Year 4
"A child is like a butterfly in the wind. Some can fly higher than others, but each one flies the best it can. Why compare each one against another?
Each one is different. Each one is special. Each one is beautiful."
Author unknown
Introduction
Welcome to year 4, a time to mature and develop our individual skills and talents, to truly let our light shine.
In Year 4, through a range of exciting topics and experiences, the children are encouraged to grow in confidence and find their voice. They are given opportunities to work collaboratively as a team, to investigate and to perform whenever they can. A strong element of creativity is a key aspect of our planning, to stretch and engage young minds.
Some good examples of important events in the year are:
- Bringing History to life by visiting Roman Chester and patrolling the streets with a Roman soldier.
- Taking part in our Nativity Play, where everyone is given a chance to perform and bring the story of the Nativity to life.
- Weekly swimming lessons at Altrincham Leisure Centre.
Curriculum coverage
We begin our year with a curriculum evening for parents, where we look at what the year will bring for the children in Year 4 and the expectations that are set.
Our Science programme is practical, investigative and stimulating, building upon previous learning. The children are encouraged to explore and exchange ideas, but above all to question scientific phenomena. In Design and Technology, our scientific studies are used to help design a healthy sandwich.
A cross curricular approach to learning is taken whenever possible. In Humanities, our understanding of the Roman period is used to write a newspaper report in English and design a leaflet for a visit to a Roman museum. In Geography the children are given the opportunity to explore Europe, focussing on the Alpine region.
In ICT we are software developers, whereby the children are given the opportunity to develop a simple educational game, using the software Scratch. They design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals. Our creativity is developed further in spring, when the children become toy designers, prototyping an interactive toy. In the summer term our ICT studies influence and enhance our understanding of Music, as the children use programs to create and edit a musical composition.
The study of Music, provides further opportunities for our children to shine, both individually and as a class or year group. During the autumn term, we focus on popular songs, such as those created by Abba, where the children can not only learn to sing the melody, but can join in action games to accompany the music. As we prepare for Christmas, we practise traditional carols for our Christmas service, in addition to the songs for our production.
In Art we focus on creating Tone in Colour. The children are inspired by artists such as Van Gogh and African mask designs, to experiment with colour. They are given the opportunity to create their own 3D tonal design, explore collage work and create symmetrical masks.. Later in the year, the designs of David Hockney are used to inspire the children to create a room of their own using the shapes and colour they have observed.
We hope the experiences they receive in Year 4 thoroughly prepare them for the challenges of the upper school.
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