Thursday 4 January 2018

Year 4 Spring Curriculum Newsletter

Mead Badge - MASTER.png

Headteacher: Mrs L Smith
Executive Headteacher: Mr M Drakes

5th January 2018

Year 4 - Spring Curriculum Newsletter

A warm welcome back to the Spring 1 half term from the Year 4 team!  We hope you find this letter informative; please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions relating to the curriculum.

Homework:
Our expectation at Mead is that every child should do the following every night:
● 15 minutes reading to themselves or an adult (signed in the reading record)
● 15 minutes practicing spellings in their spelling book
● 15 minutes rehearsing times tables facts (including multiplication and division)

If children would like to attempt an additional challenge, we have a new Learning Challenge for children to attempt this Spring Term. All of the activities are based around a significant person, poem or painting relating to our topics. Children do not have to attempt every activity but instead select the activities that they are most interested in and compile a project that reflects the extra time and effort that they have put into their challenge. We hope that children will take their time with the challenge and be proud of the work they produce. The children should hand this into their teacher at the end of the Half Term.



Spellings:
Spellings will be given out at the beginning of term and blogged every week. The children should practice their words every evening. Spelling tests will take place every Friday.  

P.E Lessons
Children will have PE lessons every Thursday. Please ensure that your child is in possession of a full, named PE kit with plimsolls for their lessons. Children are not allowed to wear any jewellry for swimming sessions.

Swimming
Italy and Greece class attend swimming every Monday while Germany class attend swimming every Wednesday. Please ensure your child brings in their swimming kit on the correct days (including swimming hats) as this is part of the curriculum expectations for children in Year 4. Children are not allowed to wear any jewellry for swimming sessions.

Parental help:
It is always extremely valuable to have parents who are able to volunteer time to help hear the children read, or support them with their times tables. If you think that you are able to give a small amount of regular time to support the children then it would be warmly welcomed.

Curriculum Information
We have included a summary of the topics which the children will be covering this term. If you would like to make any suggestions of what you or your child would like to learn in relation to the topics taught, please inform your child’s class teacher. We welcome any suggestions you may have.

We look forward to meeting you over the next few weeks; please do come and see us if you have any questions at all or if you would like to offer yourself as additional support on any upcoming trips.

Yours sincerely,

Miss Spinks Miss Doherty Miss Woodgate
Year 4 Lead Germany Class Teacher Greece Class Teacher
Italy Class Teacher


Spring Term

1st Half Term
2nd Half Term
Literacy
Fiction: Narrative Writing
Non Fiction: Balanced Arguments
Fiction: Playscripts
Non Fiction: Instructions
Please fill in the reading journal after hearing your child read. For a good selection of children’s books, visit your local library. Useful web links: http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/literacy/ http://durham.schooljotter.com/coxhoe/Curriculum+Links/Literacy
Maths
Multiplication and Division
Measurement- Area
Fractions
Fractions
Decimals
Please practice the times tables with your child. The school is continuing to focus on Mental maths this year and it would be of great help if your children could learn them. Useful websites:
www.mymaths.co.uk www.mathszone.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/numeracy.shtml www.crickweb.co.uk/ks1numeracy.html
ICT
Introduction to Variables (Espresso)
Science
Physics- Light
History/Geography
Rainforests
Climate zones
Human impact
America
RE/PHSE
Signs and symbols and religions.
Preparing to play an active role as citizens.
PE
Hockey, basketball and tennis.
Music
Pitch
Dynamics
Art/Design and Technology
Drawing/rainforests
French
Animals
Weather
Adjectives
Easter
Trip
Animal Experience (in school)
Rainforest Virtual Reality Experience (in School)
Paradise Wildlife Park