Welcome to Year 4

Spring 2 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to Spring 2! Gosh the year is flying by! Our topic for this half term is 'Passport to Europe'.

As always we will continue to adhere to our school values of Respect, Good Manners, Patience, Perseverance and Honesty. We will understand the school rules of 'Be Safe, Be Kind and Be the best you can be!'  We will continue with our 'Brookhouse Dojo' rewards scheme to acknowledge positive attitudes and behaviours that are consistent with our values.  Homework will be collected in on a Wednesday to be marked and returned by Friday.  There will also be online tasks to complete on Purple Mash, SPAG.com, Reading Plus and Times Tables Rockstars. 

English

The first unit for this half-term is the 'Novel as a Theme'. Our focus novel will be 'Gulliver's Travels'. We will begin by listening to, reading and discussing a range of fiction. We will read books for a range of purposes and respond in a variety of ways. We will be able to identify, discuss and collect effective words and phrases which capture the reader’s interest and imagination e.g. metaphors, similes. Explain the meaning of key vocabulary within the context of the text. Draw inferences around characters’ thoughts, feelings, actions and motives, and justify with evidence from the text using point and evidence. In our writing we will link ideas within paragraphs e.g. fronted adverbials for when and where; generate and select from vocabulary banks e.g. powerful adverbs, adverbial phrases. We will then write a story using the techniques learnt. Our next unit is  'Non-Chronological Reports'. We will listen to, read and discuss a range of non-fiction in different forms e.g. advertisements, formal speeches and leaflets. We will analyse and evaluate texts looking at language, structure and presentation. We will explore the meaning of key vocabulary within the context of the text. We will demonstrate active reading strategies e.g. generating questions, finding answers, refining thinking; identify main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph and summarise these e.g. 'Clitheroe Castle is a worthwhile place to visit because…' We will analyse and evaluate how specific information is organised within a nonfiction text e.g. text boxes, sub-headings, contents, bullet points, glossary, diagrams. We will finally create our own non-chronological report. 

Reading is a priority of ours at Brookhouse, therefore Whole Class Reading sessions take place everyday, where children are expected to read a range of texts and answer questions by summarising, retrieving, making inferences and explaining.  We also have a specific focus on vocabulary, which will be sent home to learn before the lesson.  In school, we will continue to use the online reading resource called 'Reading Plus' and encourage children to complete lessons at home.  It is imperative for you to support your child with reading; please use the question stems to ask your children questions to check for understanding.  Also, ensure your child is learning their spellings for ten minutes daily. 

Mathematics

We be learning abut mixed number fractions and improper fractions. We will then learn how to convert between mixed numbers and improper fractions. We add and subtract fractions, solving addition and subtraction word problems. We will then focus on measurement, focusing on the topic of Time. We will explore facts about the 24-hour clock; looking at both digital and analogue clocks.  We will develop our knowledge of both the 12-hour clock and the 24-hour clock. We will understand how to convert between units of time, such as minutes and seconds, and hours and minutes. We will solve time problems involving conversions and will calculate durations of time in relation to word problems. Finally we will revisit our knowledge of Fractions to support our unit on decimals. Beginning with counting, ordering and recording decimals in different ways. We will explore the equivalence between tenths and hundredths, and will be able to compare and order the numbers. We will develop our knowledge of linear number sequences as well as round decimals to the nearest whole number. Finally link tenths and hundredths with dividing by 10 and 100.

Please encourage your child to practice their timetables through the year - up to 12x tables- as they are required to complete the official Multiplication Tables Check next year in the summer term.  During the Multiplication check, children will have 25 questions to answer with only 6 seconds per question.  In order to aid them with this, your child can use Times Tables Rockstars, UR Brainy MTC and the maths area on Purple Mash, all website links can be located on the Website Star. Please familiarise yourself with the multiplication tables, check parent guidance in the useful documents section above. 

Science

As part of Biology this half-term we will be learning about Animals including Humans focusing on teeth and the digestive system. We will be able to describe what happens in each part of the digestive system and know the functions of: the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine. We will explore the journey our food takes and to be able to draw the main parts of the digestive system. We will know that humans have 2 sets of teeth, and that teeth can be classified into different groups. We will learn about the number, location and function of the incisors, canines, pre-molars and molars; exploring the stages of tooth decay and how it can be caused and its prevention. We will identify and name 5 predators and understand why they are at the top of the food chain. By the end of the unit we will be able to construct 3 different food chains and know the differences between carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.

Design Technology

We will be designing and making a wallet to hold our passports. We will begin by exploring different brands and designs, thinking about materials and durability. We will ask questions such as, why did I choose to use that particular material/method of joining or fastening? Responding with a reason based upon the design criteria. We will be able to describe how our passport closes and why we choose that method of fastening. We will demonstrate a running stitch. We will be able to demonstrate, using the model, the robust nature of their passport wallet and be able to state one improvement we would make next time.

Geography

By the end of our Geography unit this half term, we will have a better understanding of the geography of Europe and be able to talk about countries within Europe using its human ad physical features. We will develop our locational knowledge by locating the world’s countries, using maps to focus on Europe. We will identify the position of latitude, longitude, Equator and the Northern Hemisphere; understand geographical similarities and differences through the study of human and physical geography of a region of the United Kingdom and a region in a European country. We will name and locate up to eight European countries and five capital cities. We will be able to name three major cities in Italy and three human and physical features of that place (comparing northern, southern with western and eastern cities). We will identify three human and physical differences between northern and southern France. We will research human and physical features of Estonia, know why its population is decreasing and how this is impacting the country. We will be able to name three similarities and differences between the UK and one place in Europe.

Physical Education

P.E sessions will take place on a Tuesday afternoon, our unit will be 'Gymnastics'.  We will perform balances including one-footed, shoulder stand, arabesque, dish and arch with some control. We will then develop our basic rolling actions, two footed jump, jump ¼ turn and jump ½ turns. We will create a sequence of up to 6 elements with changes of level, direction and clarity of shape. We will finally work with a partner to create and combine a short sequence using the floor and mats showing fluency and clarity of movement. Please ensure your child comes into school wearing their full P.E kit.  The kit should include a yellow P.E top with the school's logo matched with black shorts, joggers or leggings and black pumps or trainers.  Over the top, children will wear their school jumper or cardigan.  All jewellery must be removed, please ensure earrings are taken out before the session or covered with plasters.

PSHE 

The unit for Spring is 'Family and Friends'. We will be exploring what positively and negatively affects our physical, mental and emotional health. We will continue to discuss different emotions and feelings. We will discuss how we can have many feelings at once and how this may effect us. Explain the benefits of sharing our feelings and support we can offer to others. To describe why an photographic or media picture may be changed and how this effects the way we view ourselves. We will develop our understanding of responsibilities that we have in maintaining positive relationships. We will understand the benefits of listening well to peers, friends and family members. We will develop our understanding of stereotypes and how we challenge those ideas and opinions. 

Oracy - Voice 21

As a school we are developing our oracy, learning through talk and learning to talk.  In class, we have created discussion guidelines to aid meaningful discussions.  We encourage children to fully participate by taking on a range of roles and utilising sentence stems to articulate their ideas.  We will provide opportunities for discussion in all areas of the curriculum.

If you have any queries, do not hesitate to discuss these with us at the end of the school day or arrange an appointment through the school office.

Thank you for your support.

All the best from the Year 4 team!

Miss Woodhouse (Class Teacher)

Mrs Sheikh (Special Support Assistant)

Mrs Momoniat (Teacher Assistant) 

Mrs Khonat (Higher Level Teaching Assistant)