Subject overview:

WE WILL BE LEARNING ABOUT…

MATHS

In Maths over this half term, we will be looking at Place Value and how to partition numbers. We will be using a variety of resources and models to create numbers beyond three digits. We will then move onto addition and subtraction and how to use a variety of methods to solve problems.

A variety of Times Table Rockstar sessions should be completed throughout the week to ensure that children regularly practice their times tables. Garage will help the children practise times tables facts based on their current level of attainment and automatically self adjusts. They are aiming to know their times tables facts up to 12×12. Soundcheck always gives 25 random questions with a time limit. This replicates the Government Multiplication check that happens at the end of Year 4. Studio allows children to focus on a range of facts up to 12×12. Children can also challenge their peers and teachers in the Rock Slam section. You can also look at their heatmap to see which specific areas they need to focus on.

English

For our first writing unit in year 4, we are going to focus on a book called The Promise by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Laura Carlin.  We are going to explore the use of language and illustration which creates a distinct theme throughout the book.

In our writing, we will deepen our knowledge and understanding of  powerful, adjectives, expanded noun phrases and learn about sentences of 3 to build rich descriptions.  We will also recap how to use ASBOY and WABWAB to create a variety of sentences to write an illustrative setting description of a forest.

You should be continuing with your daily reading. You may have a library book, your own book from home or you can use MyOn or the SLS website to access Ebooks. 

When you finish a book, it will say completed with a green box and then you can complete the linked quizzes. Please check you have linked your MyON account to Accelerated Reader for this to be successful. When you first log in to MyON, if you account is not linked, the option will be as a banner across the top to link with STAR. Your log in details are the same for both AR and MyON.

Just finished a book? Log onto Accelerated Reader using the link to quiz yourself: https://ukhosted105.renlearn.co.uk/6708094/
Don’t forget that you can still complete quizzes at home even if you don’t have the quiz number. Just search for the title of the book to see if it has a quiz.

Spelling

Each week, two or three spelling words will be sent home for you to practise with a task sheet. The words will be ones that we will be focusing on in school. For this first Autumn half term, the spelling words are:

accident

accidentally

believe

early

grammar

interest

possible

strange

Topic – From Village to City

This term, we will be examining the similarities and differences between a village and a city and, using our geography skills, the children will design their very own city before presenting it as a map. To do this, they will set up and carry out a geographical enquiry in order to gather the information that they would need when planning their city and draw clear comparisons between two locations.

Science – Teeth and digestion

Our next unit of Science this half term is Teeth and Digestion where the children will be learning all about the digestive system. They will learn to set up enquiries to answer a variety of questions about how the body works. We will then record a podcast to allow the children to demonstrate all the knowledge they have learned.

PSHE

During our PSHE, we will begin with our Langstone Learner award where the children will unpick what it means to be a Resilient, Reflective Thinker. They will have a chance to tick off their booklets and set themselves goals for the year.

We will then learn all about positive relationships and how to build them. We will investigate how we can resolve conflict, how to identify and tackle bullying as well as learning what is meant by appropriate and inappropriate contact.

Computing

PE

In PE this half-term, our outdoor PE sessions will be focused on the Personal Cog from Real PE.

Our indoor PE sessions will consist of Real Gym this term. This unit will encourage our children to develop their balance and rotation skills. We will be also looking at this unit through the lens of the Personal Cog so they can continue developing the personal skills in concert with their outdoor PE lessons.

Our outdoor PE sessions take place every Tuesday and our Indoor PE will be on a Monday.

Children must wear the correct PE uniform during Real Gym sessions; black shorts, leggings or ‘skins’ and a white t-shirt. Children cannot wear tracksuit bottoms or sweatshirts during Real Gym sessions. As we are asking your children to wear their PE kit into school, we encourage children to wear their tracksuit bottoms/sweatshirts to school in the winter months over their shorts and t-shirt. They can still wear tracksuit bottoms or sweatshirts during their outdoor PE session.

No jewellery can be worn during Real Gym sessions, this includes any earrings, even studs. If your child cannot remove their own stud earrings for these sessions, we would ask that you do not send them into school wearing them on their Real Gym days.

Watches must not be worn during Real Gym, so we ask you not to send your child in with a watch on the days they have their indoor sessions.

During Real Gym sessions, your child will be asked to remove their shoes and socks as this will increase their grip on the equipment greatly. If there is a medical reason as to why you would like your child to not go barefoot, please discuss this directly with their class teacher.

French – Presenting  myself

In French this half term, we will learn new phonics through days of the week and we will also learn how to introduce our family members to others using full French sentences. As part of this unit, we will learn to say how many brothers and sisters we have, introduce the names of our family members and say how old they are. In our unit, the children will learn how to talk about themselves in French.

Music 

RE

This term, we will be learning about the concept of Light and what this means within the context of different religions.

Art

In Art, we will be learning all about sketching and how to create pictures of landscapes. We will then use these skills to create a sketch of different areas around Portsmouth.

Useful Websites

Accelerated Reader- Log in here to complete your quizzes.

https://ukhosted105.renlearn.co.uk/6708094/

You can log onto Language Angels – details on how to do this are on Google Classroom.

https://www.todaysparent.com/family/fun-typing-games-for-kids/ typing games that are fun and good for beginners.

Visit Interland and explore each of the 4 kingdoms. Use you e-safety knowledge to navigate your way through!

https://beinternetlegends.withgoogle.com/en_uk/interland

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/english/englishbooks.htm lots of different English resources.

We regularly watch Newsround – there are lots to explore on the Newsround website. Use this link to access the website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/news/watch_newsround

Joe Wicks regularly posts 5 minute workouts for children. These make an excellent brain break when working hard.

Both of these websites have a range of different maths activities to complete at home

http://www.snappymaths.com/

http://bedtimemath.org/

Dates for the Diary 

06.09.2023 – First day back at school

23.10.2023 – 27.10.2023 – Half term

Homework

This week’s homework is due in on Friday 29th September 2023

Homework Expectations

Our homework has 3 elements:
1 – Daily reading
Regular reading of a variety of genres is an integral part of the curriculum and develops a range of skills that children can utilise on a daily basis. We expect children to read regularly and aim for at least 5 times a week. 

2 – Daily times tables practise
This could be chanting, rapid recall or quick fire questions with a family member, use of Times Tables Rockstar or playing different times tables games. By the end of Year 4, Government expectations are that children will have rapid and fluent recall of all times tables up to 12×12.

3- Spellings

We expect children to learn the Year 4 National Curriculum spellings and each week, a one or two new words will be sent out to learn. In addition, they will be tested on them at the end of each half term.