Year 4 Curriculum Outline 2018-19
Our Learning Wheel explained Our learners
Our schools are small enough to ensure that each learner is known. By placing our learners at the centre of our approach, we create an education that allows individuality to flourish.
Developing character
Fostering a secure bedrock of self-esteem and a sure moral compass is essential preparation for a future in a complex world.
Learning segments
We group our subjects together into six curriculum areas. We teach subjects in an integrated way, because the future belongs
to those who can think way beyond narrow subject boundaries.
Learning to think
Education is not just about imparting knowledge. It’s about teaching young people how to think for themselves: critically, creatively and collaboratively.
Outer circle
We prepare young people to blaze a trail in whatever field they choose. They leave us equipped with a breadth of skills, ready to become responsible global citizens.
Form Teachers 4G - Mr Godfrey 4B - Miss Burcher
Curriculum areas and subject teachers Humanities - Social understanding Mr Godfrey (Thematic Learning, PSHEE, Religious Studies), Miss Burcher (Thematic Learning, PSHEE, Religious Studies) Language and Communication Mr Godfrey (Language and Literacy), Miss Burcher (Language and Literacy), Ms Prowse (French), Mrs Foreman (Spanish), Mrs Fernández Smart (Spanish)
Mathematical Understanding Mrs Digby (Maths), Miss Burcher (Maths)
Physical Education and Well-being Mr Evans (Games and Swimming), Mr Godfrey (Games), Mrs Parkin (Games and Swimming), Mr Leggoe (Games) Creative and Performing Arts Miss Wynne-Powell (Creative and Design Engineering), Miss Mullaly (Music), Mrs Clark (Drama) Scientific Understanding Miss Burcher, Mr Kohler
Humanities - Social Understanding Key Topics: ‘Go with the flow’ and ‘Passage to India’ Rivers will be the focus of our studies in the first half of the Autumn term. We visit the local River Granta and consider the effects of drought and flooding, in particular how man affects the environment. We develop an understanding of the water cycle and that water is a finite resource along with becominging familiar with the stages of a river, flowing from source to sea. Moving on from Go with the flow in the second half of the Autumn term we focus on India, looking at sacred and holy rivers and pupils learn about the river Ganges, cities, population, climate and landscape. Pupils will also investigate Indian culture, the British Empire and the geography of India.
In PSHEE pupils will be encouraged to think about living in a diverse world and how to work together. They will be considering: how we are the same and how we are different, what is fair and unfair, as well as the causes and effects of bullying. Pupils will have opportunities to discuss coping with new situations and change. They will also identify people at home, at school or in other areas of their lives that they can talk to if they need help and support. Esafety is a continuing theme in PSHEE lessons throughout the year and we will be looking at how pupils can safeguard themselves online. In RS we will study Hinduism. Pupils will learn about the origins of Hinduism and key beliefs held by Hindus. Pupils will listen, explain, research and show understanding of major festivals, gods and goddesses, how and where Hindus worship and their beliefs related to life and death. We will consider how a family may choose to worship one of the Hindu God's and what being a Hindu means in everyday life.
Language and Communication Key Topics: ‘Go with the flow’ and ‘Passage to India’ The children will study both fiction and non-fiction texts and will have the opportunity to write their own stories and poems, as well as informational texts. The focus will be on character, setting, plot structure and narrative. They will be encouraged to use adjectives and adverbs as well as metaphors and personification. They will become familiar with poetry and creative writing. In the first half term an area of focus will be the text, Wind In The Willows, linking with our ‘Go with the Flow’ topic. As pupils move into the second half of the Autumn term our attention turns to India. This topic will form a large part of looking at stories from other cultures as pupils learn about Indian myths and legends. Pupils will also investigate traditional playscripts and write reviews of stories. There will be a focus on how to structure writing clearly, using correct punctuation and paragraphs. Accurate spelling will be an ongoing focus, along with producing neat cursive handwriting. Pupils will improve their speaking and listening skills through drama and the production of a play that is a significant focus for the first half of term; rehearsals take place during drama sessions.
Assessment ● ● ● ●
Half termly writing task Weekly spelling tests Cognitive Ability Tests Standardised reading and spelling assessments
French Key Topics In French, pupils will explore all the different places and sites in a French town, becoming familiar with the vocabulary and useful phrases through songs, conversation work, reading and writing activities. Pupils will build on these places by learning how to use directions in French, when things are open and about various types of transport. Through Thematic Learning, pupils will focus on the main rivers in France with a main focus on La Seine, linking into key places that line the river through Paris.To help at home: Pupils can practice vocabulary and conversation from the free websites languagesonline.org.uk and Duolingo.
Spanish Key Topics The focus continues to be on speaking and listening and on establishing a good accent. Pupils will talk about themselves in more detail and will begin to focus on reading aloud. Linking to the thematic learning topics, they will explore the Geography of Spain, using the famous rivers as a starting point for pronunciation practise and learn a poem. Learning a Christmas song and Halloween vocabulary offers performance opportunities and helps the children to learn about Spanish culture. Of course there will be plenty of opportunity for games, songs and stories as usual. Pupils can consolidate their learning by using the Linguascope or Grow Story Grow websites or by using one of the free websites which have been used in class.
Mathematical Understanding
Key Topics Our approach in mathematics is based on a number of key ideas: daily mathematics lessons; direct, interactive teaching; the systematic development of mental calculation; use of manipulatives and visual representations to help pupils breakdown maths problems; subscription websites such as MyMaths and Mathspace to consolidate learning; use of apps such as Explain Everything, Google slides and iMovie to explain reasoning and weekly maths investigations, as a year group, using websites such as Nrich*, to encourage collaboration and deepen mathematical understanding. Year 4 have six forty minutes lessons of core maths per week, one forty minute lesson of problem-solving through maths investigations and one forty minute lesson of fluency in mental calculation. Mrs Digby and Miss Burcher will share the mathematics teaching of Year 4. Key Learning Topics for the Autumn term are: Place value Addition Subtraction Multiplication Division Measure - length and perimeter *Please check out the Nrich website for maths resources and games that you can play with your children https://nrich.maths.org/
Assessment Topic Checks Cognitive Ability Tests
Physical Education and Well-being Key Topics Pupils will take part in a variety of individual and team sports in the first term. There will be opportunities to work collaboratively alongside individual opportunities to begin to assess their own practical performance. Activities will include swimming, hockey, netball, football and rugby and there will be increased opportunity for competition against local schools in a variety of these sports. Pupils will begin to understand the importance of control, spatial awareness and the need for teams to be a cohesive unit in order to achieve success. Swimming will run from the start of the Autumn term until February half term for all pupils in year 4.
Encourage participation in sport outside of school whether it be an extra-curricular club in school or involvement in a club outside of school. Maintain physical activity levels and encourage your child to watch live sport or sport on TV to help develop knowledge of the rules of various sports.
Creative and Performing Arts Key Topics In music lessons pupils will work towards their Autumn production of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, inspired by Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes. They will develop their understanding of vocal technique alongside a natural feeling for melodic contour. Pupils will also learn a significant bank of songs in preparation for the production and will have ample opportunity to improve their part singing skills. They will focus on bringing characterisation to their musical performances and learning will be embedded further through the transfer to musical percussion instruments. In drama lessons, the children will learn the disciplines of putting on a musical performance; learning lines, developing character and recognising the team effort that goes into the final product through group rehearsals. Our year will begin with some basic colour theory and mark-making as we build up a selfportrait. After completing these, we will be going with the flow in CD&E sessions. We will explore a bit of water engineering based on the observations of Renaissance Man Leonardo Da Vinci and see if we can construct an interesting waterway ourselves. We will be thinking about taking creative risks to produce innovative ideas and prototypes and building a knowledge of up-to-date technological innovations in materials, products and systems. We will have the opportunity to generate, develop, model and communicate our ideas through discussion, annotated sketches, cross-sectional and exploded diagrams and prototypes.
Scientific Understanding Key Topics Science starts with a recap of the water cycle, linking to the work that the children do in humanities and to help prepare them for their river investigation study. After this we will study the human body. We will look at the skeletal and muscular structure of the body and learn the names and position of the main bones. We will investigate the structure and working of the heart, lungs and blood. After half term we will investigate temperature - developing our knowledge of scales, accurately measuring temperature change and investigating insulative materials.
Key Learning Objectives: ● to understand the working of the human body systems ● to know that there are similarities between humans and animals ● to know that water has three states and to be able to describe these changes of state How you can help: Talk about how our bodies work and how to maintain health through diet and exercise.