Year 4 Curriculum outline Spring 2022
Year 4 Curriculum Outline Spring 2022 Thinking Detectives ~ Zootropolis Humanities - Social Understanding
In our Thinking Detectives topic we are going to explore our thinking toolkit. This will include developing computational thinking skills through completing some coding challenges. We will use our enquiry skills to explore local museums and artifacts. Thinking about thinking will also feature through looking at famous Greek philosophers and exploring the legacy they
gave us. In this topic it will be important to apply our critical thinking skills to analyse evidence and ask historically valid questions. In our Zootropolis topic pupils will start by exploring animals, their characteristics and the environments they live in. They will have an opportunity to explore which animals live in the surroundings near them. They will learn how animals are classified and gain an understanding into how population size can be affected. By looking at the population size of species they will develop a wider understanding of the environment and conservation. Pupils will be encouraged to answer open ended questions and use a range of thinking skills. Within the topic pupils will learn about medieval menageries through to modern day zoos, allowing them to develop an understanding of how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources, such as photographic evidence. Pupils will design their own zoo developing their understanding of the use of maps and a key to provide reference points.
In RS pupils will be studying Christianity this term, looking at the New Testament and the life of Jesus. We will discover what it means to be a Christian and investigate who Jesus was and what the Gospels can tell us about him. Pupils will also look at why Pentecost and Ascension day are important for Christians. Finally, in preparation for Easter, we look at Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and the Easter account.
Language and Communication In the first half of term for English, pupils will be getting to grips with recounts through looking at the world of newspapers. We will be looking at the 5 W’s (Who, What, Where, When and Why) of reporting a news story, reading the news and thinking about producing a report with a balanced point of view. Look out for reports about fairy tale happenings which may have been mixed up for a modern day audience! Finally pupils will be learning to create suspense through writing a mystery story, using devices such as similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia to help the reader to build up a vivid picture in their imagination. Through all of these topics we will be continuing to focus on introducing and reinforcing different aspects of grammar and punctuation. In the second half of term, pupils will be studying the use of flash forward and flash back stories. Pupils will become familiar with the key features of this type of writing. They will progress to writing a story where the flash back and flash forward begins to become embedded into the storyline. Our visit to Colchester Zoo will involve a workshop debating whether zoos are good or bad. We will use this as inspiration for our persuasive arguments and practise our speaking and listening skills by holding our own debates using persuasive language. We will also write persuasive letters linked to a chosen theme. Assessment PTE (Progress Test in English)
In Modern Languages developing good oral communicative skills remains core to our lessons, with increasing use of written cues to help with pronunciation, comprehension and vocabulary consolidation. Linking to the thematic learning topics, pupils will be language detectives, discovering patterns in words and structures, such as noticing where colour adjectives go in a sentence, or what sounds letter combinations make as well as spotting the sound in new words. In French they will extend their knowledge and use of numbers to talk about euros. We will look at a variety of sports and link this to discussing opinions and preferences and learn about different clothing. In Spanish the children will be learning vocabulary for shapes and using adjectives and prepositions to describe pictures. There will be songs, games and stories to learn vocabulary for parts of the body and face in the second part of the term.
Mathematical Understanding We will start by consolidating the 11 and 12 times tables, discussing how to find factors of a two-digit number and develop efficient multiplication strategies, including multiplying and dividing two or three digit numbers by one digit. Next our focus will be on measure, specifically area. We will look at counting squares, making shapes and comparing areas of different shapes. Then we begin work on fractions - equivalency, counting in fractions, fractions of amounts and adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator, including subtracting from 1 whole. Finally, we move onto decimals. We will cover recognising tenths and hundredths, converting tenths and hundredths to their decimal equivalents, dividing by 10 and 100 and identifying the value of digits in a number,. Throughout the term we will include solving problems as part of the curriculum. ssessment A PTM (Progress Test in Maths)
Physical Education and Well-being At Dame Bradbury’s swimming continues until February half term before indoor athletics becomes the focus of PE lessons. At Fitzwilliam the boys will be taking part in gymnastics, working on counter tension/balances, group routines and working with different apparatus, switching to health related fitness after February half term. The girls will be starting with health related fitness followed by touch rugby.
For Games sessions it will be hockey and football for the boys and netball for the girls where the focus will be on the development of key skills and refinement of technique as integral to all lessons. For hockey the boys will need shin pads, a moulded gumshield and a hockey stick. More information about fixtures can be found at www.stephenpersesport.com or www.damebradburyssport.com Do encourage your child to get involved with any of these sports outside of school by joining local clubs, and discuss the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle.
In PSHEE this term, pupils will consider what makes up a person’s identity and learn about differing views, lifestyles and beliefs. They will look at stereotypes and the importance of challenging these. Support in the community will be another area discussed, including the role of media and the children will suggest ways in which they can demonstrate their social responsibility in caring for the environment, animals and plants. The pupils will also learn how individuals and families manage money in different ways according to culture, values and circumstances as well as discussing poverty and the role of charities. As part of our wellbeing focus, pupils will consider diversity, happiness and resilience. As part of our e-safety curriculum, pupils will reinforce their understanding of using technology safely and effectively throughout the term, with Safer Internet Day on 8th February having a focus on the theme ‘Together for a better internet’. Pupils will use critical thinking skills to use search engines effectively and to understand how to evaluate digital content.
Creative and Performing Arts In Music this term, pupils will immerse themselves in the art of West African drumming. Using both djembe and dunun drums, students will develop their instrumental technique and learn traditional pieces as part of a whole class ensemble, mostly through oral tradition. Learning traditional pieces through this authentic method (that is without the use of any notation) really encourages the pupils to develop increasingly mature and sophisticated aural skills. Each week, pupils will continue to expand their recorder repertoire and use their own instruments in a class orchestra ensemble context to develop their instrumental technique. Being a member of either ensemble enables the pupils to develop their group performance skills, build their confidence and fluency with reading staff notation, and experience playing their instruments in a new context with increasing competence. Dame Bradbury’s pupils will prepare for their 500th Anniversary Concert at Saffron Hall, taking place on the 25th March. Our term of Create Design Engineering will move from basic printmaking with a focus on pattern to the architectural blueprints of bridges. Looking briefly at the history of bridge building from an aesthetic, geographic and engineering viewpoint, we will re-engineer our own Da Vinci bridge on varying scales from cocktail sticks to planks. Throughout our design, plan, build, test, rebuild tinker process, we will ignite our engineering design and visit concepts, such as force and centre of gravity. After many expected attempts, we will
successfully build a few bridges! Along the way of our constructional journey, we hope to investigate both 2D and 3D shapes and structures, employing CAD drawing and design techniques. More building will ensue with the making of automata, investigating cam systems and movement or through the creation of moving 3D puppets. For their Drama work this term, pupils will use fairytales and well known stories to develop an understanding of character feelings and actions. Using facial expressions, combined with specific gestures to convey emotions and attitude in character, pupils will develop an understanding of when different movement skills are appropriate. They will develop characters in more detail, focusing on showing a character’s feelings through mime. Pupils will then have the opportunity to create their own unique characters that challenge the stereotypes found in fairytales. We will also look at the pantomime theatre style by exploring audience interaction, stock characters and exaggeration. This term will also give students the chance to explore both verbal and non-verbal communication. Pupils will evaluate their skills through peer-assessment.
Scientific Understanding This term’s Science has a focus on Physics. The first topic, on Friction, helps the pupils to develop a deeper understanding of forces and how to measure them more precisely, and we will look in detail at important examples of friction - air and water resistance - including carrying out an independent scientific investigation. We then move on to a topic on Sound, learning about how sounds are made by vibrations, the various ways in which they can be changed in terms of pitch, frequency and volume, and we will end with a fun lesson in which pupils can demonstrate their abilities to alter sounds tunefully, using their favourite musical instruments! We will conclude this term with a topic on Circuits & Conductors, in which pupils will learn about how to identify materials as conductors or insulators, how to build electrical circuits, how to use component symbols to draw circuit diagrams and how to keep safe when using electricity. How you can help: Visit local museums, such as the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, Saffron Walden Museum and Cambridge Science Centre. These institutions have extended their online resources during lockdown, as has BBC Bitesize Science. Look out also for science programmes on TV or YouTube.
Digital
The Inner Wheel With the Google apps at the heart of digital curation our pupils use Google Classroom to complete work digitally and hand in work that is produced in a variety of ways. We have identified 7 main apps, our EverGreen apps, that help to showcase our pupils’ learning. An animation, movie or annotated piece of work provides richer feedback for the teacher and ultimately helps to make greater progress. Explain Everything www.explaineverything.com Green Screen www.doink.com Stop Motion www.cateater.com Strip Design www.vividapps.com/Strip_Designer/ Notability www.gingerlabs.com Book Creator www.bookcreator.com Puppet Pals www.polishedplay.com The Outer Wheel We have a number of apps that we use consistently throughout our curriculum that lend themselves to our creative approach. We avoid apps that are specific to a particular outcome, preferring content free apps that can help to enhance our pupils work and understanding. Some examples are: Minecraft, iMovie, KeyNote, Pages and Padlet.
Coding Another aspect of our digital curriculum is the coding/programming skills that are embedded in all subjects or taught discretely in Years 5 and 6. We have identified a progression of apps that help to develop our pupils ability to code. The apps provide variety and challenge and help to develop the computation skills that are crucial learning in our digital work. We combine the coding experiences with physical output. Using Spheros, BBC Micro:Bits and Ozobots provides visual outcomes that bring our code to life. As our pupils develop further they transition on to written code.
Thinking Toolkit
Alongside and underpinning our curriculum we ensure that our pupils are developing as active learners and active thinkers. Throughout each subject area pupils are encouraged to use their range of thinking tools and reflect on when and how they are using them. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on how their thinking tools underpin all aspects of their learning and not just in the more obvious ways. How are they creative in maths? How do they enquire in English? How are they critical in Music? How do they think computationally in PE?
Inclusion This curriculum map outlines the core curriculum for each year group each term but at the heart of our wheel is the individual learner. Each subject area has a progression of skills which enables staff to stretch or support individuals as and when they need a little help, a bit of a push or a just a different way in. Within our classrooms through planning, teacher knowledge and interactions work is differentiated to suit the needs of each individual.