Rainforests Year 3/4 Summer Term

Rainforests Year 3/4 Summer Term

Geography We are going to develop our geography skills by using an atlas and the internet to explore Rainforest regions. We will also be looking at the tropical climates and comparing these with other places around the world. History We will be learning about the routines and rituals of different tribes within the rainforests and explore how rainforests have changed over time due to environmental issues such as deforestation.

Computing The children will continue to learn skills involving programming, primarily using the ipad to do so. They will also be improving their enquiry skills by researching information on the internet and evaluating its reliability. Art & Design Our Art and Design and Technology this term will be linked closely with the topic theme, beginning with the children designing and creating their own Rainforest Eggspress vehicles with Rolls- Royce engineers. Moving into the second half term, the children will be creating model rainforest shelters, exploring colour varieties using paints and developing their sketching skills of real life objects. Science This term we will be exploring the various habitats within the rainforest as well as food chains, life cycles and photosynthesis. PSHE We will be looking at relationships and sexual education using the Catholic booklets. Year 3 will be looking at the reproduction of flowers, where as year 4 will be exploring the reproduction of the stickleback fish.

RE The RE topics we will be covering are Energy, Building Bridges and Special Places. Energy Children will be learning about the gift of the Holy Spirit, and how this gives us energy and power to live the way Jesus wanted us to. They will learn about Pentecost and the how the disciples courageously went out to carry the Gospel of Jesus to the whole world. Building Bridges In order for bridges to be built, a person has to acknowledge wrongdoing, so as to be reconciled to others and to God. Children will learn how this can be formally celebrated in the sacrament of Reconciliation. Special Places Children will learn about special places around the world which are special to the Christian community. Places for prayer and worship, places which are holy because of their association with Jesus or holy people and places of pilgrimages. In addition to the Come and See scheme of work, children will also learn about Islam. We will be looking at Islamic places of worship and their holy book, the Qur an.

Maths We will be developing written methods of calculation in the four rules of number (+ - x ). We will apply these calculations to solve problems. We will focus in particular on multiplication and division. Please encourage your children to learn their multiplication facts up to 12 x 12, this will significantly help them with their division. It would also be hugely beneficial if you could continue to practice telling the time with your child- an important skill for life. We will be recapping converting between fractions and decimals, children will be able to recognise and find fractions of a set of objects, numbers, measurements and shapes. Finally, towards the end of the term, we will be using different units of measures and solving real life problems including area and perimeters. Useful websites to support your child at home: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/maths/number/ http://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/23/measuring_and_time http://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/7-11-years/ordering-and-sequencingnumbers

Within year 3 and 4 we expect writing to be completed to a high standard. Children should implement their targets within all writing activities across the curriculum, this includes complex sentences, adventurous vocabulary and a range of punctuation. Literacy In the first half term we will be learning about poetry. Children will write and perform their own poems about rainforest animals. We will then move on to looking at the impact of deforestation. Children will be become broadcasters and write reports about the events affecting many Rainforests around the world. Towards the end of the half term, we will be writing looking at the different features of persuasive writing. We will be looking specifically at adverts and letter writing using formal language. In the second half term, we will be looking at the features of myths and legends before writing our own stories. We will also be taking our own journeys through the Rainforest using descriptive language to build vivid images in the reader s mind. Finally, we will be doing an author study.

Spanish La Amazonia - The Amazon This term, students in Lower Key Stage 2 will learn about the Amazon Rainforest. They will learn about the location of the Amazon, what countries it is in, what animals live there, why it is important to maintain the Amazon and compare their own lives to those children living in the Amazon. They will also continue to learn and practise key vocabulary such as numbers, colours, days, months, animals, greetings and common phrases.

PE Year 4 swimming lessons will continue to take place every Tuesday afternoon. Miss Hartshorne s PE lesson will be on a Wednesday morning. Miss Burton s PE lessons will be on a Tuesday afternoon with the Year 3 children and a Wednesday morning with the whole class. Mr Campbell s PE lessons will be on a Tuesday and a Thursday afternoon. Mr Karia will continue to teach a PE lesson with each class. The children are expected to bring a full PE kit consisting of a white t-shirt, black or blue shorts and PE pumps. Please ensure every part of your child s uniform is clearly labelled with their name and kept on their peg in school. Earrings are not allowed for PE or swimming lessons and should be removed before they come to school unless the child is able to remove them on their own or they are able to cover them with tape.

Communication We will be developing our communication skills by the use of R- Time and talking partners to establish appropriate ways to talk to others. Aspiration Through target setting and non-negotiables we encourage children to bec onstantly looking for ways to improve their work. We also want the children to aspire to improve their behaviour and attitude towards their learning. Perseverance We will understand the importance of sticking with a challenge even when we find it difficult. At Saint Albans, we believe that in order for the children to become better learners, they require certain skills that will enable them to be successful, not only now, but in the future. Golden Skills Independence We teach the children to become independent learners by encouraging them to find resources and equipment that will support them with their learning. Self-belief We encourage the children to have confidence in their own ability. We like children to feel comfortable to share their ideas openly and give things a go. Curiosity We like children to ask deepening questions that will move on their learning. We plan lessons to actively motivate the children to want to find out more.

Spiritual Daily prayers Class and whole school liturgies Hymn practice RE lessons PSHE Class prayer books Prayer tables SMSC Social R-Time PSHE Fundraising with the Charity Chaplaincy team Golden Book child Classroom rewards Moral Circle time PSHE R-Time Anti-bullying week RE E-Safety School behaviour policy World Issues- Deforestation and Endangered animals Cultural Other Faiths week RE Looking at tribes within the rainforests Polish club Culture after-school club

Homework Homework will be set through Learning Logs on a Wednesday which should be completed and returned on the following Monday. This is a whole school initiative and we expect your child to treat the Learning Log with the same respect as class books. It is expected that children attempt all work set to the best of their ability. Reading Please support and encourage your child to read each day at home as this will make a great difference to their progression. All children are expected to take their reading book home every night and bring it back the next school day.

Dates for the diary Class Liturgies- (10:15am in the Infant Hall): Miss Burton- Tuesday 28 th April Miss Hartshorne- Tuesday 12 th May Mr Campbell- Tuesday 19 th May Inset Days: Monday 1 st June Friday 10 th July Term dates: The Summer Term will run from Monday 13 th April Friday 22 nd May and Tuesday 2 nd June - Thursday 23 rd July. Masses: The Year 3 (including those from Miss Burton s class) will have 2 Masses this term- one at St Alban s Church on Sunday 12 th July and one within class on Wednesday 10 th June. On Saturday 6 th and Sunday 7 th June, children will be taking their First Holy Communion at Church. Whole school Mass will be held on Friday 19 th June at 2pm.