Trotts Hill Primary School and Nursery
Welcome to Year 4
Welcome to Year 4.
Mrs Burr and Mrs Kramer are the class teachers and Mrs Murrill is the classroom assistant and will be supporting in class every morning.
Year 4 is the second year of Lower Key Stage 2 and we continue to build upon the foundations developed in Year 3 whilst preparing the children for Upper Key Stage 2. The children will be encouraged to continue to develop their independence and further develop their responsibility for their personal belongings, learning in school and with their home learning.
Year 4 is a very exciting and busy year where children will be continuing to develop a range of skills and knowledge alongside discovering and learning lots of exciting new things. The children will be encouraged to develop their 'Behaviour for Learning'. We will work very hard but also have lots of fun learning together.
This year we will cover a variety of skills, knowledge and understanding including the following topics:
The children will continue to have the opportunity to be involved with many pupil groups around the school.
We look forward to helping Year 4 develop and grow.
LI: To explore the Golden Rule.
Today Year 4 learnt that all religions have one Golden rule they all agree upon. The children tried to guess it and thought about the 10 commandments and other religious teachings and wrote their own. The actual rule was revealed. The children then watched some videos about the rules and carried out a matching activity. Finally, they heard a Sikh story which had this rule as its moral.
LI: To understand the importance of the Sikh holy book.
This week in RE, the class learnt about the Guru Granth Sahib and how it is treated with respect. The children role-played how it is carried from its overnight bed to its throne and water sprinkled in front of it to cleanse its path.
LI: To develop the straight, barrel, forward and straddle roll.
After practising the different rolls, the children put them together with balances and jumps to make a routine and performed them to the class.
LI: To identify circuit components and build working circuits
Year 4 made series circuits for the very first time and drew a diagram using the correct electrical symbols.
LI: To learn the 2s, 5s and 10 times tables
The children did this whilst jumping from hoop to hoop in the hall.
LI: To place hundredths on a place value chart.
Using place value counters, the children worked hard to understand hundredths and tenths, adding and exchanging.
Year 4 enjoyed designing and making savoury quiches this week. This afternoon they all tucked in to their healthy treat! They evaluated their product with some being more successful than others!
We had a wonderful afternoon finishing off our canopic jars as part of our Ancients Egyptians topic. After taking inspiration from Egyptian craftsmen and women, we designed our own jars and sculpted them from clay. Today, we painted them and added on additional detail.
It may be the last week of term, but the children are as enthusiastic as always and have enjoyed some fab maths, eye-opening science and green-fingered RE.
In maths, we have moved from fractions to decimals. We've looked at tenths as fractions and then tenths as decimals. There has been lots of active maths with dice, cubes and games.
In science we found out about how animals adapt to their surroundings. We also looked at endangered species and how humans are effecting the planet. Shockingly, we learnt about a river in Australia where recently millions of fish died due to lack of oxygen in the water supply caused by extreme heat and then extreme flooding.
In RE, we have been thinking about the Easter Story. Today, the children made a model of the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was entombed. The children also made Easter baskets decorated with Easter symbols. We learnt that hollow eggs (real and chocolate) represent the empty tomb. Interesting.
Please lightly water the garden and send us some photos of the garden when it has grown.
We are on the final few lessons of fractions (before we move on to decimals). Today we were looking at fractions of amounts and the children really enjoyed playing an online game. Below is a link to the game. Although we didn't quite understand all the rules!
Think about the unit fraction first then multiply it by the numerator to get the fraction of the amount needed. Good luck!
https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/resource/264/Crystal-crash-fractions-numbers
Three quarters of the children really enjoyed the lessons. One eighth used multilink and one tenth needed a little more help. What are we talking about? Fractions of course! We've looked at both mixed and improper ones (how rude!).
Year 4 has worked really hard. It's not easy converting fractions, but with the help of some active maths and lots of practice, the children have been very successful. Well done! Next week...more fractions. And the week after... well we'll keep that as a surprise.
Year 4 had a fabulous time enjoying the story of Hansel and Gretel by Michael Morpurgo. In the morning, we made gingerbread houses, gingerbread men, candy canes and cupcakes to decorate our door. We watched the pantomime of Hansel and Gretel and joined in with the songs. In the afternoon, we made up outdoor games with a Hansel and Gretel theme. Finally, we finished the day with our class book 'Secrets of a Sun King'. Perfect!
Our science unit this half term is Living Things and their Habitats. We have been recapping what living things need to survive. Do you know what Mrs Gren stands for? We then moved on to classifying animals using Venn and Carroll diagrams. We looked at the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates and then the five different classifications of vertebrates. Each classification has something that makes them unique and the children used this fact to use branching databases. In groups they made classification keys. It was really tricky to make them work, but every group achieved the objective. Well done Year 4.
Following our visit to the Fitzwilliam earlier this term, we produced leaflets to try and persuade people that it is a place that they must visit.
This was part of our English unit on persuasion where we spent three weeks finding out about the different techniques that writers use to hook people in.
Year 4 have been learning about sound in science and this week carried out an investigation to find out how sound travels over distance.
We discovered that sound in measured in decibels and travels been through a solid than a gas as the particles are closer together.
To carry out our investigation we headed outside. We laid out metre rulers and then struck a triangle over difference distances and measured how the sound changed. We talked about how the accuracy could be compromised with striking the triangle differently and cars and outside noise effecting the decibel reading. Nevertheless, the children clearly demonstrated how sounds get quieter the further they travel. They presented their results on impressive line graphs. Well done Year 4.
We kept the metre rulers out and made good use of them in our maths lesson today. We have started a unit on length, converting measurements into different units. We started by talking about the metric system as the children had heard of inches, feet, yards and miles and were interested in how these differ.
We then started this series of lessons by converting cm to m and vice versa. We ended by measuring lots of items in the hall. We even measured the width of the hall. It's 12m 73cm wide.
This week we have been looking at persuasive writing in English. We started by reading a hilarious book called 'The Day I swapped my Dad for Two Goldfish'. We then looked at different persuasive techniques, including rhetorical questions, exaggeration, opinions, facts/statistics, emotive language and alliteration. Don't be surprised if you are persuaded into late bedtimes, extra sweets or TV time!
Computing was so much fun this week. We have been looking at photo editing and using lots of different tools. Today we were 'Combining'. This means cutting out one image from a photo and then adding it to another image in order to create something new. It fitted in really well with our English topic as we could discuss how advertisers manipulate images. Attached below are some examples of what the children created.
We've started learning short division using the bus stop method this week. The class are doing really well. However, if you'd like to practise a little more at home, here are some slides for the adults to refresh their memories. Also below is a link to a little video. I have sent home a sheet for those children who would like to try a few more.
Thank you for those parents who attended the timestable workshop today. We hope you found it useful. Below are the links for the websites and resources discussed.
Remember, you don't need to buy anything new to make maths fun. Use playing cards, dice, post it notes and music.
Year 4 returned from an incredible day at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. They spent the morning exploring the exhibitions, looking at ancient artefacts and discovering many new facts about the Egyptians. In the afternoon, they used papyrus to paint their own Egyptian inspired painting.
We limped to the finishing line! Well done to those children who made it to the last day.
To finish off, we made some beautiful sparkly chalk pictures.
Have a safe and restful festive season.
Year 4 has finished the year off with a flourish. They performed their dances brilliantly in the Christmas show and also sang their hearts out. We are very proud.
For the final few days, we have been finishing off our DT project. The children have worked so hard on their felt stockings and they are amazing. They are really creative and finished to an excellent standard.
We have also completed work on Christmas-themed co-ordinates as well as learning about King Herod's role in the Christmas Story. The children hot seated the main characters and looked up the correct passage in the bible to find out what happened.
Well done year 4. It has been a pleasure teaching you. Have a fab Christmas. From Mrs Burr, Mrs Kramer and Mrs Murrill.
This week in RE we looked at how advent is celebrated around the world. We discovered that many different cultures, religions and countries celebrate it. There are common themes of light, stars and circles. We made a Mexican Advent pinata, Chinese lanterns, Danish bread wreaths and UK candle wreaths.
This week in science, Year 4 investigated how well they look after their teeth. We discussed what is needed for good oral hygiene. We decided that regular trips to the dentist, twice daily brushing (for 2 minutes) and toothpaste with fluoride are essential, whilst floss and mouth wash are added extras.
Then came the real test! The children all crunched on a plaque reveal tablet. Pink dye on their teeth indicated new plaque (which can easily be brushed away) but blue dye shows old plaque. Many of the children discovered that the opposite side of their mouth to their dominant hand had less blue plaque as it is easier to brush. Whereas the other side and the backs were bluer.
The children then brushed their teeth and repeated the investigation. Some of the children pledged to change their habits and brush more regularly and more thoroughly. It was an important life-lesson as we really need to look after our teeth (plus it was loads of fun!).
WARNING! GROSS PICTURE ALERT
After reading this, you may never drink fruit juice again!
Year 4 undertook an experiment in science to discover which drinks were worst for our teeth. We used hard boiled eggs to replicate our teeth. The shell was enamel and the hard-boiled egg underneath, dentin.
To make the experiment a fair test, only the liquid was changed (the variable) and it was measured out accurately.
The eggs were left in water, milk, coffee, Pepsi Max, Coke, orange juice and apple juice for a week.
Over the course of the week, the class used their ‘working scientifically skill’ of observation to see what changes were occurring.
Almost immediately, the apple and orange juice eggs started to bubble and peel. The Pepsi Max and coffee started to stain.
By the next week, they were all rather smelly (especially the milk!) and the results were surprising and shocking.
The children observed all of the eggs to gather their results and then write a conclusion.
We concluded that the apple juice damaged the enamel the most – rotting down to the dentin. This is because the apple juice contains the most sugar. Water was the best for your teeth. Well done Year 4 you carried out the experiment excellently and used lots of scientific vocabulary.
Year 4 really enjoy their weekly computing lessons. We start by playing timestable games. This week we are looking at the 6 times table and building up our speed at recalling the facts.
Then we moved on to our current topic which is spreadsheets. We use PurpleMash and their 2calculate tool which is a lot like Excel. The children had to plan a party. They selected which items they would like and how many people they wanted to invite. Of course the cost was astronomical. Obviously, you need soft play, a disco and an animal charmer! So, we imposed a budget of £300. Pizza needed to be swapped for cheaper sandwiches. Milkshakes were ditched for squash. It was a great lesson where the children competently used the total tool and the formula wizard.
This week Year 4 have started their new unit on poetry in English. On Friday, the children took turns to be the two different characters from one of our poems 'Overheard on a Saltmarsh' by Harold Munro. Each child was either the nymph or the goblin, they used body language and the dialogue to portray character.
Year 4 have had a great day today building, testing and racing their balloon buggies. The project is part of a whole school science/maths and DT initiative and develops children observational, measuring, sawing and problem-solving skills. After watching videos on hovercrafts and discussing airflow, aerodynamics and friction, the children had to design their buggies in agreement with their team mates. They carefully measured, drew and cut out templates along with measuring the axels and plastic tubing. After sawing the dowelling with hacksaws (carefully!!), they then glued on the wheels with glue guns (also carefully).
The teams then tested their buggies to decide if they could make any improvements. This was the part of the lesson which was the most surprising as the children needed to problem solve and discuss making changes. Straws needed to be straightened to help the airflow, axels had to be made more parallel or lengthened or the body cut away so the wheels had clear space to rotate.
We ended the lesson with a competition to see which buggy could freely (no pushing!!) roll the furthest. They ALL worked and some went much further than expected.
Mrs Burr and Mrs Murrill were really proud of the classes' achievements today. We have some budding product designers!
This has been the final week looking at formal addition and subtraction methods (for now!) and it included with a great active problem-solving lesson. The children had to move around the room and solve problems. Some were one step, some were two-step and some were multi-operational! The children did really well and applied their newly acquired skills.
Week beginning 17th October 2022- Diwali
Year 4 have finished the half term with a flourish by presenting their assembly on Diwali to the whole school and their families. The children told the story of Rama and Sita where light triumphed over darkness. The children spoke beautifully and recreated the story with excellent acting and just a little bit of fighting!
The children also got the opportunity to show the work from their recent RE lessons. They showed rangoli patterns made from coloured sand which entices the Goddess of Wealth into homes. They also showed their brightly coloured diyas moulded from modelling clay.
The assembly finished with a rendition of ‘A Night of a Thousand Lights’ which was performed with great enthusiasm.
Well done to Year 4. They were amazing!
Week Beginning 10th October 2022
This week, we have begun an exciting five weeks of additional sport and physical activity. We are working alongside coaches from Sporting Futures as part of the 'Action Mats' programme. We worked in partners and tried to beat our own and other's scores in challenges like skipping, lunge jumps, rocket jumps and star jumps. By the end of the session, we had all had a gruelling workout but felt great!
Week Beginning 3rd October 2022
Year 4 have spent the last half term honing our painting techniques. We have looked at paintings by Picasso discussing his Blue and Rose Periods. Last week, we looked at mixing shades of blue using painting. This week, we have drawn self-portraits and used the techniques we have learnt to paint our own 'Blue Period' portrait.
Week Beginning 26th September 2022
Never a dull moment in Year 4 and this week we’ve had lots of active lessons. In maths, the children made their own number lines and changed the scales, midpoints and estimated values at various points. It was both fun and helped to move their learning on.
In RE we continued to look at how Hindu’s celebrate Diwali. We learnt that it is the Hindu new year and they often spring clean, wear new clothes and celebrate the festival with fireworks. Goddess Lakshmi is encouraged to visit Hindu homes as she is the Goddess of Wealth. She is invited in with colourful rangoli patterns and candles. So… we ambitiously made our own rangoli with coloured sand and lots of glue! We lit candles and listened to the legend of Lakshmi. A fun fact we heard was that some people take their business laptops to the madir (temple) to be blessed!
Week beginning 19th September 2022
Murder...deceit...jealousy...fighting...flirting....marriage... Just your standard English lesson in Year 4! We have continued with myths this week. The children have used subordinating conjunctions and improved their descriptive writing with expanded noun phrases. The class ended the week planning their own myths. We are really looking forward to reading the finished stories next week. The children had some great ideas! In RE we looked at the Hindu story of Rama and Sita that interestingly has the same themes as the Greek myths. We will be exploring Diwali further next week.
In computing and PSHE we have been discussing internet safety and plagiarism. We have had some interesting and worthwhile discussions.
Week beginning 12th September 2022
The Year 4 classroom has been filled with a buzz of energy and practical hands-on experiences this week. In science, we made models of the digestive system. It was very messy and a bit gross; squishing mushed banana and crackers through tights – which represented the intestines – ending with…well the end of the digestive system! The children will certainly remember their learning through this experience.
English has been all about myths and learning about Venus. To help us, we did some drama activities. Who knew there was a Costa on the top of Mount Olympus? Minerva, Juno, Apollo and Mars had a good gossip about how the vain and shallow Venus is married to poor, ugly (but kind) Vulcan. It generated some excelled vocabulary.
In maths, the children explored number lines and scales looking first at everyday equipment. They looked at jugs and measuring cylinders, Newton metres and measuring tapes. Identifying the start, mid and end points of number lines in the lesson then became much easier.
Week beginning 5th September 2022
Year 4 started their dance unit working alongside Mr Sapsed to create their own routines. We began trying to use the five elements of dance in our group routines which are; spin, roll, balance, jump and slide. Can you guess which element each group are showing in the pictures?
In RE, year 4 learnt about the Sikh Langar. They learnt that in every Gurdwara, there is a Langar where volunteers cook and feed hundreds of people twice a day. Year 4 looked at the values that the people in the Langar show including equality, generosity and kindness.
This week, year 4 have had a focus on art. They began the week by looking at a variety of Spanish artists to link to our Geography topic about Spain. They identified the styles that they liked most and learnt about Antoni Gaudi - a Spanish artist and architect. Throughout the week the children have been using different medium to create texture on their own landscape following Gaudi's style. This included marbling, paste resist, water colour with the added effect of salt, paint mixed with sand, tissue paper and oil pastels.
Over the past three weeks, year 4 have been learning about stories with an African theme. They have read lots of stories about Ananse and finished the topic by writing their own story titled 'Ananse and the chameleon'.
This week was year 4's third and final week learning about time. They participated in 'maths of the day' by racing to match times on an analogue clock, times written in words and times on a digital clock together.
This week in Science, year 4 carried out a variety of investigations to find out about gases. We squashed bottles with the lid on and then off to prove that gas is inside the bottle, we weighed a balloon before and after it had been inflated to show that gas does weigh something and we investigated how the smell travels. We also arranged ourselves as the particles in a solid, liquid and gas.
This week, the children went to Wymondley Wood on a residential trip. They arrived at Wymondley Wood at 4:30pm on Tuesday 15th where they began activities straight away, starting with a hunt around the field for some leaves with a letter on to unscramble. The children participated in a range of activities including parachute games, den building, camp fire songs, rounders, running noughts and crosses, tree rubbing and natural art. They enjoyed 'Granny's pasta' for dinner on the Tuesday night and then went to bed after a hot chocolate around the camp fire. They were then suitably exhausted and picked up at 2pm on Wednesday. The sun was shining throughout the whole trip and the children behaved beautifully!
Over the past two weeks, year 4 have been learning about poetry in English, focusing particularly on poems written by Roald Dahl. This week the children were able to write their own alternative ending to 'Little Red Riding Hood' in the style of Roald Dahl. They then wrote their poems up neatly and illustrated them in the style of Quentin Blake.
This week in maths, year 4 have been learning about money. They have been converting money from pounds to pence, ordering amounts of money, adding money, rounding money and solving problems. They have worked really hard and are trying hard with their presentation as well as deepening their reasoning skills.
In Science, year 4 have been using classification keys to help them identify different types of invertebrate in the nature area. They found lots of different creatures including ants, worms, slugs, snails, beetles and even a green stink bug.
In Geography, year 4 began their new topic about Europe. They started by locating Europe on a world map and were able to name the other 6 continents too. Around the classroom were lots of facts about Europe which the children collated onto a fact file.
This week, year 4 have been working hard in DT to make their own steady hand game. They have applied their Science skills of making circuits to use metal wire to make a buzz game.
This week in maths, year 4 have been working really hard to improve the speed of their recall for their times tables. They have played a variety of times tables games, made flashcards to remember the difficult calculations and practiced completing the times tables check. They have made excellent progress this week!
