Download Autumn 2 2014 – Year 4

Year 4
Autumn – Second Half Term - Information to Parents
Literacy:
What we will be covering:
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What we will be targeting:
What you might like to do at
home:
Poetry: Creatures Great and Small
To introduce pupils to a range of poetry on a particular
theme
To encourage pupils to respond imaginatively and
creatively to poetry
To use drawing, sounds and drama to show their
understanding of poetry
To explore a wider range of poetry forms and literary
devices
To engage in poetry reading and performance
To write their own compositions using poems read as
an inspiration for their own compositions.
To identify themes and conventions in poetry
To discuss words and phrases that capture the reader’s
interest and imagination
To recognise some different forms of poetry [for
example, free verse, narrative poetry]
To identify, classify and understand the use of the different
word groups including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs,
prepositions, determiners, pronouns and connectives.
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Talk about interesting adjectives to describe nature
and animals. Can the children think of synonyms for
their answers?
Play vocabulary games- words associated with other
words- Dog (Furry, loyal, bark, paws…)
Talk about how poems make them feel, what type of
poetry do they prefer and why?
Numeracy:
What we will be covering:
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To add and subtract numbers with up to four digits
using efficient written methods of columnar addition
and subtraction where appropriate
To recognise and use factor pairs
To use the grid method for multiplication and begin to
use the formal written layout.
To solve two step problems involving multiplying and
adding
To count up and down in hundredths; recognise that
hundredths arise when dividing an object by 100 and
tenths by 10.
To recognise and show common equivalent fractions
To write and convert analogue and digital time and
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What we will be targeting:
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What you might like to do at
home:
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solve time problems
To identify acute and obtuse angles and compare,
order angles up to two right angles.
To describe positions on a 2D grid and plot coordinates
To interpret and present data using graphical methods:
bar charts, graphs.
To read scales to the nearest mark. To practice
recalling and using multiplication and related divisional
facts.
Practice multiplication tables and the related divisional
facts- (6x4 = 24 so 24 ÷ 6 = 4)
Practice mental methods of + - X and ÷. Practice
counting forwards and backwards in 10, 100s, 1000s,
25s and 50s if appropriate.
Discuss fractions and dividing objects and things into
equal parts.
Science:
What we will be covering:
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What you might like to do at
home:
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Electricity
To identify electrical appliances around us
To investigate conductors and insulators
To make and test a switch- use buzzers and motors.
To make and compare simple series circuits.
To observe differences in circuits and find trends
between the number of batteries and the observed
effects in the circuit.
To find out how electricity is made and discuss
Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday’s
contribution to our understanding of electricity.
Talk about electrical circuits and how they work.
Identify which appliances at home need electricity to
work and which need batteries.
Talk about how electricity is made and lightning.
Identify good conductors and good insulators of
electricity in the home and why they are used for
its/their purpose.
Theme Learning (Art, Design and Technology, History, Geography):
What we will be covering:
This half-term our theme is The Great War.
• To understand the key events of the First World War
and the events leading up to it.
• To understand the processes involved in enlistment
• To create posters to demonstrate understanding of the
lives of key figures within the war effort.
• To demonstrate an understanding of how women
contributed to the war effort.
• To use maps of Europe to identify key European
countries that were involved in the First World War
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What you might like to do at
home:
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To use a range of printing and graphic design
techniques to create propaganda posters.
To design, make, decorate and evaluate a model
airship in the style of a German Zeppelin.
Visit war memorials, museums relevant to the topic.
Talk about World War 1 – perhaps there are past
family members that were involved in the war?
Other Areas of the Curriculum:
P.E – Dance, Indoor Invasion Games
R.E- Giving Thanks, Peace
French- Numbers, French Games and Songs
Weekly Homework
• Spelling homework- This will now be given every Friday and the children’s spelling test
will be on the following Friday. (However, the first set of spellings will be given on the
first Monday back – 3rd November for a test on Friday 7th November)
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Literacy/Numeracy Homework- The children will be given one piece of written
homework every Wednesday. This will alternate between Literacy and Numeracy. It is
to be handed in the following Wednesday. Sometimes Theme homework may be given
instead.
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Times tables- children are encouraged to learn and practice their times tables and
corresponding divisional facts.
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Reading- Children are encouraged to read daily, ideally to a parent/guardian and a
comment left in their reading diary. This can be any book that your child is interested in:
comics, information books, e-books, magazines and novels. It would be helpful to
discuss the plot, the characters, what is happening between the lines, and how the
characters may feel within the stories.
Important Dates:
School Trip – Science Workshop at Warwick University- Wednesday 5th NovemberPlease bring a packed lunch, a drink and a snack for that day.