Dear Parents/Guardians,
Well, we’re sad not to be seeing the children return to school this week but glad that staying home will make things safer for everyone and will hopefully mean an end to the ‘new normal’.
This week, we’ll be setting work through the website with a view to moving to google classrooms after that. Your children should already have their home learning books where we would like them to complete any work set unless it is online work. If for any reason they do anything on separate paper, this can be placed in the plastic wallet attached to the back of the book.
We ask that you complete the work set on the days we have mentioned especially if your child will be in school on some days as a critical worker. This is to stop repetition as the children in school will be completing the same activities as mentioned in this home learning.
They should set their work out as they do in school with the date (underlined) in the top right corner and either the question or a title. If they use their DUMTUMS it’ll help them space things out neatly.
Date
Underline
Miss a line
Title/questions
Underline if it’s a title
Miss a line
Start
This week’s activities are as follows:
WEDNESDAY
English: New Year’s Resolutions!
Can I reflect on my experiences and set some New Year’s Resolutions?
Happy New Year! The New Year is traditionally a time to reflect on what has passed and look forward to new challenges and set personal goals. Look at the Powerpoint below to learn about New Year traditions and then choose from the selection of activities provided to record your personal reflections and resolutions.
If you are unable to print, use your Home Learning Exercise Book to record. You can be creative in your use of words, your presentation style and might choose to include drawings as well.
Challenge: Can you complete the 2021 number challenge sheet – part English (words), part Maths (numbers) part History (Roman Numerals)?
NB Answers are on page 2 – no peeking!
Maths
Can I apply my knowledge of the 3 times tables?
You will need to watch the short White Rose video which will talk you through the lesson. Please pause the clip at the appropriate points so that you can answer the questions in your home learning book. The day’s video can be found below.
You will need to complete White Rose Worksheet – The 3 times-table (see below). These questions can either be answered straight into your home learning books or onto a hard copy of the sheet if you have access to a printer.
RE
This half-term in RE, we will be focusing on the Bible – we’ll be looking at how Christians use the Bible to guide their lives and worship, the Ten Commandments, and some of the stories from the Bible. We’ll also be looking at the Christian baptism ritual.
On a new page in your home learning book, please write the date and the learning question:
Can I describe how the Bible is structured?
1. Start by watching this clip: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/z24wmp3
Answer the following questions in your book in full sentences:
a. What does the word Bible mean?
b. How many books are in the Bible? Bonus – How many in the Old Testament and in the New Testament?
c. How many languages has the Bible been translated into?
d. How many words are in the Bible?
2. Now have a look at this PowerPoint. Read through the slides.
- Can you answer the four questions on Slide 7?
Bonus challenges:
- Write down one book from each of the five parts of the Old Testament (The Law, History, Poetry, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets).
- Write down the names of the writers of the four Gospels.
3. If you have a copy of the Bible, have a go at the activity on Slide 27 finding animals in the Bible. Here is a copy of the table if you would like to print it out.
If you don’t have a copy of the Bible, not to worry! Instead, have a go at designing your own cover for the Bible, like in the video.
THURSDAY
English: Fiction Express
Can I answer questions about a text to show my understanding?
Today, we’d like you to use Fiction Express to practise your reading and comprehension skills. Use your login details at the front of your Home Learning Exercise Books to log on to Fiction Express. The new books go live next week so we can join in with the voting then to be involved with the story direction. For this week, choose a title of interest at a level you can read independently or with a bit of support from an adult at home. Remember to check unfamiliar words in the in-built glossary as you read.
https://en.fictionexpress.com/
Once you have picked one, read through the chapters, answer the questions at the end of each one. You will find the quiz questions in the drop-down tab under the main picture. You don’t have to do all of the reading today – there are 5 chapters and activities/quizzes to keep you busy over the next week.
Maths
Can I multiply and divide by 6?
Today’s lesson is very similar to yesterday. We would like you to watch the short White Rose video which will talk you through today’s learning. As you did yesterday, please be sure to pause the video to allow yourself time to answer the questions. The video can be found below.
You will need to complete White Rose Worksheet – Multiply and divide by 6 (see below). Again please either answer the questions straight into your home learning books or onto a printed copy of the sheet.
Science
This half-term in science, we will be studying SOUND. In your home learning book, please start a new page. At the top, write the short date and the learning question for this lesson: Can I explain how sounds are made?
1. Start by watching this BBC Sounds Compilation.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/clips/zwx2tfr
In your notebook, see if you can write down as many sources of sound as you can. You may need to watch the video a couple of times.
For example,
blowing a whistle
plucking a guitar string
2. Read these sentences out loud, then watch the video.
Sound is a form of energy caused by vibrations. Sounds are produced when objects, called sound sources, vibrate. The vibrations travel in waves to reach your ears.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zgffr82/articles/zstr2nb
Either on a printed copy of the sheet or in your Home Learning Exercise Book, practise this week’s words using the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check Method – 3 times each.
3. Now have a go at investigating sounds yourself. Here are some ideas:
- Put your fingers on your throat and feel your vocal chords vibrating when you speak or sing
- Hold a ruler so half of it is on the table, half sticking off the edge. Push it downward then let it go so it vibrates. Listen to the sound it makes. Try changing how much of the ruler is sticking off the edge of the table – how does this change the sound?
- If you have any elastic bands, try stretching them over something and plucking them. Can you see the vibrations?
- If you have any musical instruments, trying playing them. What is vibrating to make the sound? Is it a string? A membrane (like the top of a drum)? Air inside a tube (like a flute or recorder)? Something else?
Try drawing diagrams of your sound sources and label what parts are vibrating.
4. Finish off by watching this video:
https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/sound/
Then see if you can copy and complete this sentence answering today’s learning question!
Sound is made by …
FRIDAY
English: Spellings – Homophones and Near Homophones
Can I learn 5 homophone pairs and use them in context?
This half-term we will continue to set weekly spellings and complete activities to introduce new patterns and rules and broaden our vocabularies. There will be no test.
Look at the Powerpoint below to introduce this week’s words.
Try to draw a diagram showing an object vibrating and the vibrations travelling to someone’s ear.
Complete the word jumbles then fill in the missing words using a selection of this week’s words.
Challenge: Can you write 5 sentences of your own that include this week’s words – either both forms of the homophone in the same sentence or 2 spelling words per sentence linked and used in context?
Maths
Can I use known table facts to become fluent in the 6 times tables?
In today’s maths lesson, we will be using Classroom Secrets Kids which can be accessed using the link below.
www.kids.classroomsecrets.co.uk
Remember your username and passwords for this can be found in the cover of your Home Learning Books.
Work your way through the 6 Times Table and Division Facts Year 4 Lesson slides. Remember, you will need to click on the audio button on each page and the slide will be talked through for you. Throughout the slides, you will have a series of questions that you need to answer. Use your Home Learning Book for working out if you need it. Your scores will then be sent through to us and we can then monitor how you found the task.
Daily Activities:
Watch Newsround to keep up with current affairs.
Try to do some exercise – Oti Mabuse, Joe Wicks, Cosmic Yoga are all available on YouTube.
As of Monday 11th January, we will be asking parents to complete a Google form daily. This will act as a register and will help us to know if your child is well and able to access the days remote learning. This will be sent out using School Comms and the same form can be used for the whole week. Later this week, each class will also receive emails with information/links to Google classrooms, zoom chats etc. so please look out for these as well as any updates on Twitter.
If you need help with anything, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our email addresses are below.
Stay home, stay safe,
The Year 4 team
Beech class:
Miss Eldridge – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
l.eldridge@wransom.herts.sch.uk
Mrs Gibson – Tuesday
a.gibson@wransom.herts.sch.uk
Lime class:
Mrs Wheat – Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday
v.duncan@wransom.herts.sch.uk
Mrs Mackilligan – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
g.mackilligan@wransom.herts.sch.uk