All Saints’ and St Richard’s Church of England Primary School
Topic Overview Year 3/4 Cycle A (2014-2015) Term 4
Flying High - Birds
THE BIG IDEA
Every plant or animal lives in a habitat. A
habitat is a place where a collection of
plants and animals live and which
provides them with food and shelter.
Animals and plants adapt to different
habitats – why can some survive in really
hot deserts, in jungles or in the cold?
When a habitat changes, the animals
and plants that live there are affected.
For example, when pond weed is
removed from a pond, the fish and snails
that rely on the weed for food may find it
hard to survive. What can we do to help
animals in our local area? We will focus
specifically on birds but will also look at
minibeasts and some small animals.
1.
OUTDOOR LEARNING
In Outdoor Learning we will continue observing and
identifying the birds around our local area. We have
been researching what they eat and their preferred
habitats so we will start making changes to our outside
area to attract birds. We will also be making our bird
boxes that we designed last term and making bird cakes.
We will also be looking at the different features of birds of
prey which will prepare us for our birds of prey visit.
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
In RE we will be doing some work about the Last Supper
and the Eucharist also Maundy Thursday. We will also
look at the Passover in Judaism.
PERSONAL SOCIAL HEALTH & ECONOMIC EDUCATION
In PSHEe we will follow the East Sussex Scheme of Work for
Year 3/4. This term we will be focussing on:


Good to be Me
Citizenship, Diversity & Difference.
TRIPS AND EVENTS

A Birds of Prey visit
CURRICULUM RISK ASSESSMENTS


Birds of Prey visit
Making bird boxes
In Geography we will be:
 Looking at animal habitats in
different countries.
 Researching
the
climate
of
different countries.
Science
 Identify some local habitats and
name some organisms that live
there.
 Discuss why organisms live in
certain habitats.
 Sort organisms depending on.
different features.
 to pose questions about organisms
and the habitat in which they live
and
make
predictions
then
investigating their prediction.
 Discussing the classification of
living things.
In D.T we will be:
 Looking at mechanisms, levers and
linkages.
In Computing we will be:
 Write programmes including the
use of ‘if’ commands.
MATHS:
 Understanding the place value in numbers to
1000.
 Use understanding of place value to
multiply/divide whole numbers by 10.
 Use place value to make approximations.
 To recall and use multiplication and division
facts.
 Learn do divide with remainders.
 To recognise and compare fractions
 To read, write and convert time between
analogue and digital 12 and 24 hour clocks.
 To measure to the nearest appropriate unit,
choosing suitable equipment.
 To identify horizontal and vertical lines and pairs
of perpendicular and parallel lines.
Once a week the children will be focussing on
applying their mathematical learning to solve
problems.
Netball will be taught in P.E. using the Val
Sabin Scheme of Work. The children will
be learning:
 The different passes you can use.
 The rules of footwork and contact.
 How to mark the opposite team.
 The rules of each position.

Music is being taught by a music
specialist
 Pitch, Singing and Composing.
 Throughout Year 3 /4 the children
will have the opportunity to learn
to play the recorder.
French is being taught following the West
Sussex Mixed Age scheme of work which
runs over two years. This year we are
following Cycle A and this term the
children will be learning:



ENGLISH:

In Literacy planning will be supported by the
ideas produced in ’Book Power’, the text type
papers and the progression papers.

Texts include:
o Tom’s Sausage Lion
The aim of the unit is:
 To engage children in a story with which
they will empathise.
 To discuss the themes and issues which
arise,
enabling
children
to
make
connections with their own lives.
 To develop critical responses to the story
through discussions, drama and role-play.
 To write in role in order to explore
characters and events.
In grammar and spelling there will be a focus on
using capital letters and full stops correctly, use of
apostrophes and spelling of plurals.
Shape
Parts of the body
East Traditions in France.
CLASS ROUTINES:
HOMEWORK:



The children will have weekly homework tasks linked to learning in class. The homework
will be sent home on Friday and is due back in school on Wednesday.
Children are expected to be heard read at least three times a week. Please make sure
that you record each tie your child reads or is heard read in their homework diary. The
children can then collect stickers towards their reading certificate.
Spellings are sent home each week and need to be practised at home daily. Little and
often is the best way to learn spellings. Children will be tested on their spellings each
Tuesday.
P.E. LESSONS:



The children need to have their P.E. kit in school each day and it should be taken home
each Friday so that it is kept clean for lessons.
Jewellery must be removed so if your child has their ears pierced they will need a small
pot in their bag to put their earrings in to keep them safe.
Long hair should be tied back for school, but it must be tied back for P.E. lessons so a
spare hair band is a good idea.
COMMUNICATION:


Please encourage your children to speak to me if they should have any concerns, and
of course I will always be available at the end of school if you wish to speak to me
directly.
I will continue sending home ‘ASK me about …’ cards so that you are able to talk
about the children's learning at home. Please look out for these.