Steve Backshall is a naturalist, explorer and adventurer who is known for his series ‘Deadly 60’ and ‘Expeditions’. He displays many of our learner attributes. He is knowledgeable about the natural world and has a particular fascination with animals that are deadly predators. He is a risk-taker who has climbed previously unclimbed mountains, paddled rivers that no-one had before and most recently got into the Guinness Book of Record by paddling the length of the River Thames in the fastest time ever. He is principled as he supports many charities and organisations, helping them to promote respect for the environment and animals. He is an ambassador for the Scouts and patron of The Sharks Trust. He has a love of learning and obtained a Masters at Canterbury Christ Church College.
‘The thing that every naturalist, explorer, adventurer and conservationist have in common is their passion for learning and being learning enthusiasts; their way of looking at the world as a puzzle that needs to be understood. We are all students, and every day is a different lesson.’ Steve Backshall
Transdisciplinary Themes
Transdisciplinary Themes: During the year we will cover the following transdisciplinary themes:
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- Sharing the planet
- How we organise ourselves
- How the world works
When following these themes, we will have a central idea and some key concepts which our inquiry will be based around.
Homework
For homework please use Times Tables Rock Stars to improve the quick recall of times tables facts. In June, there is a times tables check for all Year 4 students. Reading should be undertaken everyday if possible. Pupils also have Spelling Shed to help them with their spelling and a login for Languagenut to improve their Spanish skills.
Reading
Children can change their book whenever they have read. We ask that an adult sign the book so that we know that your child has read and been asked questions about the text. Please try to talk about new vocabulary in the text so that your child knows what the words mean. They can then use them in their own writing. If your child has read at least 3 times a week, they will have their bookmark ticked and this leads to different rewards.
PE
PE is on Tuesday. We ask that children come to school in their kits. Please make sure long hair is tied back and jewellery has been removed.
Knowledge Organisers
In this module, we will be looking at the orientation in place and time, personal histories, homes and journeys, the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind, the relationship between the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
- As part of our VIPERS, we will be looking at the book ‘El Deafo’ by Cece Bell. These novels will also link with our writing outcomes in this module.
- In our maths lessons, we will be looking at decimals, money and time.
- During our Science lessons, we will be looking at Sound.
- In History, we will be looking at The History of BSL and as part of our Geography lessons, we will be looking at Biomes.
- In Art and DT, we will be looking at artwork by sculptors, specifically looking at Auguste Rodin.
- In Music, we will be looking at percussion (ripples).
- In Spanish, we will be learning about animals, colours and sizes.
- In Computing, we will be looking at creating media (photo editing).
- In PE, we will be learning multi skills and the skills that go with it.
- In PSHE, we will be looking into growing and changing.
- In Religious Education, we will be looking at what it means to be a Hindu in Britain today!
We look forward to sharing with you all of our amazing work!
how we organise ourselves
Core Texts:
- The Captive Celt
- Empire’s End: A Roman Story
Maths:
- Fractions
- Decimals
Science:
- Animals, including humans
- Food chains
History:
- Romans
Geography:
- Earthquakes
- Volcanoes
Computing:
- Data collecting
- Analysing data
Spanish:
- Hobbies
- Pets
- Where we live
PSHE:
- Physical health
- Mental wellbeing
- Keeping safe
RE:
- Looking at different religions
- Why people think life is like a journey
- What significant events mark this
PE:
- Netball and the skills that go with it
Art:
- Artwork by Boris Anrep
Music:
- Fanfare of the Common Man
DT:
- Making a mosaic based on work by Boris Anrep
how the world works
Central Idea:
Rivers as a natural resource may be changing due to human use.
Core Texts:
- Wind in the Willows
English Writing:
- Setting description
- Narrative
- Use of speech in a text
- Play scripts
Maths:
- Factor pairs
- Multiplication of 2 and 3 digit numbers
- Division of 2 digit numbers
- Multiplying by 10 and 100
- Length
- Perimeter
Science:
- Living things and their habitat
- Grouping and classifying plants and animals
- Know what a habitat is
- Know how change can affect a habitat
History:
- What are the impacts of flooding?
- Historical flooding
- Flooding and its impact
- Measures to prevent flooding
- Ordering events chronologically
Geography:
- How rivers are formed
- Know the features of the River Trent
- Collect data about a river in the South East
Spanish:
- Information about yourself
PSHE:
- Digital footprints
- Buying online
- Keeping track of money
Computing:
- Sound recordings
- Digital media
RE:
- Make connections between Jesus’ teachings and the way Christians live today
- Holy Week events
Art:
- Select colours to show mood
- Study The Hay Wain
Music:
- Improvise melodies
- Compose acoustic styles
sharing the planet
Central Idea:
Relationships between communities may differ based on their locality.
Core Texts:
- Madame Pamplemousse and her Incredible Edibles
English Writing:
- Persuasive leaflet about Paris
- Writing to compare and discuss
- Diary entry
Maths:
- Area of shapes
- Multiplication
- Division
- 3, 6 and 9 times tables and the related division facts
- 7, 11 and 12 times tables
Science:
- Animals, including humans
- What is the digestive system?
- Identify different types of teeth
- Investigate, classify and present data
History:
- Who was Marie Curie?
- Consider the impact Marie Curie had on the world
- Discuss significant events in her life
- Ordering events chronologically
Geography:
- Maps and globes
- Features of our area, Europe and Italy
- Using 4-figure coordinates
Spanish:
- Colours
- Numbers
PSHE:
- Worries
- Concerns
- Values
- Respecting differences
Computing:
- The use of Google Sheets
- Quizzes
RE:
- Understanding the Buddhist faith and customs
Art:
- Collage
- Photography
Music:
- Exploring the theme to Pink Panther
DT:
- Preparing food and a pasta dish
- Knowing where food comes from
who we are
Central Idea:
Conflicts and criminal activity between networks may corrupt leadership and justice.
Core Texts:
- Agent Asha
- Cruel Crime
- Painful Punishment
English Writing:
- Informal letters
- Motivational speeches
- Non-chronological report
Maths:
- Place value
- Use of 4 digit numbers
- Addition
- Subtraction
Science:
- Naming electrical appliances
- Creating a simple circuit
- Identifying whether or not a lamp will light
History:
- Crime and punishment across the ages
Geography:
- Revision of continents and oceans
- Mapping phone signals and internet cables
Spanish:
- Everything about me: name, age, where I live
PSHE:
- Families and friendships
- Safe relationships
Computing:
- Internet safety
RE:
- Who is Sikh and what do they believe?
- Gurdwara visit
PE:
- Hockey skills
Art:
- Jill Magid
- The spy project
Music:
- This Little Light of Mine
DT:
- Design a spy gadget
- Link to Agent Asha
Paul O’Grady was an English comedian, broadcaster, drag queen, actor and writer. In the 2000’s, Paul became the presenter of a number of television and radio shows. He has been honoured for his charity work and love for animals.
Paul is most commonly known for his work with Battersea dogs and cats home.He had been an ambassador for the animal rescue centre – now known simply as Battersea – since 2012. Over the course of his time as an ambassador, Paul fronted campaigns, showcased the rescue centre on TV and he even rehomed some residents himself. Paul O’Grady has always been very reflective within his work as he has worked with a number of different charities who he has supported over the years.
Transdisciplinary Themes
Transdisciplinary Themes: During the year we will cover the following transdisciplinary themes:
- Who we are
- Where we are in place and time
- How we express ourselves
- Sharing the planet
- How we organise ourselves
- How the world works
When following these themes, we will have a central idea and some key concepts which our inquiry will be based around.
Homework
Homework for children will be uploaded to Google Classroom weekly. The children should complete this every week, which should be uploaded onto Google Classroom or handed to school every Friday.
Times Tables Rockstars
This year we will be focusing on fast recall of all timetables; TTRS allows the children to practise this and provides the class teacher with data on which timetables might need to be reviewed. Children can log onto their accounts at home whenever they wish. If you could support your child in practising their timetables, this would be highly appreciated. If your child does not know their log in please do let me know and this can be sorted.
Reading (VIPERS)
Every day the children will be doing 30 minutes of reading; this will involve reading a piece of text and answering a range of questions. The skills the children will learn in reading are Vocabulary, Inferring, Predicting, Explaining, Retrieving and Summarising. There will also be one session a week where children read for pleasure, meaning that they can choose any book they would like. Children are provided with a reading journal with an opportunity to change their books every day. It is expected that children read daily at home, and this is to be recorded in their reading journals.
Spanish
Once a week, the children will learn Spanish following a sequence of lessons that develop their language knowledge. We will be using a scheme known as Languagenut. The children are able to practise their Spanish at home. If they are not sure of their log in, please do ask.
PE
This term we will be having PE on Tuesdays and children are required to wear their PE kit to school. Please refer to the letter on the gate for reference to PE dates.
Knowledge Organisers
In this module, we will be looking at the orientation in place and time, personal histories, homes and journeys, the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind, the relationship between the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
- As part of our VIPERS, we will be looking at the book ‘El Deafo’ by Cece Bell. These novels will also link with our writing outcomes in this module.
- In our maths lessons, we will be looking at decimals, money and time.
- During our Science lessons, we will be looking at Sound.
- In History, we will be looking at The History of BSL and as part of our Geography lessons, we will be looking at Biomes.
- In Art and DT, we will be looking at artwork by sculptors, specifically looking at Auguste Rodin.
- In Music, we will be looking at percussion (ripples).
- In Spanish, we will be learning about animals, colours and sizes.
- In Computing, we will be looking at creating media (photo editing).
- In PE, we will be learning multi skills and the skills that go with it.
- In PSHE, we will be looking into growing and changing.
- In Religious Education, we will be looking at what it means to be a Hindu in Britain today!
We look forward to sharing with you all of our amazing work!
how we organise ourselves
Core Texts:
- The Captive Celt
- Empire’s End: A Roman Story
Maths:
- Fractions
- Decimals
Science:
- Animals, including humans
- Food chains
History:
- Romans
Geography:
- Earthquakes
- Volcanoes
Computing:
- Data collecting
- Analysing data
Spanish:
- Hobbies
- Pets
- Where we live
PSHE:
- Physical health
- Mental wellbeing
- Keeping safe
RE:
- Looking at different religions
- Why people think life is like a journey
- What significant events mark this
PE:
- Netball and the skills that go with it
Art:
- Artwork by Boris Anrep
Music:
- Fanfare of the Common Man
DT:
- Making a mosaic based on work by Boris Anrep
how the world works
Central Idea:
Rivers as a natural resource may be changing due to human use.
Core Texts:
- Wind in the Willows
English Writing:
- Setting description
- Narrative
- Use of speech in a text
- Play scripts
Maths:
- Factor pairs
- Multiplication of 2 and 3 digit numbers
- Division of 2 digit numbers
- Multiplying by 10 and 100
- Length
- Perimeter
Science:
- Living things and their habitat
- Grouping and classifying plants and animals
- Know what a habitat is
- Know how change can affect a habitat
History:
- What are the impacts of flooding?
- Historical flooding
- Flooding and its impact
- Measures to prevent flooding
- Ordering events chronologically
Geography:
- How rivers are formed
- Know the features of the River Trent
- Collect data about a river in the South East
Spanish:
- Information about yourself
PSHE:
- Digital footprints
- Buying online
- Keeping track of money
Computing:
- Sound recordings
- Digital media
RE:
- Make connections between Jesus’ teachings and the way Christians live today
- Holy Week events
Art:
- Select colours to show mood
- Study The Hay Wain
Music:
- Improvise melodies
- Compose acoustic styles
sharing the planet
Central Idea:
Relationships between communities may differ based on their locality.
Core Texts:
- Madame Pamplemousse and her Incredible Edibles
English Writing:
- Persuasive leaflet about Paris
- Writing to compare and discuss
- Diary entry
Maths:
- Area of shapes
- Multiplication
- Division
- 3, 6 and 9 times tables and the related division facts
- 7, 11 and 12 times tables
Science:
- Animals, including humans
- What is the digestive system?
- Identify different types of teeth
- Investigate, classify and present data
History:
- Who was Marie Curie?
- Consider the impact Marie Curie had on the world
- Discuss significant events in her life
- Ordering events chronologically
Geography:
- Maps and globes
- Features of our area, Europe and Italy
- Using 4-figure coordinates
Spanish:
- Colours
- Numbers
PSHE:
- Worries
- Concerns
- Values
- Respecting differences
Computing:
- The use of Google Sheets
- Quizzes
RE:
- Understanding the Buddhist faith and customs
Art:
- Collage
- Photography
Music:
- Exploring the theme to Pink Panther
DT:
- Preparing food and a pasta dish
- Knowing where food comes from
who we are
Central Idea:
Conflicts and criminal activity between networks may corrupt leadership and justice.
Core Texts:
- Agent Asha
- Cruel Crime
- Painful Punishment
English Writing:
- Informal letters
- Motivational speeches
- Non-chronological report
Maths:
- Place value
- Use of 4 digit numbers
- Addition
- Subtraction
Science:
- Naming electrical appliances
- Creating a simple circuit
- Identifying whether or not a lamp will light
History:
- Crime and punishment across the ages
Geography:
- Revision of continents and oceans
- Mapping phone signals and internet cables
Spanish:
- Everything about me: name, age, where I live
PSHE:
- Families and friendships
- Safe relationships
Computing:
- Internet safety
RE:
- Who is Sikh and what do they believe?
- Gurdwara visit
PE:
- Hockey skills
Art:
- Jill Magid
- The spy project
Music:
- This Little Light of Mine
DT:
- Design a spy gadget
- Link to Agent Asha