Week Beginning 31st October

Welcome back to another half term.  We have got loads to do and we will be getting stuck in straight away.  Make sure you come in prepared Year 3/4 because it is going to be straight back to it from where we left off.  Can I just say a big thank you to everyone who donated before the half term break for the head shave fundraiser which was to raise money for Cancer Research UK.  We managed to raise over £1300 which is massive and a lot more than I was expecting, so thank you so much.  Don’t forget to get you PE and swimming kits back into school this week.

English

Year 3

We will be learning about shape poems or "Calligrams".  We will read a variety of shape poems and look at their structure and language.  We will then read a poem about Bonfire Night called "Crackle! Pop!" by Marie Thom and identify the sound words (onomatopoeia) and any interesting vocabulary.  Using a bonfire night video clip to stimulate ideas, we will then generate lots of interesting onomatopoeia words ourselves as well as adjectives and verbs.  These words will be formulated into poems and then transferred onto firework shapes to create our very own Calligrams.

Year 4

Children are moving onto a new topic in their English this week and the overview of it is as follows:  Children are going to be introduced to the idea of an audio story or podcast. As a class, they listen to a spooky story podcast in three episodes, asking questions and listening out for sound effects to develop their listening and comprehension skills. They will focus on the use of language and the way it is used in conjunction with the narrator’s voice and sound effects to create atmosphere and character. After some help they will practise mind mapping and planning a story as a class. They will then build on this experience to plan and write their own three-episode spooky story podcasts in groups. Time is given at the end of the unit for the children to practise reading their stories aloud and incorporate sound effects. The podcasts will then be recorded or performed so that they can be shared with one another.

Maths

Year 3

Learning Area – Multiplication and Division

Learning Concept -          Recall and use the multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 tables.

                                               

Teaching sequence -      Count in 3s; forward and backwards.

Recite the x3 table up to x12, without error.

Answer any calculation involving x3, out of order.

Know that 2x3 is the same as 3x2 etc.

Answer any calculation involving ÷3, out of order.

Count in 4s; forward and backwards.

Recite the x4 table up to x12, without error.

Answer any calculation involving x4, out of order.

Know that 3x4 is the same as 4x3 etc.

Answer any calculation involving ÷4, out of order.

Count in 8s; forward and backwards.

Recite the x8 table up to x12, without error.

Answer any calculation involving x8, out of order.

Know that 4x8 is the same as 8x4 etc.

Answer any calculation involving ÷8, out of order.

Year 4

Learning Area –           Measures Time

Learning Concept -          Read, write & convert time between analogue and digital 12-and 24-hour clocks.

Teaching sequence -      Know how to set out each analogue time in digital format

Know how to set out each digital time in analogue format.

Convert between analogue and digital and vice versa

Explain how the digital clock system works, e.g. 10 past 2 in the afternoon = 2:10pm = 14:10.

Topic

This week children will be finishing and rounding of our topic of Stone Age before we start on our next topic which will have us focusing on Geography and the United Kingdom.

RE

Children will be continuing with their new unit for RE entitled Promises.  Throughout the next couple of weeks they will explore:

·         The sacrament of Baptism

·         The Word of God

·         Litany of Saints

·         Promises made at Baptism

·         The Baptism and Anointing

·         The symbols used within Baptism

Week Beginning 17th October

Are you ready for the last week of the first half term of the year?  We know; it has gone very quickly.  We just want to remind you that there is no swimming this week because of parents evening.  From Mr Hughes, thank you to those kind parents who have made a donation to my justgiving page.  The head shave is taking place this Friday in school.  We have these few weekdays left and I would be very grateful for any more donations which will go straight to Cancer Research UK.  The page is www.justgiving.com/Martin-Hughes23.

English

Year 3

We will be concluding our unit about information texts, "Where would you like to live?"  In groups, we will research a chosen country using ipads and record our information on a spider diagram.  Once we have gathered all our information, we will begin to write all about our chosen country, making sure that it is written in the present tense.   We will give our piece of writing a suitable heading and begin to organise our ideas into paragraphs with relevant subheadings.  To end the topic, the children will present their ideas to the class. .

Year 4

For the final week of this half term we will be reviewing some of the skills which we have been introduced to through our English topic and our Grammar sessions.  We will be developing our ability to up level our writing with a focus on understanding types of sentences which can improve our compositions.  Children will be strengthening their understanding of phrases, clauses, sentence types, conjunctions, a range of punctuation, homophones, word classes and they will have the opportunity to put this into practise through a creative piece of writing.

Maths

Year 3

Learning Area – Addition and subtraction

Learning Concept -          Add and subtract numbers with up to 3 digits, using formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction.

               

Teaching sequence -      Add two 2-digit numbers using columnar addition without exchanging.

Subtract a 2-digit number from a 2-digit number without exchanging.

Add two 3-digit numbers using columnar addition without exchanging.  

Subtract a 2 or 3-digit number from a 3-digit number without exchanging.        

Add two 2-digit numbers where the units make more than 10

Add two 3-digit numbers where the units and/or tens make more than 10

Subtract a 2-digit number from a 2-digit number where exchanging is required

Subtract a 2-digit number from a 3-digit number where exchanging is required

Year 4

Learning Area –            Geometry Shape

Learning Concept -          Compare and classify geometric shapes, including quadrilaterals and triangles, based on their properties and sizes.

Teaching sequence -      Sort shapes according to their properties using correct vocabulary

Draw and classify shapes based on given criteria, then sort

Topic

This week we will be continuing with our first topic of the year – the Stone Age.  Children will be learning about Skara Brae and also Stonehenge.  They will explore:

·         How Scara Brae was discovered

·         Some of the items which were discovered there

·         How Skara Brae shows that  Stone Age people were beginning to change the way in which they lived

·         How Stonehenge changed from the Stone Age onwards

·         Why Stonehenge may have been built

·         How Stonehenge may have been used

RE

Children will be starting a new unit for RE titled Promises.  This first explore week will have the children knowing and understanding what it means to belong to a group which involves promises and rules.

Week Beginning 10th October

Welcome back to another week Year 3/4!  This half term is going to be over before we know it.  Let’s have another great week children and keep trying our best. 

English

Year 3

This week in English we will continue our non-fiction unit on Information Texts entitled "Where Would You Like to Live?"  We will look at a range of information, focusing on a different country each day and finding out about what it is like at home, at school and at play.  We will look again at the layout of the pages and practice our comprehension skills to answer questions about the countries.  As we go through the week, the children will think about which country they might like to live.

Year 4

In English we are continuing with our unit of work called ‘A Huge First Step’.  Children have now tried their hand at recount writing and have been thinking about what features are needed to write a great diary entry. We are now going to be looking in more depth at features of biography texts.  Children will continue to focus on making good and effective use of pronouns as well as thinking about time connectives.

Maths

Year 3

Learning Area – Addition and subtraction

Learning Concept -          Add and subtract numbers mentally, including:

-3-digit number & ones

-3-digit numbers & tens

-3-digit numbers & hundreds

Teaching sequence -      Mentally:

Subtract any 1-digit number from a greater 1–digit number

Add any 3-digit number to a 1-digit number

Subtract a 1-digit number from a 3-digit number

Add any 3-digit number to a 10s number

Subtract a 10s number from any 3-digit number

Add any 3-digit number to any 100s number.

Subtract any 100s number from a 3-digit number

Year 4

Learning Area –            Addition and Subtraction

Learning Concept -          Estimate and use inverse operations to check answers to a calculation.

Teaching sequence -      Estimate the answer to any given addition involving two 2-digit numbers to the                                                         nearest 10.

Estimate the answer to any given addition involving two 3-digit numbers to the nearest 100.

Estimate the answer to any given addition involving two 3-digit numbers to the nearest 10.

Estimate the answer to any given subtraction involving two 2-digit numbers to the nearest 10.

Estimate the answer to any given subtraction involving two 3-digit numbers to the nearest 100.

Estimate the answer to any given subtraction involving two 3-digit numbers to the nearest 10.

Explain the term ‘inverse’ and exemplify with an example.

Check the answer to any calculation with 2 and 3 digit numbers using the inverse.

Topic

This week we will be continuing with our first topic of the year – the Stone Age.  Children will be learning about Skara Brae and also Stonehenge.  They will explore:

·         How Scara Brae was discovered

·         Some of the items which were discovered there

·         How Skara Brae shows that  Stone Age people were beginning to change the way in which they lived

·         How Stonehenge changed from the Stone Age onwards

·         Why Stonehenge may have been built

·         How Stonehenge may have been used

RE

Children will be finishing off their work covering the topic of ‘Homes’.  They will be reflecting on everything that they have learnt from the topic so far and completing a short assessment piece.

Week Beginning 3rd October

We are really getting into the swing of things now in Year 3/4 and the summer holidays are now long gone.  We are all set for another week packed with hard work and new learning opportunities.  Can we just say again how grateful we are for the ongoing support of those parents who are able to assist us with the trips to Orford Hub for swimming.  We hope the children are looking forward to this week which includes the Friends of St Vincent’s Film Night!

English

Year 3

This week in English we will begin a non-fiction unit on Information Texts entitled "Where Would You Like to Live?"  We will retrieve and collate information about different countries.  We will also look at a range of other information texts about the Stone Age and find out about the layout of the books and the pages.

Year 4

In English we are continuing with our new unit of work called ‘A Huge First Step’.  Children have now children selected the most appropriate applicants to be trained as astronauts for a mission to Mars.   Last week we read a lot of interesting information about Neil Armstrong and used techniques such as skim reading/scanning.  This week will see children composing short pieces of writing in the form of diary entries.  We will then begin to look in more depth at features of biography texts and will focus on making good and effective use of pronouns.

Maths

Year 3

Learning Area –            Statistics

Learning Concept -          Interpret and present data using:

-bar charts

-pictograms

-tables

Teaching sequence -      Read information set out in a bar chart

Read information set out in a pictogram

Read information set out in a table

Read information from a bar chart that has a scale on the vertical axis

Present information in a table

Present information in a bar chart

Present information in a pictogram

Present information in a bar chart where there is a scale on the vertical axis

Year 4

Learning Area –            Addition and Subtraction

Learning Concept -          Add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction, where appropriate.

Teaching sequence -      Add numbers with 4-digits without exchanging

Add numbers with 4-digits where the total of hundreds, tens or ones exceed 10

Subtract a number from a 4-digit number which requires no exchanging

Subtract a number from a 4-digit number where exchanging is required

Topic

This week we will be continuing with our first topic of the year – the Stone Age.  Children will be learning about Skara Brae.  They will explore:

·         How Scara Brae was discovered

·         Some of the items which were discovered there

·         How Skara Brae shows that  Stone Age people were beginning to change the way in which they lived

RE

Children will be continue with their first RE unit this week entitled ‘Homes’.  They will explore the following questions through class discussion and a range of activities:

·         What is God’s vision for every family?

·         What does God want the relationship between children and parents to be like?

·         Who was part of the Holy family?

·         When is God with us and our families?

Week Beginning 26th September

Another Monday has come round again and we are all set in Year 3/4.  We would like to thank parents who kindly made a donation during last Friday’s own clothes day as the school played its part in the Jeans for Genes day and also for the generous contributions towards the collection for the Harvest Festival Mass.  A big well done to our Year 3/4 children for their great behaviour when going and taking part in swimming last week.  Let’s see if we can be even better this week.

Last week Year 4s had to undertake some start of year tests.  They have all done really themselves proud and tackled the tests well showing a great attitude towards their learning.  Due to these tests however, this week’s blog will look very similar for the Year 4s as planned core lessons were not delivered last week.

English

Year 3

This week is our final week learning about adventure stories.  We will continue to focus on our own ideas for a new version of the story Stone Age Boy.  We will use talk to share some ideas for a new story, plan the story and write a class version together.   We will be looking at how to use varied and interesting sentences as well as including the correct punctuation.  In particular, we will focus on using adjectives and adverbs.  Then it is over to the children where they will plan and write their own adventure story independently.  We cannot wait to hear the children's ideas. 

Year 4

In English we are starting a new unit of work called ‘A Huge First Step’.  In this unit, the children select applicants to be trained as astronauts for a mission to Mars. We will be reading about Neil Armstrong using an interactive eBook.  We will look at and be using the features and layout of the eBook to find out about Neil Armstrong’s personal qualities. Children will be focussing on effective use of pronouns and fronted adverbials to develop their grammar.  These skills will then be applied in their own writing when they produce diary entries and biographies.  These text types will also be transferred over to and applied to our topic work.

Maths

Year 3

Learning Area – Measures and Perimeter

Learning Concept -          Measure the perimeter of simple 2D shapes.

Teaching sequence -      Know the term ‘perimeter’

Know that the perimeter is the distance around the sides of a shape

Understand that the perimeter refers to distance in real life contexts, e.g. football pitch

Measure accurately each side of 2D shapes and add lengths to find the perimeter

Year 4

Learning Area – Place Value

Learning Concept -          Count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000.

Teaching sequence -      Count on and back in 1000s from 0 to 10,000

Count on and back in 10s from any given multiple between 0 and 10,000

Count on and back in 100s from 0 to 10,000

Count on and back in 50s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on and back in 25s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on and back in 9s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on in 8s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on in 7s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on in 6s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple.

Topic

This week we will be continuing with our first topic of the year – the Stone Age.  Children will be learning about what humans needed in order to survive during the Stone Age.  They will explore:

·         the different challenges of survival which the early men and women faced.

·         where the Stone Age gets its name from.

·         the tools which were crucial for the survival of early men and women.

·         how tools changed to make hunting more successful

This week will see the children taking a look at the bow and arrow and trying their hand at advertising the product.

RE

Children will be continue with their first RE unit this week entitled ‘Homes’.  They will explore the following questions through class discussion and a range of activities:

·         What is God’s vision for every family?

·         What does God want the relationship between children and parents to be like?

·         Who was part of the Holy family?

·         When is God with us and our families?

Week Beginning 19th September

Are you ready for another week Year 3/4?  Routines should now be firmly in place and so we can come in to school ready to learn.  Last week’s swimming sessions went well and will hopefully run even smoother this week.  Thank you to all of the parents who came to support last week and who are ready for another week of swimming fun this time round too!  Don’t forget Year 3/4, the swimming instructors have told us that the quicker we can get changed before and after the swimming session, the longer you can spend in the pool.  Let’s show them this week how sensibly and quickly we can get changed and you might then get some extra time in the weeks that follow.

Don’t forget that this Friday is Jeans for Genes day, so children can come to school in their own clothes and we ask that they bring a pound donation.

English

Year 3

This week, we will continue our work on Adventure Stories around the text "Stone Age Boy".  The children have really enjoyed getting to know the story so far and enjoyed freeze framing the main events in the story. We will look more closely at the language this week and have a go at using some of the features in our writing.  In particular, we will focus on adverbials and conjunctions.  To finish, we will plan our own complete adventure story and put all the skills we have learned into practice in our final piece of writing.

Year 4

In English we are starting a new unit of work called ‘A Huge First Step’.  In this unit, the children select applicants to be trained as astronauts for a mission to Mars. We will be reading about Neil Armstrong using an interactive eBook.  We will look at and be using the features and layout of the eBook to find out about Neil Armstrong’s personal qualities. Children will be focussing on effective use of pronouns and fronted adverbials to develop their grammar.  These skills will then be applied in their own writing when they produce diary entries and biographies.  These text types will also be transferred over to and applied to our topic work.

Maths

Year 3

Learning Area – Place Value

Learning Concept -          Read and write numbers to 1,000 in numerals and words

Teaching sequence -      Read all numbers from 100 to 1000 in numerals

Write all numbers from 100 to 1000 in numerals

Read all numbers from 100 to 1000 in words

Write all numbers from 100 to 1000 in words

Year 4

Learning Area – Place Value

Learning Concept -          Count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000.

Teaching sequence -      Count on and back in 1000s from 0 to 10,000

Count on and back in 10s from any given multiple between 0 and 10,000

Count on and back in 100s from 0 to 10,000

Count on and back in 50s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on and back in 25s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on and back in 9s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on in 8s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on in 7s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple

Count on in 6s from 0 to 1000 starting at any given multiple.

Topic

This week we will be continuing with our first topic of the year – the Stone Age.  Children will be learning about what humans needed in order to survive during the Stone Age.  They will explore:

·         the different challenges of survival which the early men and women faced.

·         where the Stone Age gets its name from.

·         the tools which were crucial for the survival of early men and women.

·         how tools changed to make hunting more successful

RE

Children will be continue with their first RE unit this week entitled ‘Homes’.  They will explore the following questions through class discussion and a range of activities:

·         What is God’s vision for every family?

·         What does God want the relationship between children and parents to be like?

·         Who was part of the Holy family?

·         When is God with us and our families?