Sycamore Class - Year 4

Our Autumn Term topic in Year 4 is called ‘Tracks Through Time’. This exciting topic is closely linked to our History learning and focuses on the fascinating development of the railways in Great Britain. Children will discover how trains transformed travel and trade, explore the lives of people in the past, and investigate key events and inventors who shaped railway history. Across the curriculum, we will use the theme of railways to inspire our reading, writing, and creative projects.

English
This term, our English learning will include a range of exciting texts and writing opportunities:

Poetry: We will create our own imaginative poems inspired by the playful style of Roald Dahl.

Non-Fiction: Children will research and write non-chronological reports about fictional extinct animals, focusing on clear structure and factual-style writing.

Fiction: Using Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as inspiration, we will write detailed setting descriptions of Wonka’s magical world.

Independent Writing: At the beginning of the year, children will write a narrative inspired by a video clip set in a fantasy land.

Alongside these units, children will focus on the place value of punctuation and grammar, learning how to proofread effectively for spelling and punctuation errors. We will also work on developing cohesive writing, ensuring that sentences and paragraphs link together smoothly.

History – Tracks Through Time
In this unit of work, children will learn about the development of the railways in Great Britain, giving them the opportunity to explore the history of the railways and significant early locomotives. They will investigate important historical events such as the opening of the first passenger-carrying railway lines and the Rainhill Trials. Children will also learn about key people who were influential in the development of the railways.

Geography – Loxwood to Campania
In this unit, children will learn about the world and how it is represented on maps. They will discover the different countries and capital cities of Europe, as well as recapping the countries and cities of the UK. Children will then focus on Italy, learning about the country’s key human and physical features before exploring the region of Campania in more detail.

Science
This term, we will be focusing on States of Matter and Living Things and Their Habitats.

In the States of Matter unit, children will learn to compare and group materials according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases. They will explore how materials can change state when they are heated or cooled and investigate the water cycle.

In the Living Things and Their Habitats unit, children will learn to recognise the seven life processes common to all living things. They will sort living things using a variety of criteria and extend their scientific vocabulary to describe the features and characteristics of animals and plants.

Maths
This term, we will focus on Place Value and Addition and Subtraction.

Place Value: Read and write numbers up to 1,000 in numerals and words; identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations; round any number to the nearest 1,000, and order and compare numbers beyond 1,00; and count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 100

Addition and Subtraction: add and subtract numbers up to 4 digits; use inverse calculations to check answers and solve problems; and solve 2-step addition and subtraction calculations.