Welcome to Swan Class

Our topic for this term is 'Epic Journeys' 

This term, the children will be using their historical research skills to find out about famous journeys and expeditions, beginning with Ernest Shackleton and his exploration of Antarctica. Swans will then research different famous explorers and expeditions, mapping their progress and discussing the qualities that make an excellent leader and explorer.

Literacy

The children will be using 'Into the Forest' by Anthony Browne as a stimulus for their reading and writing. The illustrations will be used by the children as a stimulus to write setting descriptions and a narrative. With support from the book and other model texts, the children will write their own newspaper report. During the second half term, the children will be reading 'The Journey' by Francesca Sanna with a focus on diary writing and non-chronological reports. 

Maths

The children will be primarily focusing on developing their number skills in the first half term with an emphasis on place value, mental arithmetic and formal written methods. Each week, the children will have an opportunity to apply their knowledge to solve different problems and puzzles. 

Throughout the year there will be a heavy emphasis on the children learning their timestables. Year 3 will need to know and have a quick recall of the 2,3,4,8 and 10 times tables. In May, the Year 4 children will sit theYear 4 SAT test which is a multiplication test, requiring rapid recall of all times tables up to 12 x 12 including the inverses ( e.g., 3 x 4 = 12; 12 ÷ 4 = 3). 

Science

In the first half term, Swans will be learning about forces and magnets. The children will explore friction and gravity deigning their own investigations. As part of their STEM project, they will be designing and building boats, learning about the forces that affect a sailing boat. During the second half term, the children will focus on animals and humans specifically learning about healthy nutrition, skeletons and muscles. 

Please can you ensure ALL uniform, PE, Woodland kit, water bottles and lunch boxes are labelled so we can return any lost property!

Woodland and PE

Our Woodland sessions are on Friday afternoons, please ensure your child has their Woodland kit in school. The children will need warm, waterproof clothing and outdoor shoes. We endeavour to go out in all weathers. Please send your child into school on Friday in their school uniform.

Swans PE lesson is on Wednesday afternoon. School PE kit requires a white top/House top, dark shorts, warm tracksuit bottoms/leggings, warm top and trainers/pumps. 

Homework

The main homework focus is for your child to read regularly both with an adult or independently. Please discuss their reading with them asking questions about the book to encourage their understanding. 

They will have weekly spellings and timestable practice to be sent out on a Thursday in their homework book. Inside the front cover of their book is the home learning grid which has a range of projects for the children to choose. The children can choose 3 different projects from the sheet each half term. Please ensure the project is no bigger than A3, ideally stuck into their homework book to keep it safe.