Dear all,

In English this week, we have continued looking at the Snowman. Using a variety of sentence types, we have begun to write sentences for the opening images and have included speech sentences.

In Maths, we have continued with our multiplication and division unit. This week we have been dividing by 10 and 100. We have been applying the skills learnt this week and last to problem solve.

This week we have been commemorating the centenary of the end of the First World War. As a year we have focused on the events of the 25^th December 1914, the Christmas day truce. We performed the poem, ‘The Game: Christmas Day, 1914’ by Ian McMillian, to the school in assembly this afternoon. We also wrote letters from a soldier’s perspective, writing home about the events of the Christmas day truce.

Celebrations:

Golden Key

4s: Chloe Brown: ‘For using the gifts God has given her to show great commitment to her learning and presentation.’

4B: Daniella Pacheco: ‘For using the gifts God has given her to committed start to her learning at St Peter’s’

Showstopper Writer:

4S: Bradley Polley: ‘For creating effective description sentences.’

4B: Jake Street: ‘For developing his descriptive sentences over a series lesson.’

Reminders/Dates: 

Tuesday 13^th November – Year3/4 Mass at Sacred Heart Church. Any volunteers to walk from school to church would be greatly appreciated.

We hope you have a lovely weekend.

The Year 4 Team

Dear all,
In English this week, we have begun a new unit based on The Snowman by Raymond Briggs. The children made snowmen to get in the characters and have looked at the book to create descriptive language
In Maths, we have started our multiplication and division unit. This week we have been multiplying by 10 and 100 and applying this skill to problem solving.
In RE, we continued our Prayers, Saints and Feasts unit. This week we have been planning what we would include in a ‘Guide to Praying’. We thought about how, when, where, what, why Jesus would have advised us to pray to inform the children’s research.
In Science, we have concluded an investigation and drawn diagrams and annotated our scientific thinking to show what we have learned over this unit.

Celebrations:
Golden Key
4s: Benji Ford: ‘For using the gifts God has given him to be a great role model in learning, focus and behaviour.’
4B: Edie Phillips: ‘For using the gifts God has given her to be a kind and caring member of the class’
Showstopper Writer:
4S: Promise Mdnzebele: ‘For writing a thoughtful reflective piece about silent prayer’.
4B: Daniel Warren: ‘For thinking about prayer and what it means to him.’
Mathemagician for October 2018:
4S: Fern Layton: ‘For showing great commitment to improving her Maths work’.
4B: Taylor Bryden: ‘For consistently working hard and challenging himself’.

Reminders/Dates:
Tuesday 13th November – Year3/4 Mass at Sacred Heart Church. Any volunteers to walk from school to church would be greatly appreciated. A letter will go home next week so please return slip if you are able to help.
We hope you have a lovely weekend.

The Year 4 Team

Dear all,

In English this week we have completed our diary entry, from Stitch Heads perspective. As authors, we made sure we edited, improved and redrafted our diary entries. We have enjoyed our class book, Stitch Head, this half term and are looking forward to the author visiting after the break.

In Maths, we have continued our addition and subtraction unit. This week we solved subtraction calculations and problems that involving the decomposing (borrowing) method. We used the expanded column method and practical resources to support our understanding. We also used inverse operations to help us check our answers. After half term, we will be moving on to our multiplication and division unit.

In RE, we continued our Prayers, Saints and Feasts unit. This week we thought about the importance of silent prayer. We took time to practice this through guided meditation and reflected on our experience.

In Science, we have continued to look at switches within circuits. This week the children made their own switches and drew diagrams to represent their circuits.

Celebrations:

Golden Key

4s: Reuben Jose: ‘For Using the gifts God has given him to show increasing enthusiasm and commitment to sharing his learning.’

4B: Daniel Tan: ‘For using the gifts God has given him to develop his learning behaviours this half term.’

Showstopper Writer:

4S: Sabrina McGanann: ‘For writing the first draft of a diary entry using effective language features’.

4B: Louie Hart: ‘For deciding to write his diary entry from a challenging perspective.’

Reminders/Dates: 

Please remember to send a coat/rainmac in every day due to the ever changing weather.

We hope you have a lovely half term.

The Year 4 Team

Dear all,
In English this week we have started to write our diary entry from the perspective of the character Stitch Head. The children spent time looking at and evaluating different diary extracts in order to begin to write in a preferred style. We will complete these next week before half term.
In Maths, we have continued our addition and subtraction unit. This week we have focused on increasing our confidence when using different strategies to solve subtraction problems. Next week we will be looking at using strategies to solve subtraction calculations and problems that involving the decomposing (borrowing) method and using the inverse operation (addition).
In RE, we started our Prayer, Saints and Feasts unit. The children watched a story of Mary, Martha and Jesus and reflected on how Mary’s choice of spending time with Jesus rather than preparing the house for his visit as Martha chose to do. We discussed Jesus’ message of ‘relationships are what matter’.
In Science, we have been investigating how to insert a homemade switch into a circuit to turn a light on and off. The children have been so motivated by this unit and have been hypothesising on how to solve this problem. We have set the children a challenge to research switches on how they can be made for next week’s lesson.
Celebrations:
Golden Key
4s: Oliver Cook: ‘For using the gifts God has given him to be a fantastic role model in always being ready to learn and committing to all aspects of his learning.’
4B: Tilly Horton: ‘For using the gifts God has given her to be a resilient learner.’
Showstopper Writer:
4S: Maddison Gissing: ‘For committing to writing an effective character description’.
4B: Daniel Warren: ‘For editing and re-drafting his character description to improve his writing.’
Reminders/Dates:
Please remember to send a coat/rainmac in every day due to the ever changing weather.
Have a lovely weekend,
The Year 4 Team

Dear all,

In English this week we finished our character descriptions, inspired by Stitch Head. The children spent time editing and redrafting their descriptions before evaluating their own writing on Friday. Next week we will begin a new writing journey by evaluating different diary extracts; at the end of the unit the children will write their own diary entry based on our class text.

In Maths, we have continued our addition and subtraction unit. This week we have focused on increasing our confidence when using different strategies to solve addition problems. Next week we will be looking at using similar strategies to solve subtraction calculations and problems.

4B’s belated Mathmagician: Charlie Wright: ‘For his resilience when faced with a challenge’.

In RE, we continued to learn about renewable energy sources, linking to both stewardship and our science topic. As part of CAFOD’s Power to Be campaign, the children wrote their promises to save energy and prayers to create a sun which is displayed in class.

Celebrations:

Golden Key

4s: Roberta Ouatu: ‘For using the gifts God has given her to be a fantastic role model in learning and behavior.’

4B: Eva Hirmiz: ‘For using the gifts God has given her to consistently work hard through all her lessons and is a pleasure to have in class.’

Showstopper Writer:

4S: Promise Mndzebele: ‘For writing an effective character description from an alternative view point.’

4B: Phoebe Church: ‘For her use of expanded noun phrases to describe her character.’

Reminders/Dates: 

Please remember to send a coat/rainmac in every day due to the ever changing weather.

Have a lovely weekend,

The Year 4 Team

Dear all,

In English this week we continue using ‘Stitch Head’ by Guy Bass to inspire the children to develop character description. The children have created their own monsters descriptions and we have been editing this writing for effect making sure that our writer’s choices create the right atmosphere for our reader.  We have focused on editing and improving our expanded noun phrases, prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses.

In Maths, we have begun our addition and subtraction unit.  We have used the skill of rounding and estimating to approximate our addition calculations and answers and as a checking accuracy strategy. We have also been developing using different strategies and using practical resources to solve calculations and problems. Next week we will be looking at using similar strategies to solve subtraction calculations and problems.

Mathemagician for October:

4S:

Oliver Cook: for focusing well and challenging his thinking in Maths.

4B: will be presented next week due to Miss Birch’s absence.

In RE, we are continuing with the Creation unit and are linking with our topic this term in Science. The children have begun to reflect and offer responses as to how others around the world use and the importance of renewable energy as part of our stewardship towards others. We will be contributing to the Power to Be campaign for CAFOD to raise awareness of this worldwide plight.

Celebrations:

Golden Key

4s: Ruby Brown: ‘ For using the gifts God gave her to set a fabulous example to the class in her behaviour and learning attitude.’

4B: Alfie Wingrove-Cross: ‘For using the gifts God gave him to be an outstandingly helpful and tidy member of the class.’

Showstopper Writer:

4S: Roberta Ouatu: For using her critical thinking skills to great effect with using subordinate clauses.

4B: Nell Tyler: For using precise descriptive vocabulary to create her character description.

Reminders/Dates: 

Please remember to send a coat/rainmac in every day due to the ever changing weather.

On Friday is Wear it Bright Day – wear bright clothes in aid of CAfOD for a donation.

More details to follow next week.

Have a lovely weekend,

The Year 4 Team

Dear all,

In English this week we continue using ‘Stitch Head’ by Guy Bass to inspire the children to develop character description. Next week we will continue to plan before we write our own character descriptions. We will include expanded noun phrases, prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses from our learning this week.

In Maths, we continued to round 10 and 100 before looking at negative numbers in the context of temperature. Next week we will secure our place value knowledge before moving on to our new addition and subtraction topic.

In RE, we are looking at the Creation unit and reflecting and offering responses to how we have been made in the image and likeness of God. This week we looked at how we are all unique and the gifts God has given us.

Celebrations:

Golden Key

4s: Leo Veal – ‘For using the gifts God has given him to show great commitment to his learning over this week.’

4B: Hanna Halas – ‘For using the gifts God has given her to support her classmates in lessons and support her own learning using the resources available.’

Showstopper Writer:

4S: Faith Martin – ‘For using her critical thinking skill to great effect in RE.’

4B: Eva Hirmiz – ‘For responding to ‘pink’ comments and editing and improving her writing.’

Reminders/Dates: 

With the weather becoming more unsettled, please send you children in with coats.

INSET day – Friday 28^th September.

Have a lovely weekend,

The Year 4 Team

Dear all,

Our second week has seen the children getting more practised at our class learning routines. Our aim is to develop independence in learning task using our 5 B’s – Brain, Book, Board, Buddy, Boss.  We are encouraging the children to use the resources in the class and peer support to take greater ownership in evaluating their next learning steps.  We will support through planning targeted guided group work and assessment to provide appropriate learning challenges.

In English this week we continue using ‘Stitch Head’ by Guy Bass to inspire the children to develop character description. The children have created their own monsters and will be applying the skills taught to write a description about their own character.  We will focus on using expanded noun phrases, prepositional phrases and subordinate clauses.

In Maths, we have continued to secure fluency in place value for 2,3, and 4 digit numbers and have given the children the opportunity to apply this knowledge through problem solving and reasoning task.  We have also introduced rounding to the nearest 10 in 2 and 3 digit numbers.  Next week we will continue rounding to 10, rounding to 100 and beginning look at negative numbers in the context of temperature.

In RE, we are looking at the Creation unit and reflecting and offering responses to how we have been made in the image and likeness of God and how are we unique.

Celebrations:

Golden Key

4s: Promise Mndzebele: ‘ For using the gifts God gave her to set a fabulous example to the class in her behaviour and learning attitude.’

4B: Ryan Smith: ‘For using the gifts God gave him to work consistently hard throughout the week.’

Showstopper Writer:

4S: Bradley-Ray Polley: For commitment to listening to feedback and using his previous writing to improve a character description.

4B: Poppy Taylor-Sayers: For using precise descriptive vocabulary to create her character description.

Reminders/Dates: 

We were unable to upload the Year 4 Welcome Evening powerpoint for school server security reasons so if you were not at the meeting and wish to have the powerpoint presentation then please send a note in with your child and we will pass on a paper copy.

Have a lovely weekend,

The Year 4 Team

The summer holidays are here! Well done to you all, children and parents alike, for getting to the end of the school year. What great things have been achieved!

Whilst the break is very much a chance to relax and enjoy the summer with friends and family, we have spoken to the children about the importance of keeping their brains ticking over in preparation for Year 5 – we don’t want them to find it a greater struggle than necessary. To do this we have suggested that they purchase a scrapbook or notebook to record these different tasks:

• Read a variety of texts regularly and complete 4 book reviews.
• Write 2 stories inspired your summer adventures (your Sentence Types hand-out will help ensure good quality).
• Complete plenty of maths activities (SumDog, times tables, problems – your Challenge Cards hand-out will ensure you have variety).
• Practice your spellings in a variety of ways (your Year 3/4 hand-out will provide you with words to practice, plus have a look in preparation at the Year 5/6 words which you can download below).

Year 5_6 Spellings

Your Year 5 teachers will be keen to see what you’ve been doing over the Summer Holiday.

But most of all, have fun and relax… We look forward to seeing you in September!

Team 4.

In Maths this week, we’ve revisited our Fractions unit for consolidation. In particular, the children have been looking at finding equivalent fractions, fractions of amounts, dividing numbers by 10 and 100, rounding decimals to one decimal place and comparing decimals. Next week, we’ll been revising our Measurement unit (money, converting between units of measure, time and perimeter/area).

In English, the children presented to Mr Cunningham their counter-argument against shortening break times. Mr Cunningham praised the children on their effort, clear speech and points made. Well done! Following their presentation, the children have begun writing their own letters to Mr Cunningham to further emphasise their points in written form.

In RE, this week we have continued our unit on Sacraments by comparing the stories of David/Samuel, Moses and Priest/Nuns/Monks.

Spellings over the next two weeks are based on testing the children on the Year 3/4 words (or for some as a challenge, the Year 5/6 words):

Green

February

eight

disappear

possession

surprise

Yellow

occasionally

separate

peculiar

business

reign

Red

nuisance

amateur

conscience

accommodate

guarantee

The children know what group they should practise.

We look forward to seeing you at the St Peter’s Fest this evening.

Have a lovely weekend.

Team 4