How can I support my child?
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Carry on with all the great work you’re doing, reading with
your children at home. We will be investigating some of our
home-grown English myths and legends this term – maybe
you would enjoy looking at some from around the world as a
family?
Remind children to explore MyMaths. I will regularly put
tasks on there, or they could just practise something about
which they’re not sure.
By the end of Year 4 children are expected to know by
heart all times tables to 12. Carry on practising! There are
lots of fun activities you could use to help them at
http://www.transum.org/Tables/Times_Tables.asp
Each week your child will come home with a spelling list to
practise. This will cover all the rules they should learn in
Lower Key Stage 2, as well as the mandatory words from
The National Curriculum. A full list of these words can be
found in the back of your child’s planner, allowing you to
get a head start at home.
There are so many exciting places to visit in the local area,
which would extend your child’s learning on the Anglo
Saxons. Just a few miles away, on the way to Thetford, you
can visit the village of West Stow, where children can reenact Anglo Saxon village life. A little further afield, the
Sutton Hoo burial mounds offer a great insight into why
Anglo Saxons came to England, as well as their hierarchical
system.
The homework set for Topic and Science this term offers
plenty of hands-on opportunities for learning, which are
perfect to do together, as you talk about what they have
already learnt and further extend their knowledge with
your own. Please support them as they do these – help them
to see that learning can be fun!
Cavendish Church of England Primary School
Information for Parents
Autumn Term 2015
Saturn Class
Mrs. Chatfield
Dear Parents,
Welcome back! As I write this, the sun is still shining and it’s difficult to believe another year has come around and we are hurtling headlong into
autumn! I do hope you and your family had an enjoyable and restful break, and are eager to continue our learning journey this brand new academic year.
Topic: There’s a historical jigsaw piece missing in the knowledge of Saturn children at the moment – what happened between the Romans leaving our British
shores and the Tudor era and great fire of London? This term we’re going to find out! We shall discover how and why the Anglo Saxons took over from the
Romans, think about life in a Saxon village and investigate how they influenced modern Britain. This will conclude with a more in-depth local study of our very
own St. Edmund. What’s so special about him and why do some historians see him as the true patron saint of England?
English: We will continue to extend our writing using various genres. This will include producing non-fiction information posters and booklets on various aspects
of Anglo Saxon life, linked into topic, but also comparing and contrasting myths and legends from England, including: King Arthur; St. Edmund and Beowulf! One
lesson a week will be dedicated specifically to grammar, upon which there is a much greater emphasis in the new curriculum.
Maths: In Maths we will be extending our knowledge in all major areas of the curriculum. We will be thinking about how numbers are represented using place
value, practising further addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and placing particular emphasis on getting those times tables learnt! We will also be
investigating shape, building 2D and 3D shapes using various media, and measuring time using the 12 and 24 hour clock. Children sometimes find this particularly
difficult. Please practise telling the time as much as possible at home and maybe think about buying them an analogue watch.
Science: I bet you didn’t know you could learn about science by watching Disney’s Peter Pan? Well you can, and we will! This term is all about things you can’t
actually touch – light and sound. We’re praying for fine weather as we investigate shadows and rainbows early on in the term and linking with English as we put
on a shadow puppet play of Beowulf and Grendel. After the half term break we will be turning our attention to sound, culminating in a DT day when we will be
making an Anglo Saxon lyre.
RE: We will be thinking about worship, pilgrimage and sacred places this term. Before half term, this will involve learning about the life of Buddha, and how
people celebrate that. After half term our work will be linked into Anglo Saxon saints and the holy places they were responsible for, including St. Edmundsbury
Cathedral.
Computing: We will start off by ensuring the children are able to work safely on computer networks, specifically the internet. After half term we will spend
some time producing a Wikipage on the influence of Anglo Saxon Christianity on Bury St Edmunds.
Art & DT: This term we will be weaving Anglo Saxon cloth, designing Anglo Saxon crosses, building a lyre and cooking porridge – all as part of our learning
about Art, Design and Technology!
Music: We will be introducing the children to the basic theory of music and making some of our own, using recorders.
PE: We will be working on our general fitness levels after a long, lazy holiday, as well as using Tai Chi once again to calm ourselves and prepare for learning. In
games we will be thinking about netball, basketball and handball.
Many thanks for your support; please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries.
H Chatfield