We have learnt how to ride our bikes and how to stay safe when we cycle. On the last week of the term, we had our Bikeability sessions. The children discussed about the importance of wearing a helmet and of staying in the same position when riding a bike.

This term, we launched our Ghana programme. This project is organised by Tzedek and involves our Year 4 class being twinned with the equivalent age group class in a Ghanaian village school. Over the course of the year, our children will undertake various activities to learn about life for school children in Ghana and to help them learn about life for school children here. At the start, the programme leader from Tzedek led a workshop to introduce our children to various aspects of life in Ghana, including some of their clothing, customs, language and food. He had many fascinating articles to show and pictures to the set the scene.

Our class topic in the first half term was Chocolate. The children researched three key questions: Where does chocolate come from? How is it made? Who discovered chocolate and brought it to Europe? They presented their findings to the class using power point. 

Children in Year 4 making chocolate honey cake for Rosh Hashanah.

Year 4 was learning from home during the summer term due to the closing of schools after the covid-19 outbreak. The children had to complete a certain amount of work every week and there was a number of resources and teaching videos on Seesaw to help them do this. The students also used Purple Mash, Mathletics, TT Rockstars and Magic Spell to consolidate their learning.

Apart from the work they completed, the students prepared a project about the Stone Age. 

Even though we didn’t have the opportunity to have whole class discussions or group work, the children continued their Ghana project. This project is an opportunity for them to learn more about Ghanaian tradition. The children drew their own shield with different symbols and they wrote about what these meant.

During the lockdown, the students have had the opportunity to learn a bit of Greek. Their teacher, Miss Petridou, uploaded a couple of videos and many of the children managed to learn a couple of Greek words.

The children were also encouraged to visit some museums and archaeological sites virtually. Some of these were the ‘Acropolis’ in Athens, the British Museum and the National Gallery. After their visit, they produced some relevant work.

We have, also, discussed about Chinese New Year and how people in China celebrate it. We had a Chinese New Year themed Maths quiz in the class. The children worked in groups and answered questions which were relevant to what we have learnt in Maths during this half term.

The children's mouth-watering research on our chocolate topic was rewarded at Rosh Hashana time when they made mini chocolate honey cakes wrapped in packaging of their own design made from a 3D net.

Children in Year 4 learning about the volume of liquids.

During Science week, we have done many different experiments in our class. One of these was the tornado in a bottle. We saw the vortex which has been formed because of the inward force which is directing a fluid towards the centre of its circular path.

Tribe came to our class a few days before Tu B'Shevat. We have learnt about different fruit and we have made our own fruit skewers.

During Sukkot, the children had an outing to Clore Manor Care Home. They entertained the residents with some lovely New Year and Sukkot songs which were much appreciated. They also spent time talking to the residents. It was very special to see two generations come together and really enjoy sharing time in conversation. Refreshments were served in the Clore Manor Sukkah and the children also had the opportunity to shake the arba minim in the Clore Manor Sukkah.

Children in Year 4 learning about traditional clothes worn in Ghana.