Yr 4 - Outstanding Olives

Welcome to the 2023 - 2024

Outstanding Olives' class page

Welcome to Outstanding Olives' class page. I am so excited to be sharing our learning journey with you this year. In this class we SPARKLE and always have lots of fun together. On our class page you will find information about the learning taking place each term. You will also find information about homework, letters and times table practice.

If you have any questions or queries, please feel free to contact me on our class email. I will try to reply as soon as possible.

olives@gladehill.nottingham.sch.uk

Mrs Turner

Key information

Diaries will be checked every Friday for 3 or more reads. Please ensure your child brings their diary in so they can have their star added to their book mark.

Practise spellings on your colour spelling band each week - the words are in your diaries.

Practise your times-tables every week - have a look at the times table section on our class page!

Complete your homework which will be set on a Friday and need to be handed in by the following Thursday.

PE kits

For this Spring half term our focus in PE will be target games. Our PE sessions will be every Wednesday afternoons and Thursday mornings. Please remember to bring your PE kits on these days. PE kits consist of a white top and dark bottoms and sensible shoes.

Parent Meet and Greet 

Legacies: past and future

 Our theme this half-term is ‘Legacies.’ Through different subjects we will consider the impact of ours and people’s actions on the way that we lived in the past, present and how we will live in the future.

As readers and writers this half-term, we will be using the book, ‘Escape from Pompeii,’ to inspire our own historical narratives. We will also spend time writing from the perspective of key people from history, such as Boudicca. After delving into the story, and exploring it through orally retellings, we are going to spend some time constructing super sentences, identifying effective vocabulary and developing our knowledge of persuasive writing. In reading we will be retrieving, inferring information and learning about new vocabulary. We will also be identifying how characters feel by looking for their actions.

As mathematicians we will continue to understand and manipulate multiplicative relationships. We will be exploring decimals and how to divide by 10 and 100. We will also be learning about money and its relation to decimals. You can help your children improve by Tackling tables and encouraging them to play online at home! If you need your child’s details, please come and speak to me as this is a great mathematical resource.

As scientists we will be learning about states of matter. We will learn about the properties of solids, liquids and gases. Using this knowledge, the pupils will then identify and classify materials. Within this unit the children will also learn about changing states; carry out comparative tests and observations over time.

As historians, we will learn about the Roman Empire and its impact on Britain. We will consider the use of primary and secondary sources for establishing historical context; we will ask questions and choose appropriate sources to answer them.

As designers, we will be creating and assessing structures. The pupils will be also using their mathematical skills to ensure that their structure is solid and sound.

As athletes the children will be developing skills to enable them to participate in striking and fielding games. Please remember your PE Kit: plain dark bottoms and a plain white top. The children will work on Coordination with a ball – sending and receiving and working together as a team.

As philosophers, we will learn about the importance of physical health and mental wellbeing.

Outdoor Challenge

This term our school focus is all about outdoor learning. Mr Strachan has set a challenge to all pupils to experience as much of the great outdoors as much as they can. Using the '50 things to do before you're 11 3/4' activity guide have a go at any activity you want to. Please see the link below.

50 things to do before you're 11¾ | Visit | National Trust

When you have done an activity please let me know by emailing or writing a note so that I can add it to the Glade Hill map of activities. Good luck and have fun!

Living and Surviving

Our theme this half-term is ‘Living and surviving.’ Through different subjects we will consider the impact of our actions and the importance of our surroundings, environment and what it takes to survive.

We are readers and writers 

As readers and writers this half-term, we will be using the book, ‘The Song of the Dolphin Boy’ to inspire our own descriptive stories set in an imagined world. After delving into our book and exploring it through oral retellings, we are going to spend some time constructing super sentences, identifying effective vocabulary, developing our knowledge of setting a scene through creative writing and inferring character’s thoughts and feelings. In reading we will be retrieving, inferring information and learning about new vocabulary.

We are mathematicians 

As mathematicians we will continue to understand and manipulate multiplicative relationships. We will be continuing to explore fractions, what is a mixed fraction and converting them into improper fractions. We will also be delving into division and what is a remainder.

As this term is important for our Year 4 Times Tables check you can help your children improve by using your Tackling tables login and encouraging them to play online at home! If you need your child’s details, please come and speak to me as this is a great mathematical resource.

We are Scientists

As scientists we will be revisiting animal’s habitats, particularly focusing on food chains. We will learn about the differences in an animal’s habitat and the importance of food chain and what might affect them. Using this knowledge, the pupils will answer our ‘big question’ – ‘How do animals get their food and energy?’. Within this unit the children will also carry out comparative tests and observations over time.

We are Geographers

As geographers, we will learn about rivers, focusing particularly on the Water Cycle and its impact on some of the world’s most famous rivers.

We are Designers

As designers, we will evaluate existing products and learn to adapt a recipe to create our own biscuit. We will then spend time evaluating these.

We are Philosophers

As philosophers, we will learn about our growing and changing bodies and the importance of keeping safe online.

We are Athletes

As athletes the children will be developing skills to enable them to participate in target games. Please remember your PE Kit: plain dark bottoms and a plain white top. 

Living and Surviving

 Our theme this half-term is ‘Living and surviving.’ Through different subjects we will consider the impact of our actions and the importance of our surroundings, environment and what it takes to survive.

As readers and writers this half-term, we will be using the book, ‘The Kapok Tree’ and ‘Dear Earth’ to inspire our own persuasive letters and narrative. After delving into both stories, and exploring it through oral retellings, we are going to spend some time constructing super sentences, identifying effective vocabulary and developing our knowledge of persuasive writing. In reading we will be retrieving, inferring information and learning about new vocabulary. We will also be identifying how characters and animals may feel by looking for their actions.

We are mathematicians

In maths, we will be learning about multiplication, focusing on the rapid recall of them and how to identify patterns to support our understanding.  You can help your children improve by Tackling tables and encouraging them to play online at home! If you need your child’s details, please come and speak to me as this is a great mathematical resource.

We are scientists

In science, we will be learning about living things. We will recap our prior learning considering things that are alive, dead or never alive. We will recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways. They will explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment. Finally, we will recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things.

We are artists

As artists we will be replicating the work of Abbi Dimond, learning and developing our painting skills. We will work towards producing our own nature-inspired painting.

We are philosophers

As philosophers, we will be learning about respecting and valuing our identities as well as considering the importance of celebrating our differences and similarities.  We will also reflect on the communities that we belong to.

We are athletes

This term the children we will be swimming on Wednesday mornings. Please see the separate letter for more information. Their second PE session will focus on developing the skills of counterbalance, and balance to agility. Please remember your PE Kit: plain dark bottoms and a white top.  

Exploration and discovery

Our theme this term is exploration and discovery, and we have got an exciting line up, all based around our fantastic class book.

We are readers and writers

In English this half-term we will be studying the book ‘The story of Tutankhamun by Patricia Cleveland’ and we will use this book to write, a short historical narrative, an explanation text and a poem.

After delving into the story, and exploring it through drama, we are going to spend some time constructing super sentences, identifying effective vocabulary and developing our understanding of character, plots and settings.   In reading we will be retrieving and inferring information. We will be identifying how characters feel by looking for their actions.

We are mathematicians

In maths we will be learning about multiplication, focusing on the rapid recall of them and how to identify patterns to support our understanding. We will then be moving onto perimeter. You can help your children improve by Tackling tables and encouraging them to play online at home! If you need your child’s details, please come and speak to me as this is a great mathematical resource.

We are scientists

In science, we will be learning about electricity. We will identify and classify a range of electrical home appliances. We will explore simple components of circuits and will use this to help us identify complete and incomplete circuits. As scientists we will conduct simple investigation into the conductivity of different materials.

We are historians

As historians, we will learn about the Ancient Egyptian civilisation, considering their greatest achievements. We will develop our knowledge of chronology and how we can use a range of sources to develop our knowledge of the past.

We are artists and designers

As artists, we will be replicating the work of Mary Quant as we learn about her 60’s inspired textiles work. In DT, we will be analysing existing products, to plan and design our own electrical torches.

We are philosophers

In PSHE, we will be learning about safe relationships and how to respect ourselves and others.

We are athletes

This term the children will be entering our net and wall games unit. Through dodgeball, the children will be developing their agility, reaction time and balance. Please remember your PE Kit: plain dark bottoms and a white top. As we will be outside, please pack outdoor clothing.

Identity and belonging

Our theme this term is identity and belonging, and we have got an exciting line up, all based around our fantastic class book. Just like the character of our class book, we are going to spend some time, understanding and reflecting on what makes us who we are and the different communities we belong to in PSHE.

We are readers and writers

In English this half-term we will be studying the book ‘The miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane,’ and we will use these to write our own diary entries and stories.

After delving into the story, and exploring it through drama we are going to spend some time constructing super sentences, identifying effective vocabulary and developing our understanding of character, plots and settings. In reading we will be retrieving and inferring information. We will be identifying how characters feel by looking for their actions.   In spelling, we’ll be learning about suffixes, and exploring different graphemes for the ‘shun’ phoneme.

We are mathematicians

In maths we will be focusing on addition and subtraction and place value and solving a range of problems within these contexts.

Throughout the week, we will also be practicing our x tables. You can help your children improve by Tackling tables and encouraging them to play online at home. If you need your child’s details, please come and speak to me as this is a great mathematical resource.

We are scientists

In science, we will be learning about teeth. We will explore the different types of teeth that humans have and their functions. We will also spend time investigating the impact of sugary drinks on our teeth; how to look after our teeth and what can happen when we don’t. Following on from teeth, we will be diving into our learning about the digestive system: learning about the major organs and their functions.

We are geographers

In our geography unit, the children will be developing their locational knowledge of South America. They will use atlases and maps to locate major countries and cities of the region and describe the environmental regions, human and physical features of some of these countries. 

We are artists 

In art, we will be replicating the work of Giorgio Morandi, as we develop our mastery and skill in range of drawing techniques. We will be working towards our own still life art.  

We are athletes

This term the children will be developing their attacking and defending skill in invasion games. They will learn defending skills; passing and receiving skills and will build to a netball match. Please remember your PE Kit: plain dark bottoms and a white top. As we will be outside please pack outdoor clothing.

Academic Year

2022 - 2023