In Year 4, our pupils should be working more independently and beginning to produce more detailed work. We will be expecting a high standard of behaviour in class and we will be encouraging a greater amount of personal organisation.

Religious Education

In R.E. we will be following the topics of 'Jesus the Teacher' and 'Jesus the Saviour'. We will be looking at Jesus' important teachings and parables and reflecting on how we can be more like Jesus in our lives. We will also be preparing for Easter through Lent, particularly focusing on the importance of prayer. Each week we will continue to share collective worship as a class and this term the children will be given the opportunity to lead their own collective worship.

English

In the first half term we will be focusing on texts that explore issues and dilemmas. The children will be learning skills to support them in writing a narrative story including an issue and dilemma. We will also spend some time looking at poetry and in particular shape poetry. We will then finish off the term looking at discussion debate/report which will allow the children to prepare and talk about something that they are really passionate about before writing about it.

In the second half term, we will start by looking at information texts which will give the children the opportunity to research and create a leaflet relating to their Geography learning on Europe. We will finish off the half term focusing on a novel with a theme. To enhance this we will be exploring various texts with a theme of travel and journey throughout them including 'Gulliver's Travels' by Jonathan Swift. 

In addition, our guided reading text for this term will be 'Charlotte's Web' by E.B White. We will base our comprehension work around this text.

Spellings will continue to be sent home on a Friday afternoon and will then be tested on the following Friday afternoon.

Mathematics

This term in maths we will be covering the topics of multiplication and division, length and perimeter, fractions and decimals. We will be working on growing in confidence in answering problem solving questions more independently.

We will continue our focus within school of our 1-12 times tables, using various methods. 

Science

Throughout this term, we will be looking at the topic of 'Teeth and the Digestive System'. As part of our teeth topic, we will be learning about the different types of teeth in humans and how we need to care for our teeth to keep them healthy and strong. We will also look at food chains. In the second half term, the children will describe the simple functions of the digestive system in humans and understand what role the digestive system plays in helping keep us healthy and energised. The children will be recording their findings using simple scientific language and using drawings and labelled diagrams. 

Geography 

In the first half term, we will be looking at China. We will be learning about the location of China through a study of maps, land use, trade links and their culture.

In the second half term, our topic will be Europe. We will look at the location of Europe as a continent, the countries within it and we will compare countries within Europe including Russia. 

Art and D.T.

In the first half term, our focus will be on pencil drawing, looking at the way we can draw lines, shade our work using pencils and also how we can create 3D artwork. We will also look at tessellations drawing on the work of M.C. Escher.

After half term, in DT we will be looking at textiles. To link in with our theme of 'Passport to Europe' we will be creating passport covers and then decorating them using glue, fabrics and materials. 

P.E. and Games

Our P.E. units for this term will be:

Spring 1

- Dance linked to 'Sparks Might Fly' and electricity. 

- Swimming

Spring 2 

- Invasion Games - Rugby

- Swimming 

Music

In music, we will be focusing on attention on learning how to play the glockenspiel through the use of Charanga in Spring 1. In Spring 2, we will start to explore rap music and the children will write their own rap about stopping bullying. We will also be focusing on our knowledge of musical theory e.g. looking at the different types of notes and their length, pulse, pitch etc.

Computing 

Spring 1 - Programming - Repetition in shapes

Spring 2 - Creating Media - Photo Editing