YEAR FOUR

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Primary School provides a range of holistic learning experiences to enable students to:

• Participate in the life and mission of the school.
• Deepen their knowledge and engagement with the Catholic faith and tradition.
• Build the capacity to continuously reason, reflectively, logically and critically.
• Embrace interdependence of human existence as global citizens, who are responsible to and for themselves and others.
• Engage in learning in a multitude of ways, through personalised and self-paced learning.

Religious Education

4.5 Mary: This unit explores how Mary listened and responded to God in the events of her life. It highlights the importance and challenge in the Christian life of listening, reflecting and trusting in the ways of God. It explores Marian prayers and feast days as ways in which the Church honours Mary, the Mother of God. The unit also explores the qualities of listening and responding demonstrated in the life of Mary MacKillop. It invites students to reflect on ways in which they can receive and respond to God’s call and grace in their lives.

4.8 Advent to Christmas: This unit explores the concept of 'journey' as a central theme in the Christian faith. We learn about the journeys of people in the Old Testament and God’s faithful relationship with them. In the New Testament, we examine the journeys of Mary and Joseph and the Wise Men as they prepare for the birth of Jesus. During Advent, we focus on our own journey of preparation for Christmas and the second coming of Christ in glory. We explore ways we can respond to God's call and guidance along our spiritual path.

English

Students will explore the textual concept of ‘genre’ and the supporting concept of ‘perspective and context’ through an analysis of the text The Phasmid. Throughout the unit, students will understand that genre refers to texts that are grouped according to purpose, subject matter, form, structure and language choices. Students will plan, create and revise texts considering genre, perspective, context and informative purposes

Students will continue practising their reading strategies in Reading and Fluency Groups. They will also engage in the ‘Soundwaves’ spelling program, which is encouraged to be used at home. The students will be tested on their words during the Term.

Mathematics

This term we will be focusing on the following units;

• Partitioned Fractions/Representing Number
• 3D Spatial Structures - 3D Objects/Volume
• 2D Spatial Structures (Area)/Mulplicative Relations
• Representing Number/Addition Relations

Students will engage in differentiated tasks in their homerooms. These class groups will remain fluid as we cater to the needs of individuals and their understanding of various mathematical concepts. Please continue to practise the instant recall of the two, three, four, five, and ten times table facts with your children at home, as this is an essential skill they will require. 

Science and Technology

This term, students will explore the unit on the Physical World, focusing on light, heat, and electrical energy, as well as how contact forces affect the behaviour of objects. Students will develop their understanding of energy as a resource that can be generated and transferred. They will investigate the interconnectedness of energy forces that affect the behaviour of objects. Students will observe how energy and forces are used in the manufacture of products and systems.  

To address the inquiry question "How do heat, light, and electrical energy make things happen?", students will explore the various ways these forms of energy are used in our daily lives and how they impact the world around us.

History

Students will continue with the History unit from Term 3. They will delve deeper into the history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, European exploration, and colonization in Australia. Focusing on the period from the late 1700s to the early 1800s, students will investigate early exploration throughout the world and its impact on societies and cultures. This will build upon the knowledge gained in Term 3 and provide a more comprehensive understanding of global history during this era.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

In sports lessons, Year 3 students will enhance their movement skills through engaging activities that promote coordination, balance, and teamwork. The program will include a focus on dance, allowing students to compose their own routines and express creativity through movement. Additionally, they will learn various modified sports, fostering a deeper understanding of teamwork and sportsmanship. Through drills, games, and friendly competitions, students will develop their skills while emphasising the values of respect and fair play. 

Our Swimming program is run by Neilson’s Swim School at Caringbah Leisure Centre. They provide qualified, experienced instructors who teach water safety and race readiness. The swimming program is part of the school curriculum and is compulsory for all children. The intensive swimming program will run for 5 days. Each lesson is 40 minutes. 

Weeks 1 - 3 (Provide consent and see further details via Compass)

4B:  11:10 am - 11:50 am

4G:  9:10 am - 9:50 am

4W: 9:50 am - 10:30 am

Games and Sport

The Year 4 Games and Sports Unit is aimed at providing opportunities for students to develop their skills and build confidence in activities using Fundamental Movement Skills.

Students will practise and apply these skills during games such as Oztag, Cricket and Netball. Games are encouraged to build teamwork, communication, strategy and resilience.

Peer Support Program

Peer Support will commence this term and run for five weeks. This year's Module is, “Strong Together”.

The module aims to enhance student safety and wellbeing by promoting positive relationships, positive behaviours and expectations. It leverages peer-led leadership, encouraging older students to guide their younger peers with engaging activities. The approach emphasises strengths-based strategies and calls for a whole-school commitment to ensure sustained effectiveness in creating a safe and supportive school environment that aligns beautifully with our SPBL and Mercy Values.

This mini-module aims to develop leadership as well as:

• Students to know their strengths.
• Establish expectations of positive behaviour and what it looks like.
• Clarify how to take action to make things better.
• Develop resilience.

Wellbeing

Open Parachute will then continue for the remainder of the Term. Open Parachute aims to provide practical support on mental health to students. The program aims to reduce stigma and generate authentic dialogue in classrooms about the real issues students face. The psychological skills-building exercises aim to increase empathy, self-compassion, self-awareness, mental health literacy, and self-efficacy in students.

Amadeus Music Program

Students will continue with the Amadeus Music Education Program and participate in activities in listening, performing and organising sound within their regular classroom Music lessons. 

• It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they:
  • Arrive on time for each lesson
  • Bring their instrument and required accessories to every lesson
  • Bring their Essential Elements* music book
  • Bring a lead pencil and eraser

Creative Arts

In Music with Mr Parlato, students will develop their understanding of percussion instruments and create and perform known and unknown beats and rhythms. 

Visual Arts will involve a range of activities teaching students to use mixed media and collage techniques related to the History unit –Colonisation in Australia and the English unit on the Phasmid. 

Drama will be looking at scene analysis incorporating storytelling, improvisation and growth mindset. 

Mandarin

Our students continue to enjoy participating in the Chinese language program called the Meg Language Program. The Meg Curriculum is written by the co-author of the Australian Curriculum. All students and teachers will participate in the digital learning platform via Zoom weekly sessions with educators in China.

Homework 

Homework

Students in Year 4 are expected to complete 30 minutes of homework nightly. Twenty minutes is expected to be dedicated to reading. The homework grid will be shared through Google Classroom.

We look forward to continuing to work with you and your child this term. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher via a note, email or by appointment at the office. 

Mr Michael Faber and Mrs Cullen (4Blue)

Mrs Lisa Mann and Mr Ethan Parlato (4Gold)

Mrs Margaret McCarthy (4White)

Important Dates for Year Four

Sports Days for the gra 

4B: Monday and Friday

4G: Monday and Thursday

4W: Monday and Friday

Students are to wear their sports uniform on these days. 

Library 

Each week, students will have the opportunity to borrow books from our school library. Please ensure your child brings their Library Bag to school each Monday.  

2024 - School Term 4

Parent calendar available at this link