Year 4 Weekly News 19.09.25

Happy Friday! We have had another fantastic week.

This week in English, we explored the structure and language features of our model text, focusing on how it builds tension and creates vivid settings. We identified similes, personification, and short, punchy sentences, then used colour-coding to spot these features ourselves. We became writing detectives, exploring 'Writer's Knowledge' (clever techniques like describing mood and using powerful verbs) by matching them to the model text in pairs and groups. Finally, we applied everything we'd learnt by rewriting a paragraph using our own ideas while including key features such as similes and strong vocabulary. You did an amazing job bringing your own writing to life!

This week in our first spelling unit of Year 4, we explored how adding prefixes like mis-, un-, in-, and dis- can totally change the meaning of a word! We practised saying words like misbehave, disagree, and unknown and learnt that these prefixes often mean "not" or "wrong." It was fun spotting how just a few letters at the start can flip a word's meaning on its head!

In Maths this week, we explored adding and subtracting 1s, 10s, 100s, and 1000s. To help us understand how exchanging works, we used practical resources and played interactive games that made the learning both fun and memorable. Once we were confident with this, we moved on to comparing numbers, building on our place value knowledge to recognise which numbers are greater or smaller. You showed brilliant focus and enthusiasm throughout!

In PE on Monday, we had a fantastic football session where the focus was all about dribbling and finding space on the pitch. You showed great energy and determination as we practised moving with control and awareness. After drills, we put our skills to the test in some fun games. It was brilliant to see you all working hard and supporting your teammates throughout. Well done, everyone!

In History, we explored why the Vikings left their homelands to come to Britain. We learned about push factors like harsh climates and poor farmland, and pull factors such as Britain's rich land, silver, and trade opportunities. Using evidence around the classroom, we acted as historical detectives, sorting information into push and pull categories. We discovered the Vikings didn't just arrive by chance . . . they had heard stories and seen maps! Their first raid on Lindisfarne in 793CE showed how much they were tempted by Britain's wealth. We had thoughtful discussions about whether they were raiders, settlers, or both!

In DT this week, we began preparing for our construction task by planning out our base boards. This involved drawing a bird's-eye view of our designs -- which was a little tricky at first! But you rose to the challenge, thinking carefully about how your pavilion will come together. Great teamwork and attention to detail set us up perfectly for the building stage next lesson!

In RE this week, we discovered more about who Jesus is by reading the incredible story of Him walking on water. We looked at beautiful paintings of this miracle and discussed how such an extraordinary event shows Jesus' power. You asked thoughtful questions like, "How could anyone do that?" and considered how Christians believe He could because He is both God and man. Your curiosity and insights were fantastic, and you added your ideas to our class RE scrapbook to reflect on Jesus' unique authority.

We had our first heartsmart lesson this week. In our lesson, we explored the power our words can have. We began with a surprising activity using two identical apples. We spoke kind words to one and unkind words to the other. When we cut them open, the "unkind" apple was bruised inside, showing how even invisible damage can be caused by our words. We talked about how words can build others up or hurt them, even if they don't show it on the outside. We learnt to choose kindness, especially when speaking about ourselves or others. The Bible reminds us of the importance of encouragement: "Encourage one another and build each other up." from 1 Thessalonians 5:11. This helped us understand why kind words matter; they help others (and ourselves) grow stronger and feel valued.

This week, we dived deeper into how the internet works by looking at the parts that make up a network -- routers, servers, switches, and wireless access points. You discovered how all these parts work together to allow us to browse the World Wide Web. We played a fun "Finding Routes" game where you worked out how data travels around a network, and then explored real websites to learn more about what we can do online. You also learnt the difference between websites and individual web pages. What a tech-savvy bunch you are!

Hope you have an amazing weekend,

Miss Pennance