This term our topic is “Misty Mountain, Winding River”. This project teaches children about the characteristics and features of rivers and mountain ranges around the world, including a detailed exploration of the ecosystems and processes that shape them and the land around them.
To find out more, view our Misty Mountain, Winding River Knowledge Organiser.
(Please refer to the Downloadable Resources Page for PDF copies of all highlighted/underlined documents)
Other helpful documents
From a geographical perspective, we will learn about grid references; contour lines; physical processes – erosion, transportation and deposition; world rivers; UK mountains; world mountains; compass points; the water cycle; soil and altitudinal zones.
From a historical perspective, we will learn about mountain exploration; significant people, including Sir Edmund Hilary; and the art work of William Morris, as part of our Design Technology topic.
Reading
Our Class Text and Comprehension
In term 3, our reading comprehension lessons will be based upon our class text, “King of the Cloud Forests” by Michael Morpurgo. Set in China at the beginning of World War 2, we will join Ashley and Uncle Sung as they are forced to flee their home and make a perilous journey across the Himalayas. Food is scarce and they are trapped by a terrible storm. Once the storm ends, Uncle Sung leaves to fetch help. When a strange visitor finds Ashley and takes him higher into the mountain, he wonders if he will ever see his family again.
To find out more about this text, view our King of the Cloud Forests Novel Knowledge Organiser.
In term 4, our reading comprehension will be based upon another book by Michael Morpurgo called, ‘This Morning I Met a Whale’. This is a fictional account of the day a whale swam up the Thames, in which the whale makes an environmental plea to the boy who first sees him.
For further information about the reading skills we will focus upon this term, please view “Shakespeare’s Sequential Reading Curriculum”
Independent Reading
In class, we will continue to use the Accelerated Reader program. For further information about this, please view a Parent's Guide to Accelerated Reader. (https://help.renlearn.co.uk/AR/ARParentGuide) If you need your child's AR password, please contact me (Mrs Dodson).
Writing
Over the course of the term, we will be writing a diary, information leaflet and an explanation text.
Firstly we will be writing a diary entry based on our class text, King of the Cloud Forest. Writing a diary entry provides an ideal context for children to describe places and events using the first person. Children will be using expanded noun phrases to add descriptive detail
We will also be writing an information leaflet about Forest School. Writing an information leaflet provides an opportunity for children to gather facts about a chosen topic and organise the content in a logical order. They could use a range of fronted adverbials and conjunctions to vary sentence structure.
Furthermore, we will be writing an explanation of the model water cycle investigation. Explanation writing requires children to explain how or why something works, often using images or diagrams. Children will use fronted adverbials and conjunctions to vary sentence structure and show cause and effect. They will also include technical vocabulary and create a glossary to explain the definitions.
For further information about the writing skills, we will focus upon this term, please view "Shakespeare’s Sequential Writing Curriculum"
Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling
Punctuation
This term we will learn to edit deliberate punctuation errors; add punctuation to dictated sentences; practise punctuating parenthesis using pairs of commas, dashes or brackets; use a comma for all its purposes e.g. in punctuating direct speech, in lists, for parenthesis and to separate clauses for clarity; begin to use a single dash.
Grammar
This term we will learn to identify different types of determiners; identify preposition phrases in sentences, including prepositions of place and time.
We will also identify adverbials both within and at the front of sentences and discuss how these add cohesion to texts; we will be investigating the effect of moving the position of a fronted adverbial and identifying time connectives. In addition to this we will also identify verb forms, to include progressive perfect tenses.
Spellings
During our spelling lessons this term, we will learn how to spell words with endings spelt -sure and -ture; the g sound spelt gu; homophones; possessive apostrophe; words ending in -tion, -sion -ssion and -cian; the prefixes anti and inter and the suffix -ation.
In addition to these weekly spelling rules, we will continue to learn and spell words from the Year 3 and 4 statutory spelling list. For an overview of these spellings, please view the Spelling word list for Year 3 and Year 4.
To view our weekly breakdown of our spellings, please view our Term 3 and Term 4 Homework Grid.
Following the White Rose Maths scheme, year 4 will cover four main blocks of learning over the course of the spring term: multiplication and division; length and perimeter: fractions and decimals. As part of the White Rose Maths scheme, each block is broken down into a series of small learning steps. Combined, these small learning steps then cover all the curriculum content your child needs to know in small related chunks.
This term’s small learning steps for each block
| Maths area of learning | Block | Small Learning Steps |
| Number | Multiplication and division | Factor pairs; use factor pairs; multiply by 10; multiply by 100; divide by 10; divide by 100; related facts – multiplication and division; informal written methods for multiplication; multiply a 2-digit number by a 1-digit number; multiply a 3-digit number by a 1-digit number; divide a 2-digit number by a 1-digit number; divide a 3-digit number by a 1-digit number; correspondence problems and efficient multiplication. |
| Measurement | Length and perimeter | Measure in kilometres and metres; equivalent lengths; perimeter on a grid; perimeter of a rectangle; perimeter of rectilinear shapes; find missing lengths in rectilinear shapes; calculate the perimeter of rectilinear shapes; perimeter of regular polygons and perimeter of polygons. |
| Number | Fractions | Understanding the whole; count beyond 1; partition a mixed number; number ines with mixed numbers; compare and order mixed numbers; understand improper fractions; convert mixed numbers to improper fractions; convert improper fractions to mixed numbers; equivalent fractions on a number line; equivalent fraction families; add two or more fractions; add fractions and mixed numbers; subtract two fractions; subtract from whole amounts and subtract from mixed numbers. |
| Number | Decimals | Tenths as fractions; tenths as decimals; tenths on a place value chart; tenths on a number line; divide a 1-digit number by 10; divide a 2-digit number by 10; hundredths as fractions; hundredths on a place value chart and divide a 1- or 2-digit number by 100. |
One of the most important things for your child to have mastered and maintain is their knowledge of times tables. For an overview of our weekly times tables focus, please view our Term 3 and Term 4 Homework Grid. To complement their work in lessons reinforcing their fluency, recall and commutativity of these timetables, your child will be set a weekly activity to complete as part of their homework on Sumdog.
Our Calculation Policy: addition and subtraction
Our Calculation Policy: multiplication and division
This term our topic is “States of Matter”. This project teaches children about solids, liquids and gases and their characteristic properties. Throughout this topic the children will observe how materials change state as they are heated and cooled, and learn key terminology associated with these processes.
To find out more, view our States of Matter Knowledge Organiser.
States of Matter Lesson Overview
| Lesson | Learning focus |
| 1 | Solids, liquids and gases |
| 2 | Classifying solids, liquids and gases and particle theory |
| 3 | Melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation |
| 4 | States of matter in water |
| 5 | Observing, measuring and recording changes over time |
| 6 | Melting and boiling points |
Other helpful documents
States of Matter Vocabulary Mat
Art: Vista
Linked to our main topic, “Misty Mountain, Winding River”, our art topic for this term is “Vista”. Throughout this topic, we will learn about the techniques that artists use when composing landscape images, such as colour and atmosphere. To find out more, view our Vista Knowledge Organiser.
Design and Technology: Functional and Fancy Fabrics
Over the course of this project, we will learn about home furnishings and the significant designer William Morris. The children will learn techniques for decorating fabric, including block printing, hemming and embroidery and use them to design and make a fabric sample. To find out more, view our Functional and Fancy Fabrics Knowledge Organiser.
Writing for different audiences
In term 3, we will be focussing upon writing for different audiences. We will learn about:
- How to use different font styles.
- How to use a simulated scenario to produce a news report.
- How to write for a campaign.
To find out more, view our Writing for different audiences Knowledge Organiser.
Logo
Over the course of term 4, our work will focus upon using Logo. We will learn:
- How to create letters using 2Logo.
- Use the ‘repeat command.
- Use procedures
To find out more, view our Logo Knowledge Organiser.
Our Religious Education lessons will continue to be based upon our “Love to Celebrate” projects. Basing the “Love to Celebrate” projects around festivals, gives a real-life context to the children’s learning and a structure to the projects. However, the celebration itself is only a small part of each “Love to Celebrate” project. Each set of projects covers all major aspects of each religion including worship, belief, leadership and belonging.
Please view our “World festivals and Celebrations Calendar”.
Term 3: Sikhism - Vaisakhi
Sikhs usually celebrate Vaisakhi on the 13th and 14th April. It is the most important festival day for Sikhs because, in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa. The Khalsa are ordained Sikhs who make promises to wear the Five Ks and follow the Sikh religion faithfully. To become part of the Khalsa, Sikhs drink a sugary liquid called amrit and have it sprinkled onto their eyes and hair. Some Sikhs choose to take amrit during Vaisakhi.
For the key words and vocabulary associated with this topic, please view our “Vaisakhi Glossary”.
Term 4: Christianity – Holy Week and Easter
Holy Week is the last week of Lent. It starts with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. During Holy Week, the story of Jesus' last supper and trial are commemorated. Good Friday is a day of mourning in many Christian churches as Jesus' crucifixion is remembered.
Easter Sunday is the day when Christians remember the resurrection of Jesus with church services, candles, acclamations, great food and Easter eggs.
The key themes we will consider and examine are: exploring symbolism; the parade; the Eucharist; the cross; Easter garden; and exploring belief.
For the key words and vocabulary associated with this topic, please view our “Easter Glossary”.
Over the course of term 3 and 4, we will continue to follow our Jigsaw PSHE scheme of learning. Jigsaw, the mindful approach to PSHE is a progressive and spiral scheme of learning. In planning the lessons, Jigsaw PSHE ensures that learning from previous years is revisited and extended, adding new concepts, knowledge and skills, year on year as appropriate.
Term 3: Dreams and Goals
In this Puzzle, we will be talking about our hopes and dreams and developing an understanding that sometimes these do not come true. We will learn that reflecting on positive and happy experiences can counteract disappointment. We will learn how to make a new plan after a setback and know how to work out the steps needed to achieve a goal. We will also learn about the importance of being part of a group and the contributions made to the success of the goal.
Term 4: Healthy Me
In this Puzzle, we will think about how different friendships are formed and how we fit into them. We will discuss how some people are leaders and followers in groups and reflecting on which role we fit into. We will learn about smoking and alcohol, the effects on health and some of the reasons people start smoking or drinking alcohol. We will also learn to recognise when people are putting us under pressure and ways to resist this. We will also discuss what we believe is right and wrong.
For more information regarding the knowledge and skills progression, please view the Jigsaw Knowledge Skills and Progression Document for ages 8-9
Following the GetSet4PE scheme of learning, our Physical Education (PE) lessons for term 3 will focus on gymnastics and hockey. Our PE lessons for term 4 will develop our gymnastic skills and begin tennis. Our PE lessons will be on Monday and Thursday; children can wear their PE into school on both of these days.
Gymnastics
In this unit pupils develop balancing, rolling, jumping and inverted movements and use these skills to create more complex sequences. Pupils are taught to demonstrate control in their behaviour to create a safe environment for themselves and others to work in. They work independently and in collaboration with others to create and develop sequences. Pupils are given opportunities to receive and provide feedback in order to make improvements on their performances. In gymnastics as a whole, pupils develop performance skills considering the quality and control of their actions.
Hockey
Hockey is an invasion game. In this unit pupils develop their understanding of the attacking and defending principles of invasion games. In all games activities, pupils have to think about how they use skills, strategies and tactics to outwit the opposition. In hockey pupils do this by maintaining possession and moving the ball towards goal to score. Pupils develop their understanding of the importance of fair play and honesty while self-managing games and learning and abiding by key rules, as well as evaluating their own and others’ performances.
Tennis
During this unit, pupils develop the key skills required for tennis such as the ready position, racket control and forehand and backhand ground strokes. We will learn how to score points and how to use skills, strategies and tactics to outwit the opposition. Pupils are given opportunities to play games independently and are taught the importance of being honest whilst playing to the rules.
Play Percussion - Ripples
Water ripples, ocean swells, rainstorms, rivers flow… water gives us great inspiration for music making. The piece Ripples uses ascending arpeggios to create the idea of rippling water. Drops and bubbles form by playing scales running up and down the keys. Colours shift as the chord shapes move between major and minor. A soft tune appears in the midst, perhaps a fish rising to the surface, or a bird flying overhead, slowly, and gracefully. A steady flowing rhythm carries the piece to its end as the ripples disperse, and the bubbles rise to the top.
This piece allows for practice and exploration of shapes (skips and steps) on tuned percussion and the development of hand-to-hand playing with more dynamic control. The melody encourages players to listen and feel the space between notes whilst narrating the journey of the piece.
This piece will be used for all of the following:
- To develop and extend xylophone playing skills – hand-to-hand ‘sticking’, scales and arpeggios, moving in thirds (two notes with a gap of one note between).
- As an exploration of phrasing and colour in music.
- To develop rhythm and timing through body percussion.
- To support learning and practise of notes in the major scale (C) and minor scale (D).
- To support note reading on a stave.
- As an ensemble performance piece.
- As a springboard for creative composition of sound pictures relating to water.
For more information, please view our Year 4 - Sing Up - Ripples - Knowledge Organisers
We are delighted to continue our French lessons with Mrs Cackett, our resident native French speaker.
Over the course of the spring term, we will be thinking about two main topics: birthdays and food.
Term 3: Birthdays
Throughout this topic, we will revise and learn numbers 1-100. We will also revisit and consolidate: the days of the week; months of the year; and colours.
Term 4: Food
During this topic, we will learn the vocabulary for lots of different types of food. We will also learn how to order food in a restaurant. In addition, we will learn about directions.
| Shakespeare Class Term 3 and 4 Resources |
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