4 May 2018

Yr4 Curriculum Update – 04/05/18

Working together to achieve success for every child

Curriculum Update 4/5/18

 

Dear Parents,

 

After learning about the six simple machines and spending time identifying them in different everyday tools, the students are now at the stage of applying their knowledge (the thinking skill we are focusing on) and planning (the research skill that is our focus). They have been set the challenge of creating a ‘chain reaction’ machine to solve a problem that should include at least three of the simple machines. The students are working in small groups sharing their ideas, drawing blueprints of their machine and constructing it. As they work on their machine they will be trying it out and making modifications to their initial design to improve it.

 

In language students have continued to develop their ability to explain both verbally and in writing. They have continued to use the Wallace and Gromit Cracking Contraptions as the basis of their explanations and some have made short videos to explain how the contraption works, others have incorporated drama into their explanation and most have taken their verbal explanation and used it as the basis for a written one.

 

In reading we have continued to focus on identifying and using key words to write our own summaries of texts, using a range of explanations to support us. Students have also looked at asking questions that deepen their learning about the text. Using these questions, students have then written up mini explanation pieces that demonstrate their understanding.

 

In Maths students are becoming confident and more accurate in their use of different tools to measure length. They have developed their estimation skills and have explored a number of statements to find out if they are true such as: ‘The average person is 7.5 heads tall’; and ‘tall people have bigger hands’. Why not ask your child what they did to try to prove/disprove the statements and what they found out?

 

How you can help

Talk to your child about their machine, ask them to verbally explain to you how it works. Encourage them to use the vocabulary associated with simple machines in their explanation – force, load, lever, fulcrum, inclined plane, pulley, screw, wheel and axle, wedge – (see the curriculum statement on the KJS website, communication, Y4 updates for the full list of words).

 

The design process for planning a chain reaction machine: sharing initial ideas, carrying out some research and showing the plan to get feedback from others

Remember if you have any concerns or questions about your child’s learning and wellbeing at school please contact your child’s teacher in the first instance

 

Kind Regards

Team Year 4.