• This week in the classroom...

A warm welcome to Years 3 and 4!

Summer Term

Welcome back for the Summer term. I hope you have enjoyed the break and time with the children. It has been so fantastic to see all the children again after the Easter holidays, fresh and ready for the new term.

In Year 3 & 4, Mr Rogers is the class teacher. Supporting Mr Rogers and the class are Mr Snell everyday and Miss Holdbrook each afternoon. For weekly class updates, please click the tab above.

General information about Years 3 and 4:

- Please ensure that items of clothing are clearly named. This will ensure that if anything goes missing, it can be quickly reunited with its owner.

-  P.E lessons will now be on Monday and Friday. On those days, children should come to school in their PE kit for a session in the hall or playground.

- Over the last few years, the school has invested a great deal of money in new book band reading books as well as reading for pleasure texts. We have encouraged all children to take great care of these and make sure they return to school in the condition that they left. Children will have a banded reading book and a ‘reading for pleasure’ book, along with a reading record. Reading at home should be a ‘little and often’ approach e.g. 5 minutes each night instead of 30 minutes on one day only. Please record in the reading record when your child reads to you. If you read some of their ‘reading for pleasure’ book to your child, this can be recorded too.

All books are signed out to children under a library system and they will be expected to return their current book before they are allowed to take another. This system has been working well for the children during the Autumn term and I’m sure it will continue!

- Homework will go out on a Friday to be returned to school by the following Wednesday. There will be weekly spellings (tested on a Friday) alongside another piece of homework which will be related to work completed in English or maths.

- Children need to bring their own water bottles into school which they can access throughout the day and they will change their water regularly. Please do not allow other drinks such as juice, fizzy drinks etc. If children bring juices, smoothies etc. they should be kept only for lunch.

- Snack will be served in the hall at break times. Children will be responsible for this money and are advised to bring it to school in a clearly labelled purse or wallet.

Summer Curriculum

Science

In Science this term, children will learn about energy: light and shadows, and sound and vibrations, including the following knowledge and skills;

• Recall examples of light sources, objects that do not give out light and that darkness is the absence of light.
• Describe ways to protect eyes from harm.
• Describe what happens when light reflects, give examples of reflective surfaces or materials and describe factors that may affect the quality of a reflected image.
• Describe how shadows form and identify patterns between groups of materials and the shadows produced.
• Recall factors that affect the way a shadow appears, including what causes shadows to change throughout the day and factors that change the size of a shadow
• Describe the pattern of changing shadows throughout the day.
• Describe how the light source’s distance affects the shadow’s size.
• Explain why a particular material is appropriate to make a shadow puppet and use knowledge of shadows to animate it.

• Describe how sounds are made.
• Describe how sounds are heard through different mediums.
• Explain the relationship between vibration strength and volume. 
• Describe the relationship between volume and distance.
• Describe pitch and how to change it.
• Explain how insulating materials can be used to muffle sound.

History

During History, we will be answering the question 'how did Ancient Greece influence the western world?'. Children will;

• Know what life was like for people living in Ancient Greece.
• Know how Ancient Greek achievements in philosophy influenced the rest of the world
• Know how Ancient Greek achievements in art influenced the rest of the world
• Know how Ancient Greek achievements in architecture influenced the rest of the world
• Know how Ancient Greek achievements in democracy influenced the rest of the world
• Know how the legacy of the Olympics has impacted modern day

Geography

This term we will learn about the water cycle and rivers. Children will;

• Know each step in the water cycle
• Know the different ways that households use water
• Know how water is treated and distributed around the UK.
• Know how climate change is affecting the water cycle

• Know what a river is
• Know how rivers are formed
• Know the different features of a river
• Know why rivers are important
• Know how rivers are connected to the water cycle
• Know the causes and effects of river pollution
• Know the names of some of the UK’s main rivers
• Know where the main rivers are located, mapping from their source to their mouth using OS maps with four figure gird references.
• Know how land-use around rivers may have changed over time and the impact that this can have.

Computing

We will learn all about sequencing sounds and repetition in shapes. The children will learn;

• To explore a new programming environment
• To identify that commands have an outcome
• To explain that a program has a start
• To recognise that a sequence of commands can have an order
• To change the appearance of my project
• To create a project from a task description
• To identify that accuracy in programming is important
• To create a program in a text-based language
• To explain what ‘repeat’ means
• To modify a count-controlled loop to produce a given outcome
• To decompose a task into small steps
• To create a program that uses count-controlled loops to produce a given outcome

P.E

The children will focus on athletics and invasion games, learning;

• To learn the skills of attack and defense as part of a team in a range of sports.
• To learn different strategies of attack and defense as part of a team in a range of sports.
• To be able to perform the fundamental movement skills with an element of control
• To be able to perform the fundamental movement skills with an element of control whilst competing against myself

Art

This term, we will be exploring textiles and developing the following knowledge and skills;

• Know how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce existing fabrics
• Know how to securely join two pieces of fabric together
• Know how to use craft tools in their textile work (needles, printing)
• Know the need for pattern and seam allowances
• Know how to manipulate materials by folding, pleating, plaiting
• Know how to use a variety of techniques to create different textile effects (wax resist, felting, embellishment)
• Know and use technical vocabulary
• Know how to record techniques and responses in their sketchbooks.
• Know how to use their own research to stimulate and develop their own ideas

Design and Technology

Focusing on textiles, including the following knowledge and skills;

• Know how to generate realistic ideas through discussion and design criteria for an appealing, functional product fit for purpose and specific user/s.
• Know how to produce annotated sketches, prototypes, final product sketches and pattern pieces.
• Know how to plan the main stages of making.
• Know how to select and use a range of appropriate tools with some accuracy e.g. cutting, joining and finishing.
• Know how to select fabrics and fastenings according to their functional characteristics e.g. strength, and aesthetic qualities e.g. pattern.
• Know how to investigate a range of 3-D textile products relevant to the project.
• Know how to test their product against the original design criteria and with the intended user.
• Know how to take into account others’ views.
• Understand how a key event/individual has influenced the development of the chosen product and/or fabric.
• Know how to strengthen, stiffen and reinforce existing fabrics.

• Understand how to securely join two pieces of fabric together.

• Understand the need for patterns and seam allowances.
• Know and use technical vocabulary relevant to the project.

Music

We will continue to practise our singing in preparation for a summer music concert in school. In addition, we will explore other musical skills around the theme of 'Peter and the Wolf' and 'The Planets'. Children will;

• Know what timbre is
• Know what a graphic score is
• Know how to identify mood, themes, movement and character in a graphic score
• Know musical vocabulary needed to describe themes, movement, mood and characters
• Know what an ostinato is
• Know standard notation for crotchet, quaver/paired quaver and minim
• Know how to use graphic and standard notation in a composition
• Know how to structure a composition to create a short piece of music
• Know different musical dimensions, such as pitch, duration, texture and dynamics.
• Know how to recognise repeated musical themes
• Know that repeated musical themes can have variances

RE

This term we will consider the questions 'What happens if we do wrong? Why is water symbolic? Why is fire used ceremonially?' Children will gain key knowledge such as; 

• Morals are our thinking about what is right and wrong.
• Teachings of a religious or non-religious worldview often link with a follower’s life choices.
• Actions have consequences and people think differently about what these are.
• Forgiveness is cancelling out wrongdoing or removing punishment.
• Some people believe all living things have a soul and that it is immortal

• Rituals are a way of expressing beliefs and ideas about God. 
• Water is often used in ceremonies and rituals to symbolise cleansing and purity. 
• Worship can take many forms and often involves symbolism. 
• Ceremonies involving water and fire are important occasions for some communities. 
• People who follow the Muslim worldview generally believe that water has a special meaning and purpose. 
• People who follow the Muslim worldview may use water to perform Wudu before prayer and worship. 
• People who follow the Christian worldview may use water for baptism, following the example of Jesus in the bible. 
• People who follow the Christian worldview may take part in baptism ceremonies. 
• People who follow the Shinto worldview may use water for ritual cleaning and as a symbol of nature.

French

This year, we will be teaching French through the digital language programme, Languagenut. Their lessons are designed to follow the National Curriculum objectives for KS2 and ensure clear progress in language development. This term, the children will be working on the following knowledge and skills;

• Know the months of the year
• Know and correctly pronounce the sounds AN and IN
• Know how to give the date of their birthday
• Know how to ask the date of someone’s birthday
• Know how to say their family’s ages and birthday months
• Know the names of zoo animals
• Know how to say which animals they like and dislike
• Know how to form plurals in French
• Know how to make sentences about their birthdays and likes/dislikes

PSHE

In our PHSE lessons, we will be learning about 'how can we stay mentally and emotionally healthy?' and 'what skills, strengths and interests do we have?', including the following knowledge and skills;

• Know different ways to help maintain good health
• Know what is meant by a ‘balanced lifestyle’
• Know what it means to make an informed choice and give examples of the kinds of choices people make in their daily lives
• Know choices that have positive consequences on health and those which may have more negative effect
• Know what helps people to make a positive choice
• Know a range of different feelings (good and not so good)
• Know how to use a scale of intensity to describe feelings
• Know the importance of sharing their feelings and identify some positive ways of doing this
• Know how to recognise personal qualities and individuality
• Know how to develop self-worth by identifying positive things about themselves and their achievements
• Know how their personal attributes, strengths, skills and interests contribute to their self-esteem
• Know how to set goals for themselves
• Know how to manage when there are set-backs, learn from mistakes and reframe unhelpful thinking

We will also be beginning our ‘My Happy Mind’ learning where we will be learning all about the human brain, mental well-being and how to develop positive mental well-being – this is a whole school initiative and every class will be taking part in this programme.