November 2009
Dear Parents/ Guardians,
Welcome back to the second half-term, I hope you all had a relaxing holiday and the children are refreshed and ready to get back to work. Our topic ‘Where do God’s creature’s live?’ continues through the next six weeks. I know the children have really enjoyed the topic so far and they have produced some super work, I hope they keep it up!
RE
For the first week of the half-term we will be completing our topic of Friends thinking about what we have learned and how this has helped us. During the second week the children will learn about Judaism. They will find out the importance of Abraham to Jewish people, the signs and symbols of Judaism, about the Torah and what a Synagogue is like. During the latter part of the half-term we move on to our final unit of the term preparations where we recognise how we prepare for events in our lives. We then read the Christmas story and recognise how we prepare for the celebration of Christmas. The children will create art work and pieces of writing about the Christmas story.
Literacy
This half-term our writing will be based on different habitats. The children will be writing information reports based on the ocean, polar lands and penguins. They will learn about the importance of subheadings and paragraphs in a report, as well as understanding how to link ideas and begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. They will also write newspaper reports based on the under water film ‘Finding Nemo’. The children will learn how a newspaper is laid out, the role of the interviewer and the difference between fact and opinion. To complete this unit the children will produce leaflets and poster about the effects that climate change is having on our polar lands and wildlife.
In year 4 I expect the children to read every night, this should then be recorded by an adult in the child’s planner. I know that many children have been making a really big effort to do this, they have been rewarded with Golden time and improved reading skills. Spellings will continue be sent home every Tuesday, please support your child by helping and encouraging them to learn their spellings. Learning Logs will continue to go home on a Wednesday and should be returned 12 days later on a Monday. Please make sure your child is working to the best of their ability as it is a good opportunity to practice skills learnt in class, also could you sign the completed piece of work.
Numeracy
We will cover a variety of mathematical concepts this half-term. The main focus will be recognising the names and properties of 2-d and 3-d shapes, converting between units of measure, weight and capacity e.g mm to cm and learning the 8 compass points. Children will also be studying their times tables, fractions of numbers and written methods for multiplying. During the half-term we will also be studying time and time problems. Please support you child in telling the time and learning their times tables as they will prove two important skills over the half-term, and their time in school.
Science
We will be continuing our work on different habitats and beginning to learn about keeping thing warm. We will use a thermometer accurately and recognise how things cool and warm to their environment. We will conduct experiments to find out how to keep water warm and an ice-cube cool. This links to how animals have adapted to survive in extreme conditions, which we will also learn about over the half term.
ICT
This half-term the children will be working on their presentation skills, learning how to import images, change text sizes, styles and colours and experimenting with backgrounds. They will do this in a variety of programs including softease, smart screen shows and photo story. In addition to this children will carry out research on the internet and present their work for display.
PE
The children will be continuing to develop their swimming skills this half-term, again on a Tuesday morning. Many children have achieved dolphin certificates and are doing very well. Could parents please make sure that boys swim shorts are not on or below the knee,the children will not be allowed to swim as it makes moving in the water very difficult, PE will also take place on a Monday morning with our sports coach. Please ensure PE kits are in school at all times. This should be black shorts and plain white t-shirt for indoors and a plain blue/black tracksuit, trainers and white t-shirt for outdoors.
Circle Time
Circle time will take place weekly with myself and Mrs Docherty. This is a time where your children can develop emotionally and socially, it also allows the opportunity for children to discuss and worries. Every fortnight ten children will take part in intergenerational circle time known as Silver Friends, this will continue until Christmas, after which a different 10 children will attend.
French, Art, Music and International work based on
Art Club
Art Club will continue to take place 3.00 until 4.00 every Tuesday, I know the children are enjoying themselves and you will soon see the results of their hard work, and the new sewing skills they have developed.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to come and speak with me, I am always happy to answer any questions you have. I hope we can work together to enable your child to achieve their full potential and enjoy their time in school.
Yours sincerely
Miss N Roberts
(Year 4 teacher)