Birch Class
Summer 1
We have had a busy first week back. It started with finding strange objects on our tables and we had to work out the story we will be looking at in English and Whole Class Read this half term. It turns out we have some fantastic prediction skills.
In Science, we planted some seeds as we are investigating what plants need to grow. In geography, we looked at different biomes and from clues had to match them.
This half term our main topic is "Does it always rain in the rainforest?." In science, we are learning about 'Plants.'
We will be using 'The Iron Man' as part of our English lessons and Whole Class Reading to support us with our learning.
Please take a look at our Topic Plan.
Multiplication Check information.
This half term our main topic is "The Mayan Civilisation." We will be learning about: What life was like at the height of the Mayan Civilisation. In science, we are learning about 'States of Matter.'
We will be continuing using 'The Butterfly Lion' as part of our English lessons and Whole Class Reading to support us with our learning.
Please take a look at our Topic Plan.
Spring term.
It has been a busy start to the spring term. In English, we are reading 'The Butterfly Lion'. We have used the story to create a map of how the young boy escaped from school and wrote a setting description of the waterhole.
In maths, we are continuing with our work on multiplication. We have used different resources to help learn different tables. We ended week two with a reward afternoon, for all our hard work. We had a PJ party, where we ate popcorn and watch a movie.
It has been a busy week after a very busy half term.
This week we made and cooked our salads and salad dressings as well as our egg dishes. We ended the week with our Christmas party and a Christmas Jumper day.
Week 3.
I have been extremely proud of how hard Birch class have worked this week. We started the week learning 'Mamma Mia' we sang it and learnt to play parts of it. In reading, we have been coaching each other to develop fluency.
Stars of the week:
Reading Champion - Jace
Maths Champion - Leilia
Teacher Award - Maisie
Positive Postcard - Diamond.
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Week 2.
We have had another busy week in Birch class this week. In computing, we have been looking at how we use the internet and ways we can keep safe whilst using it. We created our own concept maps and looked at how we can save these on a blog page. In maths, we have continued with subtraction in columns, where exchanging is involved. In English, we have continued looking at journals, ready to write our own next week.
Stars of the week:
Freddie and Henry - Teachers Award
Isla - Maths Champion
Maisie - Reading Champion.
Week 1.
We have had a great first week back. We started the week learning some Indian dancing as we are learning about India in geography.
In maths, we have carried on our addition and subtraction unit. We have been using place value counters to help with subtraction when there is more than one exchange needed.
We finished the week by tasting different salad ingredients because in DT we are going to be creating our own side salad. As you can see from the pictures, we didn’t like them all.
We are creating our own mosaics in art. First we have been focussing on the border and using printing to create a tile effect. Not only did we have to think about the layout we also had to think about repeating the pattern.
Last week Year 4 wrote their character descriptions on Mr Twit, I was so impressed. I can’t wait to share some of the final pieces of writing.
In maths, we continued with our place value unit, looking at comparing numbers. In History, we looked back at the Iron Age and what life was like for citizens of Britain before the Romans invaded.
Maths Champion - Eva for her improved attitude towards her maths learning.
Teachers award- Emalee for being absolutely amazing
My postcard home went to Robin.
Year 4 have had an amazing this week. It started with swimming. I was so proud of the behaviour of my class and how each and everyone of them gave 100%, even though some were a little scared.
In History, we have been learning about the Roman Empire and how it grew. We have made a fantastic start to our character descriptions on Mr Twit and I can not wait to read them when they are finished.
All the children have worked incredibly hard this week, it was really hard for me to choose my certificates.
Teacher's Award - Ahmadou
Maths Champion - Jace
Positive Award - Robin
Welcome to Birch Class
2023 – 2024
Hello everybody and welcome to Birch Class!
Birch class is a Year 4 class. In the class this year there will be myself, Mrs Bradshaw (Class teacher) and Miss Samira (TA).
PE:
P.E will be on a Monday. We will also go swimming on a Tuesday.
Please make sure your child has a PE Kit in school. This needs to simply be a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and a pair of pumps or trainers for going outside. P.E kits can be left in school and taken home at the end of the half term for a wash.
Swimming Kits:
Year 4 children will need to bring a swimming kit every Tuesday.
Girls: Full piece swimming costume, swimming hat, towel.
Boys: Swimming trunks (not loose), towel.
Homework:
Homework will be set on Google Classrooms as in previous years.
Reading:
We expect your child to read at least three times a week at home to an adult. This needs to be recorded in your child's reading record and signed by an adult. This record needs to be brought into school every day. We will check this on a Monday. Children will earn stickers for their bookmarks if they read 3 times each week. Once their bookmark is full, they are able to choose a book to keep.
Book Changes:
Book changes will happen every Monday.
Spellings:
Children will recieve 10 spellings each week and will be tested the following week. Spellings will be given out on a Thursday, with the spelling test being the following Thursday. Scores will be sent home for you to see how your child has done.
Other:
Children will need to bring a water bottle to school and it would be great if all clothes and coats can be clearly labelled.
My door is always open and I am only a phone call away. If you have any concerns or anything you want to chat about, please do so. Alternatively, you can drop me an email to the class email address which is birch@newmoston.manchester.sch.uk
Here is to a great year and new adventures!
Mrs Bradshaw :)
Archive 2022-23
Making flags for Pride month - the ways we can be proud of ourselves and who we are!
Making nets in maths!
Today we had lots of fun learning about endangered animals and the impacts of plastic pollution. We decorated canvas bags to use as an alternative to plastic bags, and we learnt how to draw bush babies and bats.
Environment Day
Nature walk to the canal and Moston Brook
World Book Day!
Stone Age painting!
We used our materials from nature to make paint. It was fun, but also very messy!
Looking for paint materials
In our art lesson, we time travelled back to the Stone Age! We went on a nature walk to find materials to make paint out of. We found bark, mud, grass, flowers and berries! We will add flour and water to these materials to make paint. We also need to go on a hunt for something we can use as a paint brush - maybe a twig or a leaf?
Making volcanoes!
In Design and Technology this week, we have made Ancient Egyptian shadufs! We used a range of materials such as plasticine, art straws and wool to create these levers which were designed to lift water from the River Nile so that it could be used for irrigation.
We all got to make our own and a lot of our children decided to take them home to show off their fantastic creations! I was very impressed by how focused everyone was on making their shadufs and it was lovely to see the fast finishers help other children with theirs.
Here are some photos of our shadufs:
In Maths, we have been learning how to use the column method for subtraction. We have been using Base 10s to help show how we make an exchange and what actually happens when we do that. Here are some pictures of us going through this calculation by making exchanges from the thousands column to the hundreds, the hundreds column to the tens, and the tens column to the ones.
I have been so impressed by Birch's hard work and effort in Maths - well done!
Ancient Egypt hook - We have had a very exciting day with Dan-tastic education coming in to teach us all about Ancient Egypt! We saw some amazing artifacts like a khopesh and chainmail, along with papyrus, scarab beetles and precious gems. We also learned how to mummify a body!
Please find attached the knowledge organiser for our topic on Ancient Egypt
Welcome back Birch class!!
We have had a brilliant start to the year with some super learning already! In our English lessons, we have mummified oranges to link with our Ancient Egypt topic. We will use this knowledge to write detailed instructions so you can mummify oranges at home! All the children are experts on this now so please ask them :)
Archive 2021-2022
This is the song that helped the children learn all about the water cycle. They also enjoyed singing and dancing to it. Feel free to watch it, sing to it and dance to it.
WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER CYCLE!
Over the last 2 weeks, Birch Class have been looking at the water cycle. We have been exploring specific vocabulary such as evaporation, condensation and precipitation and even made our own version of the water cycle. Here you can see the children following a clear set of instructions and creating their water cycle. They will then go back ti their jars in a few days to see what happens to the water, soil and bird seed. A fantastic lesson Birch, well done!
Reading Morning in Birch Class
LKS2's New Topic - Does it always rain in the rainforest?
World Maths Day 23/3/22
Today is World Maths Day.
Below are some ideas of activities you can do at home with your child.
We hope you enjoy doing some of them.
Our new Topic asks the question - Do actions speak louder than words? Our focus is all about the Suffragettes!
Please find attached below our knowledge organiser for our new topic. This is an overview of what we will be learning about throughout the topic :)
World Book Day - Dress as an adjective :)
Star of the Week and Birch handwriting award.
Congratulations to Scarlett Lysaght-Gardner and Erin Cahill who have won my Star of the Week and handwriting award.
Scarlett has shown her dedication to improving by always working really hard with a big smile on her face and Erin has beautiful handwriting in all of her learning. You are definitely getting closer to a pen licence :). Keep up the good work girls
Mr Wilson
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This week Birch class made Roman Roads. They had to see what they were made out of and then choose food that was available to create their own, making sure they were layered correctly and nice and straight. They looked excellent and 5e best bit was they got to eat them at the end :)
Roman Soldiers - Birch Class have really been immersing themselves as Roman Soldiers, learning about how they lived, where they invaded and what weapons they used in the army. They were also put into army training by an extremely strict Roman General but they all passed with flying colours. Here they are practising their marching in formation. Well done Birch Class!
Birch Weekly Awards - 17.09.21
Congratulations to Rosalyn Valentine this week for winning my Teachers Award. You have really settled in Year 4 and been an absolute superstar.
Also, a big congratulations to Josh Hughes for winning the handwriting award. Your writing and presentation in books is fantastic. Keep it up please Josh!
