12 Jan 2018

Yr4 Curriculum Update – 12/01/18

Working together to achieve success for every child

 

 

 

Dear Parents,

 

Happy New Year! We hope you all enjoyed the holiday as much as we did. Many of the children have been keen to share some of the fun experiences they have had.

 

We were straight back into our learning with the students researching different environments and the ecosystems within them to find out what special adaptations the plants or animals have to ensure they survive and thrive. As one of our skills we are focusing on is presenting research findings, the students are now busy preparing their presentations to share what they have learned. Some have been making dioramas and have found this a creative alternative to making a poster or slideshow. Their next steps will be to find out what impact humans are having on their chosen environment and how this is affecting the ecosystems within it.

In language the students have continued to focus on writing an entertaining narrative and have been revising their first drafts to improve the detail in them. Some students have been learning about how to add direct speech to their stories, making sure they are punctuating it correctly. They have looked at establishing strong character descriptions that reveal their protagonist and antagonists physical descriptions and emotions. They have used this as an opportunity to focus on making powerful word choices in their writing to add interest and entertain their reader.

In reading we have continued to focus on determining importance to develop the students comprehension (the other skill we are focusing on). Students have used a variety of strategies to help them identify the key information in a text such as: turning headings into questions then finding the information to answer them and using different note-taking approaches to highlight and record keywords to answer their own questions.

In Maths we have been completing our final week on division. Students have explored different strategies they could use to solve problems including ones with remainders. They have explored repeated subtraction, arrays, grouping and using a number line.

 

How you can help

Discuss with your child what responsible environmental actions could be taken in the home e.g. recycling, taking your own carrier bags to the supermarket and using reusable bottles for water.

Discuss the carrier bag charge – why do we have to pay 50 cents every time you need a plastic bag.

 

 

 

A date for your diaries:

Remember it’s the disco next Friday 19th January 5:30-7:30pm, we are looking forward to seeing how you include red and gold into your outfit!

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.