Year 4 Autumn

Art 

In the bustling art room of Year 4, creativity and history collided in a fascinating project: crafting clay tiles inspired by ancient Greek patterns and myths. This hands-on activity transported children back thousands of years, allowing them to immerse themselves in the artistry and storytelling of one of history’s most influential civilisations. 

States of Matter

Year 4 recently embarked on a deliciously engaging science lesson to explore the fascinating properties of solids and liquids. Using chocolate as their subject, the children dove into the world of melting, transformations, and scientific discovery—while sneaking in a bit of fun (and maybe a taste or two) along the way. 

Ancient Greeks

This week dived into an exciting world of ancient history, and one of the most fascinating subjects of Greek philosophers. These thinkers were among the first to ask big questions about life, the world, and how we understand ourselves. Their teachings continue to influence our way of thinking even today!

Learning about Greek philosophers in Year 4 not only enriches students’ understanding of history, but it also helps them develop skills in critical thinking, debate, and problem-solving. 

Mastering Number 

In Year 4, pupils have embarked on a mathematical journey that lays the foundation for all future learning in maths. One of the most important areas of focus during this year is Mastering Number, an essential part of the KS2 curriculum that helps young learners build strong mathematical skills.

Mastering number involves developing fluency and confidence with key concepts in multiplication and division. By the end of Year 4, students should be comfortable using these skills with larger numbers, and ready to tackle more complex problems in the years to come. Here is what we have been doing this week.

Celebrating Odd Socks Day at Stratford Manor: Embracing Uniqueness and Kindness! 

This week we celebrated Odd Socks Day – a fun, colorful event with a meaningful message. Odd Socks Day is part of Anti-Bullying Week, and it's all about embracing our differences, showing kindness, and celebrating what makes each one of us unique.

On Odd Socks Day, students (and teachers!) came to school wearing mismatched socks in every color, pattern, and length you can imagine! From stripes and polka dots to superheroes and animals, the socks became a conversation starter and helped us all think about how small, simple acts can symbolize something bigger.

Why Odd Socks?

Odd Socks Day was created to encourage people to express themselves and celebrate individuality. Wearing odd socks reminds us that everyone is unique and that we should appreciate those differences. Just as each sock is different, each person has their own quirks, talents, and perspectives that add color to our world.

Music

This term, Year 4 students have been embarking on an exciting musical adventure as they learn to play the keyboard! Whether they are absolute beginners or have dabbled in music before, our young musicians have been making amazing progress.

In the classroom, students are focusing on building a strong foundation of keyboard skills. They’ve been learning the names of the keys, understanding the layout of the keyboard, and getting comfortable with finger placement. Basic techniques, like playing simple melodies and practicing hand coordination, are helping them develop both their musical ear and motor skills.

Science

Year 4 had a fantastic time learning how switches work through hands-on activity which really helped solidify the concept. The use of cardboard, paper clips, and split pins is a creative way to demonstrate the mechanics of a switch. They got to test their switches with any simple circuits using lights bulbs.

British Museum

Year 4 visited the British Museum this week. In the workshop they discover the culture and civilisation of the ancient Greeks. Explore what life in the city states of classical Greece was like and the role of religion in shaping how the Greeks saw themselves and their world. We then visited the galleries finding out more about what it meant to be a citizen of classical Athens, the sporting events of the ancient Olympic Games and the heroes and heroines of Greek mythology. 

The Lost Thing 

As part of an experience lesson for English, children took inspiration from Shaun Tan’s imaginative and inspiring work. They created an imaginative creature, thinking about what the creature eats, how it moves and any special powers it has. This will then be used to do a creative piece of independent writing in the coming week. 

Stratford Library

Year 4 had the wonderful opportunity to meet Sally Gardner, an award-winning author known for writing captivating children's and young adult books. They listened to her read her new book and had the chance to ask her questions about her amazing writing journey. 

Year 4  this week started their Unit on Civilisations and cites. To kick start the unit we looked into the the work of Ancient Greeks. We focussed on how the Ancient Greek Olympics were one of the most important sporting events in history and took place in Olympia, Greece, over 2,000 years ago. They were part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods.  We held our very own Olympics.