Welcome back to our final 2 terms of the year! I hope everyone had a great and restful Easter break. Terms 5 and 6 bring lots of very exciting opportunities and I’m looking forward to a brilliant summer term.
Reminders
Please make sure all belongings (water bottles, jumpers and PE kits) are named to avoid missing items.
Mrs Taplin
History
Our theme for both of these terms will be The Battle of Britain. We will be thinking about the key questions ‘Did we win the Battle of Britain because of ‘the few’?’ and ‘What happened in Sussex during the Battle of Britain and the Second World War?’ Before half term we will be looking specifically at how World War Two started, what the Battle of Britain was, why it started and how it was fought. After half term, we will be looking closely at how this affected the local community. We are lucky enough to have the opportunity to go on a trip to Newhaven Fort which will give us hands on experience and more information on the war itself.
Reading
During whole class reading this term, we will be finishing off ‘Clockwork’ by Philip Pullman and then moving onto reading ‘Stormbreaker’ by Anthony Horowitz. These sessions give the class an opportunity to read a book together, practice reading aloud with expression, and answer comprehension style questions.
Maths
Term 5 and 6 brings lots of different maths topics. Once we have completed our decimals unit, the year 4s will begin by looking at money, whilst the year 5s will complete their fractions, decimals and percentages learning. We will then move on to looking at length, including converting between different lengths, perimeter and area. Following this, we will look at shape, position, and direction and angles. We will finish the year by covering statistics. During these terms the year 4s will also revise time, which will include a small recap for the year 5s.
Times Tables
We will be continuing to work hard on our times tables knowledge, which is particularly important for year 4s due to their upcoming multiplication check in June (more information on this will be provided nearer the time). It’s really important that all children are working on their times tables at home, in short sharp bursts.
RE
In RE we use the big question approach to organise our learning. This term we will be considering the questions: ‘When Jesus left, what was the impact of Pentecost?’ and ‘How and why do people mark the significant events of life?’
Art
In term 5 we will be working on painting and mixed media, inspired by lots of different artists. In term 6 we will be working on watercolour painting inspired by Eric Ravilious’ ‘HMS Glorious In Arctic 1940’. Art will be taught by Mrs Hall and Miss Butler.
Music
We will continue to have our regular singing sessions with Mrs Bayman, alongside looking at some traditional wartime music.
Computing
In Computing this term, we will be exploring programming using Microbits!
English
Before half term, we will be reading ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’, a historical fiction set in wartime about children who are evacuated to the Devonshire countryside. In term 6, we will be reading ‘The Lion and The Unicorn’ by Shirley Hughes. These will not only link into our history theme, but inspire both narrative and non-fiction writing.
Spelling
We use ‘Superhero Spellings’ to support our spelling skills. This approach has 3 stages: learn, build and show. The children will be given opportunities to practice the words for the rule throughout the week, before completing 10 dictation sentences on Fridays. These will be stuck in the back of homework books for the children to refer back to if needed. The children will be split into year groups during these sessions.
Science
In term 5 we will be learning about reproduction of animals and plants, before moving onto electricity in term 6.
PSHE
For PSHE, we follow the Jigsaw scheme of work. In term 5, we our topic will be ‘Relationships’ and in term 6 we will be looking at ‘Changing Me’. The children will be taught in individual year groups for the Changing Me piece.
PE
In both term 5 and 6, the children will be developing their striking and fielding skills. This will have a Stoolball focus in term 5 and move onto Rounders in term 6, when we will be joined by the year 5s from Class 5 for PE lessons due to the year 6 swimming lessons. We are also lucky enough to have specialist PE sessions from ‘Bright Sparks’ in term 5, working on Athletics, and Zara Breeze is back in term 6 for some fitness, strength and conditioning. PE will take place on Mondays and Tuesdays. Full summer PE kit is expected.
DT
We will be finishing off our mechanical vehicles DT project at the beginning of term 5, and in term 6, we will be looking at electrical systems. The children will be making their own air raid sirens and shelters.
MFL
The children will be working on their conversational skills and learning useful phrases that could be used in France. This will help our year 5s for their upcoming trip to France!
Homework
The children will be sent home with a homework menu for the term. Each week the children will select one task to complete. This is sent out on Wednesdays to be handed back in on a Monday.
Spelling
Each week the children will be working on a different spelling rule and receive 10 spelling words. A list of these can be found stuck into homework books for the children to practise at home.
These will also be worked on in class and at the end of the week the children will complete dictation sentences including these 10 words.
Dictation sentences will be stuck into the back of homework books each week in order to see progress and any words/spelling rules that may need to be worked on further.
Reading
Reading is required every night which is to be shown in their reading records. Please bring completed reading records in for reading certificates.
Times tables
Don’t forget to keep practicing times tables at home whenever you can. We have a leader board for studio speed/Rockstar status up in the classroom which is updated weekly.
If you need your TT Rockstars logins, just send me an email.
Key Dates
Wednesday 22nd April – Author Visit
Thursday 23rd April – Uckfield College PE
Friday 24th April – Young at Heart for selected Year 4 pupils
Friday 1st May – Reading Café for parents of Year 3 and 4. All year 4 parents are invited to share and read books with their children at 2:40pm
Monday 4th May – Bank Holiday
Wednesday 13th May – Uckfield College maths visit for Year 5
Wednesday 20th May – Year 5 and 6 French trip
Thursday 21st May – Year 4 Assembly
Friday 22nd May – Last Day of Term 5
Monday 1st June – Inset Day
Tuesday 2nd June – Start of Term 6
2nd June – 5th June – Year 4 Multiplication Check
15th June – 19th June – Assessment Week
Wednesday 24th June – Sports Day
Thursday 25th June – Class 4 and 5 trip to Newhaven Fort
Wednesday 1st July – Reserve Sports Day
Friday 3rd July – Reading Café for parents of Year 5 and 6. All year 5 parents are invited to share and read books with their children at 2:40pm
Saturday 4th July – PTA Summer Fair
Friday 10th July – Moving up morning.
Wednesday 15th July – Whole School performance- afternoon and evening.
Thursday 16th July – Whole school performance- evening.
Tuesday 21st July – Last Day of Term 6 & Cup Assembly
Wednesday 22nd July – Inset Day
