Newcastleschool.co.uk

4SH Curriculum Information – Spring Term 2012
We hope that you all had an enjoyable and restful Christmas break and we look forward to working
with you across the new term.
We attach a brief outline of the teaching and learning that is to take place during the Spring Term.
The topics being followed are as follows:
English
This term the boys will be studying units relating to play scripts, poetry, recounts in
newspapers and magazines, information texts, stories set in imaginary worlds as well as
stories that raise issues and dilemmas. Each unit will include an element of reading,
comprehension and creative writing as well as covering the following areas of grammar:
nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, alphabetical order, homophones, definitions, suffixes,
adjectival phrases, similes and apostrophes.
The boys will receive spellings on a weekly basis and these will be tested each Friday. To
further improve spelling, reading and comprehension skills the boys will undertake two
sessions each week on our SuccessMaker computer programs ‘Spelling Skil s’ and ‘Readers’
Workshop’.
Our class reader this term will be ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B.White.
Drama (Mrs Penfold)
The boys will be developing Performance Skills through a range of imaginary situations and
settings. Skills practised will include mime, creative dialogue, soundscapes and simple scripts.
The aim is also to develop listening and communication skills, physical and vocal expressiveness.
Pupils will also have the opportunity to join Drama Club.
Maths
This term the boys will study the following topic areas:
Adding and subtracting multiples of 10, 2-d shape (isosceles and equilateral triangles), 3-d
shape, Perimeter, Adding several 2-digit numbers, Subtracting 2-digit numbers, Area,
Symmetry, Compass points, Turns and Angles, Co-ordinates, Multiplying and dividing by
tens and hundreds, Ordering and comparing fractions, Fractions of numbers, Frequency
tables, Pictographs, Rounding numbers to the nearest 10 or 100 and Adding 3 and 4-digit
numbers (with carrying).
Mental Maths
The boys will continue to receive daily mental maths tests to consolidate and practise a wide
range of strategies and skills.
Tables
The boys will receive a test of table facts each Friday. This term the focus will be on both
times and divide by facts. As last term the expectation is that the boys should be able to
recall all facts in under 5 seconds!
Newcastle School for Boys Junior School Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4ES Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1NH Tel: 0191 2851619 Tel: 0191 2559300 Fax: 0191 2131105 Fax: 0191 2130973 e-mail: office@newcastleschool.co.uk e-mail: groveoffice@newcastleschool.co.uk Science
This term the boys will study:
Keeping warm
The boys will learn about temperature and how to read a thermometer. They will learn about
different temperatures and why they change. They will also experiment with thermal
insulators and conductors and the properties of various materials in keeping things hot and
cold.
Solids, liquids and how they are separated
They will sort materials by their properties and learn about the volumes of solids and liquids.
They will experiment with melting and freezing and how to separate different types of
mixture. They will go on to experiment with solutions and the processes associated with
dissolving.
History
The first half-term will see the boys continue to learn about Roman Britain. They will learn
about Roman Technology, Roads and road building, Gods and goddesses, everyday life in
Roman Britain before finally examining the reasons for the departure of the Romans from
Britain.
During the second half-term the boys will begin to study why the Anglo-Saxons invaded.
They will learn where the tribes came from as well as what life was like in an Anglo-Saxon
village. The boys will consider the legacy left by the Anglo-Saxons, study Beowulf and
examine the evidence left by the Sutton Hoo burial site.
Geography
This term the boys will continue with their work on the Rainforests of the world. They will
consider the impact of the destruction of the rainforest upon the tribes who live there. They
will then look at the importance of the rainforest ecology and look at the impact of their
destruction. This will involve looking at the greenhouse effect and global warming. They will
discuss options to prevent this. They will produce posters and a classroom display to
highlight the importance of the rainforests.
Later in the term they will be looking at the Water Cycle in preparation for a Unit on the great
rivers of the world.
PSE and RE
During the first half-term the boys wil take part in a unit called ‘Going for goals’. They wil
explore the fol owing themes: ‘Knowing myself’,’ Feelings and learning’ and ‘Barriers to
reaching learning goals’.
The second half of the term will present a theme called ‘Good to be Me’. This Unit
investigates how boys learn best and how they can act in an assertive way. It also includes
strategies to deal with anxiety.
In RE we will be looking at Holocaust Memorial Day, the prophet Muhammed’s birthday,
Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and Lent, the festivals of Holi and Purim, Mothering
Sunday, Passion Sunday and Easter.
ICT (Mr Edge)
Developing images using repeating patterns
Before half term the boys will work with different Paint programs. They will learn to create
repeating patterns by using the stamp and copy tools and be able to select an area and then
copy, re-size, rotate and flip that image. Using these skills the boys will construct a fish tank
picture using Microsoft Paint. The boys will then use Textease Paint to learn how to use the
brush tool to draw dots as well as how to resize and reshape it and learn the difference
between brush, pen, spray and crayon. The boys will then learn about Georges Seurat and
pointillism and pictures in that style.
Music (Mrs Gilbert)
Newcastle School for Boys Junior School Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4ES Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1NH Tel: 0191 2851619 Tel: 0191 2559300 Fax: 0191 2131105 Fax: 0191 2130973 e-mail: office@newcastleschool.co.uk e-mail: groveoffice@newcastleschool.co.uk This term Year 4 are covering three topics. Firstly they will complete work on the Pentatonic scale. They will then learn how to read staff notation and how to play pieces of music from staff notation. Those who can already read notation will play more complex pieces. After half term they will pursue a short course on playing the electronic keyboard. French (Mrs Hunter)
The first unit covered this term wil be ‘Raconte-moi une Histoire’ (Tell me a Story). The boys
will respond to a song in French and give instructions to help tell a story. They will learn
numbers to 100. The second unit is ‘Vive le Sport’ where the boys wil learn to make
statements about activities (sport and hobbies) and diet.
Games and PE (Mr Bowes)
This term the boys will play football. They will consolidate existing skills and gain new ones.
They will learn to perform actions with more control and quality and to apply the basic
principles of attack and defence. They will be taught to apply rules and conventions and to
employ appropriate strategies and tactics in small-sided games.
Art (Mrs Kramer)
Water is the theme of this half-term’s art project. The boys will be drawing, creating chalk
pastel pictures, making a printing plate and taking a print. They will then move on to make a
collage of a fish based on texture, colour and shape.
Design and Technology (Mrs Kramer)
After half-term the boys will be designing and making a can or bottle cosy. This project
follows on from their work on insulation in Science. This will involve investigating products,
materials, fasteners etc. The boys will select appropriate materials, design and plan their
product, make a pattern, cut materials and assemble their design.
We hope you find this information helpful, but if you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to a most productive and enjoyable term. Yours sincerely, Mrs S Hunter Newcastle School for Boys Junior School Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4ES Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1NH Tel: 0191 2851619 Tel: 0191 2559300 Fax: 0191 2131105 Fax: 0191 2130973 e-mail: office@newcastleschool.co.uk e-mail: groveoffice@newcastleschool.co.uk

Source: http://newcastleschool.co.uk/juniors/files/2012/01/4SH-Parents-Information.pdf