Year 4 Autumn 2 Focus Text

2nd November 2020Miss K. Wilkinson

This half term, Year 4 will be reading ‘The Firework Maker’s Daughter’ by Phillip Pullman.

The story is a wonderful adventure which mixes old and modern fairy tales together. It features the main character Lila, who is on a quest to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a great firework maker. She must journey to get Royal Sulphur from Razvani the Fire-Fiend at Mount Merapi, a journey which is filled with peril and wonder.

For the first few weeks Year 4 will be focussing on character descriptions of the main character and letter writing to Lila’s father using the skills we developed in the first half term. We will then learn about the features and structure of a narrative. We will write setting descriptions and include them when we write a missing chapter about the Fire-Fiend.

Watch a reading of the story below:

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Spooky writing…

23rd October 2020Miss K. Wilkinson

Class 9 took part in a spooky writing lesson this week.

We were using the techniques we have practiced in literacy to create a setting description of a haunted mansion. To help our imagination flow we wrote in the DARK using a torch and listened to some creepy music.

We all had a wonderful time and created some impressive writing!

Powerful Persuasion

20th October 2020Miss K. Wilkinson

Year 4 have been learning about persuasive techniques in Literacy. We looked at the features such as rhetorical questions, emotional language and backing up your point with evidence. We used the techniques to tackle scenarios such as solving a disagreement and convincing parents to allow them a mobile or a sleepover. We then developed into a full debate discussing whether Wilbur the pig from Charlotte’s Web should be saved or not.

Check out our ideas!

Year 4 Autumn 1 Focus Text

25th September 2020Miss K. Wilkinson

This half term in Year 4 we will be reading ‘Charlotte’s Web‘ by E.B.White

Charlotte’s Web is a story about a pig called Wilbur and his friendship with a spider called Charlotte. Thanks to Fern Arable, Wilbur, the runt of the litter, was saved from an early slaughter. Fern nurses him like a baby and he grows into a healthy pig. Wilbur is sold to Fern’s Uncle Zuckerman and goes to live in the barnyard on his farm. This is where Wilbur is befriended by Charlotte, who ends up changing his life forever.

During literacy this half- term, the children will work to develop their descriptive skills and knowledge and apply this to writing a character description of Fern Arable. The children will then write a persuasive letter to the farmer from Fern that showcases their ability to express a point of view and to use facts and evidence to support their argument.

You can listen to Chapter 1 being read aloud below:

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Fun with instructions

13th March 2020R Smith

In Literacy this week, Class 9 have been learning about instruction writing and how important it is to write clear and precise instructions. We have been learning about Lent in RE so decided to write instructions for making (microwave) pancakes.  In small groups, we drafted the method step by step. We then tried to follow our instructions exactly as we had written them. The children quickly realised that they had not written clear and precise instructions which led to hilarious results. Some groups forgot to open the pancakes, some groups didn’t turn the microwave on, and some left their toppings in the bag or jar.

The children went back and improved their instructions so they could actually make their pancakes successfully and more importantly eat them.

Character descriptions

7th February 2020R Smith

This half term the children have been reading ‘The Time-travelling cat and the Egyptian Goddess’. So far, we have thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and getting to know the characters. The children have been extending their vocabulary with the new exciting words from the book. They have produced several amazing pieces of work (character descriptions and letter writing). The children have been enjoying learning all about the Ancient Egyptians, it has really helped to broaden their understanding of historical concepts and develop their literacy skills, just look at the differences between the first (cold write) and second (final piece) pictures below.

Reading Plus

7th January 2020R Smith

Year 4 started a new trial of reading plus this afternoon, this will continue for the next 8 weeks and is focused on increasing reading fluency along with vocabulary skills.