Year 3 & 4 Autumn Term
What a fantastic half term it has been for our Year 3 and 4 children! Alongside getting to know each other, our new teachers and classmates, we have enjoyed a wide range of exciting learning opportunities across the curriculum and have been impressed by the enthusiasm, curiosity and creativity shown by all of our pupils.
Stepping Back in Time
In history, the children have travelled thousands of years into the past as they explored life from the Stone Age to the Iron Age. They discovered how people lived, hunted and survived, and investigated how homes, tools and settlements changed over time. The children were fascinated by famous archaeological discoveries and enjoyed comparing life in prehistoric Britain with the modern world.
To bring their learning to life, the children created their own cave art, inspired by the paintings found in ancient caves. Using natural colours and materials, they carefully designed artwork that reflected the themes and styles used by prehistoric people. The results were fantastic and gave us a glimpse into how early humans may have communicated through art.
During their lesson learning about stone age weapons, the children were engrossed in creating their own tools using the technique ‘flint knapping’ using clay tools and soap. An engaging but messy task for all!
Becoming Rock Experts
In science, our focus has been on rocks and soils. The children investigated different types of rocks, learning to identify their properties and classify them according to their characteristics. They explored how rocks are formed and examined samples closely to compare appearance, texture and durability. Through practical investigations, the children developed their scientific enquiry skills and enjoyed making predictions and drawing conclusions from their observations.
Inspired by Frida Kahlo
For art week, the children learnt about the famous Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. They explored her unique style and discovered how she used colour, symbolism and self-portraits to express her feelings and experiences. Inspired by her work, the children created their own impressive pieces of artwork, showing great creativity and attention to detail.
Understanding Technology
In computing, Year 3 and 4 have been learning about computer systems and networks. They explored how different devices work together, identified the components of computer systems and developed their understanding of how information is shared across networks. The children enjoyed discussing the technology they use every day and understanding more about how it operates behind the scenes.
Building Positive Relationships
In PSHE, the children have been focusing on healthy relationships. They have been learning about the importance of kindness, respect and effective communication. Through discussions and activities, they explored how to communicate personal boundaries, resolve disagreements peacefully and build positive relationships with others. These important lessons are helping our children develop the confidence and skills needed to be respectful, responsible members of our school community.
Marvellous Maths
It was a half term of consolidation before moving on to new learning in our maths lessons. Recapping our place value knowledge was important before moving on to bigger numbers. Year 3 are now working with numbers up to 1,000 whilst year 4 are working with numbers to 10,000! The children learnt to partition into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones as well as order numbers and find 1, 10 100 or 1000 more or less. Rounding and estimating on a number line was also learnt before learning all about Roman numerals. The children then moved on to addition and subtraction using practical equipment before recapping or learning formal written methods.
Exciting English
The children worked hard in English this term and have already learned to write in two different genres: a time slip narrative and non-chronological report. Using the story ‘Stone Age Boy’ as inspiration, the children created their own version. They identified features, practised key skills needed then planned, wrote and edited their final piece. They made for some fascinating reading and the children loved putting their imagination to use. For their non-chronological report, the children learnt about the different features needed before researching how to survive in the stone age. They then planned and wrote their own survival guide. A big hit in English this term was writing acrostic poems for autumn and harvest. They enjoyed some creative freedom and collaboration in this lesson, sharing ideas and supporting each other. We were very proud of their final poems and it was tough to choose some to read in our Harvest assembly.
Looking Ahead
We are incredibly proud of everything the children have achieved this half term. Their eagerness to learn, ask questions and challenge themselves has been wonderful to see. We hope they have a well-deserved break and we look forward to another exciting half term filled with new learning adventures!
Well done, Year 3 and 4!