Welcome to The Owls Class Page

(formerly Year 4)

 

 

 

Owls are known for their wisdom so

our motto is:

Sapientes nos sumus

 

Mrs Rigden - Class Teacher

       

    Mrs Clarke       Mrs Thorpe    Mrs Shanley

           Our teaching assistants

 

Welcome to Year 4

Letter for parents Spring 1

Homework Spring 1

 

Swimming dates

 

 

 Spring 1

To see a topic overview click on the title below:

Why is the Earth Angry?

Week 1 -   What is under the ground?

During this topic we will be looking at geographical features that make our planet seem to be angry.  This week we will look at what is under the ground.  The physical geography of how the continents are placed as they are.  Looking at the tectonic plates under the ground and where these plates meet across the world.

 

Weeks 2  How do mountain form and where are the locations of the mountain ranges in the World and the tallest peaks in both the UK and the World?

 

 This week we will learn how mountains are formed and the main locations of the important mountains in the UK.  We will also look at the mountain ranges across the world and see how they relate to the tectonic plates under the ground.  We will improve our geographical skills by using atlases and maps to locate and plot the mountains on a world and UK map.

 

Week 3 - Why do earthquakes happen and how can they be measured?

 

 

 We will learn how to describe what happens in an earthquake and what to do to keep safe.  We will also learn about the two ways of measuring earthquakes using the Richter and Mercalli scales.  We will learn the causes of earthquakes and the links to the tectonic plates.

 

Week 4 - How are volcanoes formed and how do they affect people's lives?

 

 This week we will learn about how volcanoes are formed and the affects on the lives of people across the world.  We will locate volcanic activity across the world and use map work to plot the locations of these activities.

Week 5 - Why do tsunamis occur and how do they affect the lives of people?

 

 

  This week we will learn about how tsunamis are formed and look at the way earthquakes and volcanos can trigger them.  We will use atlases and map work to find the extent of tsunamis that are triggered in one location and how that relates to the intensity of the volcanic eruptions or earthquakes that cause them.

 

Week 6- What is a tornado and where and why do they happen?

  

Why do tornadoes occur?  What are the conditions needed for them to happen?   We will look at the sequence of events that have to happen before tornadoes can form.  We will look at the different climate zones and find the zones where tornadoes most frequently happen.

 

 

 

Literacy

 

In Year 4 we will continue to develop the skills of comprehension by reading individually, in groups and as a whole class.   It is important that, when reading, the children understand the words they are reading and have the ability to check the meaning of words when they are not sure. We are focusing particularly on answering more difficult comprehension questions when reading so that the children build up their deductive skills and have more of an understanding of what the text is telling them.

The children will build on their previous knowledge of Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling to improve their speaking, reading and writing skills. We will focus on different types of sentences and the associated punctuation. We will build on our knowledge of homophones so that we choose the right ones in our work.

In writing we will be also be building on our previous learning.  This term we will be looking at information and longer stories about volcanoes, earthquake, tsunamis and tornados using text that inspire our writing.   Our aim is to be able to write using a variety of sentences, technical vocabulary, powerful verbs and adjectives. We will write more complex sentences using conjunctions and add phrases to add detail and information. We will focus on the planning and editing stage so that we can improve our writing.

 

Non-Negotiables for Writing 

 

 

Numeracy

Numeracy is a very important part of the curriculum and this term we will be looking continue to build our skills in number and place value.

We will continue to count in multiple of 6,7,9, 25 and 1000 so that we can build up our mental skills. We will order and compare numbers including decimals showing our understanding of the place value of each digit.

We will also learn about negative numbers and Roman numerals and the ways they are used in every day life.We will understand that numbers can be written in different ways using pictures and images. We will solve problems of greater complexity building on our knowledge of place value and number facts. We will continue to build up our knowledge of the monetary and measure systems and use fractions and decimal when solving simple money and measure problems..

 

 

 

Information for parents- http://www.croft.notts.sch.uk/Numeracy%20Targets%20Year%203.htm

Games - http://bbc.co.uk/schools/4_11/numeracy.shtml

http://uk.ixl.com/math/year-4

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/timestable/interactive.htm

http://www.tutpup.com/

 

If all parents could encourage their children to learn and practice all the tables up to 12x tables that would be very useful too!

This site may help with that:

Non negotiables for Maths

 

 

P.E. for Year 4 this half term is Mondays and Tuesdays.  Please ensure that your child has their P.E. kit in school at all times. Please also make sure that all items are clearly marked with your child's name. We will be going swimming every Tuesday.  Please make sure that your child has their swimming kit in school on this day each week.

 

Science

   

In Science will be learning about States of Matter. We will compare and group materials together, according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases and observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C)   We will also identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature.

 

 

R.E.

Our main objective this half term is to consider this question ‘Could the Buddha’s teaching make the world a better place?' We will look at the Life of Buddha and understand what Buddhist believe about happiness and sadness. We will think of how our lives change over time and how these changes affect us in our every day life. We will look at how Buddhists see the causes of suffering and consider whether understanding the teachings of Buddha could make the world a better place.

 

 

 Homework Schedule

 

Topic:

      

Learning log tasks are set at the beginning of a topic to be completed over the half term.  The children will have the whole half term to complete their chosen tasks.  We will make sure you have the date for the homework to be returned.  We hope that you enjoy the range of tasks that we have set for you!

Spellings: 

Children will be given spellings on Friday and tested on the following Friday giving you a whole week to practice before the test!  Spending just 5 minutes a day on learning spellings does make a big impact on the words you can spell correctly.  This helps the children in their writing to be more adventurous in their choice of words.

Numeracy  : 

Numeracy homework will be set on a Friday  and should be completed by  the following Friday.  The homework will be in two parts - general Maths homework covering the different areas of Maths each week and learning tables homework.  There will be a times table test each week for the table facts sent home each Friday.   Our aim is to know all the times tables up to 12 x 12 by the end year 4.

Reading:  

Reading as much as possible will really help your child’s progress at school. For their learning passport they must have read three times a week all term.   It is very important that they understand what they are reading a few minutes spent asking questions about what has been read helps children to develop comprehension skills which are vital to their education.  In addition to the home reading book,  children will also be allocated reading and Spelling Punctuation and Grammar homework  via Bug Club your child's username is the first four letters of their first name and the first four letters of their surname. The password is year4.

 

Ambassador Awards 2018-2019

 

This year we have incorporated the Learning Passport within a document that recognises children’s achievements in school and the wider community. What is expected in order for children to achieve their ’Ambassador Award’ comes under 4 headings:

• Citizenship
• Relationships
• Learning
• Behaviour and conduct

Each section has elements that underpin the values that as a school we hold dear. We believe that learning is something that continues every minute of the waking day and it is important to recognise children’s achievements not only in lessons but beyond. Adults in school will discuss each section with the children and how they can meet the criteria identified; we are hoping that the children will be able to take some ownership of the passport themselves!

Have a look at the Ambassador leaflet to find out more and look through 'Steps to Success' passport the Owls children will be working through this year to help them achieve their Ambassador Awards!

 

Ambassador Leaflet

 

Steps to Success for the Owls