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Year 4
Clas Description
There are two classes in Year 4. Please see below for our expectations for the year ahead and information about our curriculum.
Language
Reading: We encourage students to read widely and to take responsibility for their reading. This means reading books that are outside the school reading programme in addition to those given as home readers. We aim to develop children’s ability to analyse and evaluate a wide range of literacy texts. Class novels are also read and discussed in class and integrated with other subject material where possible. Follow up activities on books read are given regularly. These are the class novels for this year- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach, both by Roald Dahl.
Writing: Students will write for a range of purposes and audiences. This will enable students to develop ideas using a wide range of vocabulary and different styles while improving handwriting, spelling and grammar. Efforts will culminate in descriptive and imaginative stories and poetry.
This year we would like to promote self-confidence in oral situations and widen the children’s vocabulary. They are encouraged to talk about themselves, re-tell stories or events using gestures with correct intonation. Students are encouraged to take part in discussions, drama and games and develop their ability to listen for sustained periods.
Mathematics
Number: Children are encouraged to apply mental math skills to compute operations of increasing complexity with accuracy and speed. They should also master concepts of division and multiplication. We include daily warm up exercises involving all processes to articulate their mental skills through continual revision and consolidation of known facts. Equally important is that students understand the processes and their application to similar situations.
Shape and Space: tudents will learn about 2D and 3D shapes while studying the different features. They should be able to describe the shapes using words like “faces” and “vertices”. Students will also learn and explore direction and position.
Handling Data: Using practical application children will learn how to design and interpret data using a range of methods. This area will be strongly linked to the Units of Inquiry wherever possible.
Measurement: Different units of measurements will be explored. Students will be encouraged to look out for different measures that they use in everyday life and to be aware of time, temperature, weight, capacity, length and angles.
Unit of Enquiry
In keeping with the philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP), Social Studies and Science will be taught within Units of Inquiry. These Units will run for approximately six weeks and will incorporate as many subjects as appropriate. The Organizing Themes with Central Ideas for Year 4 are:
Who we are
Where we are in time and place
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organise ourselves
How we share the planet
The classroom will become a centre for inquiry where students can inquire and practice skills and build new knowledge. The assessment of student learning will be focused on the quality of the student’s research and the breadth and depth of their responses to a set of questions that have driven the inquiry the unit.
Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE)
In addition to the school curriculum, teachers will be addressing issues of PSHE as and when appropriate.
Physical Education
Students will develop the range and consistency of their skills in the games to be covered which are played in form of small invasion games. Students are expected to play to the game rules and tactics, using a variety of formations. In swimming, students are expected to progress in the ranges between stage one (1) and three (3).
The PE Department would like the Year 4 students to come dressed in the recommended PE kit for PE lessons. As the season is getting hotter, they are also reminded to bringing an extra water supply to school on P.E. days. Furthermore, it is mandatory for everyone to acquire the accepted ISL. swimming costume unless otherwise stated.
Library
Year 4 students will be are given specific skills in selecting appropriate resources for finding out information. Strategies to help locate information for research tasks will be reviewed. The reference section of the library will be analysed and lessons on how to use each part of it will be introduced. Finding specific information using traditional and digital resources such as the Destiny, Web Path Express and citing works will be developed. They are allowed to borrow 2 books for a period of 1 week. Parents are welcome to borrow up to 5 books for 2 weeks.
Art
Students are expected to grow in their ability to select art materials which are best suited for creatively communicating their ideas. We will be looking at manipulating elements and forms to convey or express thoughts, feelings, messages or ideas through the arts. Participating in these art activities will help children to gain the tools necessary for understanding human experience, adapting to and respecting others' ways of working and thinking, developing creative problem-solving skills and communicating thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways. We have 1 lesson of art per week.
Music
Year 4 will learn percussion instruments, pulse, musical terms, graphic composition, pitch and musical elements. Throughout the year, the students will be encouraged to sing and take part in listening activities.
French and Spanish
Year Four 4 will be encouraged to develop oral skills using a variety of methods for example, games, songs, videos and sketches. We shall also introduce more sophisticated skills such as listening, reading and writing.
Information and Communication Technology
Year 4 will have their own usernames and passwords to access the school network. They will consolidate their knowledge of how to save work in their folders on the network in the various applications they are already familiar with. They will are also be introduced to Google Apps and learn more about email and other electronic communication tools.
Zambian Studies
Zambian Studies has been introduced this academic year to celebrate the culture and heritage of the host country Zambia. Students will be encouraged to develop communication skills in Chinyanja using different strategies. These will be integrated within the organising theme at each year level.
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