Spring 1
Week 1
Welcome back everyone! We hope you had a lovely holiday and are raring to go for 2023.
In English lessons this term, we will study the action-packed book, "The Girl Who Stole an Elephant" by Nizrana Farook. The children have absolutely loved reading and listening to the first few chapters. In the next few weeks, the Foxes will be writing a play script based on a scene from the book. We look forward to sharing these soon!
In Citizenship we have been investigating the question,, "How can we stay fit and healthy?"Here are some great NHS games to play at home to keep fit!:
https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/activities/10-minute-shake-up/
The Foxes are learning a brand new dance with Amy this term and creating their own moves too!
Week 2
In geography, we looked at how rivers change the landscape around them. The children were particularly interested in how waterfalls and oxbow lakes are created by rivers.
The children have been looking at how rivers erode and change the land. We did a simple simulation using a tray, water and sand. We understood that if water is moving quickly it will carry a load of sand but if the water is moving slowly it will deposit its load as it does not have the energy to carry it. This is called deposition.
This term we will be studying and making sculptures. Our first project was to make a sculpture inspired by West African instruments and sculpture. We looked at how to use plastic bottles and paper to make a sculpture using recycled materials. We then researched and sketched West African design patterns which use circles, geometric shapes and repeated patters. Finally, we designed our own patterns and painted them on our sculptures. Next week we will make clay sculptures inspired by nature.
The Foxes achieved another 100 class-wide rewards and decided to have a "Construction Party" at the end of the day. Lego structures were built, complex 3D shapes were put together and electrical circuits were completed!
In computing we are learning about animation. We have created our own animation using the app "puppet pals".Next week, we will look at trying to make our own stop motion animation. Here are some amazing examples to inspire us.
Here are the Foxes making their own short animated stories using the app "Puppet Pals"
Some Foxes and Charlies were excellent ambassadors of Walkley at the Arches y4 Handball Tournament. Our team managed to win 2 games and scored many goals. Well done team Walkley!
Week 3
The Foxes got to grips with multiplying numbers by 10 and 100 and then dividing by 10 and 100. We looked at how the digits move to the left when multiplying and move to the right when dividing. We also understood how 0 is used as a place holder. The Foxes demonstrated great skill and team work and by the end of the lesson we even multiplied decimal numbers!
Well done to the swimmer of the week!
The foxes did an excellent job learning how to handle and mold clay. We were tasked with sketching and then making a model of a natural object and the Foxes did a good job smoothing, carving and pinching the clay. Next week we will build on the skills learnt to make a dragon eye sculpture.
The Foxes are in the midst of writing their play scripts. One of the key elements of grammar we are focusing on is the use of colons. Please watch this BBC clip to see examples of using colons and semi colons.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zvwwxnb/articles/zvjgf82
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zmfc7ty/articles/z6cxxyc
The Foxes had a great time celebrating the year of the rabbit for Chinese new year. Thank you Amy from Dazzle Dance!
In computing, the foxes did a superb job using the Apple stop motion app to make creative short films using lego, base ten, cuddly toys and, in one case, a ping pong ball!
Week 4
The foxes have been improvising and choreographing their own dances in PE this week!
The foxes did a superb job of sketching designs and then sculpting a dragon eye. Great clay techniques such as pinching, scratching and smoothing were used to make these superb pieces.
Well done Foxes for learning the lyrics and playing the glockenspiel to the wonderful "Lean on Me" song by Bill Withers in our music lessons this term.
Week 5
In RE we have been studying Buddhist teachings and the belief that selfishness and greed are the source of all unhappiness in the world. Here are the Foxes thinking about examples of selfishness and showing scenarios via freeze frame and playdough. We then made paper chains of right speech and right actions which Buddhists believe bring happiness to the world.
The children did us all proud at our 3 day residential at Castleton YHA. They showed great independence, resilience and teamwork as they trained as roman soldiers, gem panned, hiked the countryside, made bread, explored caves and built shelters in the rain! Well done all and thank you to Miss Stephens, Mrs Chetcuti and Mrs Leverton. Finally, thank you Foxes and Charlie's parents for the lovely gifts to the staff who went on residential. It was really appreciated.
Week 6
The Y4s had a great time on our geography field trip where we measured the speed of the flow of the River Rivelin in 2 different places, identified human and physical features and drew maps of the area. Tomorrow, we will look at the data collected and see if it follows the Bradshaw model on a river's average speed
