Year 4 News
Reading
In Reading this fortnight, Year 4 have been reflecting on their reading, helping to develop their reading fluency and monitoring skills by using decoding strategies. They learnt to ‘go slow to decode, then reread to understand’, which meant firstly reading words correctly by decoding and identifying which strategy they used to correct themselves, then reading back over the entire sentence to make sure what they were reading made sense. During their work time they read in pairs, listening carefully to when their partner slowed down and checking that each sentence made sense.
“When we were reading to a partner, and they were giving us feedback, we sounded out words together if we didn’t know them.” - Holly 4B
“We had a partner and worked on an ipad between us. When we saw a tricky word we used a strategy and read it again, it was so much fun.” - Asinat 4B
“I chose a book that was the right level and we put sticky notes into the book on pages where we had to check the meaning of the words.” - Elora 4B
Writing
In Writing, Year 4 students have been focusing on drafting detailed procedural texts, ensuring their instructions are clear, well-sequenced, and easy to follow. They included appropriate language features that they have been learning about, such as time connectives, verbs, adverbs and causality phrases.In Week 3, students revised their work to improve meaning, sentence structure, spelling, and punctuation. They showed great progress in taking on feedback and making thoughtful improvements.
“We can use ARMS and CUPS to revise and edit our work.” - Isaac 4A
“I am writing a procedural text on how to make a squishy out of paper.” - Deepti 4C
“In Writing, I am writing a procedural text on how to braid hair.” - Guntaj 4C
Maths
This fortnight in Maths, Year 4 students have begun their new topic on angles! They have learnt to name and identify angles, including acute, right, obtuse, straight, reflex and revolution. Students have explored how to use a right angle as a benchmark to compare and classify angles as greater than, less than or equal to a right angle. They have also estimated angle sizes using key measurements (90°, 180°, 270° and 360°), applied their understanding to real-life examples, and explored how angles combine on a straight line (180°) and around a point (360°) and used this knowledge to identify and estimate unknown angles, including on analogue clocks. They finished the unit by using Scratch to program movements that create geometric shapes like polygons!
“It was fun using Scratch and making shapes with codes. I made a hexagon and a square” - Eleen 4B
“An obtuse angle is greater than a right angle.” - Huseyin 4A
“We were comparing angles using an edge of a paper which is a right angle.” - Ansh 4C
“A reflex angle is more than 180 degrees and less than 360 degrees.” - Georgeuo 4C
Inquiry
This fortnight in Inquiry, Year 4 students have investigated the climates of Australia’s neighbouring countries, comparing similarities and differences. They discussed how factors such as location, weather patterns, and environment can influence a country’s climate.
Students also explored the difference between constructed and natural features. They identified examples of each and considered how human activity shapes environments.
Students used a variety of resources to research information, including technology, library books, travel brochures, atlases and information sheets.
“Solomon Islands has a tropical climate.” - Ekam 4A
“Constructed features are man-made.” - Tyler 4A
“Uluru is a natural feature.” - Sifat 4A
“I learned that the climate in Australia is mostly arid in the middle, and tropical in the north, but in the south it’s temperate.” - Hayley 4B
Social and Emotional Learning / SWPBS
This fortnight in SEL, Year 4 students have developed their strategies to support friends and seek help in different situations. They worked collaboratively to explore scenarios where someone may need help, identified how someone may be feeling in a particular scenario and brainstormed appropriate actions and trusted people that they can go to for support. In SWPBS, Year 4 students revisited the importance of being responsible, following instructions and following area expectations during swimming.
“At school you can go to the teacher for help.” - Sfakanaky 4A
“At home you can get help from a parent.” - Amelia 4A
“We worked together to figure out how to solve the problem.” - Sadie 4C
AUSLAN
In Auslan, Year 4 students have been learning to recognise and sign 2D and 3D shapes, and to use Size and Shape Specifiers (SASS) to describe different objects. They combined colour and shape signs and explored how to describe items using both size and shape. Students also worked collaboratively to create shapes using their bodies.
“The bigger the size of the object, the wider you shape your arms.” - Hayley 4B
“If something is big, you would use two hand and an expression that shows its heavy” - Elora 4B
“If a shape is 3D we use our whole hand to draw it, if it’s 2D we use fingers” - Pouniu 4B
Special Events
Swimming
Last week, Year 4 students participated in their swimming lessons at State Swim. They had a fantastic time improving their water safety skills and building their confidence in the water, all while learning new skills and having lots of fun!
“Swimming was amazing and we learnt a lot from it.” - Noah 4C
“Swimming was really fun and I have been learning new skills.” - Sia 4C
“I had fun learning new skills and playing games in the water” - Aditi 4B
Buddy Picnic
Last week, Year 4 students enjoyed their special Buddy Picnic with their younger buddies. Students shared their recess and spent quality time building connections. They had lots of fun playing on the playground, as well as basketball and dodgeball, and board games such as Uno, Jenga, and Snakes and Ladders. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to show leadership and strengthen their buddy relationships.
“I brought a picnic blanket for our buddies to sit on with us.” - Isabelle 4A
“We played lots of games together.” - Chris 4C
“I ate lunch with my buddy and we played games together” - Ashutosh 4B
Mother’s Day
In celebration of Mother’s Day, Year 4 students created thoughtful foldable cards for someone special in their lives. They used prompts such as “You are the best at..” and “My favourite memory with you is..” to write heartfelt messages inside their cards. Students also visited the Mother’s Day stall and carefully picked out a gift for their special person.
On behalf of the Year 4 Cohort, we would like to wish everyone a Happy Mother’s Day! May all families enjoy a special day filled with love, appreciation, and time together.
“My mum gives the best hugs.” - Nabil 4A
“My mum makes me feel loved.” - Zoeya 4C
“My mum is the best at cooking!” - Georgeuo 4C