Year 4

10.1.25

This term in Science, we’ve launched into an exciting new topic: States of Matter! The children have been buzzing with curiosity as we began uncovering the fascinating differences between solids, liquids, and gases. This week, we kicked off with a hands-on activity where the children explored a variety of objects and classified them into their correct states. From ice cubes to toothpaste, they worked together to identify whether each object was a solid, liquid, or gas. Along the way, they learned about the unique properties of each state, like how solids keep their shape, liquids flow and take the shape of their container, and gases expand to fill any space. Additionally, the children became molecules themselves, acting out how they move in each state. Standing tightly packed to represent solids, flowing past each other for liquids, and spreading out with lots of energy for gases, they brought the concept to life in a fun and memorable way. It’s been an incredible start to this term’s learning, and we can’t wait to dive deeper into the wonders of science as we continue exploring states of matter! 

6.12.24

Year 4 had an amazing Spanish Enrichment Day, diving into the vibrant culture and language of Spain! The day began with inspiring presentations about famous Spanish figures, where the children showcased their creativity and research skills. Next, they unleashed their inner artists by crafting stunning mosaics inspired by the iconic works of Antoni Gaudí. The fun continued with an interactive Spanish language session, learning useful phrases through games and activities. To wrap up this fantastic cultural journey, we enjoyed a delightful screening of Ferdinand, a heartwarming cartoon that gave us a glimpse into Spanish traditions.

WB 5.11.24

This week in science, we explored how sound travels to our ears. Last week, we learnt that sound is created by vibrations and this week we learnt that those vibrations collide with the air particles around us, which creates a soundwave where each air particle is colliding into the next (much like dominoes) and eventually carries the sound (vibration) to our ears! In order to understand this further, we pretended to be air particles in class, lightly bumping into each other until the initial vibration from the sound source reached the ear. Next, we explored this further by creating cup telephones and observing the difference in how the sound travels when the string between the cups was pulled tightly versus when it was loose. When it was loose, the string would not vibrate and therefore wouldn’t carry the sound well to our ears; however, when the string was pulled tightly, the initial vibration travelled directly down the string (causing the string to also vibrate) and into our ears so we heard the message clearer.

WB 7.10.24

This term, Year 4 embarked on an exciting project where we created our very own biscuits from scratch! Not only did we experiment with different flavours to perfect our recipes, but we also learned how to budget for our ingredients. The creativity didn’t stop there—we designed unique packaging tailored to our chosen target audiences. It’s been a fantastic journey, combining culinary skills with business savvy, and we’ve had so much fun bringing our delicious ideas to life! 

WB 23.9.24

So far in Year 4, we’ve been buzzing with excitement as we explored the fascinating world of electrical circuits! Our budding engineers have been learning all about the different parts of a circuit, from the wires that connect everything together to the bulbs, batteries, and switches that make it all work. We started by experimenting with building circuits and discovering how to make a bulb illuminate. Through hands-on activities, the children explored what happens when a circuit is complete and when there’s a break—learning that a broken circuit won’t allow electricity to flow, leaving the bulb dark. One of the highlights of the week was creating our very own human circuit! Using a ball to represent electricity, we linked up and became the different parts of the circuit ourselves. When the switch (one of our classmates) was closed, the “electricity” flowed through the group, passing the ball along the chain. But when the switch was open, the ball stopped, showing how electricity needs a complete path to flow. The children have not only learned how circuits work but also had a fantastic time collaborating, problem-solving, and experimenting with different circuit designs. It’s been an electrifying adventure in Year 4, and we can’t wait to continue our exploration of the wonders of electricity!

WB 13.9.24

In Year 4, we travelled all the way back 1948 and became news reporters reporting on the groundbreaking event of the arrival of the HMT Windrush at Tilbury Docks. Firstly, as journalists, we researched the event, finding out the ‘who, what, where, why, when and how’ of the Windrush. After this, we made our own scripts as news reporters, and finally, we presented our news reports to the class. The children showed fantastic enthusiasm and presented incredibly detailed and interesting news reports!