Term 3 & 4 Newsletter – Class 4

Happy New Year and welcome to 2025! I hope everyone had a good and restful Christmas. We have had a great start to the term already and the children are excited to be back. I am really looking forward to a brilliant spring term.

Reminders

Please make sure all belongings in class (water bottles, jumpers and PE kits) are named to avoid missing items.

On Thursdays in term 3, the class have the great opportunity of forest school.

he children will need warm and named forest school clothes, brought in on the correct day.

Many thanks!

Miss Mayhew

damayhew@blackboys.e-sussex.sch.uk

History

Our theme for these two terms is The Ancient Maya civilisation. Our key question for term 3 is ‘Who were the Maya?’ and term 4 is ‘What makes the Maya special?’ We will be exploring Maya way of life, including beliefs, society structure, farming and the architectural discoveries made.

Reading

During whole class reading this term we will be reading ‘The Sheep Pig.’ These sessions give the class an opportunity to read a book together, practice reading aloud with expression, and answer comprehension style questions both verbally and written.

Maths

We will start the year by learning about fractions before moving onto decimals at the end of term 3 and into term 4. The year 5s will also look at percentages. We will also continue to have a big focus on times tables throughout the year, which children should be practicing at home regularly. It is especially important for the year 4s in order to prepare them for their multiplication tables check that will take place in the summer terms. More information about this will be given nearer the time.

RE

Our key RE questions for this term are ‘Creation and science: conflict or complementary?’ and ‘How do people with non-religious views decide what is a good life?’

Art

Mrs Hall and Miss Butler will be leading the art unit this term and will be focusing on architecture, guiding pupils through observational drawing, printmaking, and building design.  Their work will be inspired by some of the amazing structures and buildings left behind by the Maya civilisation. 

Music

Alongside our weekly singing practice with Mrs Bayman, we will be learning about using notation and composition. The children have already begun looking at notation in their recorder lessons last term, so should have some prior knowledge to help them with this.  

Computing

In term 4, we will be working on an exciting new unit about the Mars Rover. This will involve identifying some of the types of data the Mars Rover could collect and explaining how this is transmitted back to Earth. After half term we will be looking at computational thinking, which will require the children to use their problem solving skills.

English

We will start off term 3 by reading the book ‘The Chocolate Tree’ by Linda Lowery and Richard Keep. This is the old Maya folktale about where chocolate comes from and the struggle between Kind Kukulkan and Night Jaguar. We will be using this to inspire us to write an explanation text about the Maya and also write our own folktale. After half term, we will be reading ‘The Lost Thing’ by Shawn Tan. We will also be continuing to encourage children that are working to achieve their pen licences. Those who have their licences will be keen to keep their skills sharp.

Spelling

During these terms we will be using Superhero Spellings. This approach has 3 stages: learn, build and show. The children will be given opportunities to practice the words for the rule throughout the week, before completing 10 dictation sentences on Fridays. These will be stuck in the back of homework books for the children to refer back to if needed. The children will be split into year groups during these spelling sessions.

Science

In term 3 in science we will be studying sound. After half term will be looking at animals including humans, focusing on healthy lifestyle and the circulatory system.

PSHE

Before half term our topic will be ‘Dreams and Goals’ before moving onto ‘Healthy Me’ in term 4.

PE

This term we are lucky enough to continue our regular PE lessons with Miss Zara Breeze, learning about dance. We will also be working on hockey in term 3 before revisiting netball in term 4. PE will take place on Monday and Tuesday and full PE kit is expected. Monday PE lessons will be outside so joggers and warm clothing should be worn.

French

This term in French we will be learning about the town, focusing on being able to name shops, items on a shopping list and also giving directions. The children will be encouraged to ask and answer questions verbally.

DT

In term 4, we will be doing food technology where our end product will be to design and make a curry.

Homework

The children will be sent home with a homework menu for the term. Each week the children will select one task to complete. This is sent out on Wednesdays to be handed back in on a Monday.

Spelling

Each week the children will be working on a different spelling rule and receive 10 spelling words. A list of these can be found stuck into homework books for the children to practise at home.

These will also be worked on in class and at the end of the week the children will complete dictation sentences including these 10 words.

Dictation sentences will be stuck into the back of homework books each week in order to see progress and any words/spelling rules that may need to be worked on further.

Reading

Reading is required every night which is to be shown in their reading records. Please bring completed reading records in for reading certificates.

Times tables

Don’t forget to keep practicing times tables at home whenever you can. We have a leader board for studio speed/Rockstar status up in the classroom which is updated weekly.

If you need your TT Rockstars or Purple Mash logins, just send me an email.

Key Dates

Monday 10th February & Wednesday 12th February – Parent consultations

Tuesday 11th February – Safer Internet Day

Monday 3rd February – Sunday 9th February – Children’s Mental Health Week

Friday 14th February – End of term 3

Monday 24th February – Inset Day

Tuesday 25th February – Start of term 4

Thursday 6th March – World Book Day

Tuesday 1st April – Easter Service & Hike

Friday 4th April – End of term & Cup assembly