Practice that feels like play!
Practice that feels like play! Does this sound beneficial for your child? Have a look at IXL. It’s an online tool where you can access different activities to help your child practise basic skills.
It’s split into year groups, specifically looking at English and Maths, then each subject is broken down into sections. You can get a flavour of the activities by hovering over the title and can have a go at some of them – it looks great fun and very child friendly. The questions are all interactive and there are detailed explanations for new concepts.
There is a small monthly fee if you wish to sign up. Take a look – it might be something you want to explore.
Ukulele
Year 4 have started to learn how to play the ukulele.
The whole class are thoroughly enjoyed these weekly sessions, and so far have really impressed the music tutor. The children have begun to learn some of the basic notes and finger positions. They will, in time, go on to playing songs.
What’s that coming over the hill?
Is it a monster?
Continuing on with our text focus, Orion and the Dark, we have had fun creating our own monsters.
First of all, the children were asked to describe their monster. Using different parts of the body we were able to create a bank of adjectives. Using these, the children went on to create some expanded noun phrases. Here is an example of how we set this work out.
- ears noun
- wrinkly ears adjective noun
- wrinkly, old ears adjective adjective noun
- wrinkly, old ears that can hear a pin drop extra detail
- My monster has wrinkly, old ears that can hear a pin drop. full sentence
Then, it was time to get creative. The children sketched their monsters first. After this, using clay, we set to work. Children had to select tools needed to make patterns, cut, flatten and decorate their models. When complete, the models were baked and are now on display in the classroom.
Below, are a few pictures of the children at work.
Key Stage 2 tuck shop
Our fruit tuck shop returns next Tuesday, 19 September. The tuck shop is available for Years 3 – 6 at playtime every Tuesday and we regularly sell over 100 portions of fruit every week.
The cost per portion of 20p remains the same this year and children can either pay weekly by bringing money on the day or take advantage of our pre-payment offer of one free week per term.
Please return the prepayment reply slip by the end of the week if you would like your child to have that option.
Here are some quotes about our tuck shop from the recent pupil health questionnaires.
- ‘It is excellent as you get a range of different fruits.’
- ‘I think tuck shop has yummy fruits.’
- ‘You are selling healthy stuff which is good for us.’
- ‘You don’t feel hungry during lesson time.’
- ‘I really like it as it is a nice healthy snack.’
- ‘It’s very good and keeps our school healthy.’
- ‘You get to have fruit at a low price and it helps you to have one of your 5 a day.’
Flexible bodies
In our Friday PE this half term, we will concentrate on balance, shape and teamwork. This will build up to dance related sessions with the children performing a short sequence of movements by the end. Children will plan, perform and repeat short sequences that include changes of speed and level, with clear shapes and quality of movement.
In most of these lessons, the children will work in bare feet. However, if your child has any problems with that, such as verrucas or blisters, then they can leave their footwear on.
For our first lesson, we focused on shape and balance. Children were asked to create shapes using their bodies only. Following that, we looked at which part of our bodies we could balance safely on.
There were some superb balances taking place. In a small group, the children then had to incorporate an object into their balance and hold it for three seconds. This was tricky but I was impressed by the determination shown to be able to achieve this.
Take a look at some photos of our work below.
Welcome back!
Welcome back to what is set to be a busy term full of exciting learning. We hope that you all enjoyed the summer break. It was great to see all the children settle so well back into school. Attitudes to learning have been impressive so far – let’s keep this up! We like to keep you up to date with what’s going on in class so please keep checking the class news page on the school website regularly.
Our focus for the next two weeks is around a book called Orion and the Dark written by Emma Yarlett.
This is a beautifully written book, with engaging illustrations that help to tell the story of a little boy’s fear of the dark. What’s unusual here is that Dark is represented as a friendly being, and the book reveals why Dark really isn’t that scary after all. This book will form most of our English and reading activities. During the two weeks, the children will design and make their own monster using clay and look closely at constellations in the night sky.
In fact, work has already started on our monsters.
Here’s a quick peek! More to follow.
Following that, jump aboard the Year 4 Discovery ship as we head out on our adventure as explorers! Throughout this Big Topic, we’ll be studying famous explorers and their expeditions, use geographical skills for map reading and direction, look closely at some of the wonders of the world and much more. We are also planning to take the children out on a trip full of adventure and exploration! More details to follow.
Linking to our big topic, the first class novel will be Robinson Crusoe written by Daniel Defoe.
This classic novel has been adapted especially for younger children and has fantastic reviews. Here is an example: “I bought two copies of this book so my grandson could have one and I the other. He is nine years old so still enjoys being read to. The book is written at his level. I would recommend this book to anyone who is eight/nine years old, or thereabouts, and parents or grandparents reading one of the classics to their offspring.”
How can you help?
Question your child about the book. What do they know about the characters? Have they learnt anything new?
What questions would you ask if you met some of the characters?
Indoor and outdoor kits are needed in school each week. PE will be twice a week (Mondays and Fridays). Please ensure your child has a full kit in school. Also, please note that there has been an addition to the uniform policy regarding earrings. Children who wear earrings will be asked to remove them prior to a PE lesson. This must be carried out by the child. If they are unable to remove or put earrings back in by themselves, they must not wear them on the day they have PE.
Maths
Place value, rounding numbers and comparing numbers are all on our maths agenda. Alongside this, there will be daily counting and times tables practice. If you need any ideas of how best to support your child with their maths, then please feel free to ask. There is also a lot of guidance on the school website.
Living and Learning
Living and Learning is our new name for SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning).
Living and Learning will continue to cover SEAL learning but will also incorporate other aspects of PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) such as keeping safe, identity, drug education, physical health, rights and responsibilities and healthy minds.
We begin our Living and Learning learning this week with a focus on manners: I can greet someone politely.
For the rest of this half-term, we’re thinking about the ‘8 Rs for learning’. This theme is about promoting good learning behaviour for your child.
Each week, we’ll focus on two different ‘Rs’. We use an animal to symbolise each ‘R’, which might help your child remember all eight – can your child remember which animal matches the correct ‘R’?
You can support your child at home – we’ve listed a few ideas to help you below. Ask us if you’ve any questions or comments.
Download top tips for promoting the 8Rs for good learning behaviour.
I can show I am ready to learn.
Make sure your child is at school for a prompt start of 08:50.
Make sure your child has had plenty of sleep so they are alert and ready to learn at all times.
Encourage your child to ask lots of questions – that shows they want to learn!
I respond to feedback.
Ask your child if they remember their ‘stars’ and ‘steps’ in English and Maths.
I take a safe risk.
Talk about the difference between a safe and unsafe risk. At school, we want your child to take a safe risk by having a go at answering, even if unsure; trying something new and attempting harder learning.
I take responsibility for my own learning.
Provide time and space at home so your child is able to organise themselves: their PE kit, reading book, homework, spellings and tables… Don’t organise everything for them!
Make a link between rights and responsibilities: your child has the right to a great education, but needs to be responsible for their own learning.
I am resourceful.
Encourage your child to be organised so they can play with a range of different toys.
Encourage your child to try new ways to solve a tricky problem.
I am resilient.
Encourage your child to keep going! Set a tricky challenge or puzzle for your child to do.
Encourage your child to think of different ways of doing things.
Don’t let your child win when they play a game – they need to experience losing, too!
Celebrate mistakes as opportunities to learn – be happy that your child found some learning hard and encourage them to ‘bounce back’ and learn from the experience.
I remember.
Make sure they have time to learn spellings, number bonds and times tables – a little practice daily is best.
Play memory games:
Kim’s game: show them objects for 30 seconds… can they remember all the objects?
Can they build up the sequence, ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple and a bike.’… ‘I went to the shop and I bought an apple, a bike and a cucumber.’ etc … Take turns!
I reflect about my learning.
Talk with your child about what they’ve learnt, asking questions about:
how they learnt
why they learnt it
when they’ll use their learning
how they would teach this to someone else
what learning might link with what they’ve learnt today etc
School meals
Following feedback from parents and pupils (School Council and pupil health questionnaires), and a successful trial of children selecting their main meal on Fridays, we will be extending this to every day from next week. Children will select their main meal choice at registration.
Please share the menu with your child so they are aware of the choices for each day.
Raring to go!
The Y4 staff are looking forward to welcoming you and your child back to school on Tuesday 05 September. We hope that you have all enjoyed the summer break – we can’t wait to hear about the exciting things you’ve all been up to.
Leeds Children’s Mayor voting
Congratulations to Pippa who was selected as our school entry and submitted her manifesto to be considered as the new Leeds Children’s Mayor.
Out of 48 entries, unfortunately Pippa wasn’t selected as one of the finalists.
Children are invited to vote for their two favourite manifestos from the twelve candidates.
The finalist who has the most votes when voting closes on 15 September will be elected as the new Children’s Mayor of Leeds.