Overview - Spring Term
Year 4 Topic – ‘Go with the flow’
The big idea: The world’s rivers are our most precious resources. This unit studies
the impact of the world’s rivers on people and landscapes in the past, present and
future.
Spring
1
Entry Point: Research a well known river or a local river using the internet using maps, photos and the internet
 Compare and contrast these two rivers using a Venn diagram.
 Identify features that are the same and different about the rivers.
Exit point: Present information on rivers clearly and in an eye catching way –e.g. posters etc
Literacy
Numeracy
Science
Topic - Curriculum areas covered:
ICT, Art, DT, Geography, History,
States of
PHSE, Music, RE
Matter
Week
1
We will be
writing poems
based on rivers
Number –number and place
value
(Cross Curricular Rounding river lengths
to the nearest 10, 100
and 1000 km
Solids,
Liquids &
Gases
Week
2
Stories from
other cultures
(African
stories
including the
River Nile)
Number – addition and
subtraction
(Cross Curricular Estimation – how much
water do you think a
dripping tap wastes in a
day or week? Water usage
homework.)
Number- multiplication
and division
Solids,
Liquids &
Gases
Week
3
Week
4
Stories from
other cultures
(African
stories
including the
River Nile)
Stories from
other cultures
Number – fractions
including decimals)
Temperature
Using a
thermometer
Geography - Rivers
Computing – We will learn how
to create and save a document
using Word.
RE- Hinduism
Music – To appreciate and
understand a high quality of
music from different
traditions
PSHE – Respect for property
The Water Cycle.
How are rivers formed [pt 1]?
Art – Study famous paintings
of rivers and use these
paintings to influence their
paintings of rivers using
water colours
PSHE – Respect for property
How are rivers formed [pt 2]?
Music – To appreciate and
understand a high quality of
music from different
traditions
PSHE – Respect for property
How do rivers grow? How do
rivers change?
PE
Gymnastics
.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics
(African
stories
including the
River Nile)
Week
5
Week
6
Write an
explanation
text of the
journey of a
river – about
river, from
source to mouth
as their final
outcome
Explanation
text – about
river, from
source to mouth
as their final
outcome
Number – fractions
(including decimals)
Number – fractions
(including decimals)
Changing
States
Changing
States
What are erosion,
transportation and
deposition? Where do rivers
end?
Art – Study famous paintings
of rivers and use these
paintings to influence their
paintings of rivers using
water colours
RE – Hinduism
What features do rivers have?
Music: To listen with
attention to detail and
recall sounds with increasing
aural memory
What features do rivers have?
Art – Study famous paintings
of rivers and use these
paintings to influence their
paintings of rivers using
water colours
http://172.20.107.240/espresso/modules/t2_rivers/activities/describing_landscape.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/geography/physical_processes/rivers_flooding/activity/
https://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resources/primary-42198/ks2-geography-42885/rivers42984/?page=1&SFBC_FilterOption=8
http://topicbox.net/geography/rivers/
http://www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/rivers
Gymnastics
Gymnastics
Spring 2
Literacy
Numeracy
Science
States of
Matter
Evaporation
and
Condensation
Week
1
Stories from
Imaginary
Worlds
Number – number and
place value
Week
2
Stories from
Imaginary
Worlds.
Number – multiplication
and division
Evaporation
and
Condensation
Week
3
Stories from
Imaginary
Worlds
Measurement
Water Cycle
Week
4
We will be
writing a non
chronological
report on
Topic - Curriculum areas covered:
PE
ICT, Art, DT, Geography, History,
PHSE, Music, RE
Visit to a local river: How
is our river used?
Our river: A local river
What is its journey, source
to sea?
DT (Bridges) We will be
finding out:
How bridges are built and
then putting what we have
learned into practice with
‘the great bridge building
challenge
Why are rivers important?
DT (Bridges) We will be
finding out:
How bridges are built and
then putting what we have
learned into practice with
‘the great bridge building
challenge
Flood! Key Questions: Are all
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floods ‘bad’? Should people
build on flood plains –even if
the river has not broken its
banks in recent years?
Measurement
DT (Bridges) We will be
finding out:
How bridges are built and
then putting what we have
learned into practice with
‘the great bridge building
challenge
Water Cycle
Key Questions:
(Cross
What have we learnt about
Curricular
rivers?
Explanation of DT (Bridges) We will be
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rivers
Water Cycle)
Week
5
We will be
writing a non
chronological
report on
rivers
Geometry –properties of
shapes
Air
Week
6
Recount of a
river trip
Geometry –properties of
shapes
Science
Assessment
finding out:
How bridges are built and
then putting what we have
learned into practice with
‘the great bridge building
challenge
DT (Bridges) We will be
finding out:
How bridges are built and
then putting what we have
learned into practice with
‘the great bridge building
challenge’
(Instructions)
HISTORY - We will be finding
out:
About the importance of the
River Nile in every aspect of
life in Ancient Egypt
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