Year Four

Year Four's Journey Through Evie and Rhino

Throughout Term Three, the Year Four students immersed themselves in Evie and Rhino by Nerrida McMullin. The teaching team chose this novel for its captivating storyline, rich language, and wonderful opportunities for students to practise inferring.

The story was read aloud by teachers - complete with expressive voices and the occasional well-timed “fart noise” from the beloved Rhino, much to everyone’s amusement! As they listened, students jotted down notes or illustrated key moments from each chapter, deepening their engagement with the text.

Throughout the term, students kept detailed chapter summaries to track the development of characters and plot. This supported their ability to look back at clues, make inferences, and refine their predictions as the story unfolded.

A highlight of our reading journey was exploring the author’s powerful word choices. Each day, students inquired into a vocabulary word from the chapter we read, expanding their understanding and appreciation of language. These new words began appearing in students’ own writing, showing how their vocabularies and confidence had grown.

To conclude our novel study, students engaged in creative learning experiences to share their reflections. They wrote book reviews designed to inspire next year’s Year Fours to read Evie and Rhino - crafting enticing summaries that revealed just enough without giving away any spoilers! 4AK were so inspired they created, practised and delivered a special Evie and Rhino play to the other Year Four classes. Some students even took the initiative to bake Cook’s famous apple pies from the story. 

Finally, students took on the exciting challenge of writing their own Evie and Rhino: Book 2. The creativity on display was remarkable. Some stories picked up right where the novel ended, while others imagined what might happen five or even 15 years later, reconnecting with Evie and Rhino as adults. Their writing demonstrated not only strong literacy skills but also a deep emotional connection to the story and its characters.

The Year Four Team

Claire Taylor, Imogen Westcott, Ayesha Katz, Angela Collins and Sarah Groves