Grade 4

Dates to Remember:

Every Thursday in the garden from 9am-11am

Weeks 2, 3 & 4: Ocean Awareness

Week 3: Parent/Teacher Starting Right Conversations 

Week 7: (Monday 13th March) Labour Day Public Holiday  

Term Overview

In Term 1, Grade 4 students will be learning about the following topics and skills:  

English  

In Reading for Term 1, Year 4 students will be focusing on three key comprehension strategies on a rotating basis including making text connections, making predictions and visualising. They will be continuing to explore comprehension of fiction texts by applying a range of entry models in our Reader’s Notebook. They will be working on mastering fluent, expressive reading that uses punctuation to dictate pace, tone and intonation. The students will also be focusing on an investigation into vocabulary including looking at word types and their origins and meanings. 

During term 1, students will create personal narratives linking with our inquiry learning of ‘Community and Belonging’. We will explore the text structure and features of a personal narrative and connect these stories to their lives. In the second half of the term, students will create persuasive writing pieces. We will explore a range of text features and techniques students will be able to adopt to persuade a reader. The Year 4 students will begin to develop an understanding of the 6 + 1 traits of writing to enhance their ideas, organisation, sentence fluency and word choice. Throughout the term they will also use their Writer’s Notebook to generate a range of writing ideas.   

Mathematics 

In Maths for Term 1, the Year 4 students will begin with a focus on place value, including modelling, ordering, regrouping and expanding numbers to assist in solving real life problems. Students will also learn strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems, including mental strategies, partitioning, number line use, and an introduction to algorithms.  

Our data unit will see students collecting data and learning to interpret it meaningfully by asking questions, creating surveys, and presenting results using a variety of graphs and tables. Importantly, students will learn to use these presentations to make inferences and draw conclusions about the information collected. 

Towards the end of term 1 we will explore currency and connect the strategies and knowledge developed to the real world through our school garden unit. Students will have the chance to also apply their previously learnt skills in addition, subtraction and place value. 

Inquiry 

In Inquiry for Term 1, the Year 4 students will be focused on exploring the concept of ‘Belonging and Community’. They will explore questions such as ‘what makes us feel a sense of belonging?’, ‘what does being part of a community mean?’, and ‘how can I add value to my community?’. Students will have the opportunity to interact with their community, as well as learn key concepts, such as the role of local government, the importance of rules and the difference between rules and laws, and how being an active citizen in their community can shape their identity and sense of belonging.  

Within the unit of Inquiry students will also undertake the school garden program. In conjunction with Deidre, Margaret and Leigh, our wonderful garden volunteers, the students will learn all about how to plant, grow, harvest and maintain the school garden whilst making connections to the community.  

Positive Education  

At BHPS, we teach Positive Education using the P.E.R.M.A. model and Character Strengths to help students learn the competencies and skills they need to build resilience and effectively manage their emotions, behaviour and relationships with others. 

During Term 1 In Positive Education, the Year 4 students will be focusing on a character strength each week which will be outlined on our wellbeing blog: https://wellbeingforprimaryschoolstudents.edublogs.org/ 

There will also be a weekly explicit teaching and learning session related to the character strength as outlined below: 

Reminders:

The Garden Program: 

The Year 4 garden program has begun and will be happening every Thursday throughout 2023! Two classes will be out in the garden every fortnight working on fun and educational activities in the edible garden. These will focus on sustainability and learning to grow food. This program is run by volunteers and teachers, and we need your support to continue to make this a success.  

We are currently seeking 1 volunteer per class to come in each week to assist with the successful running of this program.  

We would also greatly appreciate assistance in garden working bees, these will be held on the first Tuesday of every month between 3:15-4:15. No gardening experience necessary! More details to come. 

If you would also be interested in looking after the chickens over the weekend (feeding, letting out, putting away on Sat/Sun) in Term 1 could you please email your preference to john.burdess@education.vic.gov.au 

Many thanks and looking forward to an amazing year in the edible garden! 

Chicken Roster: 

Ocean Awareness: 

Ocean Awareness started this week on Thursday 9th of February.  

Please ensure students have; 

A wetsuit as they are in the water for an hour 

A hoodie/poncho towel 

Underwear 

Sunscreen 

A water bottle 

Spelling, Homework, and Home Readers Expectations: 

In Year 4 this year, the main focus of learning at home will be for students to read consistently. This should include a minimum of 20 minutes each night, recorded in students’ diaries. Reading could include take home readers, which will be supplied by the school and changed on a weekly basis, library books, or books students have at home already and are passionate about. If students have been unable to complete their take home readers, please note this in your child’s diary. Listening to your child reading and asking questions about what they have read (such as ‘what was the book about?’, ‘Who was your favourite character and why?’, or ‘what interesting language did you find in the book?’) will also be beneficial to your child’s learning.  

Each week Year 4 students will also be given a spelling list and a short spelling activity to complete at home. Your support in encouraging students to finish this task is much appreciated. Occasionally there may be other small tasks sent home to support learning in inquiry units.

Writers Notebooks:

On Friday your child will be bringing home their Writers Notebooks to decorate their front covers. Please have these returned by next Friday the 17th of February.