Year 4

Welcome to Year 4!

Below you will find information about our current projects that we are learning about. We hope you will find the information helpful. Check out the knowledge organisers which include all of the important aspects of our learning this term!

Autumn 1:

This half term, we will visit a Roman Villa to experience life as a Roman. We will analyse the key events of the Roman occupation of Britain on a timeline. We will focus on the Celtic warrior queen, Boudicca, who will inspire us to create stories, models and artwork. Using a range of resources, such as maps, pictures and atlases, we will compare life and climate in England and Italy. With modelling clay, we will create our own Roman coins as well as a historical figure from the time. We will discuss what bravery is as part of our PSHE lessons, linking this to our learning about Roman gladiators, focusing on Spartacus. We will finish our project by considering how the Romans changed Britain today.

Autumn 2:

Grab your wetsuit! We’re going on a deep sea adventure.

This half term, we’ll visit an aquarium to gain an insight into the ocean world. We’ll sketch different creatures and create sculptures of our favourite. Using maps, globes and atlases, we’ll identify the world’s oceans and seas. We’ll also find different ways of grouping living things, using classification keys to help us identify and sort creatures from the sea.  We’ll research Jacques Cousteau and write biographies about his exciting explorations. After locating the Great Barrier Reef on a map, we’ll learn about the risks it faces. To end the project we will look at the human impact on our oceans and create a presentation to raise awareness of the dangers of pollution.

Spring 1:

We’re travelling back to 1066, probably the most famous date in English history. These are troubled times and there is danger afoot. A much loved king is dead and a French Duke has staked a claim for our kingdom. Discover a changing England, shaped by shires, protected by castles and ruled by foreign knights. Use the famous Bayeux Tapestry to explore the significant events of 1066. What happened when, and how did William of Normandy come to be called the Conqueror? Design a castle with defences strong enough to hold back the enemy. What about a space for fine dining and revelry? Try and build a happy (but safe) home. You’re the architect. Are you ready for the Norman invasion? Then don your armour and watch your back.

Spring 2: 

Open wide – let’s look inside! We’re on a voyage of discovery to investigate the busy world inside your body.

This half term, we’ll find out about different dental procedures and learn new scientific vocabulary. At school, we’ll use this information to write toothy fact files. There will be lots of investigating as we learn about our different teeth, how to brush them and how sugary drinks affect them. We’ll examine the amount of sugar in different foods and create images of ourselves with healthy and unhealthy teeth. We’ll write a story describing the journey a piece of food takes through the digestive system. In science, we’ll learn about the organs involved in digestion and we’ll learn about digestion in different animals.

Summer 1:

In the Misty Mountain, Winding River project, your child will learn about the characteristics and physical processes of rivers, including how they shape the landscape over time, their significance around the world and the impact of flooding. They will learn how to use the eight points of a compass, four and six-figure grid references, symbols and a key to locate and plot geographical places and features on a map, as well as how contour lines are used to show the topography of an area. They will have the opportunity to learn about the stages of the water cycle and about mountains and their different formations, studying mountain ranges in the United Kingdom and around the world. They will also learn about habitats and how human and natural influences can have an impact on the environment.

Summer 2:

Buckle up and put your sunglasses on – this half term we’re going on a road trip across the USA!

We’ll start by ‘visiting’ the states where Native American tribes settled. We’ll use travel brochures and the internet to research New York and write postcards to family members. Using maps, we’ll locate the USA and find the names of the states. We’ll look at the amazing lights of Times Square, make circuits and create a program for a tourist trip around New York. We'll write diaries and explore Native American myths. We’ll create travel brochures and make illuminated models of different landmarks. 

At the end of the project, we’ll make a ‘journey stick’ so we can remember where we have visited. We’ll use this to explain our learning journey.