Dear Parent/Carer,
Welcome to Term 2! We hope that you have had a lovely, enjoyable half term.
In term 2, year 3 and 4 will work hard on producing an exciting nativity. This will sometimes disrupt our PE hall slots but PE continues to be on a Tuesday and a Friday. PE kits need to be in school on these days.
Topic:
For our first Geography topic of the year, we will be exploring some of the fundamentals, including comparing human features such as buildings and bridges, with physical features such as rivers and valleys. We will learn new terminology such as key and symbols, locate and use grid references and identify locations using an eight-point compass. Linked to our Geography topic, we will also learn about an explorer from history – Ernest Shackelton. We will focus on his expedition to Antarctica on ‘Endurance’.
Art:
Art lessons will continue to be taught by Mrs Purver on Fridays. During this term the children will learn about still life and will explore how artists use different techniques to show the form of an object. The children will compare a still life painted on the walls at Herculaneum from the time of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Italy in 79 C.E. with pop art by Andy Warhol from the 1960s. The children will look at the still life work of Morandi, using his work to investigate the meaning of form, and how artists use different techniques to create the illusion of three dimensions in a two dimensional drawing. The children will practise using different pencil techniques to show form and then draw their own still life from observation using cross-hatching.
Science:
Science will be taught on Mondays by Mr Brinkley. This term the children will be studying rocks. This unit introduces the children to key knowledge of rocks including their appearance and simple physical properties. It introduces key substantive knowledge, particularly recognising different types of rock. The unit also introduces disciplinary geology knowledge and how geologists work to find out more about rocks on earth and beyond. The children will learn that a geologist is a scientist who studies rocks and will be introduced to some of the things that geologists might study, such as properties of rocks, composition of rocks, and what rocks can tell us about life on earth long ago. When learning about how sedimentary rock forms, children will learn that fossils form when things that have lived are trapped within rock and how this process allows us to learn about plants and animals from thousands and millions of years ago. Within this topic there is opportunity to study soil closely and to recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter (decaying things that have lived).
Numeracy:
The focus of this term will be addition and subtraction. Maths will be taught using the White Rose scheme. As ever, times tables will have an important role to play in ensuring your child feels confident in number and towards the end of the term our focus will be on multiplication and division. Learning and practising times tables and division facts at home will be very supportive of the children’s learning at school.
English:
This term, we will start by writing letters. We will be reading Shackleton’s Journey by William Gill and Ice Trap! By Meredith Hooper in class and our letters will be from the point of view of crewmembers on this expedition. We aim to use lots of description to make it exciting and ensure we are using accurate punctuation. We also hope to end the term writing winter themed poetry.
R.E:
Incarnation/God is our theme this term and our big question is What is the Trinity? The children will be exploring the baptism of Jesus and the Christian beliefs around how all three members of the trinity appeared. The children will learn about how symbolism is used to represent the Trinity.
P.E:
Will be on Tuesdays and Fridays. P.E. may sometimes be affected by Christmas play rehearsal but in class, this term we will covering a ‘dance’ unit and on Fridays, the children will be focusing on ball skills. PLEASE make sure your child has their FULL PE kit in school, at all times and that it is clearly named. PE is a fun and vital part of the curriculum and children need to have the correct kit with them.
ICT:
This term the children will be learning about online safety and spreadsheets. Each computing session consolidates the understanding of using a computer safety and being safe online but this topic allows for a more focused exploration.
French:
During this term, the children will be studying the unit: Où habites tu? The children will be learning about how to say their nationality, the country they live in and the language they speak. As well as this they will be learning to speak the negative and say where they do not live.
Homework and Spellings:
In line with school policy, weekly spellings and maths homework will continue to be given out on Mondays. Please send homework books in weekly and by Monday so the new sheet can be stuck in. A topic grid will also be sent home with a range of more hands on activities linked to our topics that children may wish to complete. Please also read with your child at home as much as possible. It really does make a difference!
If you have any questions or concerns then please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Many thanks for your continued support,
Mrs Honzik and Mrs Crockford
