Year Four

Dear Year Four Families, 

Over the past two weeks, our students have been immersed in a whirlwind of exciting activities and meaningful events at school. From the wonders of Science Week to the important message of Bullying No Way Week, and the creativity of Book Week. It has been a   period of time that has been rich with learning, growth, and plenty of fun.

Reading: 

In Reading, the Year Four's continued with the author study of Jeannie Baker. They were able to delve deeper into the mentor text 'Circle' by identifying the message and theme of the story. Next, students used 'Circle' to compare and contrast with other texts that they have read by Jeannie Baker such as 'The Hidden Forest', 'Where the Forest Meets the Sea', 'The Story of Rosy Dock', 'Window' or 'Belonging'. 

In addition to this, students explored different journalistic texts to identify sustainability factors and to understand and explain different perspectives and points of views which can be chosen and can cause an impact on how the audience feels about the article. 

Furthermore, students delved deeper into Jeannie Baker and innovated the text 'Window' by creating a class collage using their own materials. 

Writing:

In preparation for our Big Build Project next week, students have been engaging with the design process to explore how 'Urban planning reflects community survival for future growth.' They have been researching, planning, and developing design ideas that address the needs of a community, all as part of our investigation into this important topic. 

Students have particularly enjoyed researching different building designs and brainstorming solutions to meet the project’s design brief. They are now in the process of bringing their designs to life and are eagerly looking forward to constructing their houses, train stations, shopping centers, schools, and more as part of their class community on Monday, the 26th of August. 

Mathematics: 

In Mathematics the Year Four's have been continuing with measurement. Students have explored the concept of area and how this is different to perimeter. They have applied their knowledge of finding areas of square and rectangle shapes using square units of cm2. Students applied their understanding of length and height to be able solve the area using multiplication and their knowledge of arrays. 

In addition to this students have started to use their knowledge of Area and linked this to community spaces. They have started planning and mapping the area of different community spaces which they will construct/build out of cardboard for the Big Build Project. 

National Science Week: 

National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. The them for this year is Species Survival – More Than Just Sustainability. Students explored the vital role of science in ensuring that various species can survive and thrive in a constantly changing world. 

Book Week:

The 2024 theme this year was “Reading is Magic”. 

In Year Four, we explored the magic of stories and how they have the power to transport and inspire curiosity. A good story sparks conversation and connects readers through shared stories. 

Book Day was held on Friday the 23rd of August where students came to school dressed as characters from their favourite stories. They enjoyed showcasing these characters during the Book Parade. 

Additionally, students created a text innovation using a mentor text. Text innovations is when elements of a known story are changed to create something different. 

Sovereign Hill 

Students have been very excited about the upcoming excursion to Sovereign Hill.

• Group 1 - Wednesday - 28/8/24
  •  4F, 4G, 4H, 4I, 4J
• Group 2 - Thursday - 29/8/24 
  • 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E

The bus will be departing  promptly at 8:30 AM and returning at 4:00 PM. Students should bring packed lunches, wear either their academic or sports uniform, and ensure they have comfortable walking shoes.

Reminders: 

Our annual Scholastic Book Fair is back and will be running from the 9th of September to the 13th of September.

Each class will have a scheduled time to visit the book fair and it will also be open before and after school. 

• 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 was sent out on Monday and will be due on 28th August. Please check your class school box page for a digital copy.

Kind Regards,

Year 4 Team