Welcome to Year 4!

This year we will undertake a range of exciting learning.

We start the year by learning about  the continent of Europe. Using maps and atlases, we will explore this vast and varied continent to learn about its countries and capital cities.  Our focus will then shift to Italy where we will learn about its physical and human features. We will look at famous Italian cities and landmarks as well as learning about what it is like to live in different regions of Italy.

After the half term break, we will move on to learn about the features of a mountain and how they are formed. We will learn what a mountain climate is. We will develop locational knowledge by learning where mountains are found in the UK and around the world.  We will develop map reading skills by understanding what contour lines tell us. We will also consider why so many tourists visit The Alps and what impact this has.

After Christmas, we move on to learn about the Roman Empire. This unit looks at the Romans and their achievements from 43 CE to 410 CE. We explore what life was like in early Rome, who was in charge and held the power across the Empire and how the emperors trained up their powerful armies. This moves onto the Roman invasion of Britain; a comparison between the existing Celtic villages and the new Roman settlements, alongside finding out how the Romans protected their new lands and an introduction to significant historical figures of the time such as Boudicca. The unit finishes with a study of the final years of the Roman Empire and the events that led to its downfall.

Our next area of study is the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings and their achievements from 410 CE to 1066 CE. We explore life in England after the fall of the Roman Empire and the reasons why the Anglo-Saxons travelled to England’s shores and decided to settle. This moves on to finding out how England was ruled during the settlement of the Anglo-Saxons and how they kept control of the 7 different kingdoms across the land. It finishes with a look at who the Vikings were, why they carried out raids in England and how their arrival impacted the political and social hierarchy of the time.

We complete the year learning about different water bodies and the differences between them. We will find out about the water cycle and why it is an important process for our planet. We will learn how water access around the world can differ and the impact this has on people’s lives. We will visit a water treatment facility and learn how it comes into your home. We focus on sustainability and how water needs to be conserved as well as how it can be used for power to contribute towards a sustainable future

Things you need to know:

• Our PE days are:
• Autumn Term -Wednesday and Thursday
• Spring Term- Thursday and Swimming on Friday
• Summer Term -Wednesday and Thursday

• Spellings are given out on a Monday and are tested the following Monday.
• Weekly homework will be given out on a Friday and will be due in the following Wednesday.
• Bring you planner to school every day.
• Read at least four separate days a week and sign your planner each time you do so.
• Complete a book review once a week – you will be given a day that this will all be checked.
• Practice your timetables at least 4 times a week. Don’t forget to use the TTRockstars app!