Grade 4 News
Important Reminders/Dates
Monday, June 9: Monarch’s Birthday - Public Holiday
Friday, June 13: Middle School Hoop Time
Friday, June 27: School Disco
Thursday, July 3: Cultural Day
Friday, July 4: Last Day Term 2 - 2.30pm finish
Looking Ahead to the Year:
Thursdays Weeks 1-5 of Term 3: Swimming Program
Tuesday 2nd & Wednesday 3rd September - School Production
Monday, October 6 - Wednesday, October 8: Grade 4 Camp - ADANAC
Weekly Timetable
Learning in Action - City Excursion Edition
On Tuesday 13th May, the Grade 4 students embarked on an exciting journey into the city. Their first stop was the Immigration Museum, where they explored the history of migration to Australia and learned about the deep connection of Indigenous Australians to this land. They were fascinated to learn about how long Aboriginal people have lived in Australia.
As part of their visit, students completed tasks that encouraged them to investigate various objects, stories, and items related to different migration journeys. They examined suitcases filled with items people brought when moving to Australia, sparking discussions about what they would pack if they had to migrate. They listened to real stories of migration which helped students connect more with the experiences of people who have made Australia their home.
While walking across Sandridge Bridge, the Grade 4 students explored Melbourne’s rich migration history through art and observation. They examined the large metal sculptures known as "The Travellers," representing different migrant groups, and noticed the many country names engraved along the bridge. Students completed activities such as spotting key features along the Yarra River, sketching sculptures, identifying flags and words related to migration, and reflecting on what items they might bring if they had to migrate themselves.
In the afternoon, they stepped aboard Polly Woodside, where they became First Mates and discovered what life was like aboard a sailing ship. Activities included scrubbing the deck, releasing the sails, checking on the coal supply, steering the ship, and ringing the ship’s bell — giving students a fun and hands-on experience of maritime life.
Here are some thoughts the Grade 4s had about Polly Woodside:
"I learnt that people wanted to sleep in the top left bunk bed because when the weather was bad they didn't roll around as much" - Neil
"Under the boat is where they stored the coal, and if the coal rubbed together it would start a fire. But putting water on the coal to put the fire out made it worse" - Jackson
"The boat was bought for 1cent" - Keira
"My favourite thing was trying to steer the ship with the big wheel" - Elijah
Releasing the Sails practise
Steering the Ship
Ringing the Bell
Exploring the Sleeping Quarters
Scrubbing the Deck!!
Future Learning
Literacy
During Week 6, the Grade 4 students will begin their first Knowledge-Rich Unit on Using Maps. In this unit, students will identify and define different types of maps, use key map features, explore historical maps and their purposes, and compare maps from the past and present.
In Week 7, we will begin our Poetry Literacy Unit, focusing on two poems: The Eagle and Who Has Seen the Wind? Students will explore the themes and literary features of each poem.
Numeracy
In Maths, the Grade 4 students will continue their work on subtraction, focusing on finding the difference between numbers using the split strategy and vertical algorithm.
We will also begin our applied unit on Time. Students will be grouped according to their current understanding of time concepts. The three focus groups will work on:
- Reading time to the half hour and quarter hour
- Telling time to the nearest 5 minutes and 1 minute
- Understanding and using 12-hour and 24-hour time
Each group will learn specific strategies and take part in targeted activities to practise and apply their new learning.
From The Grade 4 Teachers
Miss Emonson, Mrs Flack, Mrs Waldron and Mrs Ward