Year Four
Dear Year 4 Families,
Welcome back students and families to an exciting term in Year 4 at Saltwater College!
Even though it was a short week, we still managed to pack in lots of rich and engaging lessons and activities to get our creative minds and critical thinking skills switched on!
Literacy
We started the week by recapping and sharing our experiences over the holidays...but not as you might think! Did you sing with Taylor Swift? Did you have lunch with a talking dolphin? Did you fly to Argentina on a magic carpet? Well, some of the students did just that! As an alternative to recapping what they did do on the holidays, students used their imagination to come up with some outrageous events and situations that they DIDN'T do on the holidays. This is a great way to spark creative thinking and spark future writing ideas. Ask you child what they didn't do on the holidays and prepare to be amazed.
Students also experienced the text The Secret Knowledge of Grown Ups and were shocked to discover the real reasons we need to eat our vegetables or why we shouldn't jump on the bed or blow bubbles in our drinks through a straw. Again students used their creative minds to come up with alternative and bizarre reasons or 'truths' for the things adults tell us. These Writer's Notebook ideas allow students to build on their writing in various ways and develop their literary skills.
Book Club is about to start! Students have been in discussions about the purpose and expectations of Book Club and are eagerly preparing by recapping their Reading is Thinking comprehension skills and choosing texts that are both Just Right and challenging. Students are looking forward to having discussions with their peers regarding themes, characters, situations as they progress through the chapters. Many have made book marks especially for their book club texts.
Mathematics
At the beginning of this term, students will be focusing on additive thinking as part of their mathematics learning. They will engage in solving problems using a variety of addition and subtraction strategies. Through the exploration of part-part-whole concepts and fact families, students will strengthen their number sense and mathematical reasoning. A range of strategies will be explored, including the jump strategy, split strategy, and the use of number lines to support flexible thinking. Developing a strong grasp of number patterns and mental maths strategies is essential as students build a solid foundation for future mathematical learning.
Inquiry
Sparking curiosity is key as an IB student and what better way to start a new inquiry by having a team challenge as a provocation! Armed with a variety and limited amount of resources, students were required to build a bridge. But how do you build a bring with blocks or clips, or just a newspaper and pegs? Students used their keen negotiation skills to trade with other groups to allow their structures to develop and emerge. Pictures speak a thousand words so check out some of the bridges below!
ANZAC Day
Throughout the week, students took part in thoughtful discussions and engaging activities centred around ANZAC Day. They explored arange of mentor texts and watched informative videos to deepen their understanding of the history and significance of this important occasion. Students then participated in a variety of reflective tasks, allowing them to express what they had learned about ANZAC Day and the different ways they commemorate this event.
Reminders
Athletics Day payments due by Thursday 8th May
Athletics Day Group 1: Tuesday 13th May (Backup Wednesday 14th May)
Grades 4C, 4D, 4E and 4F
Athletics Day Group 2: Thursday 15th May (Backup Friday 16th May)
Grades 4A, 4B, 4G, 4H and 4I
Students must bring their MacBooks to school every day, fully charged.
Continuous entry begins at 8:20 am, allowing students to prepare for the first session, which starts promptly at 8:30 am. Late passes can be obtained from the office after this time.
Student absences must be reported on XUNO by a parent or carer as soon as possible.
Thank you to families who have completed the following forms. If you haven't already, please ensure to complete the forms by accessing XUNO:
- ICT Fair Use Agreement
- Local Excursion Form
- Photo Permission Form
Kind regards,
The Year Four Teaching Team.