Al-Asriyya Schools
Grade Four - English
Dear Parents,
We would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our students and parents, both
returning and new, to this new academic year. My name is Juman Hamed and I will be
teaching grade Four, sections A and B International Stream. We hope you all had an
enjoyable and restful summer holiday and are ready to begin an exciting and engaging
school year.
We hope this newsletter will put your mind at ease and inform you of what is expected in
Grade four.
Collins Primary Literacy
The British curriculum Collins Primary Literacy is based on the National Literacy Strategy of the
UK. The units are structured according to genre or text-type categorized into 3 blocks:
Narrative, Non-Fiction, and Poetry. Speaking, listening, reading and writing skills are taught and
developed in the context of the unit theme and are practiced and applied to the unit outcome.
Grammar skills are taught according to the writing outcome at the end of each unit.
We will be reading novels in addition to the core textbook. They will be read and discussed with
the support of the teacher.
Below is an overview of what will be taught during the school year.
Theme
units
Text Type
Explanation Text
Units: 1 + 8+ 7 + 3
Term
1
Ancient Egypt
Information Text
"Information
Booklet"
Newspaper article
Unit: 2
Lets Put on a Play
Fantasy and
Beyond
Term
2
Persuasive
Units 4 + 5+ 6
Units 4 & 9 "Poetry"
Units 10 + 11 + 12"Getting
Your Point Across"
13 "Do You Want One of
These?
Fiction:
Playscript
Novel
The Magic and
the Mummy
The Gold in the
Grave
The Plot on the
Pyramid
"The Gold in the
Grave"
Narrative
Imaginary poem
Persuasive letter
concerning
bullying
Advertisement
The Iron Man
The Angel of
Nitshill Road
Ancient Egypt Theme / Units 8, 7, 1 from Collins:
We will begin the year with Unit (8) in student's Collins book. Through this unit,
children will be familiar with a new Non-Fiction genre "Explanation Texts" and they will
be familiar with the language and the organizational features of the text. We will read
the first novel "The Magic and the Mummy" through which the students will become
familiar with the history of ancient Egypt and their religion; mainly about the process of
mummification. All the skills they get will be used to write their explanation text about
mummification. Then, we will read another ancient Egyptian novel "The Plot on the
Pyramid" that will take the children to the time of building pyramids. Children will gain
many facts and information about the way pyramids were built and be encouraged to
write an informational text about pyramids using all the skills and facts they have
learned. At the end of the theme, children will read the last ancient Egyptian novel "The
Gold in the Grave" that will take them to ancient adventures inside the pyramids. This
novel will be the first introduction to narrative. Then we will start with unit 3 (Let`s Put
on a Play where students will learn the features of a playscript which they will apply by
writing a Playscript by the end of the theme.
Vocabulary / Grammar / Skills
 Powerful Verbs, Adjectives and Adverbs
 Technical words related to the process of mummification
 Time Connectives
 Connectives for reason and effect with different sentence structure
 Present tense
 Said words
 Paragraphing
 Past tense Vs. present tense
 Organizational features of different texts
The Unit Outcomes:
Students will be expected to do the following:
-Writing an explanation text about mummification.
-Writing a newspaper article related to the story (The Plot in the Pyramids).
- Making a class newspaper project.
-A Presentation about mummification and/or role play between two characters.
-A role play interview.
Research Project:
In the beginning of the first unit, the students will be given a research project with
clear guided instructions that will help them search the web easily to find the required
information. The project will improve different skills such as reading, writing and
creative art skills for it includes cutting, pasting and painting. The whole project is
designed as an information booklet about ancient Egypt. The students should hand in the
project before the end of the theme; the due date will be assigned at a later date by
the teacher.
INDEPENDENT HOME READING PROGRAMME
For the past two years Al-Asriyya Schools has been using a coloured banding system
which links particularly well with our phonics programme Read Write Inc. All books in
the Home Reading Programme are banded into colour levels which ensure all children
read texts suitable for their stage and level of development. All new students will be
assessed at the beginning of the year in order to assign a book band colour.
Your child will not have to read all the books in a band before they can move on. Both
the class teacher and Ms. Wasan, our reading teacher, will closely monitor each child’s
progress and make regular judgments regarding ‘moving on’. It might mean that your
child could make excellent progress and even leap an entire level. Children do not always
develop on smooth upward gradients, they often progress in spurts and plateaus;
sometimes it is necessary to consolidate their understanding before moving on again.
Regular assessment in school will ensure that your child is reading books at the
appropriate level.
Students will receive a Reading Folder and Reading Log. Please read the instructions on
the back of the Reading Folder.
Order of Colours
Pink/ Red /Yellow /Blue/ Green /Orange/ Turquoise/___ Purple/ Gold/White/ Lime
Independent Reader
COPYBOOKS AND MATERIALS
 My Word Log Copybook: Students will be using the Word Log Copybook to
compile a list of words that are related to a certain theme or topic. The words will
be provided by the teacher. This will aid students during writing tasks by
enriching students' vocabulary and improving their spelling.
 Interactive Copybook: The purpose of the interactive notebook is to have an
anchor for the standards taught, as well, as a reference that you and students can
use throughout the school year. Interactive notebooks are used for class notes as
well as for other activities where the student will be asked to express his/her
own ideas and process the information presented in class.

Language/Spelling Copybook: This copy book will be divided in half. The first
half will
include spelling assessments, whereas the second half will include
language exercises.
 Writing Journal Booklet: This journal provides students and parents educational
opportunities to interact with one another through journal writing. Students will
be assigned 1 writing activity per week. The journal will be sent home every
Thursday to be returned the following Tuesday.
 Thesaurus: The Thesaurus will be used by students in order to enrich their
vocabulary and to provide synonyms.
 Worksheet Pocket Folder: Students will be provided with a Blue Folder to keep all
worksheets in one place.
 Summative Tasks Folder: All summative assessments and their rubrics will
remain in this folder.
Note: Please sign the Summative Task Folder and return the NEXT DAY. If
by any chance it is not returned it will no longer be sent home.
All the above will remain in the class unless homework has been assigned. They will be
sent home every two weeks on WEDNESDAY. Please make sure you sign the last
completed page of copybooks and booklets and return on THURSDAY.
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Kindly ensure your child has the following books this year:
-
Collins Primary Literacy Pupil Book 4
-
Collins Primary Literacy Homework Book4
-
Collins Primary Focus Spelling Book2
- Collins Grammar and Punctuation Book2
- Iron Man by Ted Hughes
-
Egyptian Tales: The magic and the Mummy
-
Egyptian Tales: The Plot in the Pyramid
-
Egyptian Tales :The Gold in the Grave
-
The Angel of Nitshil Road by Anne Fine
Homework Policy:
All the tasks given to students should be done independently and on time without
delay and no justifications would be accepted. The student has the right to ask
the teacher about any confusing part in the task given before taking it to be done
at home. If the given task was not handed in on time, the students will receive a
break detention to do or finish incomplete tasks. Doing homework is part of the
student's commitment therefore it will be included in the student’s grade.
Supplies
Please make sure that your child has the
following items on a daily basis :
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Sharpened pencils
Eraser
Blunt scissors
A set of colored pencils
Coloured thin markers
Yellow highlighter
Pencil sharpener with cover
UHU glue stick ( liquid not allowed )
Plastic ruler
Dad's old white sport socks used as an
eraser with whiteboard
Washable whiteboard markers – any
color
Mini whiteboard
Spelling
The spelling will be taught
according to grade Four targets.
The students will be given 1
period every week. The spelling
assessment texts will be taken
from the novel or the texts they
read in their books. The
assessment will be out of 10 and
administered every other week. It
will be marked in the following
way:
 For every mis-spelt word 0.5
marks will be subtracted.
 For every punctuation error,
0.25 marks will be
subtracted.
Students will be told in advance
when the spelling lesson will take
place.
Parent – School Communication will be via:
1.
Homework Diary: Homework, reading and additional assignments assigned
during the week will be written in the Homework Diary. Parents are expected
to sign the Diary indicating that they have seen the assignments. It is the
student’s responsibility to copy down accurately the assignment in the
Homework Diary. Taking responsibility for their work is a key part of the
homework process.
2.
Notice of Concern: A note will be sent to you to inform you of any issues
concerning your child. The form requests that parents sign the form and
return to school the next day.
3.
Monthly Newsletter: At the beginning of every theme a newsletter will be
sent informing you of what they will be learning in the following weeks and any
other important information.
I hope it will be a productive year for your children and looking forward to meeting you
all.
Please do not hesitate to contact me for any questions or concerns.
Grade Four English Teacher:
Ms. Juman Hamed