Class 4 Newsletter Spring Term 2021
The start of our Spring Term has been very different to what we had all expected and we have now settled in to the first few weeks of virtual home learning. The children have adapted to the changes so well and are working very hard. A massive thank you to all parents for your continued support! To fit in with the new style of teaching/learning some of the curriculum I had planned to teach this term will have to be changed or modified to fit with remote learning. Please find below a reminder of our home learning schedule and a brief outline of what we will be covering this term.
Remote Learning
There are 2 hour long live sessions 9.30- 10.30 and 11.00-12.00 each morning. Please use the 30-minute break between sessions to have a snack/drink and go to the toilet.
In the afternoon everyone is expected to complete the spelling, independent reading and times table activities (these should take approximately 30-45 minutes dependent on the spelling activity). This should then be followed by another independent activity of: Comprehension, Science, Topic, PE, French, PHSE/Mindfulness, Art, or RE. We will also be introducing wellbeing/social sessions to the mornings and afternoon registration.
Please make sure that during the live teaching sessions your child only uses a plain or blurred background as others can be very distracting.
The device your child is using for these sessions needs to have the most up to date version of Teams so that they can access all the activities set.
All files needed for lessons can be found in the “Files” section on the general class Team under the relevant week and day.
Please could the morning work be uploaded on Teams assignments (same as the homework from last term) NOT in your child’s personal channel or a public area.
Please find below a brief outline of what we hope to be covering this term.
Curriculum
English: we will be looking at a variety of narrative structures and techniques including diary entries, and an exploration of the book The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe we will also use a film clip to write the continuation of a story. Non- fiction work will include persuasive letters based around the text The Great Kapok Tree.
Spelling, grammar, punctuation, handwriting, reading comprehension, vocabulary expansion and improving self- editing skills are ongoing.
Maths: We will continue to work on improving mental calculations as well as multiplying and dividing by 10 and 100, multiplying 3 numbers-learning and consolidating the 6,7,8,9,11 and 12 times tables including division facts. Written methods for multiplication and division. Finding the area of a shape. We will recap prior learning on unit and non-unit fractions, equivalent fractions, and tenths before moving onto fractions greater than one adding and subtracting multiple fractions and subtracting from whole amounts. We will also find fractions of a number/set of objects. We will then move on to decimal numbers looking at tenths and hundredths.
Science: We will be learning about sound where we will look at how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating. Recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear. Find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it. Find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it. Recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases.
We will then move on to look at living things and their habitats where we will recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways. Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment. Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.
Topic (Geography): This term we will be learning about rainforests. We will be learning what a rainforest is and locating the world’s rainforests on a map. Recognising the different layers of life in a rainforest and the features that make up a rainforest. Describing the key characteristics of the Congo and exploring the importance of the Amazon rainforest. We will try to understand the climate of a rainforest and what life can be found within. Describe and explain the impact of the deforestation of the rainforests.
Art Design and Technology: In art we will be looking at sketching skills and various artists that have created rainforest themed artwork.
French: We will be learning vocabulary relating to the weather and seasons. After this, we will learn how to speak about transport.
P.E: PE activities will be set to support children remotely and will be largely based around keeping children active and focused on fitness. Don’t forget Joe Wicks has re-launched his online PE lessons and Cosmic Yoga is a great daily activity via YouTube.
RE: We will be learning about various bible stories particularly focusing on Jesus’s adulthood and the lead up to The Last Supper and the Easter story.
As always if you do have any questions or concerns at any time please do contact the office.
Best wishes
Mrs Tokeley