Farnham Green Primary School – Theme Curriculum
Year 4
Term Spring 1
Title Castle
About This Unit
This theme is linked to an element of local study and learning will centre on the Tower of London. The children will learn about
why people felt they needed castles and why they built them for defence and as a statement of power. They will also learn
about the lives of the people who lived in a castle and what it was like to live there. They will study the history of the Tower of
London to examine how the defence of a castle works and how the technology of defence developed through the ages. In DT
they will examine how levers were used in the defence of a castle and they will use their knowledge to design and build a siege
engine. Learning in Science will study the properties of light as it relates to the difficulties of lighting a medieval castle without
electricity.
Creative Learning Journey
The learning targets to be covered in this theme include…
Science
Sc 39
Sc 40
Sc 41
Test ideas using evidence from
observation and measurement
with support
Use scientific language to
communicate ideas and
understanding with support
Ask questions to be investigated
scientifically and decide how to
find answers with support
History
DT
Hi25
Place events, people and changes
into correct periods of time
Dt23
Generate, develop and explain
ideas for products to meet a
range of needs
Hi26
Develop and understanding that
the past can be divided into
different periods of time
Dt24
Plan what to do
Hi27
Use dates and vocabulary relating
to the passing of time
Dt25
Communicate design ideas in
different ways
Dt26
Select appropriate tools and
techniques
Dt27
Suggest alternative ways to
make a product
Dt28
Explore how to us materials and
their processes
Dt29
Mark measure cut out and shape
of materials and assemble join
and combine components and
some materials with some
accuracy
Dt30
How materials can be combined
to create more stable structures
Dt31
Evaluate on their design ideas
identifying way that they could
make improvements to their
products
Identify and describe reasons for
and results of historical events,
situations and changes in the
period studies
Begin to give reasons for the
different ways in which the past is
represented
Identify different ways in which
the past is represented and
interpreted
Sc 42
With support find out what
sources of information are
needed to answer questions
Hi28
Sc 43
Think about what might happen
when deciding what to do with
support
Hi29
Sc 44
Decide what evidence to collect
with support
Hi 30
Sc 50
Use a wide range of methods
including ICT to communicate
data in appropriate and
systematic manner with support
Hi31
Use sources of evidence including
ICT to find out about people,
places, events and changes
Sc 51
Make comparisons and identify
simple patterns in their own
observations, measurements or
other data , with support
Hi32
Ask and answer their own
questions using enquiry and
research skills
Sc 54
Use scientific language to explain
observations measurements or
conclusions, with support
Hi33
Communicate knowledge and
understanding in a variety of ways
Stunning Start
Science
Marvellous Middle
Light
Pupils should be taught to:

recognise that they need light in order to see things and
that dark is the absence of light

notice that light is reflected from surfaces

recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and
that there are ways to protect their eyes

recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a
light source is blocked by a solid object

Find patterns in the way that the size of shadows
changes.
Fabulous Finish
1.
Pupils should explore what happens when light reflects
off a mirror or other reflective surfaces, including playing
mirror games to help them to answer questions about
how light behaves.
2. They should think about why it is important to protect
their eyes from bright lights.
3. They should look for, and measure, shadows, and find out
how they are formed and what might cause the shadows
to change.
Note: Pupils should be warned that it is not safe to look directly
at the Sun, even when wearing dark glasses.
Pupils might work scientifically by:
Looking for patterns in what happens to shadows when the
light source moves or the distance between the light source
and the object changes.
Literacy link
Embedded writing
Numeracy Link
Theme Link
History
a local history study
eg a study of an aspect of history or a site dating from a period beyond 1066 that is significant in the locality.
(Tower of London)
Enterprise Link
Visit/Visitor
Art
DT
Mechanics – levers/siege engines
ICT
Rising Stars Switched on to ICT Year
We are Historians
Survey creation, databases, presentation
Excel Survey Monkey
Music
Glockenspiels
RE
My Self – RE23-29 Jesus
PE
Outdoor PE: Outdoor adventurous activities
Indoor PE: Circus skills – balancing, routines, throwing and catching
PHSE
Going for Goals PC25/28, PR 25/27
EMA
Link to Travellers – Travelling Circus
• use search technologies effectively
• collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and
information