Week 2: Complete!
We are now two weeks into the year and the children all seemed to have settled in really well. All of the Year 4 staff have been really impressed by the levels of enthusiasm from both classes!
English
In our English lessons, we have been hard at work learning more about explanation texts – what they do, how they work and the main features that are included when creating them. One of the most important aspects that we noticed is that, while they share some features and purposes, explanation texts and instructions are very different pieces of writing. To help develop this understanding, we focused on creating flow charts to explain concepts that the children were individually familiar with, rather than giving step-by-step instructions and sharing them with the other children.
Science
In our science lessons this half-term, we are going to be exploring circuits and electricity. We started by identifying different appliances that run on electricity and I have to admit, I was absolutely blown away by the fantastic suggestions that both classes made! Once we had a good list, the challenge was then to determine which appliances were powered by batteries and which were powered by the mains. During our discussions, we soon realised that some appliances could technically be both either depending on its type (like fans) or because they have the ability to be portable (such as a mobile phone or laptop)!
This week, we gathered some key circuit components (wires, bulbs and cells) and explored some of the different ways that circuits could be constructed. The children all got really stuck in with this task and tried various different iterations to find the ones that worked. I was also very impressed with the teamwork and cooperation demonstrated by each pair!
General Notices
This week, the children have been given both a times table worksheet and a spelling sheet for their homework. This is due in on Wednesday 16th September, which should allow the children time to speak with their class teacher if they are stuck or unsure. We would also appreciate it if you could continue to support your children with their reading – the expectation is that each child should try to read for at least 10 minutes, five times a week and return their reading record with a signature to show that they have read.
We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
Miss Levett, Mrs Sykes and Mrs Whale