Cheetwood Community Primary School
Year 4: Curriculum News - Autumn Term 2 2013
Class Teacher: Miss Davies Teaching Assistant: Mr Nordon and Mrs Beaumont
Topic – Antarctica
Pupils will be discovering Antarctica; they will find out where Antarctica is and will be
able to locate it on a map. In addition they will find out all about the animals which live
in Antarctica as well as how they are suited to this type of an environment. They will
develop research skills by answering their own questions on this topic, which will
eventually result in them creating their own information book.
Areas of Study








The location of Antarctica in relation to a wider geographical context
Describing the location in terms of landscape and weather
Research the location using the internet and non-fiction texts
Create a non-fiction book about Antarctica
The wildlife within Antarctica
Habitats and how animals are suited to their environment
Read non-fiction texts and discuss their features
Answer comprehension questions on non-fiction texts
How you can support your child:





Encourage them to discuss with you what they have learnt in Topic.
Look at a variety of non-fiction books and discuss them
Help them to research the topic on the internet or at the library
Write information on the topic using the features of a non-fiction book such as
headings, sub-headings and contents pages
English
Areas of Study: Information Books
How you can support your child:




Take them to the library and look for information books
Listen to them read at home.
Encourage your child to talk about their BIG WRITE and get them to practise it
before Monday.
Discuss the meanings of their spellings with them each week and help them to
write them into sentences.
Science
Areas of Study: Habitats
How you can support your child:



Discuss the different types of habitats
Look at animals and discuss how they are suited to their habitat
Look at miniature habitats in the garden, go on a mini-beast hunt!
Maths
Areas of Study – The maths curriculum covers number, calculations, shape, measure
and data handling each term.
How you can support your child:




We are looking at shape and space and measure in maths this half term, with a
particular focus on naming our shapes and their properties.
We are trying to learn our 2,3,45,6 and 7 times tables with instant recall.
Encourage your child to use maths in everyday life. For example, counting out
money to pay in shops, calculating change, reading the bus timetable, sharing
out treats equally or weighing out ingredients. Maths can be everywhere!
Help them to go over BIG MATHS questions each week.
Useful websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/ecozones/Antarctic_ecozone A webiste useful for looking at Antarctica
http://www.ictgames.com/resources.html Great games for maths and literacy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/shows/deadly-60 A TV show and games all about nature and animals
We also have links on our own website and will be developing these throughout the year.
PE
Pupils will be doing PE on the following days:
Gymnastics - Wednesday
Swimming -Tuesday
Please can you ensure that your child has their PE kit in school on Wednesday. I
suggest you leave their PE kit in school for a couple of weeks and take it home to be
washed at the weekend. As pupils are not permitted to wear any jewellery for PE it
helps if earrings and other jewellery are not worn to school on the PE days.
Swimming kits should consist of a towel, swimming costume or trunks (no shorts), hats for
children with long hair. Goggles are not required. Please ensure this kit is brought on
Fridays and must be taken home that night.
Contacts
If you wish to speak to me about anything please feel free to drop into class before or
after school. Alternatively you can email me at,
r.davies@cheetwood.manchester.sch.uk.