Year Four
Dear Year Four Families,
Term 4 is flying by, and we're already in Week 6 of this 11-week term! Over the past fortnight, we've enjoyed some incredible learning experiences and have begun our final Unit of Inquiry for the year.
Our final Transdisciplinary theme is: How the World Works.
Our Central Idea: Environmental processes can lead to the transformation of the Earth’s surface.
Our Two Line of inquiry are:
- The processes that shape Earth’s landforms: Investigating natural processes such as erosion, weathering, and volcanic activity that change the Earth's surface over time. Understanding the difference between rapid changes (like earthquakes or landslides) and slow changes (such as erosion) and recognising patterns in these events over time.
- The adaptations made in response to land transformations: Exploring how humans respond to the changes made on the earth’s surface. What measure do they take to preserve landscapes.
Reading:
This fortnight in reading, students continued working in their reading groups, participating in either book clubs or reciprocal reading sessions.
Students engaged in an activity where they explored various vocabulary words and images connected to our new Unit of Inquiry. They had the chance to clarify the meanings of these words, categorise them into the three Tiers of Vocabulary, and match them with the corresponding images.
Additionally, students unpacked the central idea of our new Unit of Inquiry, exploring changes to the Earth’s surface over time, with a focus on tectonic plates. They also investigated coastal erosion to understand both rapid and gradual changes to the Earth.
Provocation:
Students were able to conduct a class experiment to understand Weathering. They investigated how pounding waves can cause rocks to weather overtime.
Writing:
In Writing, students learned about procedural texts by using the scientific method to write up their own experiments. They conducted various experiments, following each step of the scientific method as a guide.
Through these experiments, students practiced forming hypothesis, carried out trials, and recorded their observations. They also had the opportunity to write their own procedural steps, focusing on using clear and simple language so that others could easily follow and understand their instructions
Mathematics:
In Mathematics, students have been exploring fractions and decimals. They learned what a fraction is and how it can be represented as a proper, improper, or mixed fraction. Students also examined how the place value system extends to tenths and hundredths while converting between fractions and decimals.
Remembrance Day:
On November 11th, students participated in a Remembrance Day ceremony. At 11.00am, they observed a minute of silence, followed by an assembly later in the day to mark the occasion. Students wore poppies and rosemary as a symbol of remembrance. This was a meaningful opportunity for students to reflect on the past and pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.
Christmas Carols
Our Christmas Carols event is fast approaching, with tentative dates set for December 10th and 11th. The event will be held over two nights to accommodate both Timetable A and Timetable B. Classes are paired together, and each group is practicing a song they will perform on their scheduled evening.
Reminders:
- Hats will need to be worn throughout Term Four.
- Students are expected to bring their fully charged MacBooks to school every day.
- Late arrivals (8:40am onwards) require a late pass from the office.
- Please make sure all the student absences are recorded on Xuno and a comment is provided for it.
- Homework is sent out fortnightly on Mondays. Please check your class school box page for a digital copy.
Kind Regards,
Year 4 Team