Focus Week – Year 4
This half term in Maths, the children have been working hard on addition and subtraction with exchanging, before moving on to multiplication and division. We have been making links between times tables such as the 3s, 6s and 9s, and it has been wonderful to see the children growing in confidence. Both Year 4 classes have enjoyed friendly Times Tables Rock Stars battles, showing great enthusiasm and team spirit.
In English, we have been studying Odd and the Frost Giants, which the children have thoroughly enjoyed. We began by exploring the main characters and then focused on writing dialogue between Loki, Odin and Thor. Working in groups of three, the children wrote conversations, acted them out, and created freeze frames to express characters’ feelings. We also wrote instructions on how to build a rainbow bridge and ended the unit by creating story maps and independently retelling the story.
In DT, the children have been designing and building their own pavilions, inspired by our new outdoor classroom. They experimented with structures using toothpicks and playdough, then created group designs, built models using lolly sticks, and finally added different types of cladding. The children approached this project with great creativity and enthusiasm.
Our History topic explored how children’s lives have changed from Tudor times to the present day. We looked at the jobs children once did, such as chimney sweeping and domestic work, and discussed the illnesses they might have faced. The children were fascinated to compare leisure activities across the eras and identify games that have stayed the same, even if they look a little different today.
In Science, we investigated electricity and circuits. The children learned what makes a circuit complete, explored electrical safety and created their own buzz wire games. They particularly enjoyed experimenting with different circuit designs.
During Computing, we have been using Scratch to program our own multiplication games. We were very impressed with the children’s problem-solving skills and growing confidence with coding.
In RE, we explored the question “What makes a text sacred?” The children learned about Buddhist, Sikh and Hindu scriptures, including the significance of the Guru Granth Sahib, and reflected on why these texts are important to believers.
We would like to wish all our children and families a wonderful Christmas and a very happy New Year. Enjoy the festive break, and we look forward to welcoming the children back to school on Tuesday 6th January.
