Welcome to Year 4

Chile Class Mrs. Jo Mujik (Year Leader)

Brazil Class Mrs. Rebecca Hatrick

Argentina Class Mr. Dave Buckler

Teaching Assistants Mrs. Helen Dobson

Our Aims In Year 4 we aim to: Ensure a smooth transition from Year 3 Inspire the children with exciting learning experiences Develop greater independence in learning Give the children greater responsibility to make their own choices Encourage team work and collaborative learning

Routines The timetable for the day is the same as Year 3 (Guided Reading at 11.30) Merits Houses and house points Home school books (blue books) Homework: choice of tasks – topic related, times tables, My Maths tasks, Reading

Ruckus in the Rainforest. South American rainforest exploration, food webs, digestive system, cookery, printing, swimming, outdoor team games, athletics and rainforest show. Topics We are Historians. Roman history in Britain including a visit to Bignor, states of matter, water cycle, sketching and shading, watercolour, swimming, outdoor team games and dance. Metal Maniacs. Local study and environmental impact, sound and electricity, 3D model making pneumatics, pencil drawing, gymnastics, swimming and outdoor team games.

How to support from home Homework (reading, mental maths, spellings, optional tasks) Breakfast, snack & lunch Good night’s sleep PE kit Coat Water bottle Book bags – no rucksacks please Communication – blue books

Rainforest experience, Kew Gardens (TBC) Trips & Special Events Trip to Bignor (local Roman sites) Lodge Hill Local area exploring We welcome parent help!

Birdhouse design Lodge Hill November

 The children are given the opportunity to participate in many activities such as shelter building, natural sculpture and orienteering.

 We play plenty of team games which is a real opportunity for the children to learn leadership skills, team work and just to bond and play with different children. Team games

 One of the most popular activities is the sandkarting.  The children drive with an instructor for the first lap.  Children are then given the opportunity to drive by themselves or with an instructor next to them.  Health and safety guidance is given beforehand and all the children wear helmets. Karting

Please help your child practise putting on their swimming cap. Lessons are for 2 terms, each for 11 weeks. Your child will need a swimming cap. Swimming

Swimming each week (for 2 terms) Indoor and outdoor session Must have PE kit in school PE

Read all about it! Find out about 2 animal stories that have made the news. Write your own version of one of these stories to tell the class. Explain how these stories made you feel. Music Time Watch some adverts on TV and decide on your favourite ‘jingles’. Use their ideas to write your own jingle to promote a ‘rainforest’ drink. Perform your jingle to the class. Story time Choose a well known story about a plant or an animal. Rewrite the story in your own words but with a twist – perhaps a different ending? Or change a character? Your classmates will read your story. Animal Habitats Draw and compare two animals which live in extreme conditions. For example a penguin and a camel. Label your drawings to show how they are adapted to their environment. ‘Discover’ a new animal which lives in the rainforest, draw your new animal and label their adaptations. Model making Research different environmental problems humans have caused to our environment. Make a model to represent a habitat being affected or destroyed by humans, for example an ice cap melting. Poetry Time Write your own short collection of poems (maximum three) about habitats, plants or animals you have been learning about. You could write it as an acrostic poem, a shape poem or a descriptive poem. Remember your poems don’t always have to rhyme! Quiz Time Research different mini beasts and choose one you are particularly interested in. Create a short quiz about your mini beast for the class to complete. You must make sure your facts are true! You can use a variety of questions such as true or false or multiple choice. Plant Habitats Look around your garden and house to find two plants that need different conditions to survive. For example a cactus and a clematis. Find out about how they are adapted to survive in their environment. You can choose how you present your findings! Comic Strip Create a comic strip for a rainforest adventure. Remember to use speech bubbles and write what is happening in the story under each picture. Make the adventure exciting! Similar format to Year 3, due in every fortnight. Homework

We are all looking forward to a great year ahead full of exciting learning experiences! Any questions? Please sign the register. Thank you!