Year 4

Welcome to Term 4!

It’s hard to believe we’ve reached the final term of the year. We’re excited to share all the wonderful learning, achievements and activities your children have been part of so far. Our students continue to impress us with their enthusiasm, kindness and teamwork each day and we’re looking forward to finishing the year on a positive and celebratory note.

Just a reminder about our homework expectations for Year 4, we only have two of these and they are; 

• Reading nightly (and getting reader diary signed)
• Spelling Nightly (practice spelling in student's spelling books)

If your child has misplaced their reader diary or spelling book, please let me know and I will organise a replacement.

Read on to find more about all of the wonderful things that we have been learning about this term and will continue to learn about for the remainder of the year!

My email address is jtunks@sjeuroa.catholic.edu.au if you need to contact me. 

Jake Tunks- Grade 4 Classroom Teacher and Lisa Crowe- Learning Support Officer Grade 4

Literacy

Reading- We have continued our novel studies this term as part of OCHRE and the students have absolutely loved reading and discussing stories together as a class. Our current novel is His Name Was Walter by Emily Rodda.

This term, our class has been diving into some exciting novel studies that build vocabulary, comprehension, writing and spelling skills - all while enjoying great stories together. Our current novel is His Name Was Walter by Emily Rodda, a story within a story about mystery and long-hidden secrets. Students have really enjoyed reading along with their own copies and discussing the twists and turns as a class.

We also love seeing students develop a passion for reading at home. Each week, they borrow two books from the library - one at their reading level and another chosen just for fun - helping them build skills while discovering stories they love. If your child misses a reading session, they’re welcome to take the novel home to catch up, just please make sure it returns for the next lesson!

Writing- In Writing, students have been putting their creativity and persuasive skills to work! They recently finished a fun persuasive piece convincing their parents to get a robot to help at home, with reasons ranging from doing chores and homework to learning new skills. Now, we’ve moved on to imaginative narratives, focusing on character, setting, action, problem and resolution.

Students are also learning to write more detailed and engaging sentences by expanding ideas and using clear structure. We’ve explored the difference between subjective language (opinions, like “The robot is amazing!”) and objective language (facts, like “The robot can complete household tasks efficiently.”), helping them think carefully about how their word choices affect readers. It’s been wonderful to see their confidence and creativity grow with each new piece of writing!

Independent Reading- Reading books that are familiar helps students build fluency, comprehension, and decoding skills - and it’s been wonderful to see how much they’ve been enjoying this time. Each week, students borrow books from the library for independent reading — one that matches their reading level and another chosen simply for fun. It’s a great way to balance skill-building with a love of reading!

Handwriting- In Grade 4, we place a strong focus on handwriting, and our students have really risen to the challenge. Everyone begins on their ‘L plates’ and works towards earning 10 stars to achieve their ‘P plates’ - their pen licence! It’s been fantastic to see so many students proudly reach this milestone. The improvement in handwriting across the class has been incredible - so neat and consistent compared to the start of the year!

Typing- Alongside handwriting, students have also been practising their typing skills each week using a program called Typing Club. This program teaches proper posture and hand placement, helping students become fluent and accurate typists - a very handy 21st-century skill!

WHAT CAN I DO TO SUPPORT MY CHILD IN LITERACY?

Students need to be reading at least 4 times a week with a range of just right texts. Reading is a skill that needs to be practised in order to master. 

When you are reading with your child, please record what you have read and the date in your child’s diaries. We check diaries each day to see how home reading is going. This is a vital part of the children’s schooling. 

If your child takes home a classroom text can you please ensure you look after these and return them to school weekly. 

Students are also sent home spelling lists each Monday to practice nightly.

• Read at least 4 times a week with your child. 
• Fill in the diary, date, name of book, notes (teachers and LSO’s check this daily).
• Encourage them to sound out, not guess.

Numeracy

This term in Numeracy, our students have been exploring a wide variety of exciting topics, developing both their skills and confidence in maths. In location, students have been reading and interpreting maps, using grid references to pinpoint locations and even playing games of Battleships to practise their spatial thinking in a fun, hands-on way. When working with decimals, they’ve been learning how to add, subtract and compare decimal numbers, as well as understanding their connection to money and measurement.

In data, students have been creating surveys, collecting responses from their classmates, and representing the results using graphs and charts - learning how to interpret the information they gather.

Later this term, students will be working with 3D objects, identifying and describing shapes, exploring their properties and discovering how these shapes appear in the world around them. They will also be investigating probability, discussing the likelihood of events occurring in everyday situation, and testing their ideas through practical experiments and games. In multiplication and division, students will be solving problems with larger numbers, exploring patterns, and applying strategies to make calculations more efficient. Finally, in mass and capacity, they will be comparing and measuring different objects, learning to estimate and calculate using appropriate units.

It’s been wonderful to see students actively engaged, asking questions, and applying their learning in practical, real-world contexts — and they’ve been having a lot of fun while doing it!

Students work in whole class, small groups and independently during our maths sessions.

Ways you can support your child at home with maths;

• Practising times tables and related division facts by using flash cards or posters. (let me know if you need any of these and I can lend some flash cards out).
• Using arrays to assist with multiplication and division.

• Encouraging your child to use maths in everyday life at home. E.g helping add up the cost of things, measuring in the kitchen using fractions etc.

   

Homework Expectations

Students are expected to read at least 4 times a week, fill in their reader diary with the date, name of book, notes (teachers and LSO’s check this daily).

Spelling- students get new spelling words each Monday to practice nightly. These spelling words are glued into their spelling books. Practising nightly will assist students having success in our spelling tests each Friday. The spelling words are derived from our work in OCHRE literacy, so students have multiple exposures to these words.

Inquiry

This term in Inquiry, our Year 4 students have been stepping back in time to learn about some of the great explorers of the world! From Captain James Cook to Christopher Columbus and many others, students have been discovering how these adventurers changed the way people understood the world. As part of our unit on the Age of Exploration (between 1400 and 1800), students have been investigating what motivated these explorers to set out on their incredible journeys and the impact their discoveries had.

Each student has been researching one explorer in detail - finding out where they travelled, what they discovered and the challenges they faced along the way. Through this, they’ve been developing their historical inquiry skills by asking thoughtful questions, locating and analysing information and communicating their findings with others. It’s been wonderful to see their curiosity, teamwork and enthusiasm as they uncover the fascinating stories of these remarkable explorers.

In our next Inquiry unit, Year 4 students will be diving into the fascinating story of Australia’s early European settlement. They’ll explore why the British decided to establish a colony in Sydney, what the First Fleet journey was like and how the early colonists lived once they arrived. Through stories, drawings and real historical records, students will step back in time to imagine what life might have been like for those who made that long and difficult journey to a brand-new land. This unit will focus on the colonists and in our next Inquiry topic, we’ll shift our attention to the Eora people, the Aboriginal people of the Sydney region, to understand this important time in history from a different perspective.

Later this term, our Year 4 students will be exploring the properties of natural and processed materials and learning how these properties affect how materials are used in everyday life. Students will discover how First Nations Peoples of Australia have used their deep scientific knowledge of materials for thousands of years - carefully selecting and using natural resources from their Country or Place for tools, shelter and everyday living. To wrap up the unit, students will put their scientific thinking into action by learning about elasticity and conducting an experiment to find out which sports ball bounces the highest! It promises to be a fun, hands-on way to end an exciting unit of learning.

Religious Education

This term in Religious Education, our topic is Reaching Out and Serving Others. Students are exploring the idea of loving service and what it means to follow Jesus’ example by caring for and helping those in need. We’ve been learning about how Christians serve others, both locally and overseas and the many ways people put their faith into action through kindness and compassion. As part of this unit, students have been researching different charities and aid organisations to see how they reach out to support communities around the world. This learning encourages students to think about how they, too, can make a difference and live out the message of Jesus in their everyday lives.

As we move into the season of Advent, our next Religious Education topic is Christmas – The Jesse Tree. In this unit, students will explore how Christmas is the fulfilment of God’s promise and a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Through the symbols and stories of the Jesse Tree, students will learn about the people and events that prepared the way for Jesus’ coming. Advent is a special time of waiting and hope and we’ll reflect on how we can prepare our hearts by showing love, kindness and service to others. At Christmas, we celebrate that Jesus is with us today, guiding us to live with faith and compassion in our everyday lives.

The Resilience Project

This term, our students have continued their journey with The Resilience Project, focusing on building important wellbeing skills that help them to feel positive, confident and connected. Most recently, we’ve been learning about positive self-talk and self-esteem - exploring how the way we speak to ourselves can shape how we feel and act each day.

Students have been practising ways to replace unhelpful thoughts with encouraging ones, celebrating their strengths and recognising the good things they bring to their friendships and learning. Through stories, reflections, and class discussions, they’ve discovered that being kind to yourself is just as important as being kind to others. It’s been wonderful to see students growing in confidence and learning to approach challenges with a positive mindset!

Specialists 

STEM is on a Monday. 

P.E and Japanese are on a Wednesday.

Art is on a Friday.

Please ensure your child wears the correct sports uniform on a Wednesday. 

Library

Grade 4 students will go to the Library to borrow every second Friday afternoon (when assembly is not on).

Could all students please bring their satchels and books on our Library day so that they can borrow/return. If any students have outstanding books from the library, can they please return these. Happy reading!!

School Hats and Drink Bottles

Just a friendly reminder that this term, students are to wear their school hats and to bring their own drink bottles. 

Key Dates for Term 4            

October 

25th - Euroa Show

30th - Japanese Day

31st - Pupil Free day

November 

3rd - Pupil Free day

4th - Melbourne Cup public holiday

11th - Remembrance Day liturgy

14th - Celebration Of Learning -

            Grandparents Day  9am

26th- Year 4 Beginning their journey day- At FCJ

28th- Year 3/4 Class Mass

December

9th- Statewide Transition Day

16th- End of Year Mass and Student's Last Day of Term

Inland Rail Crane Competition- Drifter the Lifter

Last Thursday, our students walked down to the Euroa Railway Station to take part in the Crane Naming Ceremony hosted by Inland Rail. It was an exciting morning, especially for Paige from Grade 5, whose winning entry — “Drifter the Lifter” — was chosen as the official name for the huge crane!

Students enjoyed seeing the crane up close and learning about the important work Inland Rail is doing to build the new rail underpass. We also found out that over 55,000 plants and grasses will be planted around the area as part of the project — a great way to help the environment while improving our local community!

Photos from End of Last Term! 

Please see some of our photos from the end of Term 3 including our Athletics Day, 

Movie Visit and Picnic at the Sevens Creek Park, and a picture of Jarrod's awesome artwork from one of our Inquiry lessons.