Welcome to

Sapphire Class 2023

Curriculum
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Curriculum
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Sapphire Class is the year 3/4 class and is taught by Mr Kricka. Mrs Beckett teaches Computing and P.E.
We are supported by Mrs Davies.

Spring 2

In Design Technology this term, the children have designed and constructed their own kites. They had to evaluate the different types and choose a shape that was suitable for a beginner. The theme from the design brief was to celebrate the Paris Olympics. They have lots of fun making, testing and problem solving.

In Science, the children investigated sound. They discovered how sounds are made and how they are heard by making and testing string telephones. They were able to see the vibrations using tuning forks and a vase of water. They then investigated changing pitch and volume for a range of instruments including an elastic band guitar.

In History, the children looked at British clothing through the ages. They began in Medieval Britain and discovered that there were many sources due to the number of portraits painted for the rich and wealthy. They were able to discover the reasons for different clothing types and how large clothes were a status symbol in the Tudor times. They also compared the clothing of two explorers from different time periods and drew connections and contrasts with present day fashion and clothing.

Spring 1

This half term in English the children read The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo. They wrote letters in role as the characters and wrote a setting description about the waterhole.

In Science, the children learned about light and shadows. They investigated which colours were easy to see in low light conditions and discovered how to make shadows bigger or smaller by moving the light source.

In R.E., the children learned about objects that remind Jewish people of their faith. They read the story of Abraham and discussed the promise that he made with God. They also learned about the festival of Passover and the seder plate. They even made seder plates of their own with foods to remind them of key moments in their lives.

In P.S.H.E., the children discovered the benefits of keeping active and getting enough sleep. They learned about the physical and mental benefits of exercise and the recommended amount per day.

In Geography, the. children learned about rivers and the water cycle. They discovered that they drink the same water as the dinosaurs did and were able to learn some of the names of parts of rivers. They finished by researching a local river and learning about the main rivers in the U.K. and the seas that they flow into.

In Art, the children developed their print making skills and used ink rollers and a variety of techniques and approaches to produce prints inspired by William Morris.

Autumn 2

This term is English, the children have been writing a story based on a Christmas advert. They watched the advert called 'Buster The Boxer' and then wrote stories showing what had happened. They also wrote funny poems based on a school trip and instructions for looking after an animal.

In Science, the children learned about electricity and circuits. They were able to test a range of circuits and learn the symbols for some of the commonly used components. They even made and tested their own switches.

In D.T., the children made an electric personality. They based them on an animal or person and the design criteria stated that it had to have a moving or light up part. We had lots of dogs with very excitable wagging tails!

In Geography, the children learned about the world as a map. They used globes and maps to find The Equator and the Tropics. They learned about latitude and longitude and used these coordinates to find places on a map. They looked at the climate of the tropics and compared it to the U.K., creating a weather report for both places. Finally, they discovered The Prime Meridian and the history behind this important longitudinal line.

Autumn 1

In English this half term the children read different versions of 'The Princess and The Pea' and then wrote their own fairytale inspired by the story. Lots of children changed the setting to outer space or under the sea and some even swapped the storm for volcanic eruptions. Read some of their stories in the gallery above.

In Maths, the children have been learning about number up to 10,000 they were able to practise ordering and comparing them. Year 4 also learned about Roman numerals and even taught year 3 all about them for our Maths Across the Curriculum Week.

In Art, the children designed and cast 3d moulds in the shape of a shoe. They decided on the style of shoe and then decorated them and embellished them. Some children made sliders and others made a dance shoe. See the final pieces the gallery.

In History, the children learned about the Romans. They found out the key dates for when they invaded Britain. They discovered what life was like before, during and after Roman Britain. We visited Colchester Castle to find out about Boudica's revolt, crawled through the Roman ruins of Claudius's temple and held a 2000 year old piece of pottery.