Year 4
Please take a look at our Year 4 half-termly overviews (below) to see a snapshot of what children are learning in each subject. If you would like to see our 'Whole School Curriculum Overview', click here. If you would like more information about our curriculum or require a paper copy, get in touch via our contacts page.
Autumn 1
Maths - Times tables!
All year there will be plenty of practise of times tables facts. Please support your child with this at home. If you would like resources, please ask!
Place value
When rounding to the nearest 10, children learn about the importance of 5. Although it is in the middle of 0 and 10, any number ending in 5 is rounded up to the nearest 10.
Children round 3 digit numbers to the nearest hundred.
What is 1000 more than/less than a number?
I am thinking of a number. It is greater than 3000 but less than 5000. The digits add up to 15. What is my number? Can you find 13 possibilities?
Addition and subtraction
Children add two 3 digit numbers with no exchanges. When children are confident they move towards adding two large numbers with multiple exchanges.
RE and PSHE
What is meant by the words 'the Kingdom of God'?
New Beginnings & pupil Voice
Mental Health & Well Being: Managing big feelings & ways to wellbeing
English
Poetry: ‘Where do you get your ideas?’ by Sue Hardy-Dawson
Write a poem to be performed to the school in assembly.
Fiction: ‘The Present’ (short film)
This unit is a whole-class sentence intervention. What is a sentence? What is fragment? What is a run-on?
Non-fiction: ‘Celts’ by Jane Bingham
Write an information page and present information in new and exciting ways.
Computing
Online safety - learn to stay safe online with the SMART crew
PE
Games activities: Invasion games - Football
Athletics: Running (including long ditance), jumping, throwing and skipping
History Focus
Iron Age Britons and the Romans
What have the Romans ever done for us?
Key questions for History
How do we know what life was like in Iron Age (Celtic) Britain before the Romans invaded?
How did the Romans know what Britain was like in 55BC?
When did the Romans invade Britain and why?
Why was the Roman Army so successful in building up the Roman Empire?
Did the native Britons welcome or resist the Romans, and why?
How did the Romans influence the culture of the people already here.
What was life like in Roman Brighton?
What have the Romans ever done for us?What is the legacy the Romans left for us?
What is their impact on our life today?
If you were Julius Caesar, would you have invaded Britain in 55BC
Art
Drawing: Celtic patterns and knot-work
Painting: Boudicca portraits from historical descriptions
Music - Interesting Time Signatures
How does music bring us together?
Autumn 2
Maths
Addition and subtraction
Children explore column subtraction using concrete manipulatives.
Children build up to using column subtraction with multiple exchanges.
Children compare different methods of subtraction and make choices about partitioning, taking away or finding the difference.
Is the column method always the best method? When we find the difference, what happens if we take one off each number? Is the difference the same? When is it better to 'count on' rather than use the column method?
Measure
Children recognise that 10mm is equivalent to 1cm.
What items would we measure using mm rather than cm?
Children multiply and divide by 1000 to convert between metres and kilometres.
Computing
We are quiz masters - How can we change asking and answering questions into code? Create a quiz!
English
Non-fiction (continued from previous term): ‘Celts’ by Jane Bingham
Write an information page and present information in new and exciting ways.
Diary writing: inspired by ‘Varjak Paw’ by SF Said
Write diary entries from different viewpoints.
Narrative: Tam’s story, inspired by Varjak Paw’ by SF Said
Write a new part of the story (Tam’s story) in the style of SF Said. Read it to a small audience.
French
How old are you? Do you have brothers and sisters?
RE and PSHE
How is Christmas and Advent celebrated around the world?
Getting On & Falling Out: friendships skills
Anti- Bullying Week
Money management
PE
Dance: group and partner work
Games activities: Invasion games - Tag Rugby
Geography Focus - locational knowledge and map skills.
Key questions for Focus
What are climate zones?
Which locations around the world have similar environmental and temperature regions?
What is a county?
What are the main counties and cities in and around Sussex?
How can we use maps to find out about the local area?
How can we look after and protect our beautiful beach?
Science Curriculum Focus
What happens when we heat something up or cool something down?
This term, the children will find out about the three different states of matter - solids, liquids and gases - and investigate how chemicals can change state. They will also find out about the water cycle.
Design (DT)
Whole School Seasonal Project
Music - Combining Elements to Make Music
How does music connect us with our past?
Spring 1
Maths
Multiplication and division
Children continue to build on their knowledge of the times tables up to the 11 and 12 times tables.
Children are introduced to the ‘Associative Law’ to multiply 3 numbers. This law focuses on the idea that it doesn’t matter how we group the numbers when we multiply
e.g. 4 × 5 × 2 = (4 × 5) × 2 = 20 × 2 = 40
or 4 × 5 × 2 = 4 × (5 × 2) = 4 × 10 = 40
Children learn that a factor is a whole number that multiplies by another number to make a product e.g. 3 × 5 = 15, factor × factor = product.
Area
Children are introduced to area for the first time. Area is the amount space taken up by a 2D shape or surface.
Children investigate area in lots of practical ways.
PE
Games activities: Invasion games - Hockey
Gymnastics: Big apparatus
Music - Developing Pulse & Groove Through Improvisation
How does music improve our world?
English
Poetry: ‘Six ways of looking at the moon’ by Pie Corbett
Contribute a metaphor poem to a class book and share with the school.
Fiction (modern fables): ‘The Tin Forest’ by Helen Ward and ‘The promise’ by Nicola Davies
Create story settings that paint vivid pictures in the mind of your reader.
Non-fiction: ‘Guardians of the planet’ by Clive Gifford and ‘Planet for sale’ by Sue Hardy Dawson
Explain to our school community how to become an eco-hero, and persuade everyone to stop wasting food.
RE and PSHE
What does it mean to be on a mission?
Good to Be Me
Nothing About Me Without Me: Disability Equality Education
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Computing: We are 3-D designers
An introduction to 3-D design: design and create an animal themed sandpit.
Science Curriculum Focus
What happens if the electricity goes off?
How can we share what we have?
Discover the world of electricity…
How does it work and what would we do without it? What do we mean by “alternative sources” of energy?
Key scientific questions
Can you identify common appliances that run on electricity?
Can you construct a simple series electric circuit?
Can you identify and name the basic part in a series circuit?
Can you identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery?
Can you recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit?
Can you associate a switch opening with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit?
Can you recognise some common conductors and insulators?
How is electricity generated?
How does the electricity we use travel to us? (power stations and how they work)
Why is it important to look for alternative sources of energy?
What are fossil fuels?
Why do some places have more than others?
How can we share what we have?
Spring 2
Maths
Fractions
Children revisit their learning about tenths from Year 3. Children count up and down in tenths using different representations.
Children continue to explore equivalent
fractions.
Children begin to add two or more fractions with the same denominator where the total is less than 1 (e.g. three tenths + six tenths).
Decimals
Children begin to explore the link between fractions and decimals using
concrete manipulatives and pictorial representations.
How many ones are there?
How many tenths are there?
What’s the same/different between 0.2 , 1.2 and 0.8?
How many different ways can you make a whole using the three decimals?
Why do we need to use the decimal point?
How many tenths are equivalent to one whole?
French
Do you have a pet?
Colours
English
Non-fiction (continued from previous term): ‘Guardians of the planet’ by Clive Gifford and ‘Planet for sale’ by Sue Hardy Dawson
Explain to our school community how to become an eco-hero, and persuade everyone to stop wasting food.
Poetry: ‘Cave of Curiosity’ by Pie Corbett
Create a poem that links a place with an abstract idea and publish it in a class book.
News reports: ‘The Iron Man’ by Ted Hughes, ‘The Iron Giant’ (film)
Write news reports for about the Iron Man’s arrival and the arrival of the Space Bat Angel Dragon.
Computing
STEM project: 'Night Light'. Design build and code a night light. Wire buttons and lights to a microcontroller.
RE and PSHE
How does the story of Rama and Sita inspire Hindus?
Growing an Anti-Racist School
Keeping Health & Safe: Tobacco Education
Music - Creating Simple Melodies Together
How does music teach us about our community?
Art and Design (DT)
Sculpture and Painting (Whole School Art Project)
Design
Whole School Book Week Project
Key questions for topic
We are looking at the work of Verner Panton.
What is a pattern?
Where have you seen
patterns in real life?
(on clothes, fabrics, wrapping paper etc)
Have you seen patterns in the natural world?
How might you make a pattern? (by repeating a design over and over again)
PE
Dance: Partner and Groupwork
Games activities: Invasion games -Basketball.
Summer 1
Maths
Decimals
How many tenths make one whole? How many hundredths make one tenth? How many hundredths make one whole? If I have ___ hundredths, how many more do I need to make one whole?
Money
Children continue to develop their understanding of pounds and pence. This is the first time they are introduced to decimal notation for money.
How many pence make a pound?
Why do we write a decimal point between the pounds and pence?
How would we write 343 p using a pound sign?
How can the amounts be partitioned in to pounds and pence?
Time
First we recap telling the time to different degrees of accuracy from Year 3.
Which of the hands is the minute hand and which is the hour hand?
Is the minute hand past or to the hour?
How many minutes past/to the hour is the minute hand?
If the minute hand is pointing at the 6, how many minutes have passed in this hour?
When we are ready, we convert between analogue and digital times.
Music - Creating Simple Melodies Together
How does music shape our way of life?
English
Non-fiction: ‘i360 leaflet’ and leaflets about local attractions
Write an information leaflet that promotes a local attraction.
Poetry: ‘The Minotaur’ by Rachael M Nicholas
Understand a narrative poem and perform it using intonation, tone, volume and action. Make a 'puzzle purse' poem of your own.
Fiction: ‘Theseus and the Minotaur’ by A. Horowitz
Create a legend in the style of ‘The Minotaur,' involving gifts and a dangerous creature.
The Mediterranean
Meet our European neighbours
RE and PSHE
Why do Hindus want to collect good karma?
Relationships: Coping with loss
Protective Behaviours: Feeling Good Feeling Safe
Geography Focus
What's so special about the Mediterranean Region?
Why do so many people go to Greece for their holidays?
Key questions:
What is a biome? What and where are the main biomes of the world?
Where is Europe on the map? What do we know about Europe?
What are some of the main countries and capital cities of Europe?
What is so special about the Mediterranean?
Where is Greece?
What are the key human and physical geographical features of Greece?
What is the climate like in Greece?
How many different regions are there in Greece and what are they like?
What is daily life like in Athens?
Why is Athens called the Birthplace of civilisation and democracy?
Comparative study of daily life in Athens and daily life in Brighton.
PE
Swimming
Athletics: Withdean trials and preparation
Computing
We are slugs! Design a 'slug trail' game that uses loops.
Summer 2
Maths
Statistics
We revisit how to use bar charts, pictograms and tables to interpret and present data. We gather our own data and then present the information in a bar chart. Most importantly, we ask and answer questions about the data we have presented.
Properties of Shape
We revisit previous work on angles. What is an angle? An angle is a measure of the amount of turn between two lines.
We continue to explore 2D shapes, especially triangles and quadrilaterals.
What is a shape with 7 straight sides called? Shapes with 9 straight sides are called _______?
How many equal sides does a rhombus have?
We explore lines of symmetry
Can you draw a horizontal line?
Can you draw a vertical line?
Can you draw a diagonal line.
Name a shape with 5 lines of symmetry.
English
Fiction (continued from previous term): ‘Theseus and the Minotaur’ by A. Horowitz
Create a legend in the style of ‘The Minotaur,' involving gifts and a dangerous creature.
Poetry: ‘Old foxy’ by Sue Hardy-Dawson
Explore a poem about one urban scavenger (fox) and then create a poem about another one (seagull).
Fiction: ‘Fox Friend’ by Michael Morpurgo
Create a dilemma story with strong lead character for a year 4 audience.
French
Months of the year
Numbers 13 -31
P.E
Games activities: Striking and fielding - Rounders
Art
Sculpture: Italian artwork
Music - Purpose, Identity and Expression in Music
How does music connect us with the environment?
RE & PSHE
What symbols and stories help Jewish people remember their convenant with God?
Changes & Moving on
RSE- how families grow and puberty
Science curriculum focus
Who's walking in our wood?
This term, the children will be finding out about animal habitats, food chains and how to classify living creatures.
History Focus
Ancient Greece - Legends and Legacy
Key Questions
Who were the Ancient Greeks?
Why is Ancient Greece so significant?
What was life like in Ancient Greece and how do we know about it?
In what ways have the Ancient Greeks influenced our lives today?
Computing
Music algorithm to music code - decode a musical score into scratch numbers
