Summer Term 1 (2024)
Welcome to the Year Four website page

 

Welcome back and say HELLO to the Year 4 webpage! Here you will find all of the key information about what the children are getting up to this term. The door for Year 4 will be opened at 8:45am and will close at 8.55am for registration. Please ensure children arrive on time to ensure that they can settle into the school day successfully.

Reading

Our novel this half term is ‘Krindlekrax‘ by Philip Ridley. This hilarious book is guaranteed make the children laugh out loud with its iconic characters and use of repetition! Next half term, the children will listen to ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B.White. This timeless book with follow in the footsteps of Fern and Charlotte as they desperately try to prevent the slaughter of Wilbur (the runt of the litter). The children will certainly fall in love with the characters.

Reading continues to be an important part of the day. Please ensure that your child reads at home daily and that this is recorded in their reading record. Your child’s reading book and reading record need to be sent into school daily to enable us to read at school, change books and monitor your child’s reading progress. A mixture of them reading to an adult as well as reading independently is encouraged in order for children to develop their fluency and comprehension. Our library day is Friday, however the library is also open every lunchtime for children to peruse books.

 

Writing

As writers, we will be focusing on writing a portal story and, to help us with this, we will learn the story ‘The Time Slip Scarab’. The children will develop their ability to describe characters effectively and use dialogue sparingly yet cleverly in order to move the action on in their story writing! We have read two portal stories as a class (The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and The Land of Roar) so I am certain they will have lots to reflect on and write about!

Maths

In Maths, we will continue to learn all about fractions and we will also be learning about decimals, money and time. Please also encourage your children to learn their times tables as this will be integral to helping children with all areas associated with maths. A great, interactive way for children to do this is by logging onto TT Rockstars. Children can even achieve certificates and badges if they can reach Rockstar, Rock Legend and Rock Hero status!

Next half term, the children will be doing an online ‘Multiplication Check’. 25 random questions all the way up to 12 x 12 and the children have 6 seconds to answer each question. We firmly believe that TT Rockstars is the best way for children to become fluent and competent in their times tables.

 

Project Learning

Next term, our history project is called ‘Ancient Civilisations’. This project teaches children about the history of three of the world’s first ancient civilisations: ancient Sumer, ancient Egypt and the Indus Valley civilisation. Children will learn about the rise, life, achievements and eventual end of each civilisation. We have sent home a knowledge organiser with fascinating facts and background information about our new topic. If children are able to learn some facts going into our new topic then it will certainly help them.

 

Physical Education

This term, children will be doing PE on a Thursday afternoon and our first unit of work is basketball. PE kit is to be worn to school on this day and the children will begin with tag rugby. Please ensure children are dressed appropriately and are ready for physical activity.

 

Residential Trip

This term, the children will be going to London on their residential where they have so many exciting opportunities. They will be able to watch the show Wicked, be part of a workshop with a trained actress at the Shakespeare Globe Theatre. The children will also visit the incredible St Paul’s Cathedral and I am certain they are going to have an INCREDIBLE time!

Home Learning

Remember to check the Home Learning section every Friday to practice your spellings and times tables for your tests the following week.

 

If you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to email me at:

t.prior@southill.dorset.sch.uk

 

Mr. Prior