Year 4 curriculum

In Year 4, the children follow different themes, each half term, which leads their learning through creativity lessons.

Autumn term 2020

Britain from the air- What can we learn from landmarks in Britain? 

Britain during the Bronze Age & Iron Age

Literacy

• Brightstorm (Vashti Hardy)
• Throughout the half term, children will write for a range of purposes – including fiction and non-fiction and sometimes poetry
• Writing is linked to other subjects such as Science, Humanities and RE where applicable
• Grammar is taught in context, with children learning to extend their vocabulary, improve their understanding of sentence structure and explore a range of punctuation
• Spelling is taught and tested weekly

Mathematics

• The children will be given opportunities to develop their mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills through the mathematical themes and cross curricular activities:
  • Number and place value
  • Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
  • Fractions and decimals
  • Measurement
  • Properties of shape
  • Position and direction
  • Statistics

Science

• Sound (vibrations, amplitude and pitch)
• Electricity (conductors & insulators, simple circuits and switch design)

Religious Education

• Understanding Christianity

• • What kind of world did Jesus want?
  • What is the trinity?

History

• Study the Industrial Revolution, the building of canals in Birmingham, the use of canals as a means of moving resources and people around the country  
• Understand what was made in Birmingham and how it was traded and transported  
• Pupils will learn how to read historical maps 
• Know the changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age 
  • Late Neolithis hunter-gatherers and early farmers, for example, Skara Brae 
  • Bronze Age technology and travel, for example, Stonehenge 
  • Iron Age – Hill forts, farming, art and culture

Geography

• Name and locate key UK countries and cities
• Use an atlas to locate different settlements and main human and physical characteristics of the UK
• Name and locate key topographical features and land use patterns on maps
• Understand how to use Ordnance Survey maps and identify key features and places 
• Map features of locality using drone images
• Map skills
  • Co-ordinates and Ordnance Survey maps
• Observe and record human and physical features during fieldwork

Computing

• Digital mapping using Google Earth
• Computer Science- coding
• Information Technology- effective searching, creating animation 
• Online Safety (Privacy & security, online reputation, online bullying and online relationships)

Physical Education

• Gymnastic routines using a range of balances, rolls, jumps and movements using floor and apparatus
• Hockey
• Netball
• Real PE (coordination: footwork, static balancing, dynamic balancing)

 Art, Design and Technology

• Re-create a landmark
• ‘Power’ through colour, texture, collage and shape
• Study of works by David Hockney (representing landscapes using colour) 
• Children will make their own musical instrument (Science link)

Personal, Social and Health Education 

• Being me in my world (Jigsaw)
• Taking care

French (Language Angels)

• Presenting myself
• Family

Music

• Charanga music
  • developing pulse and rhythm
  • musical notation
  • composition
• Learning to play the ukulele

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Spring term 2021

Greece Lightning- What is the legacy left by the Ancient Greeks? 

Wild Water- How do rivers grow and change? 

Literacy

• The Adventures of Odysseus (Hugh Lupton)
• Aesop’s Fables
• The Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame)
• Throughout the half term, children will write for a range of purposes – including fiction and non-fiction and sometimes poetry
• Writing is linked to other subjects such as Science, Humanities and RE where applicable
• Grammar is taught in context, with children learning to extend their vocabulary, improve their understanding of sentence structure and explore a range of punctuation
• Spelling is taught and tested weekly

Mathematics

• The children will be given opportunities to develop their mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills through the mathematical themes and cross curricular activities:
  • Number and place value
  • Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
  • Fractions and decimals
  • Measurement
  • Properties of shape
  • Position and direction
  • Statistics

Science

• States of matter (solids, liquids & gases and changes of state in the water cycle)
• Living things and their habitats (exploring and comparing habitats- spring)

Religious Education

• Islam: why is Mohammed called the messenger of God?
• Images in Faith
  • Visit local places of worship to view images
• Salvation: why do Christians call the day Jesus died ‘Good Friday’?

Geography

• Greece
  • Children will locate Greece on a map of the world (considering continents and oceans) and consider it’s climate based on it’s location 
  • Children will use a range of maps and images including Ordinance Surveys, relief maps and online resources to identify the topographical features of modern-day Greece 

• Water
  • Children will learn about some of the major rivers of the world, how a river grows and changes, and its key features; terms: course, source, tributary, confluence, meander, ox bow lake, erosion, flood plain, mouth
  • Children will use a variety of maps including ordinance survey and relief to understand how a river grows and changes
  • They will be taught about the different uses of a river
  • They will identify the human impact on rivers including the cause and effect of flooding and transport 
  • Children will learn about the water cycle including evaporation and condensation

History

• Greece
  • Children will be taught about the impact that the Ancient Greeks had on our lives, including architecture, democracy, science and thinking, the Olympics and daily life
  • Understand the key term ‘legacy’ and summarise the ways in which the Ancient Greeks changed how we live our lives today
• Water
  • Children will look at how rivers have changed over time; why rivers and other bodies of water are and were important; look at canals and industry

Computing

• Microsoft Office skills: Word processing skills
• Online Safety (managing online information, Safer Internet Day- teaching objective according to the yearly theme, self-image & identity, copyright & ownership)

Physical Education

• Gymnastics – mirroring and matching and using large apparatus safely
• Football
• Tag-Rugby
• Real PE (dynamic balancing on a line, coordination: ball skills, sending & receiving, static balancing, counter balancing with a partner)

Art, Design and Technology

• Draw/ sketch Ancient Greek pots using observational drawing skills 
• Use research to influence the design and decoration of a modern pot based on those found in Ancient Greece
• Water-themed Art
• Look at the paintings by Monet
• Print making
• Drawing from different perspectives

Personal, Social and Health Education 

• Celebrating difference (Jigsaw)
• Dreams & goals (Jigsaw)

French (Language Angels)

• Habitats
• At the café

Music

• Charanga music
• Learning to play the ukulele

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Summer term 2021

The World’s Kitchen- Where does our food come from? 

Roman Rule- How did the Roman Empire influence life in Britain? 

Literacy

• Charlie & the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl)
• Escape From Pompeii (Christina Balit)
• Throughout the half term, children will write for a range of purposes – including fiction and non-fiction and sometimes poetry
• Writing is linked to other subjects such as Science, Humanities and RE where applicable
• Grammar is taught in context, with children learning to extend their vocabulary, improve their understanding of sentence structure and explore a range of punctuation
• Spelling is taught and tested weekly

Mathematics 

• The children will be given opportunities to develop their mathematical fluency, reasoning and problem solving skills through the mathematical themes and cross curricular activities:
  • Number and place value
  • Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
  • Fractions and decimals
  • Measurement
  • Properties of shape
  • Position and direction
  • Statistics

Science

• Animals including humans (digestive system, nutrition and food chains)
• Living things and their habitats (exploring and comparing habitats- summer)

Religious Education

• Pentecost: Kingdom of God: when Jesus left, what was the impact of the Pentecost?
• Hinduism: what does Dharma (duty) mean to many Hindus?

History

• Understand how food has changed over the last 100 years and explain the reasons for this
• Ancient Rome
  • The Roman Empire and the power of its army
  • The invasion of Claudius and the building of Hadrian’s Wall
  • Romanisation of Britain
  • Impact of Roman technology, culture and beliefs

Geography

• Name and locate the seven continents, five oceans and different countries on a world map, looking in detail at different geographical features identified through using a key

• Understand that the food we eat is made up of different ingredients that come from all around the world

• Ancient Rome, Pompeii (Volcanoes)

Computing

• Computer Science: LOGO
• Databases
• Online Safety (health, well-being and lifestyle)
• Use digital maps and online research to learn about the Roman invasion

Physical Education

• Athletics
• Rounders
• Real PE (agility: reaction/response, static balancing, ball chasing)

Personal, Social and Health Education 

• Healthy me (Jigsaw)
• Relationships (Jigsaw)
• Changing me (Jigsaw)

Music

• Charanga music
• Learning to play the ukulele

French (Language Angels)

• The Romans
• Goldilocks

Art, Design and Technology

• Ceramic Mosaic patterns 
• Make Boudica face masks 
• Interpretative portrait of Boudica, applying what they know of her character 
• Design and make an effective bridge (link to London Bridge)
• Cook South American food

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