Welcome to Year 4
at St Anne’s Primary School
Hello and Welcome to Year 4!!
Teacher: Miss Dobson
TA: Mrs Humphreys
In Writing….
During Spring 2, we will focus on our Pathways to Write book of When the Giant Stirred by Celia Godkin.
The Giant Who Stirred tells the story of a quiet valley where the seasons have stopped changing. A sleeping giant lies high in the mountains, and as he begins to stir, the natural world slowly awakens.
We will continue to build on the skills developed in Spring 1 and apply the following key writing techniques from our Pathways to Write planning:
Develop descriptive settings using expanded noun phrases and carefully chosen vocabulary to create atmosphere.
Use a range of sentence structures, including subordinate clauses and fronted adverbials, to add detail and cohesion.
Organise paragraphs around a theme, using fronted adverbials to introduce, shift or connect ideas.
Use and punctuate direct speech accurately, using dialogue to reveal character and move the action forward.
Throughout the unit, children will plan, draft, edit and publish their writing, focusing on crafting engaging narratives inspired by the changing seasons and the awakening giant.
In Maths…
This term, Year 4 will deepen their understanding of fractions. In Week 1, Year 4 will revisit short division, focusing on dividing 3-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers using the formal written method. They will practise exchanging where needed, checking answers using the inverse, and explaining their reasoning clearly to build accuracy and confidence.
Then, children will explore what a fraction is and what makes a whole, understanding that fractions represent equal parts of the same whole. They will use visual representations such as bar models and number lines to support their understanding. Children will compare and order mixed numbers, identify and generate equivalent fractions, and add and subtract fractions with the same denominator. They will be encouraged to explain how they know fractions are equivalent and why only the numerators change when adding or subtracting fractions with the same denominator, helping to secure both conceptual understanding and fluency.
In RE…
This half term, we will be learning about Desert to Garden through the Vine to Branches scheme. In this unit, children will explore themes of temptation, forgiveness, mercy and sacrifice as they journey from Lent to Holy Week.
The children will:
Learn about God’s mercy and forgiveness, understanding how Christians believe God shows love and compassion even when people make wrong choices.
Study the Judgement of the Nations, reflecting on how our actions towards others matter and how we are called to show kindness, generosity and care.
Discover the Works of Mercy, focusing particularly on the life and example of St Vincent de Paul, and how he dedicated his life to serving the poor and those in need.
Follow Jesus’ Journey to Jerusalem, learning about the key events of Holy Week and why this journey was central to his mission.
Learn about the events of Good Friday and the death of Jesus, reflecting on themes of sacrifice, love and hope.
Through discussion, scripture, and reflection, children will consider how forgiveness, mercy and service can shape their own choices and how they can live out these values in their daily lives. Through these stories and reflections, the children will think about how Jesus’ teachings can guide their own choices and how they can live out these values in their everyday lives.
Other subjects….
Science: Sound
Geography: Volcanos, Mountains and Earthquakes
Computing: Word Processing
Spanish: Greetings, Numbers 1-20
Art: Jewellery making
PE: Gymnastics
Our PE day will be a Friday.
Please make sure children have the correct PE kits, sensible shoes and a water bottle - weather dependant, children will be outside.
Times tables…
By the end of Year 4, children are expected to know their times tables up to 12 x 12. To help children learn and embed their times tables, we will be regularly practising their times tables through games, songs, chanting and quick fire questions. Within class, we will be using Percy Parker songs to learn learn our times tables.