Penguin Year 4 Mrs Doolan
Welcome to Penguin Class
Mrs Doolan - Teacher
Mrs Hawkins - HLTA
Miss Karen Wallington - LSA
Mrs Michelle Winfield - 1:1 LSA
Attending School
The school day starts at 8.40am.
Please ensure you arrive on time. It is important for your child to be able to settle in with their peers and learn what is going on in their school day.
The school day ends at 15.15.
Please ensure your child is wearing warm clothes including a coat and sensible footwear.
Term 1 and 2 World War II Knowledge Organisers
World War II - How do we know who is friend or foe?
(History Topic - Terms 1 and 2)
The Americas - Term 3 and 4
The Americas - Is our world all the same?
(Geography topic - Terms 3 and 4)
Stone Age to Iron Age - terms 5 and 6
Stone Age to Iron Age
(History topic - terms 5 and 6)
Class Reads (Terms 3 and 4)
This term we are reading:
Friend or Foe by Michael Morpurgo which is explaining the evacuation of children that took place during WWII and developing understanding of some of the trickier concepts of war and all it impacts.
Einstein the penguin by Iona Rangeley which we read during suspended curriculum. We loved hearing about the many adventures of Einstein and his friends.
Recommended reads
Reading is a key skill as it affects all areas of day to day life. As a school we promote a love of reading and encourage children to read a wide range of different genres. We especially recommend these books for Y4 aged children:
Reading at Home and Home work
One of my all time favourite things to do with my own children is to read with them or listen to them read. Now they are 'too big' to read with me anymore, I miss it. Children in Year 4 may be able to read now but that doesn't mean they don't need to read with an adult anymore. They can learn so much from how you read, what you take in whilst reading and what it can teach you. You do not always have to read the book from school, please read whatever you wish but just read. It is now proven that children who read and/or are read to achieve more within life and think of the pleasure they and you will get from doing so.
If you need some support with this, please let us know.
Children are expected to read five times a week in Year 4 and record these reads in their reading records- two of these need to be with or alongside an adult. When children are ready to get a new book from the library, they can do so at their own leisure before school, after school, breaks or lunch time. We will not be reminding them to do this, this is an initiative they need to take for themselves.
Home work:
This is handed out on a Friday and is due back in on a Wednesday. A worksheet is stuck in your child's homework book alongside a bulletin which tells you all about their week. If children do not complete the home work at home, they will be expected to do it in their golden time. Please support your child to develop their understanding of organisation and time keeping.
Times tables
Being able to recall the times tables is a HUGE skill and will have benefits across all areas of the maths curriculum and as a life skill. In Year 4 the expectation is that children can recall their times tables up to 12x fluently and with speed - mathematical fluency one of our school's focus areas. We have already begun practising these in class and have assessed each of your children to see where their gaps are. Please access U R Brainy MTC on the internet where you can support your child practising. If you need any help supporting them with strategies to learn their times tables, please ask and thank you for your support.
Physical Education
We have at least two PE lessons per week - these are currently Monday and Wednesday. Please ensure your child's kit is in school at all times to enable us to be flexible.
We do PE in all types of weather so please ensure your child has suitable PE kit. In the Summer months we recommend shorts and t-shirt and in the winter long trousers with t-shirt and hoodie. Trainers or daps should be worn. All kit should be clearly labelled with your child's name.
We are also skipping for two minutes per day, as part of Skip to be Fit and running a mile around the playground to travel the world. Please support us in getting your child active as much as possible. The benefits are huge!
Snacks & Drinks
As a healthy eating school, we encourage children to drink throughout the day. Water is the best drink for children to have as it is the healthiest and if spilt does not attract ants or wasps or ruin children's work! They can also bring in a piece of actual fruit or veg sticks to eat at break time. (No Sweets, fruit rolls etc).
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