Year 4
Welcome to Year 4!
- Class 4 are taught by Miss Natasha Coupe
- Class 5 are taught by Mr Collin D'Arcy
- Class 6 are taught by Miss Bethany Nicholson
The children are supported in their learning by Miss Cameron, Miss Chant and Miss Munday (maternity leave)
Premier Sport Coaches teach Year 4 PE on a Tuesday. There will be another PE session at some point in the week. At the moment, this will be:
Class 6 on Thursday
Class 5 on Wednesday
Class 4 on Thursday
However this is subject to change. We ask that the children have their PE kit in school for the whole week as PE days can change last minute.
Keep checking back to our year 4 page for regular updates about the children's learning.
Digestion in the Explorer Dome
On Monday, we had an exciting visit from the Explorer Dome to learn about our science topic of digestion. We learned about the different food groups in a healthy diet and why they were important in the body. We followed the food all the way from where it is chewed into small pieces by the teeth in the mouth, down the oesophagus into the acid and enzymes of the stomach, through the very long small intestine, all the way through the large intestine into the rectum, where it is finally released by the anus! We saw camera footage of the inside of a real person's body as well as representations of the inside of a cell. Did you know that the small intestine is covered in lots of tiny hair-like bumps called villi? We also saw practical representations of how food is digested in the stomach, including using dry ice to simulate the bubbling caused by stomach enzymes. Ask us how the gas created by the stomach escapes from a real body!
We look forward to furthering our knowledge of the digestive system through our science lessons this half term.
Black History Month
October was Black History Month, so on Wear Red Day at the end of half term Year 4 spent some time thinking about the impact of racism. We discussed some scenarios which could happen in school and how we could make sure that racism didn't happen at Oakridge, or how to deal with it if it did. It was great to hear children's stories and opinions, and we all agreed that diversity makes our school more interesting and fun. Thinking about these issues has given us a better understanding of the challenges faced by different people in our community, and we are all committed to making a fair and equal school community where everyone feels accepted and valued.
Some of us chose to research a Black hero of ours from a different area we were interested in - sports, civil rights, science and technology or anything else! Others chose to make an anti-racism poster, some of which are displayed in our classrooms. Have a look at some of the photos!
Portals to the Past Egyptian workshop
On Monday 27th September, we had a visit from Russ from Portals to the Past. He taught us about the Ancient Egyptian civilisation and we had lots of exciting activities to do. We learnt how to measure in cubits, decode texts in hieroglyphics and we even got to hold treasures from over 4000 years ago followed by an exciting quiz. In the afternoon, we understood how Egypt was divided and how Egypt was controlled by different gods and goddesses. We even learnt how to mummify a Pharaoh and bury them in their tomb.
Newsletters
Summer 2
Year 4 Sports Day - Wednesday 16th June 2021
Creative Curriculum!
This term we will be looking at a new geography unit: Climate Change and Global Warming. Throughout this unit, children will explore and understand the causes and impacts of climate change around the world and ways we can reduce our own carbon footprint. Children will be encouraged to share their own ideas about who is responsible for climate change and ways action people take to prevent it. At the end of the unit, the children will write a letter to Chris Packham (Springwatch naturalist) about what they have learnt and how we can help save out planet.
Reading and English
This term, we are focusing both of our Reading and English topics on Harry Potter! We started the unit off by being sorted into our houses: Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Slytherin. Any rewards we earn will go towards our house points.
We have written setting descriptions of the Great Hall at Halloween and Christmas. We designed these ourselves and tried to picture what it would have been like.
Science
Our science topic this half term is Electricity. We have looked at mains and battery powered items and the different batteries and their uses. We have explored circuits and what make a circuit successful.
Summer 1
Reading
In Reading, we have begun to look at our new text How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell. We have explored the setting and the main character of Hiccup.
We have begun to infer characters thoughts and feelings, and have unpicked unknown vocabulary as this story has a lot of new words!
English
In English, we have begun our new topic about pollution. We have explored different texts, both fiction and non-fiction, that look at pollution. We have thought about different types of pollution and the effects this has on our environment.
We have looked at persuasive letters and the technique of persuasion to be able to write our own persuasive letter about saving the environment.
CC
In CC this half term, we are going to be learning about the Anglo-Saxons. This week we have recapped chronology and looked at timelines of history, recalled the periods of time that we know and have already learnt about. We have then looked at how the Romans came before the Anglo-Saxons and looked in detail at why they left Britain.
Science
In Science, we are continuing our topic of Dissolving. We have already explored what dissolving is, and have used the key terms:
soluble/insoluble
mixture
solution
transparent
We have looked at different mixtures and have explored how (and if) we can separate them.
Easter Activities
Google Classroom
If we have to close then Google Classroom is where you will be able to access the latest learning and interact with your teachers. To use Google Classroom you will need your google login and password which has been posted to you/your parents.
Our Google Classroom is a secure learning platform which can only be accessed with each individual child login which is unique to each pupil. Once in to our classroom you will be able to access learning resources and send work back to the teachers. You will also be able to communicate directly with the teachers to receive feedback on what you have done as well as ask for help if you get stuck.
To access the classroom type classroom.google.com into the address bar of your web browser.
R.E Advent Activities
Advent Puzzle - refer to this each week
Week 1 - Hope
Week 2 - Peace
Week 3 - Joy
Week 4 - Love
Everyday essentials for your child:
Please try and give your child time each day to use these websites to support their education. The weblinks are in the weblink document above and the relevant log in details have been sent home.
- TT Rockstars and Numberbots
- Bug Club
- Reading Eggs https://readingeggs.co.uk/
- Mathletics https://login.mathletics.com/
Homework
This is now all on Google Classroom, unless you have made a specific arrangement with your child's class teacher.
Maths homework will go out on a Wednesday and should be returned on a Tuesday.
English homework will go out on a Monday and should be returned on a Friday. The children will be tested on their spelling words on a Friday.
19/11/20 Google Classroom Home Learning
18/11/20 - Google Classroom Home Learning
17/11/20 - Google Classroom Home Learning
16/11/20 Google Classroom Home Learning
13/11/20 Google Classroom Home Learning
12/11/20 - Google Classroom Home Learning
11/11/20 - Google Classroom Home Learning
10/11/20 - Google Classroom Home Learning
09/11/20 Google Classroom Home Learning
Autumn 1: In English, the school was recently taken by strange creatures, which we now know are Flanimals! These are strange, alien-looking creatures and we found them in the year 4 area and outside. We have looked at using exciting vocabulary to describe their appearance and behaviour. From this, we are designing our own flanimal and describing it. Our finished pieces are going to be sent to the author!
The children designed their own flanimals and wrote fantastic descriptions describing their appearance, how they move and their behaviour.
We tweeted Ricky Gervais and he replied! He thought the children's work was excellent and sent us an email and a special delivery...
Autumn 1: In reading, we have been reading the Nothing To See Here Hotel. We have been introduced to Frankie who lives in a monster hotel which is invisible to humans. We have predicted what is going to happen in the hotel and looked at the main characters in more detail.
We learnt about the character of Prince Grogbah, who arrives at the hotel for a holiday... or so they think. It turns out that he has actually stolen something from a rival gang of goblins, who are now out to get him!
Throughout the book, we have been inferring characters thoughts and feelings.
In Maths, we have looked at four digit numbers and what makes up these numbers. We have partitioned them in different ways, and began to order and compare them. We have also looked at rounding numbers to the nearest 10 and 100.
In addition and subtraction, we have been looking at the partitioning method (some of us have been looking at the column method).
In Multiplication, we have been either partitioning 2 digit numbers to multiply by a 1 digit number. Some of us have been using the grid method.
In Division, we have been using number lines or the chunking method.
Fractions- we have been looking at representing a range of different fractions. We have ordered and compared fractions and have been finding fractions of amounts
Our topic in science is solids, liquids and gases. We have been planning and carrying out different experiments to test the states of matter.
- We have shown gases with lemonade and raisins, and changed a liquid (water) in a solid (dough) by adding spoonfuls of flour.
- We have tested how long it takes an ice cube to melt
- We have tested the temperature at which water freezes
