Welcome to Term 1!

This term we will be gaining so many skills by learning in different ways.

In each subject we will have a key question to consider. We will retrieve what we know at the start of term and then add information after each lesson to help us formulate an answer at the end. This will enable us to draw on all of our learning to give a full answer with explanation. See below for some of the questions and learning we have done to help us answer.

PE Days

In term 1, we have 2 PE sessions. These will be taking place on a Wednesday morning and Friday afternoon. Wednesday we will be going to the local swimming pool for a lesson and on Friday it will be Fitness with Mr Melson. Please can we ask that the correct PE kit is to be in school daily as we sometimes get other sporting opportunities too.

For swimming, remember to come to school dressed in your swim clothes under your uniform, bringing underwear and a towel with you for changing.

You can also follow our fun and learning on our twitter pages too.

@MrsSmithStT

Here are the Readers of the Week from Courage Class for this term looking very proud with their chosen books! All of our class love to read and it is very difficult to choose just one Reader of the Week. Fantastic job- we can't wait to find out what you think of your books!

Working as Historians we explored different sources of evidence and what they told us about Christianity in Anglo Saxon times. After hearing about the miracle of Saint Cuthbert at Lindisfarne we looked at the other sources of evidence and facts to decide which gave us the best evidence for each statement. We were fascinated to see how some Anglo Saxon churches are still seen today.

In English we have been getting into role as King Hrothgar of Denmark, the ruler who was terrorised by Grendel, but saved by Beowulf. We hot seated one another and rehearsed our diary entries orally before writing them. 

This week in DT we began to explore how we could create packaging for our biscuits from nets. After making them we began to evaluate which would be the best packaging for us to select and use to safely transport our biscuits.

After completing our Fitness baseline testing a few weeks ago, we have been working on each of the skills. Today it was the turn of balance. We carefully explored ways of finding our balance, focusing on a point on the wall to help steady us. We worked on each eg, exploring which was best for us to find our balance and strength. We then leant forwards to touch the floor and stand back up again without putting our foot down. Challenging ourselves, we had five cones out and leant forward and back up straight without putting our foot down, to see if we could touch all five in one go. We then practiced the stork stand again to see if we had improved from our baseline.

Retrieving what we know about Roman Numerals from last year, we were challenged to work in groups and create numbers one to twenty using the bundling sticks. We worked really well in groups using what we knew about the numbers and how many times each Roman Numeral could be repeated. This led to lots of discussion and consolidation of partitioning numbers in different ways.

After investigating how different packaging protects the contents, we looked at packaging and how it is created. Folding packaging flat into the nets, we identified the faces, glue tabs and interlocking tabs. We looked at the different shapes created and how they assemble into sturdy structures.

After reading some diary entries, we identified the key features of them. We then got into role as King Hrothgar who despairs at the hands of Grendel and wrote diary entries as if we were him.

Exploring our Scientific question for this term, 'Where does a puddle go?', we created a puddle on the playground and predicted what would happen to it. We went outside each hour and drew around the puddle with chalk. After two hours, the puddle had completed disappeared. I wonder where it had gone? We made many predictions throughout the investigation and asked many more questions that we want to investigate.

We may have had an unexpected visitor in school today! Someone's spider wanted to see what school was like and hitched a lift in his bag. Many of us enjoyed having a look at this pet but we're sure he won't come to visit again!

Linking to our Science learning about how materials change, we were able to explore negative numbers that are often seen on thermometers. We made connections to negative numbers being below zero, the freezing point of water. We worked together to sequence negative and positive numbers correctly and put them on to a thermometer correctly.

We reflected on Harvest around the world, focussing particularly on Bulgaria. Looking at some of the more exotic fruits produced there, we heard how one of our classmates grows grapes in their garden in Bulgaria. Reflecting on how fortunate we are to have enough to eat, we wrote prayers and thought about those who have no harvest might feel.

In PSHE we explored friendships and the issues we sometimes have. Identifying if friends are being mean, rude, bossy or bullying we were able to discuss in groups ways we could solve issues independently or seek the adult help we need.

Visiting West Stow Anglo Saxon Village, we were able to explore some of the experiments historians have conducted to establish the kind of homes Anglo Saxons built for themselves. Using excavations on the site, they have used clues found to reconstruct possible solutions. They have then identified some of the possible disadvantages of some of the style of building. We had great fun exploring them, and thinking about what life would have been like at the time living in the different buildings.

We were able to observe some of the artefacts found, (being particularly fascinated by the fossilised Anglo Saxon poo!) and handle some replica items investigating how they may have been used.

This week in Science we continued to work as Chemists to understand how materials change state. Recalling how particles are packed tightly in solids, only able to vibrate, we observed what happened when heat was applied. Placing chocolate on foil on top of hot water bottles, we made observations of what happened. We learnt that the heat makes particles move about more quickly instead of staying in their fixed position and this means that the particles can move over each other and we observe the object melting. Using this knowledge, we predicted which chocolate button would melt quickest  Most of us were surprised when it was the larger button.

"The surface area of the bigger button is bigger so it gets warmer quicker and there is more energy in the particles to make them move." BP

After recalling Ordnance Survey symbols, we were given photo maps of the school grounds. After walking around the school and identifying each building and area, we placed tracing paper over the top. This allowed us to draw on the buildings and other key features creating our own symbols and keys to match our maps.

To begin our DT learning, we packaged up some biscuits and sent them through the post in different ways. We sent two biscuits in each package; envelope, cereal box, plastic tub and a smaller cardboard box with a corrugated cardboard insert. We popped them in the post and then analysed how well the biscuits travelled. This led us to explore the function of packaging and explore how well different packaging presents, protects, contains and preserve the item for the consumer. We then created a scale and placed each item on it according to how well it protected and presented the product.

Rounding

After retrieving rounding to the nearest 10 and 100, we progressed to round numbers to the nearest 1000. Carefully identifying the thousands either side of the number, we then circled the hundreds digit. Knowing that if there were five or more hundreds the number rounded up and if there were 4 or less hundreds the number rounded down, we were able to quickly round the numbers we were given.

This week we explored temperature in Science. After exploring what happens to ice as it melts by observing yellow and blue ice cubes creating a green liquid, we then used different thermometers to measure temperature.

In English we shared the book Tell Me a Dragon By Jackie Morris. Exploring the images, descriptions and introductions of each dragon, we then created our own dragons. After drawing them, we explored different sentence structures so that we could introduce our own dragons.

Symbols and Keys

In Geography we have continued to work as cartographers to study maps. After identifying symbols, we used keys to find out what they represented. We then explored other ordnance survey map symbols and what they represent, identifying them on maps.

After retrieving knowledge of solids and liquids, we looked for evidence of gases around us. Making careful observations as we poured water into a beaker of pebbles, we saw bubbles of air, proving that air was in the spaces. Plunging a sponge into water also allowed us to observe the presence of air.

In Maths we have consolidated our knowledge of place value, exploring different ways numbers can be partitioned into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones.

PE this term is about improving our fitness. We began the unit by completing some baseline assessments of our strength, agility, speed, co-ordination and balance.

In History, we are exploring Anglo Saxon Britain and will get the opportunity to visit West Stow Anglo Saxon Village in Suffolk. Working as Historians and Archaeologists, we will consider evidence and what it tells us about life at the time, particularly the valuable evidence found at Sutton Hoo. Reflecting on life at the time, monarchy and religious beliefs we will use the knowledge we gain to answer the key question,

' How were the Anglo Saxons able to develop a monarchy?'

In our first lesson we were faced with a mound of grass in a tray- we soon realised this was to represent the mounds at Sutton Hoo. Working as archaeologists, we carefully took our turns to excavate the mound and see some replicas of treasures found. Using photographs of objects found there, we considered the evidence to decide which of the Anglo Saxon Kings it may have been the burial of.  

Could you build a settlement without a river?

Our question for this term is all about rivers and settlements, allowing us to use of knowledge in History too about some of the first settlements.

In Geography we are developing the skills of working as cartographers this week. We looked with care at Ordnance Survey maps and identified the different symbols on them. We then matched symbols and meaning along with labelling some OS maps ourselves. We really enjoyed looking at the aerial maps of Boston, identifying landmarks and trying to find where we live!

Is it Okay to not like someone?

Our PSHE work on Relationships in Year 4 is about forming healthy relationships in person and online. We explore the different feelings we have and how we know how we are feeling. We also look at how we can read others and how we respond to others when they are in different moods and experiencing a range of different emotions. We look at how we can make relationships and friendships with one another successful and how we can be the best friends we can be. We will consider the question, is it okay not to like someone? and think about what it means about how we conduct ourselves around those we do not get on with so easily. Focusing on the values of resilience, fellowship and tolerance we will work on how we control our emotions.

We began the new term by exploring the book, The Colour Monster, identifying different emotions and when we feel each of them. Each day we reflect on how we are feeling and think about things were are grateful for, creating our our own lists of gratitude.

We started our year together exploring The Colour Monster book. Discussing how the monster was confused by the different feelings he had, and how he was helped to sort them out, we identified the different colours we associate with our feelings. Like the book, we created our own set of feeling jars, allowing us to identify some of the different feelings we have at different times.

Where does a puddle go?

Building on our prior knowledge of materials in Science, we are looking at the different states of matter over this term. Identifying solids, liquids and gases, we will look at how materials change state and the properties of them in each state. Discussing particles and the make up of different states, we will classify them and explain their key features.

We began our learning by looking at a range of materials and sorting them into solids and liquids. Considering the question, 'what would life be like without solids?' led to a lively discussion, especially once we realised our bones are solid and create our skeleton! (great retrieval from year 3) Can you imagine life without solids?

Beowulf

Our Guided Reading text this term is the Anglo-Saxon epic poem of Beowulf.  Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, starts off as a very content King pleased with how successful Denmark is. After building a hall, which he names Heorot, for his warriors to use for feasting and meeting, his fortunes begin to change. An evil, gruesome monster is lurking nearby. After being woken by their laughter and merriment, the monster strikes. Breaking into Heorot, he snatches some of the warrior and feasts on them in his lair. After months of finding anyone who dare sleep in Heorot missing by morning, Hrothgar is heartbroken. The monster must be found!