Hello everyone

I hope you are all well and have had a lovely week. We have had a fantastic week in Year 4 with lots of learning taking place. Here’s what we have been working on:

Maths
In our place value topic, the children have been working with numbers up to 10,000. They have been partitioning numbers in different ways, representing them using place value charts and dienes, and finding 1, 10, 100 or 1000 more or less. This has really helped to deepen their understanding of the value of each digit in a number. Next week, we will be creating number lines up to 10,000 and using these to compare and order numbers accurately. The children will also be learning how to use inequalities (< and >) to compare numbers and explain their reasoning using mathematical vocabulary.

English
In English, we have been continuing to read Tar Beach, a beautiful and thought-provoking book that has inspired our writing. The children have been using expanded noun phrases to create vivid setting descriptions and have written persuasive letters from the perspective of characters in the story. We have also discussed the meaning and purpose of modal verbs such as might, should and must and how they can be used to show possibility or certainty in writing. Next week, we will continue to explore modal verbs in more depth through short writing tasks and look at how apostrophes are used correctly for possession and in contractions within dialogue. The children will then begin writing their own short pieces of dialogue linked to Tar Beach, focusing on punctuating speech accurately and making sure it sounds natural.

Science
Our science topic Animals Including Humans has focused on food chains this week. The children have learned how energy passes from producers to consumers, and how prey and predators are connected in a simple chain. We have also discussed what might happen if one part of the chain is removed. Next week, we will be learning about the different types of human teeth — incisors, canines, premolars and molars — and what each one is designed to do. We will also talk about why it is important to take care of our teeth and how to make healthy choices to keep them strong.

Geography
In our topic Where Does Our Food Come From? we have been thinking about what it means to trade responsibly and the impact that fair trade can have on farmers and communities around the world. The children thought carefully about how the choices we make when we shop can affect others. Next week, we will be exploring the fascinating journey of chocolate — from the cocoa bean to the chocolate bar — and learning about the people and processes involved along the way.

Spanish
In Spanish, we have been asking and answering questions about the months of the year. The children are becoming more confident with their pronunciation and recall of the vocabulary. Next week, we will be learning how to say specific dates such as birthdays and important events, practising our listening and speaking skills in short conversations.

I am looking forward to another great week ahead.

Have a lovely weekend

Mr Chanter