Author: Sahebjit Athwal

Spring Term 2024 - Year 4
Mrs Welch and Miss Darlington
Welcome to the Year 4 Curriculum Newsletter. This is a summary of the learning planned for the Spring Term.
Further information is available on our website: www.stmichaelscofeprimary.co.uk under Key Information - Curriculum - Curriculum Newsletters.
Updates and photos of our learning are also under Children - Class Pages - Year 4
If you have any concerns about your child’s learning please contact Mrs Welch directly, in the first instance.
Contact Details
stmichaelsceprimaryschool@wolverhampton.gov.uk
01902 558845
jwelch@stmichaelsceprimary.co.uk
Topic
Our topic for this term is ‘Rotten Romans’. Through our topic we will be looking at a variety of sources that show political, social and cultural aspects of Roman life. We will be using historical vocabulary to communicate, dates, era, change and chronology. We will learn to investigate and interpret the past by using a variety of evidence and asking questions. We will be using maps, atlases, globes and digital mapping to locate geographic regions. Additionally we will identify human and physical features such as hills, mountains, coasts, cities.
Through the collection of information, sketches and resources we will be developing our ideas to create a Roman mosaic in Art. The focus will be to use watercolour to create mood with a variety of colours. In DT, we will be learning how to join fabrics together using different stitches to create a Roman purse.

Maths
Our focus to start the term, will be on deepening our understanding of multiplication and division of the ten times tables. Regular times table practice will continue in order for children to become fluent, both in reciting the times tables and the recall of isolated multiplication facts.
Club sheets will be used to test children weekly and there is a homework expectation that your child plays TT Rockstars on a regular basis. We will consolidate for the four calculations through daily Fluent in Five sessions and a weekly arithmetic lesson.
English
In our English lessons we will continue focusing on our Brilliant Basics.
We will be exploring how to make our writing more engaging through the use of expanded noun phrases, fronted adverbials and prepositional phrases. We will focus on developing the children’s writing so that they are able to use a variety of skills for example, the ability to use fronted adverbials, expanded noun phrases and prepositional phrases within a written text.
Our class reading books will be The Thieves of Ostia by Caroline Lawrence and The Journey by Aaron Becker. We will be focusing on developing our vocabulary and using the evidence to answer retrieval and inference questions.
R.E.
In RE this term, we will be exploring ’What can we learn from a Gurdwara?’. This unit will allow children to consider the importance of the Gurdwara to Sikhs and the role in their worship.
In the second half term, we will be looking at the question “What is Fair Trade?’ under the theme of Courageous Advocacy and looking at the connection of charity work with the teachings of Jesus.

PE
Children will be having a PE lesson on Monday afternoons and Fridays. Please ensure that your child has their PE kit (including joggers) in school as it is expected all children participate. Please remove earrings for PE lessons.
Science
In science, we will begin by focusing on Electricity. where it comes from. how it travels around a circuit and if materials are conductors and insulators. We will also be learning about how Sound is made and how it travels to our ears.
PSHE
This term we will be exploring the units Online Relationships, Healthy Eating and Physical Eating, and Drug Education.
Music
On Tuesday mornings we will continue to learn how to play a ukulele, as part of our music lessons. Please ensure ukuleles are in school on these days.
Computing
In computing, we will be learning about how to handle data and understand how online services work.
Diary Dates
6.2.24 - Celebration of World Ukulele Day
9.2.24 - Year 4 Come Dine with Me
TBC - Sikh Gurdwara visit
21.2.24 - Y4 Eucharist
1.3.24 - INSET Day
13.3.24 - Y4 Forest School Afternoon
13.3.24 - Parents’ Evening 3.30 to 5.30pm
14.3.24 - Parents’ Evening 5.00pm to 8.00pm
15.3.24 - Red Nose Day
Helpful Internet Safety Sites for Parents and Carers
https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/esafety-leaflets-resources/