Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Year 4
Topic
English
Spelling
Autumn 1
Autumn 2
Spring 1
Spring 2
Summer 1
Summer 2
I am Warrior
Burps Bottoms and Misty Mountain
Playlist (music)
1066 (History)
Potions (Science)
(Romans and Impact Bile (Science Sierra (Geography)
on Britain)
Human Body,
Digestion, Healthy
eating)
Reading
Writing
Grammar
 Secure decoding of unfamiliar words
 Correctly spell common homophones
 Use wider range of conjunctions
 Read for a range of purposes
 Increase regularity of handwriting
 Use perfect tense appropriately
 Retell some stories orally
 Plan writing based on familiar forms
 Select pronouns and nouns for
clarity
 Discuss words & phrases that capture the
 Organise writing into paragraphs
imagination
 Use & punctuate direct speech
 Use simple organisational devices
 Identify themes & conventions
 Use commas after front
 Proof-read for spelling & punctuation
adverbials
 Retrieve & record information
errors
 Speaking & Listening
 Make inferences & justify predictions
 Evaluate own and others’ writing
 Articulate & justify opinions
 Recognise a variety of forms of poetry
 Read own writing aloud
 Speak audibly in Standard English
 Identify & summarise ideas
 Gain, maintain & monitor
interest of listeners
Homophones
Plurals
Common Letter
Suffixes
Contractions
Affixes
Children will learn to
Children will
Strings
Understand what a
Understand the
Recognise that
distinguish between
investigate, collect and Identify and spell
suffix is and be able
function of
an affix is the
the spelling and
classify spelling
correctly words with to change base/root apostrophes in
general term for
meaning of
patterns related to the common letter
words according to
shortening or
Prefixes and
homophones.
formation of plurals.
strings.
the suffix. Recognise contracting
suffixes. Identify
Recognise these within Understand and use
Use these accurately these within reading words.
rules for when to
reading and spell with spelling rules and
within writing and
and be able to use
Be able to spell
apply these to
accuracy.
patterns related to the explain how spelling them with accuracy
words that are
words and spell
use of plurals.
changes according to within writing.
contracted and
with accuracy.
the spelling rule.
Understand that
use the
suffixes can change
apostrophe
the function of a
correctly.
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
word.
Guided
Reading
Maths
Science
Charlotte’s Web
Describe, select or retrieve information,
events or ideas from texts and use
quotation and reference to text. Develop
comprehension skills and use a range of
strategies to decode texts and read for
meaning.
Number and Calculation
Know all tables to 12 x 12
 Secure place value to 1000
 Use negative whole numbers
 Round numbers to nearest 10, 100 or
1000
 Use Roman numerals to 100
 Column addition & subtraction up to 4
digits
 Multiply & divide mentally
 Use standard short multiplication
Keeping warm
Measure
temperature,
insulation and
materials. Use of
data logging
equipment and
digital microscopes,
keeping food warm
and cold, insulation
in the home etc.
Human Body
Moving and
growing- main
functions of the
skeleton, muscles
and bones and
growth. Use of
digital microscopes.
The Wreck of the Zanzibar
Explain and comment on writer’s use of
language, including grammatical and
literary features at word and sentence
level.
Stig of the Dump
Deduce, infer or interpret information,
events or ideas from texts.
Develop comprehension skills and use a
range of strategies to decode texts and
read for meaning.
Geometry & Measures Compare
 2-d shapes, including quadrilaterals &
triangles
 Find area by counting squares
 Calculate rectangle perimeters
 Estimate & calculate measures
 Identify acute, obtuse & right angles
 Identify symmetry
 Use first quadrant coordinates
 Introduce simple translations
 Data
 Use bar charts, pictograms & line
graphs
Habitats
Sound
Experimental and
Find patterns
investigative work
between the
focuses on:
volume of a sound
turning ideas into a
and the strength of
form that can be
the vibration that
tested, making a
created it.
prediction
Recognise that
Making
vibrations from
observations and
sound travel
deciding whether
through a medium
Fractions & decimals
 Recognise tenths & hundredths
 Identify equivalent fractions
 Add & subtract fractions with common
denominators
 Recognise common equivalents
 Round decimals to whole numbers
 Solve money problems
Electricity
Circuits and
conductors.
Make simple
circuits. Recognise
electrical
components.
Solving problems
involving circuits.
Testing
conductivity.
States of Matter
Solids and liquids
and how they can
be separatedmelting, dissolving,
filtering, solutions.
Use of digital
microscopes.
Water cycle
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
DT
Art
Roman Shields
Explore design for
Roman shields.
Recreate shields
using these
designs.
Roman Art
Design and make
Roman coins out
of clay; Develop
techniques for
Link to Human Body
Select and use a
wider range of tools
and equipment to
perform practical
tasks accurately.
(Cutting, Shaping,
joining and
finishing)
Make a wearable
digestive system,
add colour and
texture for realism.
Matisse
Study of the human
form using “The Cut
– Out” series of Art
work
the evidence
supports the
prediction and
suggesting
explanations in
terms of their
knowledge of
science.
Modelling
Make 3D mountain
models.
Explore mountains
and their features.
Reflect on the
accuracy of their
design and scale
Islamic Patterns
Explore, design and
create own patterns
focusing on
repeating patterns.
to the ear.
Find patterns
between the pitch
of a sound and the
features of the
object that
produced it.
Making Instruments
Investigate and
analyse a range of
musical
instruments.
Observe a range of
musical instruments
and observe the
materials they are
made from and how
the instrument
produces the sound.
Making Chocolate
Love Hearts.
Food safety.
Using a range of
edible ingredients in
order to make a
new product.
Making homemade
Baths bombs
investigating what
happens when they
are placed in water.
Show awareness of
a range of materials
and an
understanding of
their different
characteristics.
Bayeux Tapestry
Improve mastery
and design
techniques including
drawing, painting
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Geography
History
sketching by
creating 3D
sketches of
Boudicca,
Giacometti
Improve mastery
of art techniques
through the use of
different media.
Map Skills
Name and locate
counties of the
United Kingdom,
Use geographical
language to
explain the
location of places.
Link to History
topic to explore
Roman towns and
cities.
Mountains
Study a range of
artwork based on a
theme of
mountains.
Recreate using a
range of techniques
The Romans
Mountains
History of Mountain
exploration.
Learn about the
Roman Empire
and its impact on
Britain.
Mountains and
Mapping
Use maps, atlases,
globes and
computer mapping
to locate countries
and describe
features.
Focus on how
mountains are
formed.
and sculpture.
Recreate sections of
the Tapestry using
sewing techniques
and skills. Practise
simple stitches’
including running,
back, blanket and
cross.
Map Skills
Use maps, atlases,
globes and
computer mapping
to locate countries
and describe
features.
Music from around
the World
Listen to different
singing techniques
from around the
world including
yodelling, jazzy,
Scat, Bollywood
playback, Inuit
throat singing
Map Skills
Use maps, atlases,
globes and
computer mapping
to locate countries
and describe
features.
Human and physical
features of the local
area.
Identify good and
bad places to build a
castle. Draw
conclusions.
The Norman
Conquest
Understand what
life was like in
Norman times and
link specifically to
Historic Use of
Potions
Use a range of
Historical source
materials to find out
about how potions
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Computing
All topics will
incorporate the
CEOP guidance
on E-Safety and
this will be
incorporated
into every ICT
and Computing
lesson.
PE
We are software
developers
Design, write and
debug programs
that accomplish
specific goals
Use logical
reasoning to explain
how some simple
algorithms work and
to detect and
correct errors in
algorithms and
programs.
Swimming
Swimming skills and
stamina leading up
to 25m competency
in the water,
Lifesaving skills.
We are Toy
designers
Design a simple toy
which incorporates
sensors and output
and then create an
on screen
prototype.
Swimming
Swimming skills and
stamina leading up
to 25m competency
in the water,
Lifesaving skills.
We are
Meteorologists
Weather forecasting
and study of
weather. Data
measurements and
analysis and
presentation,
children take on the
role of weather
presenters.
We are Musicians
Children to produce
music for any
purpose.
Children to explore
digital sound
equipment to create
sounds and music.
Football
Practising ball skills
and control leading
to working within
teams in small sided
games.
Fitness
Tag Rugby
Continuation of the
development of ball
skills and playing
team games. Focus
on co-ordination
and control of the
children. Make
comparisons and
draw conclusions.
Know and describe
what happened
during the Battle of
Hastings. Find out
about Norman
castles and be able
to explain their
features.
We are Co-Authors
Producing a Wiki
page.
Children work
collaboratively in
order to create a
fact based
document suitable
for online
publishing.
were used in the
past for both
medicinal and
magical reasons.
Make potions using
a range of herbs and
ingredients known
for their mystical or
medicinal
properties.
Athletics
Developing the skills
of running, jumping
and throwing
through a range of
track and field
events.
Athletics
Developing the skills
of running, jumping
and throwing
through a range of
track and field
events.
We are HTML
editors
History of the
internet.
Study HTML (Hyper
Text mark-up
language)
Learn to write and
edit HTML and use
this knowledge to
create a web page.
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Improving stamina
and general levels of
fitness through
intensive cardio
work outs.
Dance
Creating a sequence
with repeating
patterns of
movements.
RE
Is giving better than
receiving?
Giving thanks and
sharing, Harvest.
How do artists help
us to understand
Christmas?
Exploration of Artist
depiction of
Christmas and links
to religious
meanings.
Islamic beliefs and
teachings.
Including Islamic
artwork, The five
pillars of faith,
Mosques,
Mohammed,
prayers, Allah, Hajj.
ball.
Gymnastics
Travelling using a
range of rolls and
turns and focus on
the use of different
body shapes to
perform rolls.
Netball
Pass, dribble and
shoot with control
in games.
Identify and use
tactics to help their
team keep the ball
and take it towards
the opposition’s
goal.
Mark opponents
and help each other
in defence.
How do Christians
celebrate Easter
around the World?
Understand the
importance of the
Christian Festival.
Know why this is
important and be
able to explain the
significance of this.
Tennis
Racquet skills.
Controlling a ball
and learning the
rules of Tennis.
Practising using a
net.
Cricket
Bowling, fielding
and batting skills.
Developing
throwing and
catching skill and
incorporating it into
a small sided games.
Tennis
Racquet skills.
Controlling a ball
and learning the
rules of Tennis.
Practising using a
net.
Cricket
Bowling, fielding
and batting skills.
Developing
throwing and
catching skill and
incorporating it into
a small sided games.
How do people
express their faiths
through the arts?
Understand that
people can express
their religious faiths
through the arts for
example, art,
drama, design.
Music and dance.
Why is the Bible
important to
Christians?
Explore Bible stories
and the teaching of
stories in the Bible
to how Christians
are expected to live
their lives.
Comparisons of the
different books in
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
PSHE/Life Skills
Four R’s
Reflection
Reciprocity
Resilience
Resourceful
Revisit the terms of
Reflection and
Reciprocity.
Identify how
children use these
in their daily lives
and ways of
recognising it in
others.
Emotions
Using the text
‘Where the Wild
things are’
Focus on the
different emotions a
person goes
through and
learning coping
strategies.
Facing new
challenges
Assess and manage
risks associated with
personal lifestyle
and activity choices.
Try new ideas and
facing new
challenges
Mountain rescue
and advice about
keeping safe.
Dealing with
conflict
Recognise strong
emotions and
identify ways of
managing them
positively.
Consider everyday
conflicts and
resolutions for it.
Resolving issues.
Looking at things
from different
viewpoints.
Human Life cycles
Discuss and describe
the physical and
emotional changes
that take place
during Puberty.
Understand the
importance of
hygiene in relation
to physical changes
that will take place.
SRE
Music
Waste not, want
not.
Environmental links.
Focusing on
recycling and
reducing waste and
reusing items of
use.
the Bible as well as
a study of the Old
and New
Testament.
Drugs Education
Focus on the effects
and dangers of
smoking and alcohol
on the body.
Prescribed and
illegal drugs.
Improvisation and
composition -
Composition
Improvise and
Music of the 20th
Century
Composing music
for ‘Spells’
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Improvise and
compose music
compose music for a based on a theme of
range of purposes
mountains.
using the
interrelated
dimensions of music
MFL
Tout le Monde
Revise numbers 1–
10 and learn
numbers 11–31.
Revise colours and
learn some more.
Recognise and use
the key vocabulary
for animals and days
of the week.
Understand and use
descriptions of pets.
Recognise the
phonemes
introduced in the
module: in (lapin),
silent t (rat).
Recognise that
nouns and
adjectives have
plural forms that
must agree.
Understand rules
Tout le Monde –
L’ecole Magique
Revise colours and
learn some more.
Recognise and use
the key vocabulary
for animals and days
of the week.
Understand and use
descriptions of pets.
Recognise the
phonemes
introduced in the
module: in (lapin),
silent t (rat).
Recognise that
nouns and
adjectives have
plural forms that
must agree.
Understand rules
concerning the
position of
Tout le Monde
Recognise and use
the core language
for describing
people and some
animals
Understand, use
and respond to:
Quelle heure est-il?
Tu es comment?
Il/Elle est comment?
Recognise and
understand words
in the story, song
and tongue-twister
Recognise and
understand the use
of adverbs
Become familiar
with the circumflex
accents â/ô;
reinforce the vowel
sounds; compare ou
Appreciate and
understand a wide
range of high quality
live and recorded
music drawing from
different traditions
and from great
composers and
musicians.
Tout Le monde
Bon Appetit
Revise basic skills
for French including
vocabulary for
conversational
French and recalling
the numbers from
0-31.
Recall the numbers
and days of the
week in French.
Begin to use
greetings with
increasing fluency.
Be able to
pronounce words
related to food.
Use them in a
simple sentence and
in role play
situations.
Composing music
considering the
effects they want to
create, thinking
about the beat,
rhythm and pulse.
Tout Le monde
Boucle d’Or et les
trois ours
Recognise and use
key vocabulary for
rooms in a house
and furniture.
Recognise the
phonemes
introduced in
previous modules
and explore new
sound patterns.
Tout Le monde
Transport and the
names of Countries.
Revise key
vocabulary,
numbers, colours,
days of the week
etc..
Children to identify
and pronounce with
increasing accuracy.
Be able to name
several countries in
French.
Year 4 Curriculum Overview – September 2014 – July 2015
Class Reading
Book
School Trips
Residential
Journeys
concerning the
position of
adjectives of colour
in a sentence.
Charlotte’s Web
Legion XIIII
adjectives of colour
in a sentence.
and u
Charlotte’s Web
The Wreck of the
Zanzibar
The Morden
Mosque
Sayers Croft
The Wreck of the
Zanzibar
Stig of the Dump
Visit to the site of
the Battle of
Hastings – Extended
Day trip
Stig of the Dump