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

4.5 Mary: This unit explores the way in which Mary listened and responded to God in the  events of her life. It highlights the importance and challenge in the Christian life of listening, reflecting and trusting in the ways of God. It explores Marian prayers and feast days as ways in which the Church honours Mary, the Mother of God. The unit also explores the qualities of listening and responding demonstrated in the life of Mary MacKillop. It invites students to reflect on ways in which they can receive and respond to God’s call and grace in their lives.

4.8 Advent to Christmas: A time for Journeying in Hope. This unit explores the concept of a journey. We learn about the journeys of people in the Old Testament and God’s faithful relationship with them. The unit also examines the New Testament journeys of Mary and Joseph and the Wise Men. During Advent, we focus on our preparation for the journey towards Christmas and the second coming of Christ in glory. We focus on ways we can respond to God with us on our journeys of faith and life.

English

This term the students will engage in a reading and writing unit focused on Poetry. Students will read and analyse Australian and Indigenous poetry and write their own poems based on the knowledge they have gathered throughout the unit. The student will be revising descriptive writing techniques and visual literacy. They will be taught explicit skills in relation to grammar, punctuation, vocabulary and specific concepts about print.

Students will continue practising their reading strategies in Reading Groups. They will also engage in the ‘Soundwaves’ spelling program, which is encouraged to be used at home. The students will be tested on their content words throughout the Term.

Mathematics

Flexible Mathematics learning groups will continue this term Monday through to Friday. Mathematics lessons will involve problem-solving skills in the form of Launch Tasks. The activities are differentiated in order to cater to the student’s needs and abilities. This term we will focus on the topics of 3D Space, Chance, Angles, Volume and Capacity, and Patterns and Algebra. The students are encouraged to continue to revise their times tables up to 10.

Science and Technology

This term students will explore the Stage Two Science and Technology unit on the Physical World. This focuses on light, heat and electrical energy and how contact forces affect the behaviour of objects. Students will develop their understanding of energy as a resource that can be generated and transferred. They will investigate the independent relationship between energy forces that affect the behaviour of objects. Students observe how energy and forces are used in the manufacture of products and in systems. Year Four students will explore the Inquiry Question: How do heat, light and electrical energy make things happen?

History

Students will continue with the History unit from Term 3. They will learn the history of  Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander people, European exploration and colonisation in  Australia. They will investigate early exploration throughout the world up to the early 1800s and its impact on societies and cultures.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

This term, Year 4 students will participate in an intensive Swimming program at Caringbah Leisure Centre. The swimming program is part of the school curriculum and is compulsory for all children. The intensive program will run for 5 days. Each lesson is 40 minutes.

The Year 4 Games and Sports Unit is aimed at providing opportunities for students to develop their skills and build confidence in activities using Fundamental Movement Skills.

Students will practise and apply these skills during games such as Oztag, Cricket and Netball. Games are encouraged to build teamwork, communication, strategy and resilience.

Open Parachute will continue K-6. 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.

In Peer Support, students will delve into a module called "Promoting Harmony." Aligned with our school's core values, this module will empower students to actively and critically construct shared values, which beautifully align with our Mercy Values.

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

In Music, students will recognise that their learning experiences relate to the study of music rather than merely participation in musical activities. They will understand that they can have dual roles as both performers and composers and can easily distinguish between these roles.

In Drama, students will engage in small group work to research and create a video drama focused on sustainability. Students will develop their ability to use movement, vocal expression and projection to create characters and engaging performances.

Mr Parlato

Mandarin

Our students continue to enjoy participating in the Chinese language program called the Meg Language Program. The Meg Curriculum is written by the co-author of the Australian Curriculum. All students and teachers will participate in the digital learning platform via Zoom weekly sessions with educators in China.

Homework 

Students in Year 4 are expected to complete 40 minutes of homework nightly. Twenty minutes is expected to be dedicated to reading. The homework grid will be shared through Google Classroom.

We look forward to continuing to work with you and your child this term. If you have any concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher via a note, email or by appointment via the office.

Mr Michael Faber (4Blue)

Mrs Lisa Mann and Miss Belle Reid (4Gold)

Mrs Margaret McCarthy (4White)

Important Dates for Year Four

Sports Days for Year 4 are Mondays and Fridays

Students are to wear their sports uniform on these days. 

Library 

Each week, students will have the opportunity to borrow books from our school library. Please ensure your child brings their Library Bag to school each Monday.  

Christmas Concert - Wednesday 29th November (Week 8) 5:30 - 7:00 pm

2023 School Term 4

10th October - 15 December 2023

Parent calendar available at this link