Welcome back. Happy New Year. I hope 2019 is brilliant for you all.

This term our topic is called 'Blue Planet' and we are focusing on the seas and oceans of the world. We are particularly looking at marine life and endangered species of animals which live in and around our oceans. We will look at the impact of climate change and pollution and link this to our writing. we will be writing scripts for a wildlife documentary and also pieces of persuasive writing to discuss how to save our endangered species.

Thank you for all your hard work learning times tables last term. please keep it up. Some of you have been asking for maths homework. Ask your child about Sumdog an online resource they can do at home. They have got a log in  password. If they have lost it, I have got a copy.

We are moving on to fractions soon in our maths and hopefully, all the times table practise will really help them.

Could you also practise telling the time please, it is a concept they need to be using all the time to become confident.

Year 4 will continue to do PE with Mr Musgrove and computing and spelling with Mr Webster. Enrichment will also continue on Friday afternoons. 

Hopefully by the end of this term, mornings and evenings will be lighter and brighter. Have a good half term and don't hesitate to contact staff if you have a query.

Reading in Year 4

A few parents have been asking about when and how often children get chance to read in Year 4, so I am putting it here for you to see.

• We read as a class almost every day. This is known as Guided Reading and we are going to read Around the World in Eighty Days this term. We either read as a class with different children reading out loud, in small groups with an adult or independently. We then do activities which pick apart the book eg identifying unknown vocabulary, drama to show relationships between characters and lots of questioning and sharing of ideas. We learn strategies such as skimming and scanning and summarising.
• Sometimes in Guided Reading, we look at a shorter text and practise comprehension skills.
• Each morning, I read with a group, which makes sure I work more closely with individual children and can question them about their understanding of the text.
• Two groups have been identified who would benefit from more teaching of comprehension skills or who are just shy and would benefit from working in a small group and they will have an extra comprehension session each week with Miss Chowdry.
• I believe that children really benefit from 1:1 reading and the attention which is focused on them during this time. All children will get an opportunity to read to an adult 1:1 and it would really help if they have their reading book /reading record in school every day please.
• Throughout the day, there are numerous times when reading is part of the lesson, especially in English and topic work (including research on i-pads.
• I am passionate about reading. I absolutley love it myself and would love to pass this on to the children. Year 4 are excellent readers and it is great to see them asking to bring in books from home as they are so enthralled.
• Please take the time to read with your child and spend that wonderful 1:1 time with them (whilst they will still let you!)