated whether we should all have to wear poppies and why people may choose to wear one or not. Then, we created our own poppy collages using newspaper.

World Culture Day:

On World Culture day, we learned all about Pakistan. We learned facts about the country, tried a range of food from their culture, designed Mehndi patterns and danced to Bollywood music.

Commando Joe:

In Commando Joe this half term, we have continued to develop our team works skills in small groups as well as with our whole class. Take a look at the photos to see what challenges we have completed so far this half term.

Computing - Spreadsheets:

In computing, we have been learning about spreadsheets and how we can use them in a variety of ways. We have learned how to input data, create bar charts and also make our own times table game.

Anti-Bullying Week:

For anti-bullying week, we thought about how different scenarios would make us feel and how we could react differently as a bystander. The theme this year was 'one kind word', we all wrote our own word on a post it note then shared it with the class.

Litter Picking:

4F have spent time in their local area cleaning up all the rubbish. We learned how important it is to look after the environment and why we should not litter.

Children in Need:

On Friday 19th November, we raised money for Children in Need by wearing fancy dress and bringing in £1. On the day, we took part in some of the fundraising activities including Joe Wick's exercise and quiz as well as Pudsey colourings. 

No Pensday Wednesday:

On Wednesday 24th November, we took part in 'no pensday Wednesday' where we were not allowed to use pens for the whole day! We spent lots of time improving our speaking and listening skills through drama, debating and discussion work. 

Animation - Purple Mash:

We have continued our animation work by learning about computer generated animation and, using Purple Mash, we have started to make our own simple computer animation of a smiling face.

R.E - Hanukkah:

In R.E, we have been learning all about the light that Jesus brings to the world. We also learned about a festival of light called 'Hanukkah' in Judaism. Then, we learned about the origins of the dreidel, made our own and played the game.

ELF Run:

We took part in the ELF run for Bolton Hospice and raised lots of money and also had lots of fun in our Elf hats!

Dodgeball Tournament:

Some of our Year 4 children were luckily chosen to take part in a dodgeball tournament. They played well and represented the school fantastically. Well done!

Author Afternoon 2021:

On Friday 3rd December, across Lower Key Stage 2. we looked at four BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) authors and discussed the importance of representation in books of all people from all different countries. Take a look at the wonderful books, authors and activities we learned about below.

Clean Up! : Bryon, Nathan, Adeola, Dapo: Amazon.co.uk: BooksThe Mega Magic Hair Swap!: The debut book from TV personality, Rochelle  Humes : Humes, Rochelle, Suzanne, Rachel: Amazon.co.uk: BooksWord Wednesday: 'Planet Omar' - GeekDadThe Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana FarookThe Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook (9781788006347/Paperback)  | LoveReading

Animation Workshop:

As part of our theme 'That's All Folks' all about animation and the history of animation, we had a very exciting visit from Animation Nation who taught us all about stop motion animation and then we had a go at creating our own short stop-motion animation film.

Cricket:

We had a special visitor this week to show us how to play cricket. We practised aiming and bowling to try to reach the wickets as well as holding, aiming and striking with the bat.

Art:

We have spent lots of time over the past week practising our sketching and painting skills whilst focusing on how to create different tone. We applied our sketching skills in our own Mickey Mouse shading and then used our painting practice to create our own cartoon artwork.

R.E - Christingles:

To end our R.E work all about the light that Jesus brings to the world, we learned about Christingles and what they represent in Christianity. Then, we created our own Christingles using an orange, candle, dried fruit, sweets and ribbon. We will take our Christingles to church for our Christmas carol service.

Autumn 1:

Our theme this half term is called 'Picture our Planet'.

'The Dot' by Peter H. Reynolds Artwork:

To start off our year, we read 'The Dot' by Peter H. Reynolds and learnt about a little girl called Vashti who didn't think she could draw. Her teacher told her to draw a 'dot' to make her mark. Over the story, Vashti learns we can all draw and 'make our mark' in our own way. Year 4 then created their own dots which were all beautiful and have made a lovely display in our corridor.

Commando Joe:

This half term, Year 4 are developing fantastic resilience and teamwork skills with Commando Lewis. Take a look at the pictures to see all the challenges they have completed so far. 
Fitness Day:

On 22nd September, it was national fitness day. We had lots of fun outside taking part in lots of different exercise challenges.

St Matthew's Day:

On St Matthew's Day, we read the story of St Matthew and learned about stained glass windows. We then created our own stained glass of St Matthew to show his importance.

Matt Rotherham Paralympics Vist:

We had a very special visitor Matt Rotherham into school to show us his gold medal which he won at the Tokyo Paralympics.  Matt pilots a tandem for Neil Fachie.  They won gold in the 1km time trial, breaking the world record in the process!

Leaflets - All About Brazil:

This half term, we have learned lots of facts about Brazil. We have learned where Brazil is, how many people live there and what landmarks there are. We have created our own leaflets on Purple Mash to show all the amazing things we have learned.

Romero Britto Art:

As part of our theme work on Brazil, we learned about Brazilian artist Romero Britto. Then, we created our artwork in his style. Take a look at our beautiful pieces above.

Baking - Scottish Shortbread:


To end our theme work all about Scotland, we learned how to make a traditional Scottish food - Shortbread. We worked together to mix the ingredients with Mrs. Ahmed and then we baked them in the oven. They were delicious!

High Rid:


We had lots of fun at High Rid Reservoir.  We loved learning how to paddle in the boats and racing across the reservoir, working as a team to create shelters and playing games in the boats. We all had a fantastic day and worked so well in our groups.  

Science - Sound:

This half term, in Year 4, we are learning all about sound. We are learning about how sound travels, how it can change volume and pitch as well as the parts of the ear.


String Telephone:

We created string telephones using cups and string of different lengths. We investigated how sound travelled down the string and which length had the loudest and quietest volume. We found out that the shortest string made the loudest sound. We used dataloggers to record the volume in decibels.


Panpipes:

We learned about what 'pitch' means and investigated how to change the pitch on different instruments including xylophones, glockenspiels and guitars. We then made our own panpipes to test if it works on all instruments. We found out that smaller or thinner pipes, bars and string make a high pitch sound whereas longer or thicker pipes, bars and string make a low pitch sound.

 

Classifying and Grouping Instruments:

We learned about the sounds different instruments make with the volume, pitch and how it works. We then made our own diagrams exploring the similarities and differences of each instrument. Take a look at our classification diagrams above.

 

Archived Documents.
Here you will find previous curriculum letters, spellings and other relevant information for Autumn and Spring term.

Year 4 Autumn

Year 4 Spring

 

 

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