Autumn - Raiders and traders!

We are going on an adventure through time to find out more about the different groups of people who helped to shape Britain,  from the Iron Age with Ancient Britons to the Viking and Anglo-Saxons. Our enquiry question that we will be thinking about is "Who were the best invaders?"

We will begin our journey through time exploring items and artefacts. A trip to Fishbourne Roman Palace will teach us about the lives Ancient Britons led, including any legacies they left behind. Stories about Rome and Roman times will inspire creative writing and offer children the opportunity to empathise with the characters from that time. We will think about the UK's place in Europe and the changes to empires over time. We will experience Celtic artwork and Roman pottery-making and learn to cook and dance like a Viking. We will have some mysterious Viking visitors along the way and learn all about their longboats.

In Science, we will look at our vital internal organs as well as exploring how sound travels to a key external organ - the ear.

This year in our music lessons we will learn to play the violin, delivering two showcases to parents over the course of the year. 

Questions we'll be asking:

• Where is the UK?
• What is the history of our country?
• Who invaded when?
• How did they create Roman pots?
•  What was life like at Fishbourne Roman Palace?
• If you met an Ancient Briton, what would you ask him or her?
• What was the same and different about our invaders?

Trips

There are many ways in which we will be enriching the curriculum this term:

• Trip to Fishbourne Roman Palace
• Rainbow Theatre visit to perform ‘VIKINGS!’ 

The approximate suggested donation for trips and visitors this term will be £22.

Supporting your child

As always, we appreciate offers of help in the classroom, so please speak to your child’s teacher if you are able to do this.

If you want to do more to support your child's learning, here are some ideas…

Watch Together:

• Horrible Histories
• Time Team– Sutton Hoo Special (Available on Channel 4 Website)

Read Together

• Horrible Histories (Cut-throat Celts, Rotten Romans, Smashing Saxons, Vicious Vikings)- Terry Deary
• How to Train your Dragon—Cressida Cowell
• Stories set in any of the time periods we are learning about
• Research Iron Age Britain, the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings.

Do Together

• Involve your child in counting, shopping and cooking to help their mathematical skills develop in everyday activities.
• Visit Bignor Roman Villa and other areas of interest from this time period.

Homework

Homework will be set on Google Classroom and explained in class. Please check this every Wednesday. The children can request a homework book to work in if they prefer. They should bring this in to school each week.  It is an expectation that all children complete homework tasks set. If you have any difficulties please speak with your child's class teacher.

Wednesdays

Maths homework (via Google Classroom or online via My Maths)

English homework or  Grammar Task (via Google Classroom)

Weekly spellings. There will be a quick, informal spelling check of these words every week.

Times tables - children are expected to practise these regularly via Times Table Rockstars, leading up to the times table check in the Summer Term.

Reading -  children should be reading regularly and quizzing on Accelerated Reader (accessed via a link on the Broadwater website).

Spring - Rainforest Rescue

We are off on a rescue mission.

This term we will arrive in our jungle-inspired habitat ready to ask inspiring and challenging questions about the jungles of our world. We'll learn about their location, the plants and animals that live there and why they are uniquely adapted to their environment. We will even taste some of their produce. Our literature will help us to write imaginatively and also deeply question the impact that humans have on this area of the world.  We will learn about photosynthesis and plant science, look at how natural resources can be used well and be inspired by the artistic techniques of Henri Rousseau. We will even rewrite a popular story in French.

Questions we'll be asking:

• Where are the rainforests located around the world?
• Which animals are well-adapted to this habitat?
• What are the four layers of the rainforest?
• How is the rainforest important to us?
• What is the impact of deforestation? How can we make a difference?

Trips

There are many ways in which we will be enriching the curriculum this term including a trip to Drusillas Park.

Supporting your child

If you want to do more to support your child’s learning, here are some ideas:

Do Together

• Look at maps of the world.
• Identify where the rainforests are in the world.

Read Together

• Visit the library together to collect books on Rainforests.
• Read about the impact of climate change.

Go and Visit

• Kew Gardens
• The Living Rainforest in Oxford
• Visit The Eden Project in Cornwall

Takeaway Tasks

• Information page about The Amazon.
• Reading tasks.

Summer - Around the World in 80 Days

This topic is based on a version of the book by Jules Verne.  Please do not read the book before the topic!

Are you ready to take an epic journey across the globe in just eighty days?

This term we will build on children's understanding of countries and continents across the world as we explore the journey that Phileas Fogg took. We will look at the features of some of the places that he visited, exploring the similarities and differences between different groups and develop an understanding of rights and responsibilities. We will research other famous explorers to discover why they are well-known.

We will help Phileas Fogg or one of his companions by designing and making a bag that they would need to carry their belongings in. Also, within science, we will explore the concept of forces and movement.

In Geography, we will compare two places, New York and Worthing.

Questions we'll be asking:

• Who is Phileas Fogg?
• How are the countries and cultures that Phileas Fogg visits the same and different to the UK?
• How can we travel around the world?
• Do you know any other famous explorers? What are they famous for?
• If you were to travel around the world, what would you take with you?
• Where is New York City? What do you know about it?

Trips

Using Google Expeditions virtual reality technology, we take an exciting trip to The Great Wall of China.

Supporting your child

If you want to do more to support your child's learning, here are some ideas…

Maths 

• Column addition and subtraction
• Grid multiplication
• Count in multiples (including 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000)
• TT Rockstars

English

• Spellings - Y3/4 list
• Practise writing sentences with spelling words in
• Read as much as possible!