During Autumn Term 1, Year 4 engaged in a variety of exciting and enriching activities across our curriculum. Here’s a look at our learning highlights:
Writing
We dived into the captivating story Gorilla by Anthony Browne, which sparked our imaginations and guided us to improve our writing skills. We focused on using expanded noun phrases, speech punctuation, and fronted adverbials to make our writing more descriptive and engaging. Using the story as inspiration, we wrote key parts of the narrative and eventually crafted our own imaginative versions of the tale. This allowed us to explore storytelling from a personal perspective while refining our grammar and vocabulary.
Maths
In Maths, we concentrated on building a solid foundation in place value, working with numbers up to 4 digits. We explored how to read, write, and compare these numbers, setting the stage for more advanced calculations. We also tackled addition and subtraction, using both mental and written strategies. By applying these skills to problem solving tasks, we gained confidence in working with larger numbers.
Geography
Our Geography unit focused on rivers, where we explored how they are formed and their importance to the natural world. We studied the 10 largest rivers in the world, including their unique features and geographical locations. Additionally, we learned about the water cycle, understanding how water moves through our environment in its various forms.
Art
In Art, we embarked on a creative journey through the theme of Storytelling through Drawing. Inspired by illustrators like Laura Carlin and Shaun Tan, we experimented with mark-making using charcoals of different sizes. Our sketchbooks became the starting point for generating ideas and practicing techniques. This process culminated in the creation of sequenced images based on The Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll. By combining our artistic skills and imagination, we brought this iconic poem to life in unique and inventive ways.
Science
In Science, we began the unit States of Matter, exploring the properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Through hands-on investigations and experiments, we examined how materials can change state and the conditions required for these changes to occur. This unit sparked curiosity and deepened our understanding of the physical world around us.
Reflection
This half term, Year 4 worked hard to develop a wide range of skills across subjects. From writing our own stories and solving mathematical problems to exploring rivers and creating artistic masterpieces, we’ve had an inspiring and productive start to the year. Our curiosity, creativity, and commitment to learning have been evident throughout, and we can’t wait to continue our journey!
