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Year 4 - Hawthorn Class
Geography Day
Geography Day was enjoyed by everyone in Year 4. We started the day by learning about France and the reasons why the Olympic Games are being hosted there. After break, we dove into our chosen country for the day - Iceland. The children enthusiastically created posters and presented them to the class, showcasing their newfound knowledge. After lunch, the children worked in groups to create beautiful scenes of the Northern Lights. To wrap up our exciting day, we made flags from materials and sticks.
Agape
This week in R.E, the children created information posters promoting how the school and its pupil can demonstrate agape. They took their finished posters and put them up all around the school so the other children would be able to learn from them.
House Football
Well done to all the children in Year 4, who were picked to represents their house in the House Football Tournament. We watched from the side lines cheering on our teams.
Island Project
For English this week, the children participated in an ‘Island project’. This involved them imagining they had been deserted on an island. For day 1, they had to write a set of instructions on how to survive the night by finding food and making a shelter. On day 2, the children had to write a diary entry describing what their island was like. Using their tech skills, the children, on day 3, recorded their diary entries to send to a rescue boat. They did such a wonderful job on this project that they were allowed to draw their island maps.
Wimbledon Finals
Well done to our finalists, who played a brilliant match for the last round of Wimbledon. Congratulations to our winners - Sean and Gracie!
Egyptian Projects
We have been absolutely blown away by Year 4’s Egyptian projects this year! They are incredible! Each child has put so much effort and creativity into their work and the results are astounding. Well done! Thank you to all the parents that helped make their projects. As always, we really appreciate your support.
Wimbledon
Today, the children participated in the first round of our Wimbledon tournament. Each student competed with great effort and determination. We are looking forward to the upcoming finals, where the winners of this round will compete for the championship.
Sports Day 2024!
Sports Day was a huge success! The weather was perfect, and the children did us proud. Their behaviour was impeccable, and they expressed fantastic sportsmanship in cheering on their peers and celebrating their achievements. Well done KS2! You were all brilliant.
Glastonbury Abbey
Year 4 went on an exciting trip to Glastonbury Abbey on Wednesday. The weather was lovely, making it a perfect day for exploring. We started with a tour around the ruins, where we relived the history and learned about what happened at the abbey long ago. The ancient stones and arches were fascinating, and we imagined what life must have been like during the time of the monks. After our tour, we visited the museum, where we got a chance to play Tudor games. We also learned some Tudor dancing. We all laughed and enjoyed trying to keep up with the steps and music. To top off the day, we made our own Tudor toothpaste. All the ingredients were sourced from the abbey grounds, just as they would have been in Tudor times.
Celebration Day
What an absolutely fantastic day we've had today, celebrating all of our achievements this year! Our day began with a whole school assembly, where we reflected on the highlights and accomplishments of the past year. After the assembly, we took part in a karaoke session. We took it in turns singing our favourite songs and dance. We then watched a film and had plenty of ice-cream with sprinkles to snack on. The fun didn't stop there! We spent the afternoon engaging in a variety of exciting activities like ping-pong, bracelet- making and playing on the Nintendo Switch. One of the highlights of the day was our visit to the photo booth. We took lots of photos, creating memories to cherish. To conclude this wonderful day, we wrote heartfelt letters to place in the school time capsule. These letters contained our thoughts, dreams, and messages for the future. We are so grateful for the opportunity to come together and remember our achievements in such a special way.
Well done!
A huge well done to all Year 4 children who completed their multiplication checks this week! We are unbelievably proud of each one of you! The children enjoyed a celebration afternoon on the field with fun and cupcakes- a very well deserved treat.
Multiplication
With the multiplication check fast approaching, the children have been working hard to master all of their times tables. Please remember to practice over the half term! We hope you have a lovely week off!
Tudor Day
One of our favourite days of the year was our fantastic Tudor Day! The children looked amazing in their Tudor costumes, and we were very impressed with the effort everyone put into their outfits. As the children arrived, they enjoyed completing Tudor games and puzzles. We began with sketching Tudor portraits, using our artistic skills before heading to the art studio to craft clay Tudor roses. After break, we tried our hand at archery, a favourite pastime of the Tudors, and then practiced calligraphy. Following lunch, we learned some traditional Tudor dances and enjoyed a delightful banquet. The children tasted foods inspired by Tudor times, such as pottage and ground meat. It was a wonderful day filled with learning and laughter, and we all had a fantastic time together.
Author Visit
This week, we were very fortunate to have a visit from author Tom McLaughlin. He shared his inspiring journey of becoming an author and gave us a fascinating glimpse into how he illustrates his books. Tom also taught us how to create our own characters, sparking our creativity and imagination. To top it off, we had the pleasure of listening to excerpts from his new book.
Farm Visit
Hawthorn had an absolutely fantastic time visiting the animals that arrived on the school field. The students enjoyed spending time with goats, sheep, a tiny Shetland pony, and even got to hold the guinea pigs. It was a wonderful experience that brought joy and excitement to everyone. A big thank you to the PTA!
Structures
This half-term in Design and Technology, the children have been exploring various structures and learning how to construct shelters. After gaining a solid understanding of different building techniques, they were given an exciting challenge: to create their own structures based on a chosen theme using art straws and pipe cleaners.
With great enthusiasm and creativity, the children set to work, carefully designing and constructing their models. Each structure reflected their imaginative ideas and newly acquired skills, showcasing a range of innovative designs and themes.
Dictation Activity
The children were set the task of copying sentences into their books from memory as they were read aloud. The sentences increased in complexity and included many common exception words to test the children’s spelling as well as punctuation.
Egyptian Workshop
Year 4 took part in an unforgettable Ancient Egyptian workshop led by South West Heritage. The workshop was packed with exciting activities. The children painted scarab beetles, focussing on the colours significant to Ancient Egypt. They also got to experience being an archaeologist. This was when the children had to dig in the sand to find artefacts. We made bread and dressed up. We had such a fantastic time!
Poetry Competition
Year 4 were excited to hear the news that the Preston Primary Academy Trust Poetry Competition was back on this year. We started the first round in our class. The children rehearsed a chosen poem thinking about the tone and rhythm. Once the children had picked their favourites poets, we joined with the other Year 4 class to compete against them.
Dragon Eggs
This week, we were absolutely blown away by the incredible work from the Year 4 children in their extended writes. Their task was to imagine finding a dragon egg and write about it in the first person. The creativity and imagination they displayed were truly remarkable. To celebrate their fantastic writing, we decided to try out our new art studio. We thought it would be the perfect opportunity for the children to bring their stories to life visually. They set to work painting and decorating their very own dragon eggs, using the vivid descriptions from their stories as inspiration.
Parliament Assembly
Key Stage Two recently enjoyed an insightful visit from Tom from Parliament. During his visit, he provided a fascinating insight into the Houses of Parliament, detailing the functions of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons. Tom also discussed constituencies across the UK, highlighting Marcus Fysh as the MP representing our constituency. We delved into the concept of democracy, exploring its significance both within our school and on a national level. Tom also shed light on the role of the government, mentioning our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and his team. It was a valuable learning experience that enriched our understanding of the political system and governance in the UK.
Timetable Walk
This week in our maths lessons, we have been learning how to read timetables. To put our lesson into context, we walked around Abbey Manor looking at the different bus timestables. The children were challenged with questions that could only be answered by interpreting the timetables.
Circuits
In our science lesson this week, we delved deeper into the subject of electricity. Our focus was on understanding the different components that make up an electrical circuit. The children were able to put their knowledge into action. Equipped with an assortment of circuit-building materials, including wires, batteries, bulbs, and switches, they constructed their own circuits.
Rounders
The children have been so excited to finally get up onto the field during playtimes. We have started this half term’s P.E topic with rounders. For our first session, we focussed on our catching skills as well as learning the rules of the game.
Welcome back!
We hope you all had a lovely, relaxing Easter break. The children came back with lots of exciting stories about what they did during their time off. We are really looking forward to this term and all of the exciting activities we have planned.
HAPPY EASTER!
Thank you to all our Year 4 families for your help with the play. We are so proud of all the children for taking part. It wouldn’t have been possible without your help. We hope you have a wonderful break and a very happy Easter.
Joyeuses Pâques
We have been busy creating Easter cards to send to our link school in France - Saint Exupéry Herblay. Using vocabulary from our topic this half term, the children wrote poems in the cards about Easter and Spring.
Sound
In science this week, we have been exploring sounds by following experiment instructions. There were 5 experiments to investigate: a spoon sound maker, 2 glass sound makers, vibrating rice and a string telephone. The children loved investigating the sound they could make with all of these!
India Workshop
In the Year 4 Indian workshop, students explored the rich tapestry of India's culture and traditions. They participated in engaging activities like learning traditional dances, creating colourful rangoli art, and playing instruments. The classroom buzzed with excitement as children immersed themselves in the vibrant sights and sounds of India. Guided by enthusiastic teacher, the workshop provided a fun and educational experience, leaving lasting memories of cultural discovery for all who attended.
Science Week
Year 4 spent the week designing their own inventions - we were very impressed with all of the ideas. We wrote an explanation text and then presented them to the class. We also had a visit from Preston Secondary School, who put on an interesting assembly. The children from KS1 and KS2 worked incredibly hard to produce amazing science projects, which they then showed off to their peers at the science fair.
The Museum of Somerset
Year 4 enjoyed a fantastic day out in Taunton at The Museum of Somerset. The children learnt all about Stone Age Somerset and had a chance to explore the displays and discover artefacts. They even got to hold a real tooth from a woolly mammoth! As well as exploring the museum collections, the children also made their own Stone Age ‘bone’ necklaces, painted some cave art, and they also dressed up in Stone Age attire. It was a brilliant day that truly enhanced the children’s engagement and understanding of their history topic. The children were all very well behaved and were even complimented by a member of the public for their behaviour walking around the museum.
D.T at Westfield
Westfield D.T department kindly offered to help us make some props for our play. A group of children walked over to work with some Year 10 children to make the props.
Computing
In computing, the children have worked in pairs to create their own podcasts. They have recorded interviews abou their favourite topics. The children then had to edit them using an app on the ipad to ensure their podcasts were ready to play to the class.
World Book Day
To celebrate World Book Day, the children designed and wrote leaflets about the characters that they had come dressed as. Using subheadings and labelled illustrations, the children provided key information about who they were and what book their characters had come from. Year 4 also enjoyed a visit to the book fair, where they were able to browse and buy exciting new titles with their book vouchers. It was a highly enjoyable day and the children all looked wonderful in their costumes!
Cave Painting
This week we studied cave paintings. We learnt about how early humans communicated during the Stone Age, and the relevance of their artwork in helping archaeologists decode what it may have been like to be alive during Stone Age times. The children then went on to create their own cave paintings using natural-coloured paints and charcoal.
Design and Technology
For their D&T project this term, Year 4 was set the task to research (and taste!) a variety of different biscuits. They then went on to bake a basic prototype, which of course involved further taste tests. From there, the children then adapted the basic recipe by adding an additional ingredient. Further tests were made before the children decided on what adapted ingredient they would like to choose for their final biscuit bake. The results looked delicious! Year 4 not only successfully made biscuits, the children also designed their own logos.
Science
For science this week, Hawthorn explored how sound can travel through different materials. In our investigation, we looked at a variety of materials and how well they blocked out sound. From our research, the children were able to determine which materials would make the most effective earmuffs.
Scarf Workshop
This week, Hawthorn Class took part in a life workshop. The children discussed a variety of topics such as different systems within the body, friendships and keeping your body healthy.
Science
To being our topic of sound in science, we conducted a study to investigate vibrations. We used glasses and water to create different pitches of sound. We even tried to collaborate a piece of music using different amounts of water in the glasses.
Safer Internet Day
Hawthorn class took part in Safer Internet Day. We joined in with a BBC live lesson about keeping safe online. The children then created and shared posters to make people aware of internet safety.
Children’s Mental Health Week
This week, we have focussed on how to improve our mental health. We have taken part in a wellbeing session for our P.E lesson and had lots of discussions about feeling proud of ourselves when we achieve big and small things.
School Disco
Thank you very much to the PTA for organising the school disco. The children had so much fun and we were so impressed with their dance moves. Everyone danced and danced and danced!
P.E
To go along with our India topic, we played Kabbadi. This is a traditional Indian playground game. The children had to run away from the invader, who was shouting Kabbadi, and not get caught. When the invader could not shout Kabbadi anymore, the game ended. The children loved the game and have even been playing during their breaktimes.
Junk Modelling
We had so much fun junk modelling in art this week. The children brought in lots of junk from home and used it to create a piece of artwork.
Wessex Water Workshop
This week, Year 4 was treated to a workshop with Tim from Wessex Water. He took the class through the different stages of the water cycle, before giving the children an insight into how dirty water is treated to make it clean again. The children then had a go at 'flushing' a fake toilet to investigate what materials should and should not be flushed down the toilet. We discovered that flushable wipes are in fact, not flushable!
Timestables
I am so impressed with how hard everyone in our class is practising their timestables. This week, every single child scored over 20/25 in our mock test! The children have also made flashcards to help them keep practising at home.
Chembakolli
This week in Geography, we have learnt about a village in India - Chembakolli. The children discussed and wrote about the differences and similarities between Chembakolli and Yeovil. Well done to Amelia, who got a Headteacher's award for her amazing piece of writing.
World Religion Day
To celebrate World Religion Day, we made human paper chains and drew people that represent different religions. We discussed that the people holding hands represent all religions living together in harmony. We also learnt some traditional dances, which the children thoroughly enjoyed.
Art
This week in art, the children have considered how shapes can be formed and joined with wire. The children choose a shape and used a stencil to bend a piece of wire into one shape.
Science
Hawthorn continued to expand their understanding of the different states of matter by investigating how the different states can be reversible. To do this, we used jelly as our solid. We poured boiling water onto the jelly cube and watched it melt into a liquid. We then observed the liquid turning into a solid while it was cooling down. The children loved investigating the process, especially as they got to eat their experiments afterwards!
Maths
This week in maths we have been focussing on mass. We have estimated weights of different objects in the classroom, converted between grams and kilograms and practised reading scales.
Alice in Wonderland
We have begun rehearsals for our Year 4 play ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and a letter will be coming out in the next few weeks regarding show dates. Please find below a copy of the script so the children can learn their lines and song lyrics.
Geography
Today, we learnt about the economic activity in India. We focussed on Mumbai and compared the rich and the poor side. We looked at pictures from Dharavi the slum and then looked at real rupees!
Yoga
This week, we have taken part in a yoga lesson. We tried different techniques and also focussed on strengthening our cores as well as a mindful session at the end.
Welcome Back!
We have had a fantastic first week back. We have started our new Geography topic, which is India. The children used the globe and atlases to locate key cities and rivers in India. In Science, we have also started our new topic, which is states of matter. The children worked in groups to act as the particles in a solid, a liquid and a gas.
We wish all our Year 4 families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Christmas Week
We have had such a lovely week together celebrating Christmas. The children have taken part in lots of activities including Christmas crafts, decorating Christmas biscuits and a Christmas party. We also thoroughly enjoyed walking down to the church for the carol service.
Week 8 - Outdoor Learning
For our last outdoor learning session, we had a brilliant time building a fire, toasting marshmallows to make s’mores and drinking hot chocolate.
D.T - Santa Sleigh
This half-term for our D.T projects, we have created slingshot Santa sleighs. The children made a chassis for their sleighs and the mechanisms that would make their sleighs fly. We had to take into consideration how the sleigh would carry presents and how we can make them aerodynamic.
Music
In music this half-term, we have been learning a song called 'Looking in the Mirror'. We have also leant to play this on the glockenspiels. We have focussed on the beat and rhythm of the music.
Christmas Dinner
Week 7 - Outdoor Learning
This week in outdoor learning, we collected different types of leaves and threaded them onto wire to create Christmas wreaths. We also spent time discussing our feelings and what types of activities can improve our mental health.
Art
To finish our Art topic, the children created their own 3D sculptures, sketched them and then painted them. We focussed on how the lines changed to make shapes look 3D.
Pantomime
How lucky were we to have the Panto come and visit us this year? The children laughed and laughed at Jack and the Beanstalk.
Week 6 - Outdoor Learning
This week in outdoor learning, we have made hanging decorations. The children whittled their wood and added sting. We used tools to make holes in conkers so we could string them together with different coloured leaves.
Church Visit
Today, we walked down to St James Church. We met Reverend David and he showed us around. We then asked David lots of questions about Christianity and why he became a vicar. We really enjoyed listening him and found everything very interesting.
The British Museum
Year 4 had a brilliant time at the British Museum. We were amazing by the giant statues and the real mummies. We are so proud of every single one of our year 4 children for their impeccable behaviour and enthusiasm!
Outdoor Learning - Week 4
This week in outdoor learning, we split into 3 groups and spent the whole afternoon outside. The first activity was to clear and refresh our school bug hotel. We had to create the right habitat for the bugs. We also searched for different minibeasts and used the magnifying glasses to take a closer look. We were very excited when we found snail eggs! The last activity was based on our D.T project 'structures'. The children made their own dens using A frames and also a tipi.
Children in Need
Inter Faith Week
To celebrate Inter Faith Week, we created a two-page spread about different religions. We chose four to research and then wrote interesting facts about each one. Thank you to all the children and families that shared their religion with us.
Teeth
We have been learning about teeth in our science lessons. The children used mirrors to look at the different teeth that are in their mouths. They could see incisors, canines, premolars and molars. We also talked about when their wisdom teeth might appear. We discussed how to keep our teeth clean and healthy.
Computing
This week in computing, we have learnt the difference between a website and a webpage. The children used the iPads to search for well known sights and explore the different webpages.
Maths
Recently, we have learnt about different diagrams in maths. We collected our own data and then presented it in our own Carroll diagrams, Pictograms and Venn diagrams.
Anti-Bullying Week
The children wore their odd socks to school today to mark the start of Anti-bullying week. We saw some very bright, colourful socks! The children will be taking part in lots of activities centred around bullying throughout the week.
Outdoor Learning - Week 3
This week in outdoor learning, we went pond dipping. We are very lucky to have a pond at school. We took our nets and magnifying glasses and caught lots of different animals in the pond. We then tried to identify and classify each one.
Remembrance Day
Young and old are now dead,
Time to rest their courageous heads.
Father and sons in despair,
Their souls floating up into thin air.
Remember them forever.
They were sad to leave their family,
although they flew up happily.
While the sun shimmered in the sky,
The planes glimmered way up high.
Remember them forever.
The men were always strong together,
Wives left with only memories forever.
Lest we forget we will always speak,
Stood together means never be weak.
Remember them forever.
Written by Hawthorn Class
Outdoor Learning - Week 2
We had a fantastic time in our outdoor learning lessons this week. We went for a walk to pick up pine cones and then came back to our base. We used pine cones and apples to make bird feeders out of lard and seeds.
The Digestive System
Hawthorn have been learning about the digestive system in Science. We have looked at the different parts and learnt their functions. The children took part in an experiment to show the different features of the digestive system. We used a freezer bag with coke for the stomach and acid, banana and biscuits as food to show what happens in the stomach. The children took it in turns to churn the food with their hands. The food then travelled through the small and large intestines. We then cut the bottom and watched the food come out. The children enjoyed taking part and there was lots of laughs!
Instructions
This week for our extended write, we have written instructions about how to make Rice Krispy Cakes. We made the cakes before we wrote our instructions.
Outdoor Learning
The children had so much fun taking part in their first outdoor learning session. With bonfire night approaching, we learnt how to stay safe when building and lighting fires. The children whittled their own kindling and then started a fire using a flint and cotton wool.
#HelloYellow
Hawthorn class wore yellow to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Day. We discussed how different situations make us feel and it’s ok to not always feel 100% all the time. The children then shared what makes them happy, including singing in the shower, going on a walk and drinking warm hot chocolate with marshmallows.
Volcanoes
This half term, we have been learning about the different types of mountains, which included volcanoes. We have learnt about the different parts, why and how a volcano erupts and where volcanoes can be found. We have also created our own volcanoes out of papier-mâché. The children used bottles, newspaper, cardboard to make the structure and painted them. After working so well together, we exploded our volcanoes using mentos and coke.
Black History Month
Year 4 have been learning all about the work of Adelaide Hall, a jazz singer and entertainer, and Margaret Busby, the Ghanaian-born publisher, editor, writer and broadcaster. The children were tasked with creating PowerPoints to present to the class. The children were very inspired by their stories and loved learning about how Adelaide and Margaret influenced the UK. In Art, we have studied artist Alma Thomas. We have recreated her drawings and learnt how she influenced the world of art.
Mental Health Performing Arts Workshop
This week, the children were able to take part in a performing arts workshop run by Natalie from Razzmatazz Theatre School. The children were asked to share why they thought they were unique and what made them special. They then showed the class a pose and the other children had to guess what they thought was their talent. Natalie also taught the children how to relax and take a mindful moment.
Annelise Gray
We were lucky enough to be visited by local author Annelise Gray. Annelise writes the Circus Maximus series and is currently working on her 4th. She gave us an insight into the books without giving any clues away. Lots of the children brought books and were able to get them signed.
Harvest Festival
This week, we celebrated our harvest festival. Thank you for all of the donations for the Lord’s Larder. We sang hymns and read poems and prayers. Well done Maya, who did a reading in front of the whole school.
National Poetry Day
Hawthorn have spent not just a day but the whole week celebrating poetry. We have read a variety of poems and discussed the structure and style of each one. We have written our own Haiku and Kenning poems. We also had a visit from a Detective on Thursday, who set us a task to write a class poem for the school competition.
P.E
This half term in P.E, the children have been participating in adventure activities. The children have had the opportunity to work individually and with a team. This week, each child had to lose a sense, such as sight or touch and trust their partners to lead them to a specific area. The children were encouraged to work with friends they would not usually play with. We joined the other Year 4 class and saw some great teamwork.
European Day of Languages
This Tuesday, we also celebrated European Day of Languages. We watched the Language Ambassadors present their assembly and heard them talk in all different languages. In English, we learnt different poems and nursery rhymes in a variety of languages, including British Sign Language. In the afternoon, we joined in with a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory webinar hosted by Lingotot and learnt how to tell the story in French.
Art Week
We have had a wonderful week celebrating Art Week. We have learned about different artists and tried different techniques. In maths, we studied the Artist Kandinsky and created watercolour shape pictures. We listened to pieces of music by Richard Wagner - the musician who inspired his work. In Science, we drew and coloured pictures of animals in their habitats to go alongside with our current topic. In Art, we have used wax crayons as a base for our scratch pictures. We are so impressed with all of the amazing artwork the children have created.
Timestables
In preperation for the multiplication check at the end of the year, the children have been practising their timestables by playing timestable games on a Friday morning. The children have to answer 25 questions with 6 seconds to answer each question.
Jacques a dit …
Today, we played Simon says in French. Jacques a dit touchez la tete!
Science
This week in Science, we have been learning about the 5 types of plants. Luckily, the weather stayed dry and we were able to go on a walk around the school to count how many different plants we could see. We created a tally, which we then converted used to convert our findings into a bar chart.
P.E
This week, we have been building on our team working skills. The children were put into groups and tasked with moving across the bench without falling off! It was lovely to see the whole class working so nicely together.
Maths
This week in maths, Hawthorn Class have been learning how to multiply two-digit numbers by two-digit number. The children have worked so hard and we are so impressed with their timestables knowledge already!
Art
This week in art we have been looking at different types of shading. The children drew a still-life of objects in the classroom using their new techniques.
Welcome to Hawthorn Class!
We are so thrilled to be able to welcome back all our new Year 4 pupils this week. It is lovely to see the positivity and enthusiasm the children have about being back in school. The first week back was full of productivity and getting to grips with new routines. The children have enjoyed sharing their memories of the Summer Holidays as well as getting stuck into the Year 4 curriculum.
We are looking forward to supporting your children throughout Year 4 and seeing them reach their full potential ready for Year 5. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me - Miss Taylor.