WELCOME TO YEAR 4 KITES

Kites are powerful, yet graceful creatures and journey through life with a strong sense of togetherness. As the oldest of the lower key stage two, our class feel passionately about working together as a team and helping those around us. 

THIS TERMS THEME

'Explore More'

 Please scroll down to see our curriculum map to find out all about this term's learning. In Year 4, we will be learning about the local area. We will be learning about Isaac Merritt Singer, as well as completing observational drawings of Oldway Mansion. 

P.E AND DANCE DAYS

 P.E and Dance are on Tuesdays.

Please ensure that your child has the correct kit in school all week, which is clearly labelled. For more information about kit requirements, please visit our 'Physical Educaton &School Sports ' page.  We will ensure that PE kits are sent home at the end of every half term.

HOME LEARNING DAYS

Home Learning will be handed out on a Friday and collected in on a Wednesday. This will give you the opportunity to explore aspects of your child's learning if you wish.

UPCOMING EVENTS

18.04 First day back

21.04 - National Gardening day

27.04 Teachers STRIKE day 

1.05 - Bank holiday

02.05 - Teachers STRIKE day 

04.05 – Kestrels Reach Outdoors Trip

08.05 - Bank holiday Kings coronation

12.05 – Kites Reach Outdoors Trip

18.05 – Kingfishers Reach Ourdoors Trip 

26.05 -  Last day of term

June - Pride month

5-7.06 Kites Residential 

7-9.06 Kestrels Residential

12-14.06 Kingfishers Residential 

05.06 – 16.06  - Y4 Multiplication tables check

20.06 - Sports day

26.06 - RSHE week

06.07 - Transition day 

07.07 - Summer Fayre 2pm

13.07 Annual Reports out to parents

13.07 – Year 4 Learning Celebration (in classrooms)

25.07 - Last day of term 

MEET THE TEAM

If there are any issues or concerns, please feel free to come in and see your child's class teacher (Mr Passmore)

bpassmore@white-rock-primary.torbay.sch.uk

ACADEMIC YEAR 2022/2023

Summer TERM

Summer Term Curriculum Map

Monday 17th July 2023 - Maths

This week, Year 4 took part in a Money Sense day. We discussed the importance of money and how it is used. Then, we took part in activities to explore how we could save electricity and money around the home through the everyday appliances we use. 

Wednesday 12th July 2023 - Music

Year 4 were really lucky to be able to take part in a Drum Workshop led by James.  He taught us all about the djembes and where they originated from.  We learnt how to create bass and tone sounds using the djembes and performed a song together called Funga Alafia which is an African welcome song.

Tuesday 11th July 2023 - Dance

Year 4 have been using the Royal Ballet's Alice in Wonderland to create dances based on characters from it. Over the past two weeks, we have looked at the Mad Hatter and used a hat as a prop (for the first time ever) in our dances. We had to use different ways to pass the hats around, including a jump, a turn and different levels. Take a look at our creations below. 

Thursday 6^th July 2023 - Transition Day

On Thursday, we spent the day in our new Year 5 classroom, Merlins, with our new teacher, Mrs Sharman. We completed activities such as an 'All about me' booklet so that Mrs Sharman can get to know us as individuals. We then wrote a letter to our future selves at the end of Year 5 and decorated an envelope. I wonder what we will have learnt in that time! In the afternoon, we got creative and completed a self-portrait. At the end of the school day, our adults were invited to see our new classroom. We had a great day and are looking forward to being in Year 5 with Mrs Sharman in September. 

Friday 30^th June 2023 – Design and Technology

In DT, we have used Lego Wedo sets to build a mechanical structure that imitates a prosthetic arm.  They have demonstrated great teamwork skills to successfully build and program the structure so that it is able to grab a variety of objects.  They have designed their own objects to see if the structure is robust enough.  They have discussed any changes that they needed to make to ensure it met our set design criteria.

Wednesday 21st June 2023 - PSHE

In PSHE, Year 4 have been learning about 'teamwork' and what makes an effective team. In small teams, we were tasked with creating our own marshmallow towers without talking. Have a look at the pictures below to see how we got on!

Wednesday 14th June 2023 - History

In History, Year 4 have been learning about our local history. We have learnt about Isaac Merritt Singer and how he invented the sewing machine. As a class, we reflected on how times were different before and after the invention, before ordering different types of sewing machines in chronological order. Have a look at the pictures below! 

Wednesday 7th June 2023 - Residential

Kites had a fantastic time on their residential. Each of us challenged ourselves and tried every activity. Have a look at the photos of all 3 days below! More pictures to follow from Reach Outdoors.

Monday 5th June 2023 - Kites on Residential - Day 1

We made it! After admiring the beautiful views along the coast, we made the long trek to our camp site! We cannot wait to show you all the amazing activities we will be doing each day! Have a look below at how we starter our adventure!

Friday 9th June 2023- Spanish- Places in the town 

Year 4 were super excited to learn Places in the town in Spanish. (Mi pueblo) 

The children learnt about bull fighting in Spain and that una plaza de toros is the Spanish for bullring. 

Señorita Head introduced 6 places in the town which sound very similar to the Enlgish language. These type of words are called 'cognates'. Here are the words the children learnt during the lesson. We played lots of games to practise the new vocabulary. iMaravilloso!

un banco =bank

un parque= park

un supermercado= supermarket

un cine= cinema

un museo= museum

una playa= beach

Friday 26th May 2023 - Music

This week, Year 4 have been creating their own composition to add suspense to a section of the story 'Arthur and the Golden Rope.' We used our prior learning of the glockenspiels to create dramatic effects. 

Tuesday 23rd May 2023 - Gymnastics

Year 4 have been enjoying their Gymnastics lessons this half term. This week, Kites were practising their balancing. Take a look at some of the balances we did in the photos.

Friday 19th May 2023 - Art

In Art, Year 4 have been practicing their mark making using a variety of drawing resources, including drawing ink and charcoal. This term, they will be developing there drawing and collaging skills. Have a look at some of our learning below!

Friday 12th May 2023 - Reach Outdoors

Today, Kites had a fantastic day rock climbing and river scrambling. The children enjoyed challenging themselves. Take a look at the pictures! More pictures to follow from Reach Outdoors. 

Thursday 11th May 2023- Science

In Science, Year 4 have been learning about 'melting' and 'freezing'. We carried out an experiment to explore whether 'salt', 'sugar' or 'heat' would melt an ice cube the fastest. We observed how the solid changed into a liquid. Have a look at some of our pictures below - 

Friday 5th May 2023- Spanish- Weather in Spanish 

This week in Spanish Year 4 learnt different weather phrases. The children loved pronouncing the phrases and we discussed that  "ce" in Spanish gives a "th" sound! iQue fantastico!  We played blockbusters in Spanish to practise the new vocabulary. 

Tuesday 25^th April 2023 - Computing

This week in Computing Year 4 have been planning their own animation - to be made using Microsoft PowerPoint. They have started to create the images on slide one by: inserting shapes, grouping, ungrouping, copying and pasting, and formatting colour and line weight. The children are very excited about this project.

Tuesday 25th April 2023 - PE

This term, we have been going to Brixham to swim. We have all gained in confidence and have been working on improving our strength and technique when in the water.

Friday 21st April 2023 - Maths

Today, we have been learning to divide 1 digit numbers by 10. The children were able to use concrete resources to show how the numbers move on a place value grid. We chanted the stem sentence: When you divide by 10, you move 1 space to the right on the place value grid. 

SPRING TERM

Spring Term Curriculum Map

Thursday 30th March 2023 - Paddleboat Performance

We ended the term by inviting the parents in to see our fantastic performance about famous explorers.  Over the last half term, Year 4 have worked really hard with Paddleboat to produce this amazing performance.  They have really enjoyed learning about their explorer and telling their story through actions.  Take a look at the photos from our performance!

Thursday 23rd March 2023 - Reading and Writing

As part of our new Writing journey, we have immersed ourselves into the world of newspapers.  We read some of the First News newspapers from our school library and discussed some of the articles that we had read.  We went in search of buried Anglo-Saxon brooches as part of our hook for our shared write about an Anglo-Saxon discovery at White Rock.

Monday 13th March 2023 - Science Week!

This week is Science Week! In Year 4, we were given the investigative question "Do people with the strongest legs jump the furthest?" We firstly decided to conduct a test on HOW to identify who had the strongest legs! Some groups squatted to see who could do this the longest and others pushed their feet against each other. Once we discovered who we thought had the strongest legs we then started our jumping investigation! We had such fun asking questions and discovering answers but conducting our own experiment. Have a look below at some amazing scientists in action!

Tuesday 7th March 2023 - World Book Day!

Today was World Book Day! We dressed up as our favourite book characters and did lots of book related activities! We created characters using clay, designed our own picture books and listened to different teachers read throughout the day. Have a look at our amazing costumes across Year 4 below!

Friday 3rd March 2023 - Design and Technology

To start our new unit in Design and Technology, we looked at different types of levers.  We discussed where the pivot was and what the input and output was for different types of mechanisms.  We then had a go at making our own lever.  Have a look at what we made!

Tuesday 28^th February 2023

In Computing this week, we have been evaluating the nursery rhymes we have just completed in Scratch. We had to say what we thought was the most successful part and think about anything we could have improved on.

There is an example below of what our Scratch files are like.

Friday 24th February 2023- Las frutas-Spanish

Year 4 had so much fun in their weekly Spanish lesson with Senorita Head.  This half term we are continuing with our food topic La Comida. iQué interesante!

We spoke about a typical Spanish dish called GAZPACHO. This is a tomato soup which Spanish children like to eat cold! iQué delicioso!

The children were really excited to learn 7 fruits in Spanish. We repeated the words lots of times using different different voices! We re-capped that QUIERO means ‘I would like’ and Señorita Head reminded the children to think of a KEY and a CHOCOLATE AERO bar to remember the word! iQué maravilloso!

We played lots of interactive games such as “Heads Down, Thumbs up” to practise the new vocabulary. Here is the FRUTAS vocabulary we learnt during the lesson. Can you practise these words at home! (a la casa)

fresas=strawberries

naranjas=oranges

peras=pears

platanos=bananas

ciruelas=plums

uvas=grapes

manzanas=apples

We also read a text in Spanish about Puss in Boots and what he likes to buy when he goes shopping! iQué bien!

Wednesday 22nd February 2023 - PSHE

In PSHE, we have been learning about how charities, including Oxfam, help to support poorer countries from around the world. We explored different categories, such as 'Health and Education', 'Safe Water' and 'Climate Change'. Have a look at us completing our posters below. 

Wednesday 8th February 2023 - Religious Education

In Religious Education, we have been learning about the 'Golden Rule' and what this means to Christians. We discussed what shows Christians following the golden rule and what going against this rule would look like. Have a look at our freeze frames showing this:

Tuesday 7th February 2023- Dance

In Dance this half term, we have been creating dances based on the film Rio 2. We worked in groups to create a 'carnival' themed dance and have performed them with our amazing masks on to the class as an audience. Take a look at the photographs and videos of our dances below. 

Tuesday 7th February 2023 - Computing

Today is Safer Internet Day and we marked this by holding a whole school assembly. During the assembly each year group shared their own online safety song or poem with the rest of the school. They had all worked really hard to learn their pieces and this level of effort was clear to see in their confident performances. 

The digital leaders had written their own poem, which will appear on the school website once they have filmed and edited it into a video.  

Monday 30th January 2023 - Science

In Science, Year 4 have been learning about circuits. We explored how a motor would spin if there was a complete circuit and how it stopped when the circuit was incomplete. Take a look at some of the pictures below! 

Thursday 27th January 2023 - Geography

In Geography, we have been exploring time zones around the world.  We used a practical activity to explore what time it would be at different parts of the world.  We then put this into action by using a time zone map to work out the times in different cities. 

Thursday 19th January 2023 - Maths

This week we have been using the place value counters to support our understanding of short division! First we lined up the counters underneath our 'bus stop', discussed the calculations then grouped our number into this. We even managed to do this with an exchange (changing 1 ten into 10 ones!) Take a look at our amazing learning below!

Thursday 12th January 2023 - Art Elicitation

In Year 4, we have been applying our painting skills using Brusho paint. This type of paint comes as a powder and is then mixed with water to give a texture similar to watercolours. This is the first time we have experienced using this type of paint. Take a look at some of the pictures below -

Thursday 5th January 2023 - Writing

We have started our new Writing journey by immersing ourselves into our new book 'Story Path'.  We have been very excited about our new adventure story which allows us to create our own adventure stories as we go through the book.  We have used role play to create actions and symbols for the example story that has been written using the book.  We have explored how expanded noun phrases and adverbials have been used to enhance the story.  Take a look at some of our actions!

AUTUMN TERM

Autumn Term Curriculum Map

Friday 16th December 2022 - Pitta Pizzas

We have finished our term with our Design and Technology unit.  We researched different pizzas and looked at the main ingredients in a pizza and the different toppings available.  We used this information to make our own yummy pizzas following our own personalised recipe.  We then got the very important job of taste testing our pizzas which smelt and looked absolutely delicious! Afterwards, we evaluated our pizzas discussing what we liked about them and how we would adapt it next time.

Take a look at our creations!

Tuesday 6th December 2022- Year 4 Learning Celebration

What an amazing learning celebration Year 4 had on Tuesday! We worked really hard to showcase the brilliant learning and experiences from our trip that we have learnt this term. We would like to thank you for coming and we hope you learned lots of information about the Anglo-Saxons! Well done Year 4! 

Wednesday 30th November 2022- Anglo-Saxon Clay Pots

In Year 4, our Art learning has been closely linked to our History learning all about the Anglo-Saxons. During our Art lessons, we have compared modern day pottery to that of the Anglo-Saxons times and have researched the different patterns that were carved into the pottery. We had a go at making our very own Anglo-Saxon pinch pots but using clay. Have a look at our final outcomes below... 

Friday 25th November 2022- The Julian Stories

In Writing, Year 4 have been reading 'The Julian Stories'. A story all about two brothers, Julian and Huey who get up to mischief. We have worked incredibly hard coming up with our own ideas for our independent stories. Take a look at our amazing writing below... 

Friday 18th November 2022 - Reach Outdoors - Climbing

This week, Kites have been indoor climbing at Parkfield. We all had a fantastic time learning new skills. Take a look at the following pictures with more to follow...

Friday 11th November 2022- Kingfishers Trip to Wildwood Escot

Kites have had an amazing trip to Wildwood Escot today! When we got to Wildwood Escot, we experienced an Anglo-Saxon Village and we got to walk around and see how they lived back in 410 AD. We had a go at experiencing some things the Anglo-Saxons would have done including: making bread, sword fighting, creating metal work, grinding the flour for the bread and using tools to make mallets. We even dressed up as Anglo-Saxon children! We then had lunch and enjoyed a walk up to see the wild animals at Escot. We were lucky enough to see wolves, boars, an artic fox, lynxes and owls. Kites have had an amazing trip. Take a look at our photos below...

Tuesday 8th November 2022- Dodgeball

In PE today, we started by warming up our bodies by completing some gentle exercises. We then got into teams and used our previously learnt dodgeball skills and applied these to a game situation. We had so much fun and worked together as a team.

Thursday 3rd November 2022- Outdoor Learning Day and Science

Today is Outdoor Learning Day! We used the outdoors to help us start our new Science journey all about 'Living things and their habitats'. We first learnt that scientist have come up with 7 processes (7 things something must do in order to be considered a 'living thing'.) We used the acronym 'MRS GREN' to help us remember these. As a class, we explored living and non-living things around our school and decided the goats were living but a fallen leaf off a tree was non-living. Take a look at our learning...

Monday 17th October 2022 - Maths

In Year 4, we have been using place value counters to add and subtract 4-digit numbers with one or more exchange. Using the counters, we represented exchanging 1 ten for 10 ones, 1 hundred for 10 tens and 1 thousand for 10 hundreds to be able to complete our subtraction calculations. We then applied this knowledge using the formal written methods.

Tuesday 11th October 2022- African Dancing

As part of Black History Month, we had 2 African visitors at White Rock to teach us African dance moves and Year 4 were lucky enough to be part of this fantastic experience. One of the visitors played a drum for the dancing and it was great fun to dance to the live drum beat. 

Tuesday 4th October 2022- The Digestive System

For our Science learning this week, we have investigated the digestive system. We have built upon our previous learning about the function of teeth and started to think about what happens to our food once we swallow it. During our investigation, we found out that we have stomach acid to help break down our food before it is moves along to the intestines. Inside the intestines (which we replicated with tights), we learnt that nutrients (orange juice) gets absorbed from the food we have eaten (bread) and that we are left with a waste product. Finally, we investigated the final stages of digestion with the waste product exiting our body (plastic cups). Have a look at our investigation below...

Friday 30th September 2022- Fire Safety Talk

Today, Paignton fire service came in to school to talk to us about how to keep ourselves safe at home. They arrived in their fire engine and spoke to us about the different emergencies they attend to including a cow in a swimming pool! We learnt lots about how we can keep ourselves safe at home, including- shutting our doors before going to bed, turning electrical items off when we are not using them and being careful of wires. Take a look at some of the photos from today. 

Wednesday 21st September 2022 - Spanish

In Spanish, Year 4 have been recapping the days of the week. We spoke about how the days of the week do not have a capital letter. We listened to a song called ‘ dias de la semana’ and played some interactive games. 

Monday 12th September 2022- Teeth

For our first Science lesson, we explored the different type of teeth we have by using our tongue to feel the teeth in our mouths. We discussed that we have different size teeth and that they have different functions. We then took a small bite of an apple and thought about what was happening in our mouths. The second bite we took, we were only allowed to use our front teeth (our incisors) to chew- we found this took a lot longer and was more difficult! Have a look at us using our teeth to eat our apples.

Friday 9th September 2022- The Book of Bones

What an incredible start to Year 4 we have had this week! We have immersed ourselves into our new class text 'The Book of Bones' by learning a page from the text. As a class, we came up with symbols and drawings to represent the text to help us remember it. Have a look at our amazing learning below...