Year 4
Curriculum Overview – Autumn
In Autumn term, Year 4 explore the school saint, St Ambrose Barlow, their class saint, St Justin Russolillo and the School Mission Statement. Throughout the rest of the term, in RE, they study the Branches One and Two of ‘Discerning Disciples’ – Creation and Covenant, and Prophecy and Promise.
In Mathematics, they form a deeper understanding of Place Value, Addition and Subtraction, and Multiplication and Division, building on the work they achieved in previous years.
In Literacy, we create an information book about our school, using our existing knowledge and researching new facts. We read the book ‘The Firework Maker’s Daughter’ by Philp Pullman and write narratives inspired by the text. We create explanation texts exploring different types of recycling and newspaper articles based on current and historical events.
During Science lessons, we learn about classifications of animals, states of matter, the digestive system, uses of electricity, and how sound is caused by vibrations.
In History, we begin our journey learning about the Anglo-Saxons with the question of ‘What it means to be English?’.
Throughout this term, we attend swimming lessons weekly and supplement this with development of their Ball Skills, and Dance during PE lessons.
In Geography, we focus our learning using three areas, Locational, Europe and World Knowledge, How Humans Impact On Our World, and How Our World Impacts On Humans. Year 4 build on their understanding of the UK by learning about counties. We learn about the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and the countries of South America. They build upon their knowledge of biomes, and begin to explore the Amazon rainforest, while also learning about plate tectonics link this to common locations of earthquakes around the world.
Art builds on our Science unit by creating art with insects uses various mediums and in DT we design and create a mechanical poster to promote recycling.
Spring
During this term, they examine Branches Three and Four of Discerning Disciples’ – Galilee to Jerusalem, and Desert to Garden.
In Mathematics, Year 4 focus their attention on Graphs, Fractions, Roman Numerals, Time, and more complex Multiplication and Division.
During Literacy lessons, we create narratives with dilemmas using ‘The Fib’ and ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ to inspire our writing. Year 4 explore different forms of poetry such as Haiku and Kennings. We also write about journeys when reading ‘A Journey to Jo’Burg’ and create a non-chronological report about South Africa. For Shakespeare Week, we study ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ adding to our repertoire of plays.
In Spring term, Year 4 hone their tennis skills in addition to further progressing in Gymnastics, and Athletics.
During Science lessons, we develop classification keys, create experiments to show changes in states of matter, learn about teeth and their function, make electrical circuits, and look at the impact of pitch on sound.
Year 4 conclude our History unit on the Anglo-Saxons and start our journey exploring the Ancient Greeks, considering the question ‘How influential were the Ancient Greeks?’.
In Geography, we focus our learning using three areas, Locational, Europe and World Knowledge, How Humans Impact On Our World, and How Our World Impacts On Humans. We delve into the Amazon rainforest by learning about animals and their adaptations, people who live there, and start to learn about the global implications of deforestation. Year 4 expand their understanding of earthquakes by learning about Tsunamis, strategies for staying safe and structural design which limits the impact of earthquakes.
Art lessons examine European artists and during DT we design and create Light up cards.
Summer
In RE this term, we develop our understanding of Branches Five and Six in Discerning Disciples’ –To the Ends of the Earth, and Dialogue and Encounter.
During Mathematics lessons, Year 4 study Decimals, Length, Mass and Volume, Area and Perimeter, and Position and Movement.
During Literacy, we read ‘The Boy at the Back of the Class’ and use this as a basis for inspiration for our writing. We learn about the importance of storytelling and folk tales by reading various stories about ‘Brer Rabbit’. We learn the fundamentals of debate and argue our case against our peers to persuade and inform.
During Science lessons, we explore our environment and the animals that live there, create food chains for different habitats, design and create our own switches, and learn about the water cycle.
In the Summer, Year 4 focus on improving their skills in Hockey, OAA and Football.
Ancient Greece is our focus in History as we explore primary, secondary and tertiary sources of information and try to separate fact from legend.
In Geography, we focus our learning using three areas, Locational, Europe and World Knowledge, How Humans Impact On Our World, and How Our World Impacts On Humans. Year 4 learn more about countries of Europe, including about capital cities, flags, and landmarks. We concentrate on deforestation, how our choices lead to implications for the Amazon rainforest, and organisations working to prevent further deforestation. We investigate case studies of earthquakes trying to determine the factors that can offset the potential devastation.
During Art, we use various mediums to explore bodies and in DT lessons, we research, design and make our own bread products.
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