Hello!

We hope that 2018 has started well for you. We are off to a good start in Year 4:

In Maths we have been continuing with fractions. The children have retained their knowledge from before Christmas very well, completing a loop card challenge with their peers. They solved problems and defined key terminology such as ‘mixed number’, ‘improper’ and ‘equivalent’ fractions.

In English we have started looking at Captain Hook as a character from our new book, Peter Pan. The children have learnt and used some new vocabulary to generate phrases and sentences to describe him and his crew. For example:

• nonchalant
• villainous
• menacing
• regal

In RE we have finished our short unit of ‘Christmas’ and we look forward to starting ‘Revelations’ next week.

We hope that you have received the letter regarding the changes to our homework policy and that you and your child will find it beneficial. Spellings have been set this week and are in your child’s diary. We would like to remind you that diaries should be in school every day. Maths homework will be sent home next week.

Wishing you a restful weekend, ready for a full week at school starting Monday!

Team 4  🙂

And so the Christmas break is upon us and the Autumn term is over. How fast the time is flying!

We wish you all a very merry Christmas, may your break be an enjoyable and restful one (with just a little reading, spelling and times table practice thrown in :P).

Mrs Atkins, Miss Hill, Miss Fleming, Mrs Cairns, Miss Graham and Mrs Chapman.

🙂

Hello!

In Maths we have begun a unit on Fractions which will continue into January. We have looked at representing fractions on number lines, in a fraction bar and as a sentence. We have even looked at improper fractions and converted them into mixed number fractions, for example, 7/8 = 1 whole and 1/8.

In English we have been publishing our explanation texts, ‘How to care for your snowman’. They’re looking beautiful! Look out for examples around the school when they’re finished.

In RE this week we have been looking at the Bible stories associated with Jesus’s ancestor. Phoebe’s favourite story is from Genesis 22: 1-9 and is about Abraham and Isaac. Abraham, under the instruction of God, goes to a mountain to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. At the last minute, God stops him. She says “God told Abraham what to do and he obeyed him so he’s proven himself to be a follower of God.”

For homework this week, please can the children continue practising the spellings of their choice, plus times tables.

Have a lovely weekend!

Team 4

Hello!

In Maths we have been continuing with our unit on multiplication and division. We have spent the beginning of the week learning how to use a number line and the short division method to divide 2-digit by 1-digit numbers. At the end of the week, we have been solving division word problems using a method (number line or short division) of their choice.

In English we have planned and begun writing our explanation pieces. This will continue through to next week.

In RE this week we have been looking at the role of Prophets in the Old Testament.

Well done to all the children for a lovely Advent Service at Church on Tuesday!

For homework this week, please can the children practice 5 words of their choice for spellings.

Have a lovely weekend!

Team 4

Hello!

Here’s a quick round up of what we have been learning this week in Year 4…

In Maths we have been continuing with our unit on multiplication and division. We’re relying heavily on our times tables knowledge, so thank you to all of you have been busy practising in light of parents’ evening targets. We have learnt how to use the grid method alongside number lines to solve tricky 2 digit by 1 digit multiplication problems such as 46 x 7.

In English we have been exploring the features of explanation texts. The children have been generating content and vocabulary to include in their own explanation text, ‘How to look after a snowman’. This has included doing a science investigation and some drama.

In RE we have just started our unit on Advent by looking at our own family trees. We thought about how our families have shaped who we are.  This relates to  the Jesse Tree, which is Jesus’s family tree. We look forward to presenting the work we have been doing at the Advent service on Tuesday.

Spellings this week are from the Year 3/4 spelling words:

though

thought

through

various

weight

woman/women

Please also recap words ending in -ful and words that follow the double consonant rule. Thank you.

Have a lovely weekend!

Team 4

Hello!

We hope you’re enjoying the weekend. Here’s a quick round up of what we have been learning this week in Year 4…

In Maths we have started a unit on multiplication and division. We’re relying heavily on our times tables knowledge, so thank you to all of you have been busy practicing in light of parents’ evening targets. We have been using our knowledge of commutative law to solve tricky multiplication problems such as 18 x 5 by writing 18 as a product of its factors, e.g. 2 x 9. We have been reordering the factors to find the easiest way to multiply mentally, e.g. 2 x 5 x 9.

In English we have been writing superb synopses of The Snowman using a variety of language such as fronted adverbials, subordinate clauses and ‘show – don’t tell’ sentences. Here is a snippet from Tilly’s work:

“Beaming through the thin glass, the sunlight wakes the boy. Remembering his frosty friend, he slides down the rickety banister for the second time. He slams the door open and runs outside. A cold tear drops down his face. His snowman is gone.”

In RE we have just finished our unit on Prayers,  Saints and Feasts and we look forward to beginning our work on Advent next week!

Spellings this week are any words ending in the suffix -ful, e.g. careful, beautiful, graceful, etc. Children will be tested on the rule.

See you on Monday 🙂

Team 4

Hello!

In English this week, we have been preparing to start writing a synopsis on ‘The Snowman’ by Raymond Briggs. We have created a ‘freeze frame’ tableau retelling the different sections of the story and have adapted past tense verbs into present tense verbs. The children have found this a little tricky, so if you can help your child with this at home, it would be a great advantage!

In Maths, we have continued looking at money, converting pounds into pence and vice versa. We have used our rounding skills to estimate the cost of buying multiple items for a fictional birthday party. Again, any practice you can give your child to use money and buy things will be a real help!

In RE, we have looked at the Luminous Mysteries, the miracles Jesus performed during His preaching years. As part of Anti-Bullying Week, we have showed how we value all of God’s creations and suggested ways to support people who are affected by bullying.

4HA have now finished their computing lessons (programming robots) at Oaklands and 4F look forward to starting theirs the week after next! Keep your eyes peeled for photographs at the end of the term from both classes’ experiences.

Finally, keep working hard on SumDog and times tables. These are the spellings for the week, all of which follow the double consonant rule (a short vowel sound leads to a double consonant, a long vowel sound leads to a single consonant):

Easier Spellings

puddle

poodle

bottle

beetle

smile

still

Trickier Spellings

occasion

suppose

grammar

different

accident

acorn

super

We look forward to seeing you all at parents’ evening next week. Don’t forget to book in if you haven’t already!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Year 4 Team

This week has ended on a high with  the ‘Two Steves’ (of ‘Action Dogs’ and ‘iHero’ fame) visiting our school. The children have been inspired by the authors’ visit, including an assembly and an opportunity to buy books and have them signed. A few children from our year had the opportunity to meet the guests and a couple even had the chance to have lunch with them!

In Maths, this week we have begun a module on money; looking at different ways to make a given amount and comparing the values of different collections of coins. We finished the week by rounding amounts to estimate the cost of items.

In English we have been focussing on how we can write varied and interesting sentences, including fronted adverbials (to tell the reader how, where and when something happens), show-not-tell (to show how a character is feeling through their actions) and short sentences for effect. We have also played around with using paired emotive words as sentences starters, e.g. ‘Afraid yet intrigued, the boy and the snowman flew into the air.’

In RE, we have looked at the work of Moina Michael, an American woman who started the tradition of poppy-wearing around Armistice day. We thought about the emotions connected with the poppy to identify its symbolism and then used some of those keywords to write thoughtful and thought-provoking messages for an offering at our school Remembrance service on  Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Team 4

What a great first week back! The children began the week with a science experiment making fake snow – they showed super collaboration to build their snowmen and it was a very exciting hook into our new topic – What’s the matter Mr. Snowman?

In English, we’ve begun looking at the truly beautiful picture book – The Snowman, by Raymond Briggs. The children have used some of the images to infer character’s thoughts and feelings, predict what they think has already happened and to develop their understanding of fronted adverbials.

In maths, we have been learning about perimeter. The children have found missing lengths and carried out investigations where they have been working strategically and spotting patterns.

In RE this week, we have been understanding how Jesus prayed and communicated with God. We have written our own Guide to Prayer in role as Jesus to share with others. Here is an extract from Benita’s work:

You can pray whenever you can but there is a way that you should pray. Prayers should be said respectfully because you are talking to God. Every time you pray, you should pray for others around the world, for guidance and for happiness. You should pray with kindness and there are many things you shouldn’t do whilst praying like: messing around, sing a weird voice and asking for selfish things.

Finally, the children had an enjoyable History day today. In role as Historians and using artefacts, videos and their own research, they learnt all about The Gunpowder Plot – please ask them to tell you why we have bonfire night each year and why the story is an important part of Catholic history.

Wishing all a safe and enjoyable weekend,

The year Four team.

This week in English we have created new and exciting robots with marvellous features to benefit a given target audience. We worked in groups to create a TV advert, which we used to publish a written advert using persuasive language and rhetorical questions.

In maths, we have been continuing to look at multiplication and division, in particular, looking at factors of a given number.

In RE, we have been thinking about our priorities in life and what prevent us from spending time with God. We have engaged with silent prayer to be closer to Him.

Whilst we wish you a wonderful, restful half term, we also would encourage you all to continue working hard on SumDog (we hear you’re really enjoying it!), reading and the Year 3/4 spellings. Any extra that you choose to do to consolidate your learning this half term, particularly in Maths and English, will be beneficial.

Team 4 🙂