WC 12.09.22

It has been a super first full week of our Autumn term in Y4. We have completed lots of fantastic learning and I have been really impressed with the way in which Y4 have tackled their new curriculum. Well done Y4 Manatees!

This week we have looked further at our new class text entitled 'The Lost Happy Endings'. We began the week by generating some descriptive and high level vocabulary to describe a forest setting as a setting description shall be our first independent write of the year. In particular we learnt how to up-level our writing using specific shades of colour vocabulary. On Wednesday we then put our vocabulary into expanded noun phrases ensuring to punctuate the phrases with commas in between adjectives. By Thursday we were ready to extend our sentences using prepositions. I was so impressed with the writing produced on this day as it was of very high quality. We finished the week by extending our sentences with a wide range of conjunctions to really help to use to stretch our sentences and add detail.

Arithmetic

In Arithmetic this week we have focused on adding 10s,100s and 1,000s to two, three and four digit numbers. Through developing an understanding of thousands in particular a lot of children can use mental methods when adding 10s, 100s and 1,000s which is absolutely fantastic!

Maths

In Maths this week we have been focusing on our topic of 'Place Value'. We have developed a secure understanding of thousands and this week we have focused mostly on comparing and ordering numbers (ascending and descending) up to 10,000. Y4 Manatee's approach to Y4 Maths has been extremely strong and I have been so impressed with their determination during our Maths lessons. Towards the end of the week we focused on calculating missing intervals on number lines up to 10,000 and this is something we will continue with next week to secure our understanding.

History

In History this week we have started our brand new topic entitled 'Alexander the Great'. This week we learnt all about Philip of Macedon and how he was captured and held hostage by the city-state Thebes. The children were fascinated to learn that Philip watched and watched carefully and he learned all about the phalanx and how the Greek hoplites would fight in battle using sarissas. Y4 are really enjoying our topic so far and I can't wait to delve deeper into our first Y4 History topic.

Geography

In Geography this week we have started another brand new topic entitled 'Population'. This week we focused on the question 'What is population?' We learnt that population is used describe the number of people in a particular area. We looked at the population of the United Kingdom and then compared the Island of Skye and Glasgow as two areas with different population densities. This was a tricky week in Geography with some tricky vocabulary however Y4 Manatees handled this well and showed their determination once again.

Science

In Science this week we started our topic 'Animals Including Humans'. We learnt all about food chains and prey, predators and producers. We then created our own food chains for different habitats across the world using a variety of different animals. We were then challenged to consider how energy is exchanged in a food chain and how this exchange of energy is represented by an arrow in a food chain.

It has been a super first full week back, well done Y4 Manatees.

Please remember that school shall be closed on Monday 19th September to join the nation for the state funeral of her Majesty the Queen.