Year 4 have returned from Easter with a fantastic attitude. Here is what we've been up to this week.

Maths

In maths we've been learning how to read and write Roman Numerals. Most of us have learnt Roman Numerals up to 100, but we've also had a go at going much higher! The key Roman Numerals the children have learnt are: 

1 = I

5 = V

10 = X

50 = L

100 = C

500 = D

1000 = M

We have learn the 2 basic rules that help us to read and write numbers as Roman Numerals; there can be no more than three numerals in a row next to each other, and if the numeral after a numeral has a higher value, you subtract the numbers in stead of adding.

For example, VI = 5 + 1 = 6

whereas IV = 1, 5 so we have to do 5-1 which is 4 so IV = 4.   Same for 9 which is IX (as we cannot have VIIII as that would be too many I's).

We have also learnt about the place value of decimal numbers and looked at the relationship between decimal tenths and hundredths and their equivalent fractions, such as 0.3 = 3/10 (3 tenths) and 0.07 = 7/100 (7 hundredths). Here is a link to a website that shows the place value of decimal numbers visually that we showed the children and I told them I'd put the link on here so they could have a go at home: https://www.geogebra.org/m/m9zqpwwv 

We finished the week looking at number sequences including sequences with decimal numbers and writing the rule for the sequence.

Next week, we are covering addition and subtraction. We will be revising adding and subtracting decimal numbers and then solving 1 and 2 step addition and subtraction problems using a bar model to visualise the problem.

English

In English, we have begun reading our new text called 'Tales of Wisdom and Wonder' by Hugh Lupton. This book is a text of short stories. This week, we read the first story called 'Monkey and Papa God'. The children summarised the story in some brilliant flow diagrams using words and pictures and we spent the rest of the week retelling the story focussing on the skills of using adverbs and varying our sentence openers. We finished the week by writing in role as the monkey using emotive language. Next week, we will be reading the next story called 'The Curing Fox', and be learning about writing play scripts.

Topic

Our new theme this term is called 'What's it made of?' and we will be covering science, geography, art and technology learning. This week, we started with our 'Art Part' creating painting blowing through straws. Here we are having great fun doing this...

We then started our science learning and found out about the 3 states of matter. We have learnt about how the particles are different in a solid, liquid and a gas, and the children have been able to name some materials that are solids, liquids and gases.

PSHE

We have begun our 'Be here, be you, belong' PSHE topic this week. The children have thought about why they are proud to be them. We looked at different traits such as creative, adventurous, generous, kind, encouraging, honest, strong, playful, happy, optimistic etc and the children were all able to choose at least 6 of these traits and say, 'I'm proud to be me because I am e.g. honest, polite, persistent and kind.' The children have also learnt that it is so important that everyone is different because if everyone was the same, life would be very boring, and also that we must allow people to be who they are and respect them, even if they seem different to us.

Spellings

Spellings to learn for a test next Friday: triangle, circle, middle, little, simple, bubble, battle, kettle, apple, handle

Challenge words: inquisitive, mischievous, accidentally

Love to Learn

This week, we would like you to find out about what happens to water before it comes out of your tap. Where does the water come from? What is done to it to make it safe? You may like to include a picture or labelled diagram. You could write a report about this or make a poster that explains it, or present it in another way that you choose. We look forward to seeing what you find out.

Messages

Dates for the Diary:

- Operation Zig-Zag (parking initiative) – 26th & 27th April

- Strike Days – Thursday 27th April & Tuesday 2nd May

-  Red, White and Blue day for the Coronation – Friday 5th May

-  Year 4 assembly for parents – Thursday 18th May (9:00)

- Term 5 ends – Friday 26th May

Many thanks

The Year 4 Team