Manor Green Primary and Nursery School
Key Stage 2
Year 4
Autumn 2
Thematic Curriculum – Medium Term Planning
Theme Title:
Theme subject focus:
Science
States of matter
Visits / visitors / enhancements /
WOW factor!
Huge opportunities to work scientifically by
setting up own investigations associated
with changing state.
Start with ice balloons?
What makes a puddle disappear?
Key Questions / Learning Challenges (Skills / Concepts)
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Can I recognise the differences between solids, liquids and gases?
Can I compare and group materials together, according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases?
Do I know how water can be a solid, liquid or gas?
Do I know that temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is?
Can I accurately measure temperature using a thermometer?
Can I explain what happens to material when they are heated or cooled?
Do I know how to measure the temperature at which different materials change state?
Can I link changes of state to the water cycle (more detail in year 5)
Can I investigate materials using a range of scientific skills? (more detail below)
Can I explain why windows sometimes steam up or why washing dries better on a sunny day?
Cross-curricular elements overview;
Children will apply their writing + reading in response to the key questions above –science reports, non-chronological reports (eg What
are solids, liquids and gases?) Writing their own hot and cold poems – preparing and performing poems (own and published) showing
understanding through intonation, tone, volume and action. Reading and writing stories from imaginary worlds.
Maths
Statistics (data handling) interpret and present discrete and continuous data – bar graphs, line graphs. (eg graph to show how quickly
different liquids flow through a funnel) Capacity (ml / litres) - reading scales. Reading temperatures - degrees (including negative numbers)
Computing Using the internet to research solids, liquids and gases. Presenting graphs using data from investigations.
Art + design Salvadore Dali – abstract art, linking imaginary worlds. Mix colours to create required hot and cold colours. (use of sketch books) In
paintings – create mood using different hot and cold colours.
Music
Wider opportunities weekly music sessions (brass) Appraising music – select favourite piece to perform dance to. (give reasons using
musical terms)
Physical Ed Dance – solids, liquids and gases. Composing own dance to represent the three states of water.
Religious Ed Pilgrimages – compare and contrast a Christian pilgrimage to a Muslim one (Christmas journey / the Hajj – Muslim journey to Mecca)
SMSC
See above. ECO –the use of water and how we waste it. Debate / discussion (Water aid materials)
Geography Measure and collect information on rainfall and climate (see above ECO)
Languages French language and culture.
English
Manor Green Primary and Nursery School
Key Stage 2
Year 4
Autumn 2
Thematic Curriculum – Medium Term Planning
Theme Title:
What makes a puddle disappear?
Theme focus: Science
Key Focus
Content
Programme of study
Pupils should be taught:
Science
Solids, liquids and gases
Heating and cooling materials
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to know the difference between solids, liquids and gases
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compare and group materials together, according to
whether they are solids, liquids and gases.
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what happens to different materials when they are
heated or cooled
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to observe / know that some materials change state
when they are heated or cooled, and measure or
research the temperature at which this happens in
degrees Celsius
States of matter
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to identify the part played by evaporation and
condensation in the water cycle.
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associate the rate of evaporation with temperature – eg
puddles disappearing quicker on a warm day, washing
drying quicker on a sunny day (investigations to show
what happens – guided)
Resources
Ice balloons (Wow starter)
Collection of different solid
and liquids
Labels:
Liquids form a pool, not a
pile!
Solids hold their shape!
Gases escape from an
unsealed container!
Heat source
Chocolate, butter,
clotted cream, jelly
margarine
Primary Teaching
resources – STEM
(science, technology,
engineering and maths)
website
Investigative
opportunities
Challenge
Can pupils plan and carry
out an investigation by
controlling variables fairly
and accurately?
Can they group and classify
a variety of materials
according to the impact of
temperature upon them?
Can they explain in
scientific terms, what
happens to washing on a
line in sunny weather or
puddles in a playground?
Can they set up own
investigations to prove or
disprove the following:
The warmer the room, the
slower water condenses.
Knowledge, Skills and Understanding breakdown for Working Scientifically in Year 4
Planning
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Can they set up a simple fair test to make comparisons?
Can they set up a fair test and isolate variables (and
explain why it was fair and which variable were isolated?
Can they suggest improvements and predictions?
Can they decide which information needs to be collected
and decide which is the best way for collecting it?
Can they use their findings to draw a simple conclusion?
Obtaining and presenting evidence
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Can they take measurements using
different equipment and units of measure
and record what they have found in a
range of ways?
Can they make accurate measurements
using standard units?
Can they explain their findings in different
ways (display, presentation, writing)?
Considering evidence and evaluating
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Can they find any patterns in their
evidence or measurements?
Can they make a prediction based on
something they have found out?
Can they record and present what they
have found using scientific language,
drawings, labelled diagrams, tables
and bar charts?
Manor Green Primary and Nursery School
Key Stage 2
Year 4
Autumn 2
Thematic Curriculum – Medium Term Planning
Theme Title:
What makes a puddle disappear?
Year 4 (Challenging)
Planning
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Obtaining and presenting evidence
Can they plan and carry out an investigation by
controlling variables fairly and accurately?
Can they use test results to make further predictions and
set up comparative tests?
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Considering evidence and evaluating
Can they record more complex data and
results using scientific diagrams, tables, bar
charts, classification keys, line graphs and
models?
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Can they report findings from
investigations through written
explanations and conclusions?
Cross-curricular elements: English, mathematics, art+design, music, P.E., R.E., computing, dance, geography
Key Focus
Content
ENGLISH (writing / oracy)
Stories from imaginary worlds
(Reading and writing)
Author Work
Science reports / explanations
Writing own ‘Hot and Cold’
poems (plus performance
poetry)
Programme of study
Pupils should be taught to:
plan their writing by:
 discussing writing similar to that which they are planning to write in
order to understand and learn from its structure, vocabulary and
grammar
 discussing and recording ideas
draft and write by:
 composing and rehearsing sentences orally (including dialogue),
progressively building a varied and rich vocabulary and an
increasing range of sentence structures (English Appendix 2)
 organising paragraphs around a theme
 in non-narrative material, using simple organisational devices [for
example, headings and sub-headings]
evaluate and edit by:
 assessing the effectiveness of their own and others’ writing and
suggesting improvements
 proposing changes to grammar and vocabulary to improve
consistency, including the accurate use of pronouns in sentences
 proof-read for spelling and punctuation errors
 read aloud their own writing, to a group or the whole class, using
appropriate intonation and controlling the tone and volume so that
the meaning is clear.
Resources
Investigative
opportunities
Challenge
Text extracts of
different
imaginary
worlds
Can the pupils respond to
music be drawing their own
imaginary world?
Images to
stimulate writing
Samples of text
types to be
taught
I can statements
for different text
types
Literacy Shed
‘Fantasy shed’
Videos of
imaginary
worlds
Can the pupils create their
own imaginary world as a
book (own book design!)?
Can the pupils explain their
scientific findings in different
ways – display, writing,
presentation (oracy)?
Can the pupils use ‘steps to
success’ to make peer
assessment more effective?
Manor Green Primary and Nursery School
Key Stage 2
Year 4
Autumn 2
Thematic Curriculum – Medium Term Planning
Theme Title:
Key Focus
Content
MATHEMATICS
(Link science)
Capacity – litres and millilitres
Temperature – degrees Celsius
(Plus negative numbers)
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The Muslim pilgrimage to
Mecca (The Hajj – the fifth pillar
of Islam)
How does this compare to a
Christian pilgrimage to
Jerusalem
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Dance – showing the
relationship between solids,
liquids and gases (molecules!)
ART AND DESIGN
Artist – Salvadore Dali
(Abstract art – link imaginary
worlds)
Painting to create mood and
feelings
What makes a puddle disappear?
Programme of study
Pupils should be taught to:
 convert between different units of measure (ml to litres)
 estimate, compare and calculate different measures.
 interpret and present discrete and continuous data using
appropriate graphs / charts
read scales at the appropriate level eg ½ litre (500ml) ¼ litre
(250ml) ¾ litre (750ml)
Pupils should:
 develop an understanding that everybody makes journeys for
different reasons; Pleasure, business, duty or religion
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distinguish the religious significance of a pilgrimage from any other
journey
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understand the similarities and differences between
pilgrimages of varying faiths
Resources
Investigative
opportunities
Challenge
Variety of
different
containers
Measuring jugs
Thermometers
Graph paper
Can the pupils use a graph
to answer scientific
questions? Eg recording
the perimeter of a puddle
every hour, recording the
melting points of different
materials.
Have you met anyone who
has been on a pilgrimage?
What would you like to ask
them?
Images
Clips of
pilgrimages
Visitor
Locally agreed
syllabus
(MEWAN) – put
into google
How many reasons can you
think of for people going on
a long journey?
Pupils should:
 be taught to use simple motifs and movement patterns to structure
dance phrases of their own
 have the opportunity to refine, repeat and remember dance
phrases and dances.
 have a good understanding-how to warm up and cool down safely.
 be taught to evaluate their own and others’ performance
Images / clips
showing the
Can the pupils structure and
changes from
vary longer dances (group
solid to liquid,
work)?
liquid to solid etc
Ipads to video
dance
Pupils should be taught to:
 use their sketch books to express their feeling about certain
subjects and outline likes and dislikes
 create the colours they need (colour mixing)
 explain how a painting creates a particular mood
 experiment with different styles that artists have used.
Salvadore Dali
paintings
Paints / pots
Brushes
Colour charts
Can the pupils create a
collection of their work on a
slide show with captions to
explain the ‘mood’ of their
work?
Manor Green Primary and Nursery School
Key Stage 2
Year 4
Autumn 2
Thematic Curriculum – Medium Term Planning
Theme Title:
Key Focus
Content
What makes a puddle disappear?
Programme of study
Resources
Investigative
opportunities
Challenge
Can pupils create their own
music using different
sounds?
MUSIC
Wider opportunities music brass (all year)
‘Changes of state’ (solids,
liquids and gases) dance
Children should:
 be taught to appraise pieces of music
 be taught to appreciate and understand a wide range of music
form different times and cultures
A selection of
music for pupils
to appraise – for
their dance
GEOGRAPHY / ECO
Human – wasting water,
distribution of water in different
parts of the world
Children should:
 find different views about environmental issues
 be taught to accurately measure and collect information (eg
rainfall, temperature etc)
Funnels,
Containers
Water guages
Do all areas of the school
outdoor area collect the
same amount od rainfall?
COMPUTING
Pupils should be taught to:
 use repeat instructions to draw regular shapes on screen, using
commands
 make turns specifying the degrees.
 give on-screen robot specific directional instructions that takes
them from x to y.
 to make accurate predictions about the program they have written.
Scratch
Can pupils program using
more complex instructions?
(eg Cargo Bot)
Algorithms and Programs