English

This week we have begun learning how to write a newspaper report. We started by looking at a variety of different newspapers and identifying their features. We discovered that a newspaper report should have all these features:

- It should be written in the past tense and written in third person

- It should start with the name of the newspaper, then a catchy headline, then an introduction.

- Use the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) to write the introduction.

- Newspaper reports often have pictures with captions.

- We found lots of compound sentences that explain ideas further.

This week, we learnt how to write an introduction and how to write compound sentences, whilst writing a newspaper report about Ahmet from 'The Boy at the Back of the Class'.

Next week we will be learning how to write captions and then planning and writing our own newspaper reports.

Maths

In maths this week we have been learning about time. We began by learning how to convert units of time. The question tackled questions such as:

4 weeks = ______ days     They used multiplication to solve these problems. 1 week = 7 days so 4 weeks = 7 X 4 = 28 days

6 hours = _____ minutes      1 hour = 60 minutes so 6 hours = 6 x 60 = 360 minutes

We also solved problems involving months, years and seconds.

We then went on to telling the time on an analogue clock to the nearest minute. The whole year group found this tricky so we would be grateful for any support you can give your child at home with using an analogue clock. We finished off with digital clocks which the children found easier.

Next week we will be learning about the 24 hour clock and how to calculate durations of time.

Thematic

This week we were scientists. We learnt about circuits and the components that can be used in a circuit; bulbs, buzzers and switches. The children learnt how to draw a circuit diagram using the symbols for each component. We then made circuits to try to make a bulb light and a buzzer go off, and then we learnt that a circuit had to be complete for the electricity to flow around the circuit. In our next lesson, we investigated which materials conduct electricity and which are insulators of electricity. We tested plastic, metal, fabric and wood, and discovered that metal is a conductor.

Next week we will be using our circuit knowledge to design, make and evaluate a product in our Technology week.

Spellings

This week we are just focussing on red words (common exception words). Spellings to learn for a test this week are:

medicine, mention, minute, natural, naughty, notice, occasion, occasionally, often, opposite

There is no Love to Learn homework this weekend.

Dates to remember

• Monday 18^th – Thursday 21^st March – Parent-Teacher Consultations – dates and times have been sent by email

• Thursday 21^st March – Rock Your Socks Day in support of Down Syndrome Awareness

• Friday 22^nd March – The Speaker Finals at Royal Harbour Academy

• Tuesday 26^th March – Come Dine With Me for Years 1, 4 & 5

• Thursday 28^th March – Easter Egg Hunts

• Thursday 28^th March – Term 4 ends (normal time @3:15)

• Friday 29^th March – Good Friday

• Monday 15^th March - Term 5 begins

Many thanks

The Year 4 Team