Ancient Egypt Year 3 and 4 - Spring term
Geography We are going to develop our geography skills by using an atlas and the internet to explore North Africa, Egypt and its major cities, as well as the River Nile and making comparisons between then and now. We will look at the importance of the River Nile in ancient times, exploring how farmers used it, the machinery they used and the importance of the Nile on everyday life. History We will learn about the hierarchy of Egyptian society; from the Pharaohs to the slaves and explore how these fit on a timeline and the impact they had on the Egyptians. The afterlife was an integral part of Egyptian culture. The children will learn how bodies were prepared for their spiritual journeys and the special burial sites Egyptians built. We will also learn how to find information independently, using a range of sources and artefacts.
PSHE We will be looking at how the slaves were treated during the Ancient Egyptian period and will be linking this to fairness and equality in our lives today. RE Along with our Come and See topics, we will be looking at Ancient Egyptian Gods, temples and important rituals and festivals. Science This term we will be looking at the properties of materials and how we can preserve them from decay. Art & Design We will learn about the art of mummification and create canopic jars for our mummy s organs to be stored for their journey into the afterlife. We will also create a range of handcrafted Egyptian Jewellery. We will also be looking closely at hieroglyphics and sketching from observations made from inside the pyramids.
RE The RE topics we will be covering are Community, Listening and sharing and self-discipline. Community Children will be able to ask and respond to questions about what they and other wonder about the responsibility and commitment of belonging to a community and realise that some of these questions are difficult to answer. Children will also be able to show how their own and others decisions about being involved in the life of a community are informed by beliefs and values. Listening and sharing They will be able to use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for specific actions and words used during the celebration of the Eucharist and be able to give reasons why Christians want to share God s love with others. Self-discipline They will be able to use a developing religious vocabulary to give reasons for religious actions and symbols connected to lent and holy week and give reasons why Christians try to be self-disciplined in lent.
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. We will also be looking at fractions and decimals, children will be able to recognise and find fractions of a set of objects, numbers, measurements and shapes. We will also be adding and subtracting fractions as well as finding equivalent decimals and percentages. 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-sequencing-numbers
Literacy 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. In the first half term we will be exploring playscripts, children will learn how to correctly layout a script using stage directions and will experiment with using punctuation to create different effects. We will then move on to poetry, where we will be creating imagery using a range of descriptive vocabulary and figurative language. Towards the end of the half term we will be writing our own adventure and mystery stories, linked closely to our topic theme. In the second half term, we will be looking at the features of newspapers and writing our own newspapers based on historical events. Following this, we will then write stories based in Ancient Egypt. Finally we will be focusing on explanation texts, and exploring the features of these.
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. 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. Perseverance We will understand the importance of sticking with a challenge even when we find it difficult. 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 Cultural Other Faiths week RE Ancient Egypt festivals and religion Polish club
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.
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. A member of staff will track the pupils reading record and change their book as soon as it is finished.
Dates for the diary School trips Liturgies and Masses Term dates