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

Week 1-2: Easter. During the first two weeks, students will delve into the rich traditions, beliefs, and Scriptures celebrated by the Catholic community throughout the Liturgical Year. We will focus on the period from Easter to Pentecost, emphasizing our call to continue Jesus' message as His disciples today.

Week 3-8: The Sacrament of Healing. In this unit, students will deepen their understanding of the seven sacraments, with a special focus on the Sacraments of Healing. They will reflect on Jesus' ministry of healing, exploring how the Sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick bring strength, peace, and courage during times of need. Students will learn to recognize God's grace and the Holy Spirit's work in their lives.

Week 9-10: Faith, Through Prayer and Action. In the final weeks of the term, students will explore how prayer and action help us grow in faith. They will be introduced to various prayer experiences from the Catholic tradition, learning how Jesus taught us to pray and the purpose of prayer. The unit will highlight the Holy Spirit's role in giving us the courage to follow Jesus, showcasing examples of people who live out their faith through prayer and action.

English

In this unit, students will deepen their understanding of the textual concepts of ‘narrative’ and ‘genre’. Through the study of the text '200 Minutes of Danger', students will explore how narratives set up expectations for the reader using predictable structures and familiar characters and situations. They will analyse excerpts from the text and use these as inspiration for their own creative writing. Students will plan, draft, and revise their narratives, focusing on the structure of orientation, complication, and resolution.

Students will continue practising their reading strategies in Reading Groups. They will also engage in the ‘Soundwaves’ spelling program. The students will be tested on their content words throughout the Term.

Speaking and listening skills will be assessed in a variety of opportunities including presentations to small and large groups.

Mathematics

This term we will be focusing on the following units:

• Partitioned Fractions

• Additive Relations (Length)

• Representing Number (Money)

• Geometric Measure (Position)

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 a variety of Mathematical concepts. Please continue to practise the instant recall of 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 we continue our focus on the Earth’s surface and how it changes over time. Students will investigate natural processes and human activity in order to develop a view in relation to sustainable practices. Students will also explore the effect of the interactions between the Earth and the Sun. A study of rocks introduces the unit and we will investigate the effects of the Sun and Moon on planet Earth. The students will question, plan and conduct scientific investigations, collect and summarise data and communicate using scientific representations. They will select and use technological equipment to develop solutions.

Geography

Students will continue this term with the unit ‘Earth’s Environment and its Sustainability’. The students will continue to explore the climate, natural vegetation and native animals of places in Australia and Asia. They will examine the importance of natural resources and learn about the ways people, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, value environments. Students will identify sustainable practices and recognise that there are differing views on how sustainability can be achieved.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

Open Parachute will continue to be implemented K-6 on Fridays. 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.

The sport unit focuses on developing athletics and Oz Tag skills in a fun, team-oriented environment. Students will refine running, jumping, and throwing techniques through engaging athletic activities to prepare them for the upcoming Athletics Carnival.They will also build key Oz Tag skills, such as passing, tagging, and spatial awareness, which prepare them for the Shark Tag interschool sports day. The unit promotes teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving, building confidence, and fostering lifelong engagement in sport and movement.

Important sport dates:

Friday the 2nd of May - Athletics Carnival

Wednesday the 2nd of July - Interschool Shark Tag

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

This term Year 4 students will create artworks inspired by the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima, reflecting on their spiritual and religious significance. 

Linked to their Science unit on the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Solar System, students will design and create mandala artworks. Using the circular form of mandalas to symbolize wholeness and the cosmos, students will incorporate scientific elements with creative flair.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, students will engage in an artist study of Bronwyn Bancroft, a renowned Indigenous Australian artist. They will explore her use of colour, pattern, and storytelling, and create their own artworks inspired by her style, deepening their appreciation and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Art lessons will be taught by Mrs Brown every fortnight.

In Drama with Mr Parlato, students will participate in dramatic performances and situations that build an understanding of melodrama. Students will perform monologues, soliques and engage in group performances.

Homework 

For Term 2, Year 4 students should spend up to 30 minutes on homework daily, including 20 minutes of reading each night. Students must record their reading in the Reading Log pasted in their Homework books and have it signed by parents weekly.

The Homework grid has been shared with the students via Google Classroom. Homework tasks, including Maths Mentals, will be recorded in the Homework book. Both the Reading Log and Homework book are due every Friday. Please ensure your child brings them to school each week.

A "Maths Plus" mentals workbook and lined homework book will be provided to all students. A weekly task will be set and we ask that this be returned each Friday. "Maths Plus" follows a graded and spiraling approach, allowing for the revision of concepts throughout the year. It will provide students with opportunities to sequentially develop, practise, and master their skills and knowledge.

Communication

We look forward to working with you and your child this term. A gentle reminder that all emails are to be sent through info@olfcaringbah.catholic.edu.au. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher via a note or by making an appointment via the office.

Mr Michael Faber and Mrs Jolene Cullen (4Blue)

Mrs Amanda Stewart (4Gold)

Mrs Margaret McCarthy (4White)

Important Dates for Year Four

Music classroom lessons on Mondays (even weeks) and Library Lessons for Year 4 are on Friday. Each week, students will have the opportunity to borrow books from our school library. Please ensure your child brings their Library Bag to school on this day.

Sport 

4B - Monday & Friday

4G - Monday & Friday

4W - Monday & Friday

Students are to wear their sports uniform on these days. 

2025 - School Term 2

 Parent calendar available at this link