Class 4

Curriculum 

For the spring term, our Knowledge Rich Project (KRP) is Firedamp and Davy Lamps. In this project, children will explore the history of coal mining, mining strikes and their effects on the miners, their families, communities and the legacy and future of coal mining. In the second half we will be exploring the rich history of mining in Cornwall, and hopefully visiting a mine. 

In Geography, your child will be learning to identify areas of the U.K. where coal production happened, and in History they will learn about the importance of coal during the Industrial Revolution, the process of the ‘no choice’ lottery and the miners’ strikes. 

This term in Science, your child will learn about electricity; investigating circuits, different components, electrical conductors and what is needed to construct a working electrical circuit. After half term we will be putting these skills into practice and building working Cornish engine houses.  

In Art/DT, we’ll study the work of the Pitmen Painters and recreate their style using a variety of art materials and techniques. Then, we’ll act as curators, collecting and presenting information for an exhibition about mining in our local area. At the end of the project, we’ll use the work of the Pitmen Painters to sketch scenes from the local community that show what life is like today. 

In Computing, your child will be explaining how digital images can be changed, learning how to change the composition of an image, make good choices when selecting different tools and recognise that not all images are real. 

In MfL, your child will be learning basic French grammar associated with the world. We will learn specific vocabulary of countries of the United Kingdom, continents and animals from different continents and a country’s position related to the equator. We will also learn key phrases connected to these themes. 

In Maths, the Year 4 children will be learning about decimals, money, time, statistics, properties of shape and position and direction of shape. The Year 5 children will be studying decimals, properties of shape, position and direction of shape, converting measurement units and volume.  

All children will be encouraged to develop a deeper understanding of basic number knowledge and their times tables. 

In English, your child will study explanations and inference. They will be learning to write a factual report, all about miners during the second World War and they will take part in a debate. 

In the second half of the term, we’ll imagine we are child miners and give testimonies about the working conditions down the mines, we’ll read letters about the General Strike of 1926 to deduce what was happening at that time and we’ll be writing fantasy stories all about the Cornish Knockers.   

For PSHE we will be using the SCARF programme which is centred on a values-based and ‘growth mindset’ approach promoting positive behaviour, mental health, wellbeing, resilience and achievement. The themes this term are 'Being my Best' and ‘Growing and Changing’. 

For RE, your child will be studying Gospel - What kind of world did Jesus want? During the second half of the term, we will be looking at how people in Cornwall mark significant events? 

In Music children in Year 4 will be starting recorder lessons, we will be getting together with Class 5 every week for a regular singing assembly and celebrating our wonderful Duchy by learning some old Cornish mining songs.