Cedar Class 2023 - 2024

WELCOME TO CEDAR

Class teacher - Mr A Fowles

earning Support Assistant - Mrs Rowlands

Cedar class establish the values and vision that we have for our school life. In the thankfulness and honesty, we demonstrate around school, we follow our faith that making wise choices and always striving to do the right thing by ourselves and others allows us to grow in confidence and maturity. The wisdom that comes from always striving to make these wise choices enables us to endeavour as we take advantage of the many opportunities we have to shine in Cedar class.

Presently in Cedar, we will be exploring South America whichis in both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, with the Equator running directly through the continent. The Tropic of Capricorn also runs through South America. In Geography, we will research how the Pacific Ocean is in the west of South America and the Atlantic Ocean is on the north and east. We will use atlases to investigate that South America contains twelve countries in total, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Chile. It is the fourth largest continent, with around 423 million people living there.

Reading plays a fundamental part in all areas of the curriculum. Over the year, we will immerse ourselves in high quality texts which will help to drive our learning. In class we have access to a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books which we are able to use not only within our Guided Reading sessions, but also when appropriate in our curriculum lessons to support our learning. Each term we have a spotlight author who has been chosen for their high-quality texts. Our current spotlight author is Michael Rosen; we will be reading I Never Know How Poems Start as our class novel. Over the course of the year we will have to opportunity to listen to, read and learn more about these fantastic authors. Having this literacy-rich enviroment will encourage a positive culture of reading within our class and promote the children's enjoyment of reading.

In Maths, we will focus on securing knowledge and understanding of fractions, geometry, statistics and multiplication will form the bulk of our Big Maths lessons to prepare the Year 4 children for their multiplications check in June.

As part of our South American focus, our main emphasis will the different geographical features. We will be learning about different climates, such as temperate, arid and subtropical. Later, we will compare human and physical features and how they compare to features in our local area.

Firstly, in Science lessons will focus on Plans. Later in the term, we will be looking at scientific enquiry which will supplement our Geography learning. In DT, we will be using textiles to create 2D and 3D shapes.

In Computing, we will be using Scratch Jr to create algorithms by sequencing instructions to achieve simple objectives. Later we will be modifying and debugging algorithms. In music, we will look and listen to how music can tell a story and evoke different feelings and emotions.

In art, the children will be working on their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft and design. God will be our focus in the summer term in RE, we will reflect upon what it means to be called on by God and what tasks can I do for God?

PE will be on a Tuesday and a Wednesday (Forest School), please can children come into school in PE kits, thank you.

HOMEWORK, READING & SPELLINGS

Please ensure that your child reads at home at least 4 times a week; they are expected to record their reading in the home/school diary. Parents just need to sign /initial each time; reading is so important and it's amazing fun too! Please, please emphasise that reading is a hugely fun thing to do, so if they have any interests that read about at home, please put it in their home/school diary as reading is reading! 20 mins reading a magazine is still reading, especially if they can tell you all about it afterwards to ascertain their understanding.

TT Rockstars and the children's individual spellings should be practised regularly and either handed in, if written, or a note left in the home-school diary to say they have practised.

On top of the usual termly spellings and reading, a maths or English homework will be set every Monday. This will usually cover work that we have done in maths or in English that week (alternate weeks) but sometimes it may be topic based and perhaps require some research.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: YEAR 4 MULTIPLICATION TABLES CHECK

What is the Year 4 Multiplication Tables Check?
The Multiplication Tables Check (MTC) is a Key Stage 2 assessment to be taken by pupils at the end of year 4 (in June). The purpose of the MTC is to make sure the times tables knowledge is at the expected level.

What to expect:
The MTC is an online test where the pupils are asked 25 questions on times tables 2 to 12. For every question you have 6 seconds to answer and in between the questions there is a 3 second rest. Questions about the 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12 times table come up more often. The questions are generated randomly based on the rules of the MTC.

How to prepare:
The best way to prepare is to start early, this is why we expect Timestables Rockstars is completed at least 3 times a week as part of home learning in addition to practise in class. With regular practise children will learn all the questions and gain confidence. Do also use the web links below.

Times Table Resources:
Times Table Rockstars – (soundcheck, at least 4 times a day)
Multiplication Tables Check – 2022 – Timestables.co.uk
Times tables Speed Test X – Timestables.co.uk
Times tables games – Learn them all here!
Times Tables Games for 7 to 11 year olds (topmarks.co.uk)
Test your Multiplication – Times Tables From 2 to 15 (mathsisfun.com)
Multiplication Tables Check – Mathsframe