Week beginning 2nd September
Maths
In maths, over the next four weeks, the focus will be on place value. Initially we will explore different ways of representing and partitioning numbers, before moving on to representing numbers on a number line.
English
Over the next two months, English will use the story Escape from Pompeii, to write a recount. The writing will be interspersed and supported by a heavy focus on Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar – SpaG. The SPaG will revisit learning from previous years – building clauses, nouns, verbs etc. and will introduce / develop the use of expanded noun phrases and fronted adverbials. The aim is to equip the children with a wide range of strategies with which to engage their readers. As the year progresses, the children will be expected to take ownership of their writing and make deliberate choices about how to make their writing interesting. They will also need to explain and justify their choices.
VIPERS: the focus will be on exploring vocabulary
SPAG will focus on common and proper nouns and expanded noun phrases
Reading
The expectation is that children will read, at home, for at least twenty minutes each day. Central to this is involving dad / mum in discussing the text, modelling inference, explanations, justifications etc. We very much encourage an interactive, discursive approach. To support this, please use the Vipers questions / prompts provided at the start of the reading diaries as a basis for initial discussions. Please sign and comment in the reading diaries, and complete the grid at the back of the book.
Please also practise spellings.
Science
We will begin the unit on Living Things and their Habitats by exploring what features are common to all living things.
PE – Monday and Wednesday
As you may know, all Year 4 children will sit a statutory times table check in June. By then the children will need to know all their tables up to 12 x. To support this, you can use this which replicates the test. The children have been introduced to the programme which can be modified to focus on specific tables etc.
Please note that we have plenty of time to practise these and I am not expecting the children to know their tables at this point in the year. I do not want the children / parents to feel burdened by this.
A little and often is an effective way to practise. We will teach / practise tables in class each week.
Enjoy your weekend.
Week beginning 28th August
I’d like to welcome you to Year 4 and Gibbon class. Those who are new / newly returned to Brunei, I hope you are settling in well. I trust you have all enjoyed a relaxing, restful holiday and are ready for the year ahead. For those who have not yet met me, I am Mike Crichton. I will be teaching Gibbons this year, supported by Ms Rusmi, our LSA.
Over the remainder of this week, we will be engaging in getting to know you activities, and establishing routines and expectations. We will also be encouraging the children to become more independent in respect of their thinking and how they organise themselves.
Please note:
PE – Monday and Wednesday – please wear your PE kit to school. You will remain in it all day, so please do not bring your school uniform to change into.
As per Mrs Neal’s letter, reading books will be sent home from next week. Over the next few weeks, we will be assessing the children’s reading and will continue to do so to ensure that each child reads at the correct level to support their on-going development in this key area of learning.