Year 4 Spring Overview
January 2025
Dear families,
Welcome back and happy New Year! This newsletter gives an overview of our curriculum plans for the Spring Term and some additional useful information.
Curriculum
Our Geography focus for this term is Biomes. We will be learning about the Arctic and Antarctica, climate zones, the biomes that exist in them and the impact of climate change on the environment.
Our writing will be inspired by Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance expedition, supported by Ice Trap! by Meredith Hooper and MP Robertson. The children will be writing to inform, including a recount and biography of an imagined explorer.
We will be reading non-fiction about Antarctica and exploration to grow our background knowledge. We will also be reading The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, paying particular attention to character and ‘reading between the lines’ to understand what we have read.
Spelling will be taught every week. Children will have spelling homework to be handed in every Tuesday.
In Maths, the first half term’s work is all about written arithmetic. We will be practising methods for Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division. Each week we will revisit the number objectives to consolidate key maths skills. Please ensure your child practises their multiplication and division times table facts using TTRockstars. Please ask if you need a reminder of your child’s login details.
PE timetable: PE (Tag Rugby and Hockey) on Monday for 4MP and Wednesday for 4P. It is vital that ALL children wear their school shoes on a PE day and bring trainers to change into for PE. This can help avoid mud being brought into school. Swimming will continue Fridays.
In Music, we will be learning to play the glockenspiel.
In Art, we are focussing on the artist Petrit Halilaj and combining pencil sketching skills with the Arctic and Antarctic region.
In Science, we will first be learning about states of matter, including melting and freezing. After the break, we will be learning to classify living things using branching keys.
In French, the children will be consolidating our learning about days of the week and months of the year. We will then be learning to talk about pets.
In Computing, we will be continuing our work on online safety and exploring how the internet works.
In RE, we will be looking at how Jewish beliefs, teachings and stories impact on daily life and whether forgiveness is always possible for Christians.
In PSHE, we will be exploring Dreams and Goals and Relationships in our daily lives.
In DT, we will be exploring the use of pneumatics and how simple pneumatic mechanisms work.
Additional information
Uniform
Please can you ensure that children have a change of shoes to wear at breaktime (these can be those that are worn for PE). OPAL can get very muddy and the children will not be able to use the field or other muddy areas without a change of shoes.
Home reading
Please continue to read with your child at home. Regular reading will help your child to develop their vocabulary, their confidence and their enjoyment of reading. You can support them by asking ‘how’ or ‘why’ questions to help them with their understanding.
Please ensure your child’s reading record is filled in. If your child is reading a colour-banded book, please encourage them to re-read the book to develop their confidence and their recognition of the words.
Useful resources to support your children:
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak to us at the end of the day. If you would like to request a meeting, please email the school office.
Many thanks,
Miss Parker, Mrs Mackie and Mr Price