Year 4
Welcome to the Chocolate Factory
with Mrs Gibbison, Mrs Savage
and Miss Tarr
What a fantastic start to Year 4! This term we have lots of great things planned. Our topic is 'We can change the World!' In Science we are studying Electricity.
Here are a few general bits of information to help along the way.
If you have any questions or would like to speak to us, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page or call into school.
Thank you :)
Resources for School Closure
Helping your children to stay calm and feel safe is really important to us. Here are some breathing exercises that might help them if they feel anxious... (click to enlarge)
Year 4 School Closure Resources
Other types of learning... (click to enlarge)
In case of pupils needing to self-isolate in light of government advice concerning Covid-19, or in the event of forced closure, check out these resources below:
FREE online education resources
Spelling Shed
Purple Mash
Times Tables Rockstar
Language Angels
https://www.languageangels.com
BBC Learning
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/coursesearch/
This site is old and no longer updated and yet there's so much still available, from language learning to BBC Bitesize for revision. No TV licence required except for content on BBC iPlayer.
Futurelearn
https://www.futurelearn.com
Free to access 100s of courses, only pay to upgrade if you need a certificate in your name (own account from age 14+ but younger learners can use a parent account).
Blockly
https://blockly.games
Learn computer programming skills - fun and free.
Scratch
https://scratch.mit.edu/explore/projects/games/
Creative computer programming
Ted Ed
https://ed.ted.com
All sorts of engaging educational videos
National Geographic Kids
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/
Activities and quizzes for younger kids.
Duolingo
https://www.duolingo.com
Learn languages for free. Web or app.
Mystery Science
https://mysteryscience.com
Free science lessons
The Kids Should See This
https://thekidshouldseethis.com
Wide range of cool educational videos
Crash Course
https://thecrashcourse.com
You Tube videos on many subjects
Crash Course Kids
https://m.youtube.com/user/crashcoursekids
As above for a younger audience
Crest Awards
https://www.crestawards.org
Science awards you can complete from home.
iDEA Awards
https://idea.org.uk
Digital enterprise award scheme you can complete online.
Paw Print Badges
https://www.pawprintbadges.co.uk
Free challenge packs and other downloads. Many activities can be completed indoors. Badges cost but are optional.
Tinkercad
https://www.tinkercad.com
All kinds of making.
Prodigy Maths
https://www.prodigygame.com
Is in U.S. grades, but good for UK Primary age.
Cbeebies Radio
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/radio
Listening activities for the younger ones.
Nature Detectives
https://naturedetectives.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetect…/
A lot of these can be done in a garden, or if you can get to a remote forest location!
British Council
https://www.britishcouncil.org/school-resources/find
Resources for English language learning
Oxford Owl for Home
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/
Lots of free resources for Primary age
Big History Project
https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home
Aimed at Secondary age. Multi disciplinary activities.
Geography Games
https://world-geography-games.com/world.html
Geography gaming!
Blue Peter Badges
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/joinin/about-blue-peter-badges
If you have a stamp and a nearby post box.
The Artful Parent
https://www.facebook.com/artfulparent/
Good, free art activities
Red Ted Art
https://www.redtedart.com
Easy arts and crafts for little ones
The Imagination Tree
https://theimaginationtree.com
Creative art and craft activities for the very youngest.
Toy Theater
https://toytheater.com/
Educational online games
DK Find Out
https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/…
Activities and quizzes
Twinkl
https://www.twinkl.co.uk
This is more for printouts, and usually at a fee, but they are offering a month of free access to parents in the event of school closures.
So what have you been up to?
It's been lovely to catch up with some of you this week. Here's some work we have received so far:
Caitlin
As well as normal maths and English work she has erupted a purple volcano (because why not) helped make a strawberry and elderflower gateux. We've also done some tie dye and she's writing a story. I've included some pictures for you all to see.
She would also love to hear about all the stuff everyone has been upto at school.
The votes are in! Our new class book is... 'The Imaginary' by A.F Harold
Reading
We love to read in Year 4! Already, your wonderful children have shown just how much they enjoy books and how knowledgeable they are about authors and genres they like.
Even though they are now Year 4s, reading aloud and being read to are still so important so please encourage your child to read at home; once children can decode most words the real challenge comes in showing their understanding, so please encourage them to talk about what they have read.
All children are required to read at least 3 times a week and record these in their reading diaries. This can be books but it can also be magazines, instructions, shopping lists... anything! Please sign their reading diaries each week and feel free to add any comments. We will read through these each Friday and the children can receive rewards and prizes when they meet milestones... there are even more prizes this year!
Children can change their book when they would like to. They just need to ask! We don't make them persevere with a book they aren't enjoying as we really do want them to develop a love of reading.
Homework
Spellings will be given out on a Friday to be learnt for an informal test the following Friday. Some weeks they may also be given a piece of Maths homework too. If the children have not completed their homework, they will complete it at playtime on a Friday.
There will also be an additional homework menu with more creative tasks on which children can choose to do and will be rewarded with Marvellous Me badges for.
Homework menu - Spring 2020
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Research Malala Yousafzai – Create a Top Trump style card with all your information. |
Design your own superhero that could make a positive change in the world. |
Create a poster to ask for volunteers to help with a litter pick. |
What are you most proud of from 2019? And what would you like to achieve in 2020? |
Is it a conductor or insulator? Bring in materials you would like to test. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Design your ideal community (build out of anything you like). |
Read a good book lately? Draw a character from the book, including all the information the author has shared with you. |
Watch a family movie – write down the whole story in less than 50 words. |
Design your ideal habitat? What temperature would it be? What would it be made from? |
List as many different appliances as you can that use electricity in your home. Draw pictures and label. |
|
Create a times tables rap to share with the class. |
Challenge: How quickly can you run 1,000m/1km? Remember to time yourself J |
Draw a plan of a room in your house. Can you measure the perimeter? Can you work out the area? |
Draw a plan of a room in your house. Can you measure the perimeter? Can you work out the area? |
If you had a magic pencil, what would you draw? (hungry, draw a bowl of food, in danger, draw a police officer). |
PE
We believe that having a healthy and active body will ensure we have a healthy and active mind. Research shows that children who are more active do better academically!
So it really is important that children always have their PE kit in school.
PE days will change each half term as we’re fortunate enough to have some excellent sports coaches coming in to run a variety of sessions with the children. During the first half of the Spring term, Year 4 will be learning Gymnastics on Mondays with Mr Richards and Yoga on a Wednesday. These days can sometimes change because of the weather or the hall being unavailable. Therefore, can you please make sure that PE kits come into school on a Monday and remain in school until the end of the week. Swimming will start in the second half of this term, we will write to you with more details nearer the time.
Children are not able to take part in PE if they are wearing earrings – if you are considering having your child’s ears pierced, please do this at the start of the summer holidays as it has a huge effect on their learning in PE.
Year 4 Multiplication Test
This year, the Government will be launching the Year 4 Multiplication Test in the Summer. This will be an online test and will test children's knowledge and fluency of the ALL times tables (up to 12s). They will have 6 seconds to recall each fact so they really have to be confident with them!
This is something we would like the children to take in their stride and feel empowered to do their best on so we will be doing daily Times Table practices in school. You can help your child by practising with them at home and playing Times Table Rock Stars (link below).
Contact Mrs G
We know it isn't always possible to speak with you during the school day so please send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
Contact Mrs S
We know it isn't always possible to speak with you during the school day so please send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as we can!