Welcome to Year 4
Grasshopper and Moth classes are our Year 4 classes here at the Isle of Ely Primary School. From this page, you will be able to read all about our engaging curriculum for the half term and see all of our fantastic learning activities.
PE - Tuesday and Friday for Grasshopper Class and Monday and Tuesday for Moth Class
Library - Thursday for Moth Class and Friday for Grasshopper.
Who works in Year 4?
Miss Louise Crawley Mrs Cheryl Westley
Mrs Katie Bartolozzi Mrs Beth Wilshin
Miss Helen Pham
Our Curriculum
This half term we will be learning:
English |
In English, we will be using Talk for Writing to help us learn the pattern and writing structure for defeating the monster stories. Our model text will be ‘Perseus and Medusa’, which we will story map and learn off by heart to help us write our own defeating the monster story. We will focus on how the character is described in the story and learn how to reveal more about a character’s personality and thoughts through how they speak and their actions. We will also be exploring the use of metaphors in poetry and creating our own poems using them as a feature. |
Maths |
In maths this half term, we will be continuing our unit of additional and subtraction where we look at estimating, checking strategies and delving into problem solving to ensure we are confident at this. Then we will be exploring area. Children will be made aware of the need for standard units of measurement and will progress to measuring area by counting the number of centimetre squares that fit within a shape. The unit helps children to apply their knowledge in problem-solving and investigative contexts, such as exploring different shapes that all have the same area. We will also be learning about multiplication and division, and the written methods for these. Please ensure that your children are practising their times tables at home. |
Science |
Our science this half term is based around the classifications of animals and plants. We will be exploring how living things are structured, what their features are and how they compare and contrast with other animals. They will also study flowering and non-flowering plants and differences in the reproduction of these living things. |
History |
In history, we will be learning about the rise and fall of the Roman empire. We will explore the Punic wars and its impact on the successful invasion of the Mediterranean countries. We will also learn about some of the key historical figures in the empire such as; Julius Caesar and Augustus. |
Geography |
In geography this half term, our focus is ecosystems and climates. We will be starting by exploring the different climate zones across the world. Then we will be looking at ecosystems within Europe. The children will be able to locate these in an atlas as well as explaining how and why it is an ecosystem. |
PE |
In PE, we will be learning how to play golf and will be creating sequences using a range of movements and equipment in gymnastics. These lessons will both be on Tuesdays. |
R.E |
Our focus in RE this half term is looking at religious texts and understanding the moral codes behind each one. The children will explore: The Bible, The Quran, The Tipitaka, The Tanakh, The Guru Granth Sahib and the The Vedas. |
Spanish |
During this half term the children will revisit colours and write a poem based on Bonfire Night. They will revisit classroom instructions and useful commands. The children will also learn the name of different shops in a town, will have opportunities to explore and discover what shops look like in Spain and will learn how to ask where a shop is. There will be an opportunity to check for learning with an assessment at the end of the unit. |
PSHE |
In PSHE, we will be understanding emotions, our own and those of other people and how it is important for emotional well-being. We will be learning how emotions affect the way we feel, think and behave. We will be recognising emotions in ourselves and others and learning how to manage them, particularly when they are strong, if we are to build healthy relationships. |
Art |
In art, we will be exploring shape, form and symmetry. We will be looking at the difference between geometric and organic shapes within artists work. We will then link this knowledge of shapes to sculptures, where the children will create their own ensuring they are thinking about organic form. They will end the unit looking at symmetry and will be discussing and comparing symmetry in two pieces of art. |
Design Technology |
In DT, we will be exploring slingshot mechanisms. The children will learn what a chassis is and the importance of them when designing and making a car body. The children will then assemble their car body and test it to see if it was successful. |
Music |
In music we will looking at adapting and transposing motifs with the theme being Romans. The children will learn a new song, singing in time and in tune while following the lyrics. They will identify motifs aurally and play a repeated pattern on a tuned instrument. They will have the chance to create and performing a motif, notating it with reasonable accuracy. Be able to transpose their motif, using sharp or flat notes where necessary and change the rhythm and finally combine different versions of a musical motif and perform as a group using musical notation. |
Computing |
Our unit in Computing this half term is learning how to Code using the programme Scratch. We will be exploring the different building blocks needed to build a sequence. |
Knowledge Organisers
At the Isle of Ely Primary School, we use knowledge organisers as a tool to help our children learn more and remember more and to allow parents and carers to support their children's learning. In our knowledge organisers, you will find essential knowledge, key dates, important vocabulary and key figures. The knowledge organisers can also be used as a fun assessment tool which will help children to see the progress they have made.
Our class text: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Weekly Newsflash w.c 27.11.23
What a busy week the children have had in Year 4. They have been putting their knowledge into practice and showing us what they know through a range of different assessments. All the children should be proud of themselves with their hard work this week. Next week will be back to normal and we will be continuing with all of our learning from before.
This week, we also had an exciting visit from Inside Out. The children spent Thursday listening and learning about what the residential will look and be like. All the children seemed really engaged. We hope to welcome them all to this next July. If you do have any questions about this, please take a look on their website or speak to your child's teacher.
Have a lovely weekend.
Weekly Newsflash w.c. 20.11.23
Very soon another Times Table Rockstars battle will begin between the two Year 4 classes. Please remind your children to practise at home, using the 'Garage Mode' option if they are feeling less confident; ideally they should be completing 21 minutes per week on TTRS so they don't need to spend lots of time every day on it. All children should know their log in details, the link is below:
In English this week we have continued rehearsing the model text based on 'Perseus and Medusa' which will help the children when they start planning and writing their own versions in upcoming lessons. We have also been continuing to work on using more adventurous adjectives and adverbs in our short burst writing. This week in maths, Year 4 have been using their knowledge of the 6 and 9 times tables to answer a variety of calculations as well as word problems. In science we carried on looking at classification of different species and compared some of the features they have in common as well as their differences. In history we learnt about 'Pax Romana' and how it lead to a period of prosperity for the Roman Empire. We ended our week with a wonderful art lesson where the children used clay to plan and sculpt their own organic shapes based on the theme of fruit.
We hope you all have a great weekend and look forward to seeing the children at Winterfest or on Monday.
Weekly Newsflash w.c. 13.11.23
This week the children have started to learn our new model text Perseus and Medusa. During this unit of work we are going to be delving deep into character description. This week we have been spending lots of time acting out the story in small groups, pairs or as a whole class as it is vital that the children know the story map. Maths this week as been on area. We have been counting squares, making shapes and comparing area. This unit seems to be a real strength for the children in year 4. Lastly, as usual as afternoons have been very busy. In music this week we have started to learn a song called Road Building. The children have been working hard using call and response to learn the song and to perform it as a class.
Below you will see a folder of a range of different spelling activities your child can do in their own time and a copy of the year 3/4 words. Addition to this, please may we ask that all children continue to practice their times tables on TTRockStars. Some of the children have been asked by their teacher to practice in garage mode, whereas, some are asked to practice via sound check.
/files/documents/Year4_Spelling_November_Homework.zip
/files/documents/SpellingWordList_Y3-4.pdf
Weekly Newsflash w.c. 06/11/23
This week the children have been completing a unit on poetry during their English lessons. We have explored what metaphors are and how they can be used to make writing more creative and give the reader an image. In maths we have continued to practise our problem solving skills, many of the children challenged themselves to answer two and three step problems. In history we have begun learning about Julius Caesar and his role in the Roman Empire whilst in science we learnt how to classify animals based on specific features and why this is useful to scientists.
Next week is also Anti-Bullying week. Please explore the parents and carers page here for more information and resources. The BBC’s Own It page also has a whole suite of links and clips to support your child with online behaviours.
We hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!
Weekly Newsflash w.c. 30/10/23
What a fantastic first week back we have had in Year 4. In English, the children have been writing their hot writes from the previous half term on Information Texts. The children then spent a day editing their work with their learning partner before writing their text up in their new Best Book. This best book will be taken through to Y5 & Y6. In Maths this week we have been continuing our work on addition and subtraction. The children have been working really hard on problem solving, thinking about how many steps need to be solved. Our afternoons have been jammed packed with new learning. In Geography, we have spent time looking at the world and the different climate zones that we have. We labelled a map to help us remember the different zones when we move on next week at looking at the climate zones in different Ecosystems around the world. Have a lovely weekend.