Mary Exton JMI School

Head Teacher: Karen Ireland

Summer Term 2013: Year 4 Curriculum Letter

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support over the spring term, and to share with you our topic and the main learning objectives for the summer term.

Our topic for the summer term is Chocolate. This topic will be taught across the curriculum:

Geography – asking geographical questions, locating countries that produce cocoa and issues surrounding fair-trade.

History – Using timelines to investigate the history of chocolate and The Aztecs.

D&T – Designing and evaluating chocolate products.

ART – Investigating Aztec patterns and creating an Aztec purse and throne.

Literacy

We will be learning about fair trade and stories that raise dilemmas with a story called ‘Chaga and the Chocolate Factory.’ We will also be looking at persuasive writing and creating adverts for our chocolate products.

Reading

Guided reading will continue as normal and children will be expected to keep a record of what they are reading, while taking note of any interesting vocabulary they find.

Speaking and Listening

Thursday afternoons will be set aside for a speaking and listening session where the children will respond to a philosophical question by discussing in small groups.

Spelling

As usual, spellings will be learned on Monday and then the children will have a small test before every literacy lesson.

Maths

Thank you again for your hard work at home practicing times tables. The children have made good progress.

Reminder of how Turbo Tables works

Children practice and are given a timed test on the set of times tables they are on. Our tests are on a Friday. They have to get full marks on the test three times consecutively before they are allowed to move onto the next level. Homework isn’t given as an individual activity for times-tables each week, but children are expected to be practicing tables for their level every week at home in order to make progress, as many have.

Bronze- 2x, 5x, 10x tables

Silver- 3x, 4x, 6x tables

Gold- 7x, 8x, 9x tables

Platinum- 11x, 12x, 0x tables

Once the children have completed their way up to Platinum they go back to Bronze and attempt the division questions. If your child is moving up the levels, please continue to practice and test them on earlier levels so that they don’t forget them!

As part of our whole class learning in maths this term, we will be learning:

Written methods of addition, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000
Fractions and decimals.
Time
Problem solving – using maths in real life contexts.
Mental maths

Science

The topic for this term is solids, liquids and gases, as well as some work on our bodies and different habitats.

P.E.

The children will have P.E every other Monday with Mr Taylor and will be continuing tennis on a Thursday with Miss Greenslade.

Homework

Homework will continue to be given out on a Wednesday and is due in the following Monday.

Homework will consist of:

Spellings - children doing chunks don’t need to learn class spellings, unless they have requested to do so.

Times-tables - children practice the level they are on for turbo-tables

Writing - children are expected to produce one written piece of writing in their book each week.

Reading - It is essential to your child’s learning that they read every day at home. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading record regularly.

Maths - Worksheets or ‘Education City’ will be set.

Thanks again for your continued support.

Yours faithfully,

Miss Corinne Greenslade.

Spring Term 2013: Year 4 Curriculum Letter

Dear Parents/Guardians

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support over the Autumn term and to share with you our topic and the main learning objectives for the Spring term.
Our topic this term for the Spring term is India. This topic will be taught across the curriculum:

Geography

Asking geographical questions, describing the landscape of India, identifying and describing what places are like and making comparisons with our own country and cultures.

RE

We will be looking at some of the religions which are practiced in India, but we will mainly be focussing on Hinduism.

D&T

Linked to some of the religious stories, we will be designing and making puppets. We will also be using food technology skills to design and create Indian food.

ART

We will be creating Indian patterns and also looking at the idea of showing a journey through signs and symbols.

PE

Indian dance and yoga.

ICT

Turtles and games, learning about programing and controlling devices.

Literacy

The children will be improving their literacy skills in the following contexts:

Tales from India,

Explanation texts,

Play scripts,

Information texts,

Poetry forms.

Spelling

Children who are doing ‘chunks’ will continue on this programme for this term. They have their spelling tests with their ‘Chunks’ teacher who will share their progress with me. If you have any questions about this please contact me or Mrs Crawley.

The rest of the class will be continuing to learn whole-class spellings. We learn the spellings on a Monday and then the test will be on the Friday.

Maths

Thank you very much to everyone who has been working hard to practice times-tables at home with your children. They have made a lot of progress and seem to be enjoying the challenge of ‘Turbo-Tables.’ We will be continuing this during the Spring term. Here is a reminder of how Turbo-tables works-
Children know what level they are on and practice for a timed test on Friday. They have to get full marks on the test three times consecutively before they are allowed to move onto the next level. Once they have passed Platinum they will be tested on a mix of different times-tables up to 12x12.

Bronze- 2x, 5x, 10x tables

Silver- 3x, 4x, 6x tables

Gold- 7x, 8x, 9x tables

Platinum- 11x, 12x tables

The children will also have a general mental maths test every Friday.

As part of our whole class learning in maths this term, we will be learning:

•Written methods of addition, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.
•Multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000
•Fractions and decimals.
•Time

Science

The topic in Science this term is Hot and Cold.

PE

With Mr Taylor the children will be learning about Invasion games (netball) and gymnastics and with Miss Greenslade the children will be learning dance (Indian dances) and trying some yoga and meditation.

Homework

Homework will continue to be given out on a Wednesday, and due in the following Monday. This will consist of :-

Spellings - children doing chunks don’t need to learn class spellings.

Times-tables -children practice the level they are on for turbo-tables

Maths - Often an Education City activity will be put up or a work sheet given out related to the children’s maths targets.

Reading - It is essential to your child’s learning that they read every day at home. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading record regularly.

I am looking for some extra help with our Indian topic, particularly if you have any skills or artefacts etc you would like to share with the class. Please do let me know if you would like to share with us.

Thanks again for your continued support./p>

Yours sincerely

Miss Corinne Greenslade