Welcome to Year 4

Miss Annison and Mrs Wheal are our Year 4 teachers.

Miss Close, Mrs Martin Mrs Rutherford and Mrs Scott are our Year 4 Teaching Assistants.

Home Learning  is provided and to be returned via your child’s Google Classroom. If you need to contact the team please email: Y4@gomerjuniorschool.co.uk

Curriculum Overview for the year:

Year-4-Curriculum-Map-21_22

Spring Term 2023

The Year 4 team is excited for the Spring Term and all that we have planned.

In Literacy, we will be developing our descriptive language and use of higher level vocabulary. We will then explore and have a go at creating some emotive narrative poetry to create a sense of fear. Then using a variety of figurative language techniques we will be creating our very own adventure texts! 

In Art, we will be developing our drawing skills to create a textured dragon’s eye. We will then create these out of clay and use a variety of colours to create a realistic replica.  Then we will be using oil pastels, learning different techniques such as blending and layering. 

Using these techniques as well as drawing using charcoal, children will create scenes and characters for their adventure stories. 

In Maths this term we will be revisiting division by 10 and 100. We will also be exploring Fractions and Decimals as well as maintaining a strong focus on Multiplication for the MCT test in June. The children are making fantastic use of TImes Table Rockstars and have developed some healthy competition which will be great for the new tournament running from  January up until February half term. Keep up the good practice everyone!

We will be concluding our Living Things Science topic this term, linking what we have learned so we can find out about different habitats and how animals adapt in order to survive. We  will be classifying animals according to their characteristics using decision trees and keys. Following this unit of work the children will carry out various experiments and investigations to learn about changing states of matter. 

Geography and History come together in our Local History Project this term where we will learn about Gosport and its rich history during the Victorian Period. Children will locate Gosport on a map and locate countries and cities around it. They will explore key landmarks and look at how Gosport has changed through the years. They will consider key events and how they have impacted on life in Gosport today. They will then travel back in time and experience what life was like in a real Victorian schoolhouse. 

PE this term is full of adventure as we make use of our wonderful school grounds to enjoy outdoor orienteering activities, invasion games and gymnastics. These activities promote team building, problem-solving and navigation skills as well as being a good way for children to develop self-confidence.

PD this term will see us celebrating our mistakes and developing our growth mindset so that we can recognise our own strengths. We will continue to discuss our emotions and the importance of relaxation and looking after our mental health including learning about loss and bereavement and how we can support and help those experiencing it. We will also continue to learn about our diverse society, including different families. The story of King and King by Linda de Hann and Stern Nijland will be read and used as a discussion point so that we can develop our understanding of what marriage and civil partnerships are. This links in with our RE topic for this term that looks at Mahashivaratri (devotion). 

The Year 4 team are really looking forward to the term ahead.  If you have any questions or other enquiries relating to any of the above then please do not hesitate to email the Y4 Team. 

Autumn 2023

Rotten Romans

Year 4 will go back in time to the Romans and Celts during the Autumn Term. Finding out who the Romans were and why they want to invade us. We will find out about their fabulous engineering and how they left their mark on Britain still to this day. We will be visiting Butster Ancient farm to bring our learning alive. 

To learn more about the Romans, we will be using a variety of fiction and non-fiction literature in literacy. In guided reading we will be reading Romans on the Rampage by Jeremy Strong. In literacy lessons we will first use The Roman Handbook and move on to Mousehole cat.We will utilise these texts to investigate character and setting descriptions and to develop our own information text. Along with producing non-chronological reports and recounts, we will also write our own stories. We will be using the Magic box by Kit Wright to explore ‘free verse’ and look for imagery in poetry before creating our own poem.

In maths we will start the year with number and place value in mathematics, then move on to addition and subtraction, and finally multiplication and division. Every Friday, we will complete an arithmetic test and a times tables quiz to assess our mathematics knowledge and identify any areas that need improvement. Year 4 we have a multiplication test next June, so we will be using the chromebooks regularly to practise these. In order to help, adults can support their children by using programmes like: ‘Times Tables Rockstars’ and ‘push the button’ at home.

In science we will be looking at animals including humans focussing on the digestive system. Starting with the function of the teeth and mouth. We follow the journey of our food through the different organs of the body. We will be asking scientific questions, then plan and carry out different experiences to support our learning.

For the first part of the term, we will explore Roman mosaics and create our own patterns. We will learn how to weave using paper and wool creating our own sample.

PE days are Tuesday and Thursdays will begin with Synergy dance and invasion games.

For the first half of the autumn term, computing will concentrate on developing students’ computer literacy before moving onto coding using Scratch.

PDL and RSE will focus on family relationships and what makes a family. We will look at 

Being welcoming to others using the text Beegu. We will also look at knowing when to be assertive using the text Dogs don’t do Ballet. In RE we learn to understand how religious stories give us messages. Before Christmas, we will look at the meaning of Advent for Christians and have our own advent service at St Mary’s Church.

Summer 2023

Welcome back! We hope you enjoyed your Easter Break. The Year 4 team is excited for a fun-filled Summer Term. 

In Literacy, we will be further exploring genres of poetry, fiction and non-fiction writing. The children will be developing their persuasive writing skills, writing letters and creating their own European city guide.

In Maths this term, we will be continuing with learning about decimals. We will also be covering our next unit of measure topic (money) as well as exploring time. Children will be encouraged to continue their fantastic practice, both at home and school, on Times Table Rockstars and Hit the Button, for the Multiplication Tables Check in June. After May half-term, we will be focusing on properties of shape and position and direction, where we hope to use the outdoor space.

Science this term sees us exploring sound and states of matter. This will link closely with our gSTEM as we will be designing water filtration systems. In computing, we continue to develop our programming skills using scratch and crumbles.

Geography, Design Technology and Languages will become intertwined this term as we move on to our European topic on Spain. Comparing and contrasting the geographical environments of Spain and Gosport.

PE this term is full of adventure as we continue to make use of our wonderful school grounds to enjoy outdoor orienteering activities. These activities promote team building, problem-solving and navigation skills as well as being a good way for children to develop self-confidence. We are also excited to be attending swimming lessons at Brune Park swimming pool – so get you swimmers ready!

In Art, we will begin to explore skylines using Gosport town centre as a hook. Then we will be  learning about famous Spanish artists and the variety of styles of work they created. We wonder who will inspire us most in creating our own pieces of art this term! 

We will continue to celebrate our mistakes and develop our growth mindset this term, with a continued focus on wellbeing. In line with our PDL curriculum, we will be discussing the Flower by John Light and A crayon’s story by Michael Hall. They will be used to introduce discussion on why people sometimes don’t speak up and feel proud of who they are and to build an understanding of what stereotypes are and why self respect is so important for our own happiness. In RE we will look at the themes of creation and worship.

This term will also include an introduction to growing up and changing bodies. We will discuss the changes we go through when going from being a child to an adult (puberty). This unit will focus on recognising that change is a natural part of growing up. We will discuss physical changes, how these differ for boys and girls and learn the scientific vocabulary to enable these discussions. 

Welcome back! We hope you enjoyed your Easter Break. The Year 4 team is excited for a fun filled  Summer Term. 

In Literacy, we will be further exploring genres of fiction and non-fiction writing. The children will be developing their persuasive writing skills, writing newspaper reports and creating their own play scripts. We will continue reading our gReaders (Alex Rider – Point Blanc) and enjoy The BFG in our Guided Reading lessons. 

In Maths this term, we will be continuing with learning about decimals. We will also be covering our next unit of measure topic (money) as well as exploring time. Children will be encouraged to continue their fantastic practice, both at home and school, on Times Table Rockstars and Hit the Button, for the Multiplication Tables Check in June. After May half term, we will be focusing on properties of shape and position and direction, where we hope to use the outdoor space.

Science this term sees us exploring sound and living things and habitat classification. This will link closely with our gSTEM and computing as we use programming to create our LEGO models and wind power machines.

To conclude our Gosport Now and Then project, we will explore local connections to Victorian history and pupils will experience a day in the Victorian classroom. Then, Geography, Design Technology and Languages will become intertwined this term as we move on to our Europe topic. The Jubillee Celebration will encourage our children to be creative and work collaboratively, through various activities planned. 

PE this term is full of adventure as we continue to make use of our wonderful school grounds to enjoy outdoor orienteering activities. These activities promote team building, problem solving and navigation skills as well as being a good way for children to develop self confidence. We are also excited to be attending swimming lessons at Brune Park swimming pool – so get you swimmers ready!

In Art, we will be learning about famous Spanish artists and the work they created. We wonder who will inspire us most in creating our own pieces of art this term! 

We will continue to celebrate our mistakes and develop our growth mindset this term, with a continued focus on wellbeing. In line with our PDL and RSE curriculum, we will be discussing the Flower by John Light and A crayon’s story by Michael Hall. They will be used to introduce discussion on why people sometimes don’t speak up and feel proud of who they are and to build an understanding of what stereotypes are and why self respect is so important for our own happiness. 

This term will also include an introduction to growing up and changing bodies. We will discuss the changes we go through when going from being a child to an adult (puberty). This unit will focus on recognising that change is a natural part of growing up. We will discuss physical changes, how these differ for boys and girls and learn the scientific vocabulary to enable these discussions.