Mr Chanter's Group
solve
solution
insoluble
dissolve
solvent
sign
signature
assign
design
signal
Mrs Andersen's Group
|
because |
|
people |
|
every |
|
great |
|
break |
|
believe |
|
excited |
|
beautiful |
|
after |
|
again |
Good afternoon everyone,
I hope you have had a lovely week – we certainly have in Year 4! The children may have told you that we have a new teaching assistant in Year 4 called Mrs Andersen. She has spent the last week getting to know everyone and is looking forward to working with the class for the remainder of the year.
In English, we have begun exploring our new text, The Story of Tutankhamun by Patricia Cleveland Peck. Over the coming weeks, the children will be learning about the life of the young pharaoh, the discovery of his tomb and what life was like in Ancient Egypt. This week, the children examined a range of evidence surrounding Tutankhamun’s death. They considered different theories, including whether his death was accidental, caused by illness, or the result of murder! Using the evidence they gathered, the children wrote persuasive pieces explaining which theory they believed was most likely, supporting their ideas with reasons and evidence.
In maths, the children have shown great perseverance while tackling some challenging learning around mixed numbers and improper fractions. They explored how these two forms of fractions are connected and practised converting between them. The children also used visual models and fraction bars to help them understand how whole numbers and fractions combine, building their confidence in recognising the value of fractions greater than one.
In history, we continued our learning about Ancient Egypt, focusing on the importance of the River Nile. The children discovered how vital the river was to the survival of the civilisation. They learned that the annual flooding of the Nile left behind rich, fertile soil which allowed crops to grow, helping communities to thrive. The river was also an important source of water, food, and transport. However, we also discussed the challenges it brought. Floods could sometimes be unpredictable or destructive, and dangerous animals such as crocodiles lived in the river. The children explored how the Nile could both support life and, at times, present dangers to those living nearby.
As part of Science Week, we were very lucky to take part in a science workshop all about forces. The children carried out a variety of exciting experiments where they investigated pushes and pulls, friction, and how different forces can affect the movement of objects. They worked like real scientists, making predictions, observing what happened, and discussing their results. You will be able to see just how much they enjoyed the session from the photos below!
In computing, the children have started their new unit called “Creating Media.” In our first lesson, we focused on editing images. The children learned how to use tools such as crop to remove unwanted parts of an image and rotate to change the orientation of a picture. They also discussed why editing images can be useful, such as improving the focus of a photograph or making an image more suitable for a presentation. The class enjoyed experimenting with these tools and beginning to develop their digital editing skills.
Looking ahead to next week, the children will be spending some time rehearsing for our middle school performance of Robin and the Sherwood Hoodies. For their part in the performance, it would be greatly appreciated if you could send your child into school with a black or dark outfit where possible by Friday 20th March.
If you would like to attend the performances, they will be held on Wednesday 25th March at 1:30pm and Thursday 26th March at 6:30pm. Please make sure to book your tickets through the school office as soon as possible.
Have a lovely weekend, and we look forward to another great week of learning ahead!
Mr Chanter's Group
|
circle |
|
decide |
|
medicine |
|
exercise |
|
special |
|
cinema |
|
decimal |
|
accident |
|
city |
|
citizen Mrs Friedmann's Group |
|
Hello everyone,
I hope you have had a lovely sunny week. It’s amazing the impact a bit of sunshine and warm weather can have! Hopefully it won’t be too long before we can open up the field for the children to play on again.
It was brilliant seeing the children in their costumes yesterday. They really immersed themselves in the day and had lots of fun, especially during the visit from poet and author, Stewart Henderson. He inspired the children with his poetry and helped them think about how emotions can be expressed through words. The children then had a go at writing their own poems based on different feelings, and it was wonderful to see their creativity and enthusiasm.
In English this week, the children have been writing their own versions of The Lion and the Unicorn, embedding all of the writing devices we have explored throughout this topic. They have worked really hard to include these features in their own stories. Next week we will be starting our new class text, The Story of Tutankhamun, which links perfectly with our upcoming history topic.
In maths, we have begun our new topic on fractions. The children have been learning to count in fractions to make one whole and to go beyond this to create mixed numbers. This is a new area of learning for many of them, but they have shown great perseverance and determination as they begin to understand these concepts.
In RE, we discussed the second pillar of Islam, Salah (Islamic prayer). The pupils began by sharing what they already knew before learning about the five daily ritual prayers, including their purpose, requirements and the importance of facing Mecca. We also began looking at prayer mats, which will inspire the children to design their own.
In DT, Year 4 are continuing their project on mini greenhouses. In our second lesson, we recapped the purpose of a greenhouse and discussed how transparency allows heat and light from the sun to help plants grow. Working in pairs, the children folded paper nets to create 3D shapes and discussed which structures would be the most stable. They then cut holes to allow light through, ensuring their structures remained stable while still letting in enough light.
For the children's half-termly project, they have been asked to start learning the words to the songs for our upcoming KS2 performance of Robin Hood. Over the next few weeks, this will really help them build confidence and familiarity with the music ready for rehearsals. We are all looking forward to bringing the performance together and sharing it with you later in the term.
Well done to the children for another fantastic week of learning.
Have a lovely weekend.
Mr Chanter's Group
centre
century
certain
recent
experience
sentence
notice
celebrate
ceremony
certificate
Mrs Friedmann's Group
badge
edge
bridge
dodge
fudge
age
huge
change
charge
village
Good afternoon everyone,
I hope you all had a lovely half term break. It has certainly been a very busy first week back in Year 4 - it has been wonderful to see how much the children have enjoyed it!
On Tuesday, we were lucky enough to be visited by professional gymnast Saffron Severn, who was crowned Junior Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion for Great Britain in 2019. She led the children through a range of exercise drills and also delivered an inspiring whole-school assembly where she spoke about perseverance, dedication and working hard to achieve your goals. A huge thank you to all of you for your support in helping the children raise money for this fantastic event — it really was appreciated.
Wednesday brought another exciting opportunity, as some of our children travelled to the O2 Arena to take part in the Young Voices concert. For those who have attended before, you will know what an incredible spectacle it is! The children represented the school brilliantly, singing their hearts out and showing fantastic enthusiasm throughout the evening. They should all be extremely proud of themselves.
On Thursday, we stepped back in time for our Ancient Egyptian Workshop, which was both fun and educational — even for me! The children made a wonderful effort with their costumes, which really helped bring the day to life. We began by creating a range of artefacts from the period, including jars, canopic jars, amulet bracelets and soaps. This was followed by storytelling and role play activities before finishing the day with an Egyptian-style celebration for the Pharaoh and his wife, complete with performances and a feast. Unfortunately, I was executed for treason at the end of the day… you’ll have to ask the children for the full story!
In Science, we have begun our new topic on States of Matter. This week, the children investigated and compared the melting points of different materials. We explored how some substances melt very easily, while others require extremely high temperatures. The children looked at examples such as olive oil, which can change state at relatively low temperatures, and wax, which melts when heated and then solidifies again as it cools.
In Maths, the children have been finishing their topic on length and perimeter. Over the past week, they have been applying their knowledge of measuring in metres, centimetres and millimetres, as well as converting between different units of measurement. They have also been calculating the perimeter of a range of shapes, including both regular and irregular polygons, and solving reasoning and problem-solving questions involving real-life contexts. Next week, we will be moving on to our new topic of fractions. The children will begin by revisiting what fractions represent as equal parts of a whole before exploring equivalent fractions, counting in fractions and placing fractions on a number line. As the unit progresses, they will also learn to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator and develop a deeper understanding of how fractions relate to division and whole numbers.
The excitement continues next week as Thursday marks World Book Day. Children are invited to come to school dressed as their favourite book character and will take part in a variety of book-themed activities throughout the day. We are also delighted to welcome poet Stewart Henderson, who will be visiting the school to talk about his work and lead a series of workshops with the children. Signed copies of his book will be available to purchase from the school hall at the end of the day for £6.99.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support. It has been a fantastic start to the half term and we are looking forward to another exciting week ahead!
Mr Chanter
Mr Chanter's Group
science
crescent
discipline
fascinate
scent
scissors
ascent
descent
scientist
scenery
Mrs Friedmann's Group
grate
great
grown
groan
plain
plane
peace
piece
rain
reign