Hotspur Primary School

Weekly Updates

Friday 17th July 2020

We made it Y4. You have had to work hard on being RESILIENT and CREATIVE among other things, but those two Hotspur core values have really been the ones most tested.  

You're moving into Y5, how exciting! You're going to have fun up there in Unit 3. We hope you don't over-develop your sense of 'cool' and stop saying hello to us on the yard at playtimes. 

I'm going to leave you with a story. One of my favourites. Just for fun. No activities attached! Head over to the HOTSPUR #50daysofsummer page for some great ideas for things to do over the holidays.

Have a great summer everyone.

Thursday 16th July 2020

Good morning everyone. Sue Purkiss has responded!

Watch the video below to hear her answers to your questions.

Over on the Activities bit is the final White Rose Maths lesson and accompanying sheets. 

Tomorrow will be a last story video before we break up for the summer holiday. 

Well done everyone,

Mr J

Link to Sue Purkiss website

Wednesday 15th July 2020

Hello everybody. An exciting midweek announcement for you.

Our wonderful Sara from 4B has just this morning had her story: 'I FEEL OUT OF CONTROL!'  read live on the Chris Evans Show by none other than David Tennant. This means Sara's piece made it right the way through well over 100,000 entries in the 500 Words competition and you can hear her story by following this link Chris Evans Show 15.7.20 (12 mins into the 8:00-8:30am slot)

Or listen here: 

Your classmates, teachers and the whole of Hotspur Primary School are so incredibly proud of you Sara. Well done. 

Monday 13th July 2020

Well Year 4, we're almost there. The end of the summer term. The strangest of all summer terms ever to be!

It was a fantastic day, last Thursday. The opportunity to see and chat to you all was wonderful and an important chance for you to see and catch up with some of your friends you might not have seen in a while too. 

Thank you for sending in questions to the author Sue Purkiss. We eagerly await her response. There are NEW activities across the page. 

I know we're coming towards the end, but as always, do please get in touch if there's anything we can support with. 

Mr Johnston

Wednesday 8th July 2020

Morning Team!

Thank you for all you questions for Sue Purkiss so far. I'll be sending them on Friday morning so if you'd like to be included please make sure you get them in before 4pm tomorrow.

Mr J

Monday 6th July 2020

Important request... (watch video) 

PUT YOUR QUESTIONS TO AN AUTHOR:

Please send your questions for Sue Purkiss into admin@hotspur.newcastle.sch.uk as soon as possible and I'll forward them on to her.

You could ask a question about the story itself, or about other books she has written or even questions about being an author, having your work published, inspiration for her writing etc. 

Also, don't forget to send in any pieces of work you did on Emily's Surprising Voyage or your bits on Isambard Kingdom Brunel and I'll also send those to Sue Purkiss to have a look at too!

If you need a recap of the story, here it is below:

Monday 29th June 2020

Hello everybody!

• There are NEW tasks available. The Oak Academy has some great lessons here: Oak Academy Y4 Schedule
• Keep reading. Again, if you've exhausted your stock of books and need some support getting hold of some then please do get in touch and we can help with that.
• I've had a look at our TT Rockstar stats and some of you are absolutely flying! Its incredible. Keep getting on the TT Rockstars as often as you can and practice your tables. Click here: TT Rockstars
• If you can't remember your TT Rockstars login, get in touch with admin and we'll sort that out for you.

Keep sending in your wonderful contributions to the Wall of Awesome, they're grrrrrreat! (As Tony the tiger would say)

Mr Johnston

Monday 22nd June 2020

Good morning everybody. I hope you're all well and still smiling. 

Reading / books

By this point, I expect many of you have been improvising and recycling old books to keep reading with. If anyone would like any support accessing books, please don't hesitate to get in touch with school and we can make arrangements to help with that.

If you haven't already, please sign up to this wonderful FREE reading resource... (click on the image below)

There are tonnes of books to choose from and there is a facility to listen to the books being read aloud as an extra support for you.

Other things for this week:

• The NEW maths will be put up on the Activities section each day as usual.
• Remember to use the wide range of resources, other than the ones we provide, particularly Oak Academy Year 4  /  BBC Bitesize Y4 They both follow the national curriculum.  
• Other schools may also have handy resources that are suited to you, it does you no harm to draw from those either. 
• The alternative WRM materials for this week will be below this update if you need them 

I'm loving all the Rogue Kit Kat stories that are coming in. Well done everyone. The ideas are wonderfully bizarre and amazing in equal measure. 

Bye for now!

Mr Johnston

Wednesday 17th June 2020

Hello there Year 4.

Beckett was wandering through Paddy Freeman's park at the weekend and came across this...

Can you guess the tune he's playing? 

Clue: It is a popular song in the chart right now. 

Monday 15th June 2020

Good morning everybody. 

NEW Maths up on Activities and I'll pop the Alternative lessons below in case you've already done this week's content.

Keep sending in the work you've done for last week and we'll feature it on the Wall of Awesome and remember to check each day for new bits and bobs.

• Below are the worksheets for the alternative maths. Video links are contained in 'Y4 Week 8 Alternative Plan' 

• Then, underneath that is a new story video 'Izzy Gizmo' created for Y2 but has a great message for all of us. Can you think of a growth mindset message for Izzy?

Alternative maths w.b.15.6.2020

Storytime / Music

Izzy Gizmo - Pip Jones / Sara Ogilvie  

Task: Have a go at singing along to the song to encourage Izzy. Can you write an inspirational growth mindset message for her? Can you create any simple rhythms and make music with items around you like Izzy does with her tools?

The music in the video is borrowed with kind permission from the 'Story-gig' from 2018, live at the Durham Gala Theatre. Follow the link if you'd like to watch it below and join in with Grandpa's song!

Follow this link: Izzy Gizmo Story Gig - Durham Book Festival Little Read 2018

Friday 12th June 2020

A bit of fun for Friday!

• Hebe has produced the next instalment of the Rogue Kit Kat saga. Thank you to the many of you that have sent me ideas for how the story might unfold. They're all stacked up in the creative thinking palace. Developments to follow...
• Cameron has some instructions to make your own Lava Lamp!

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Hebe's: Rogue Kit Kat Ep2

Cameron's Lava Lamp

Wednesday 10th June 2020

NEWSFLASH!

Mrs Mackay sent in a picture, to be featured on our 'Wall of Awesome'... I think it definitely makes the cut. Don't you?

Presenting... 

Marley Irene Mackay

Born yesterday, happy and healthy to two ecstatic parents: Mr and Mrs Mackay. 

Mrs Mackay, we all wish you such huge congratulations and look forward to the time you're able come into school and introduce us all to Marley.

Best wishes,

Mr J and all the children and families in Year 4

Tuesday 9th June 2020

Morning everybody!

An unscheduled extra announcement this morning to point out to you all the NEW activities over on the Activities section, but also to share this super bit of work from Ethan P, who has clearly thought so deeply about the events happening around the world and has come up with 10 statements against racism. Very proud Ethan. Well done.

UPDATE for adults: Alternative WRM resources for this week (if you've already covered the content for this week) can be found underneath.

Monday 8th June 2020

Good morning Year 4. This morning, some of you will have brothers and sisters in Year 6 who are coming into school. This is exciting for them but it is also very important. In September, they are due to go a new school and the transition is an exciting one, but also needs a bit of preparation. We are going to carry on doing the things we are doing and I will keep dropping little jobs here and there, for you to have a crack at. 

Remember - there is nothing to stop you having a nosey through the other year group pages and tackling their activities too, as well as all the other bits that are available to you online.

We might have another vote on a Core Canon book to do after the success of the poll for Emily's Surprising Voyage. However I'm going to park democracy for a second and prescribe one of the CC books for you... Blackdog by Levi Pinfold

Other than that, so far, over on the activities section there is:

• a story writing challenge - this could also be a computing challenge if you want to have a go at animating the story of the Kit Kat. I've already seen your wonderful animating skills with The Quest.
• Mr Gardner, Mrs Sheader and I have created a new story video - The Great Snortle Hunt
• White Rose Maths Home learning videos and worksheets 

Remind your grownups that I'm available and very happy to chat and help as much as I can.

Stay classy Year 4,

Mr Johnston

Alternative Maths Lessons for w.b. 8.6.2020

Below is a document with the links to the video lessons and underneath are the worksheets/answer sheets for alternative maths lessons in case the scheduled content for this week on the Activities section has already been covered.

Alternate worksheets: (w.b. 8.6.20)

Alternate answer sheets: (w.b. 8.6.20)

Mrs Cowen has animated the Quest map and Mr Gardner takes us on a journey to explore it.

Do you not feel like you might know some of these strange places already?

Why might they feel all too familiar, I wonder? 

Monday 1st June 2020

Hello boys and girls!

It's only me today I'm afraid. That is because the fabulous Mrs Mackay is now officially on maternity leave. This means that she is very close to having her baby, which is a bit exciting isn't it? I know you'll be joining me in wishing Mrs Mackay and her husband James all the very best. 

I hope you had a fun half term and managed to connect with some of your friends either virtually or safely socially distancized! (Don't put distancized in your greenhouse, I made that word up.)

The maths for today is now up on the activities section...

Thank you for being patient whilst other bits are being developed. I know you are super eager beavers!

Mr Johnston

Monday 18th May 2020

Good morning everybody! Thank you for sending in all your contributions to the Wall of Awesome. Brilliant stuff.

There are new tasks:

• Emily's Surprising Voyage questions underneath this.
• A new Talk4Writing booklet with activities
• Today's White Rose Maths lesson and alternative lesson (I'd have a go at both anyway - if you're feeling up to it!)
• A creative writing challenge on today's Pobble365 image 'Jurrasic'.

We've come to the final chapter of Emily's Surprising Voyage this week. Take it away Mrs Mackay...

(Listen or watch - To listen to all of the chapters of the audiobook again, one after another and uninterrupted, go to the SoundCloud playlist link below)

Listen:

Watch: 

Questions and words to think about (Chapter 4)

• "...his face a picture of bewilderment." What do you think "bewilderment" means? Explain why you think this. 

• "...and shrank back, terrified". Can you think of as many synonyms as possible to replace the word terrified? If you have access to a thesaurus, you could have a go at looking it up. 

• Have a go at drawing a picture of your favourite scene from the book. This could be any moment at all in the book! We would love to see some of the drawings when you are finished. 

Whole story as an audiobook.

Here is a playlist of the whole audiobook of Emily's Surprising Voyage:

Wednesday 13th May 2020

Mid-week update:

Hi boys and girls of the Y4 team. We hope you're finding the resources and links useful. Thank you for sending in all the wonderful bits of work you've been doing.

Here is Chapter 3b of the Y4 novel and across on the activities section, Mrs Mackay has prepared some Big Maths for you.

Audiobook: 

Video:

Questions and words to think about (Chapter 3b)

Monday 11th May 2020

Hello everyone. We hope you've had a nice bank holiday weekend and have been able to pounce on some sunshine in some form or other.

There are new maths, history, music and art/D&T tasks for you to have a go at this week over on the 'Activities' bit. 

Below is the beginning of the 3rd instalment of Emily's Surprising Voyage. Watch or listen to the chapter and there are some questions underneath to have a look at.

Then, to see how much you can remember, here's a quiz, just for a laugh!

Emily's Surprising Voyage - YEAR 4 QUIZ - Story so far

Its been so lovely to chat to some of you over the last few weeks, as we've been phoning around to say hello and hear about all the things you've been cooking and reading and making and playing. You're all doing brilliantly. 

Mr Johnston and Mrs Mackay

Audiobook:  

The whole story so far: 

Video:

Questions and words to think about (Chapter 3a)

• "Father said it was bad enough his lungs being all clogged up..." What does 'clogged' mean?

• Research this item: lorgnette 

Wednesday 6th May 2020

 And here it is. Mrs Mackay continues the second chapter of Emily's story. 

Enjoy!

Audiobook:

Questions and words to think about (Chapter 2b)

• Who do you think the pale figure that Emily saw could be?

• "The captain's voice boomed out". Think of as many synonyms as possible for the word "boomed". 

Monday 4th May 2020

Good morning. Firstly, look at our 'Wall of Awesome'! Isn't it just great? We're super impressed with your efforts. You're doing some wonderful stuff. 

Head to the 'Activities' section for a link to the maths. Below is Mrs Mackay continuing the story and she has some questions for you underneath. Listen as an audiobook, or scroll down to watch the video.

Audiobook:

Video:

• "Mother was prostrated". What do you think the word "prostrated" means? Could you use a dictionary to find out?

• The author uses the simile "waxy like a candle" to describe Emily's fathers appearance. Can you think of any similes that you could use to describe Emily's nanny looking green?

• Why do you think the first class passengers can't go down the steerage? Explain your answer. 

Friday 1st May 2020

It's Friday Y4. The weekend is here. It is also the end of the block on decimals.

The paper to have a go at is below. Underneath that is the talk-through video with Mr J and here is a link to the answers.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Mrs Mackay and Mr Johnston

Wednesday 29th April 2020

 Hello Y4 rabble! (Rabble also means: a 'large group of butterflies', not just a 'loud and disorderly crowd'.)

Quick mid-week update, to drop some things on here. We've really enjoyed our phone-calls home so far. It's been lovely to hear from you and the things you're getting up to. We're aiming to give everyone a bell over the next couple of weeks but as we're both a pair of incessant 'chin-waggers', it may take us some time. 

Over on the 'Activities' section we've dropped new maths and music jobs for you to crack on with, if you'd like.

Here is the second part of the Y4 novel:

Audiobook:

 Video:

Questions and words to think about (Chapter 1b):

 Look up these words:

darned     impudent   whippersnapper   trembling   scarcely   gracefully   

• What do you think 'steerage' might mean, on a boat?
• How does Emily's mother react to settling into her cabin?

 __________________________________________________________________

Monday 27th April 2020

Good morning Year 4. 

We hope you've found some interesting and intriguing activities and projects to get stuck into over the last week. 

Today we're uploading a video of Mr Johnston reading the first chapter of the Y4 novel you all voted for, a Science activity looking at teeth and a short recap of what an integer is. 

Do keep sending your bits and bobs into the school email above. The stuff you're doing is fantastic. Well done!

Mrs M and Mr J

Emily's Surprising Voyage Chapter 1(a)

If you'd like it just to listen to the chapter as an Audiobook, without the video, follow this link to the Soundcloud:

Questions and words to think about:

Which part of a ship is the 'bowsprit'? 

The word consolation is used by the author. Can you look this word up and ask your adults when they might use the word: consolation?

Nanny's "pink cheeks puffed out in indignation." How do you think she would feel if she was being indignant?

Nanny also casts a 'reproachful' glance at Mr Ainsworth before scurrying off. How do you think a 'reproachful' face would look?

Maths

What on earth is an integer?

 Hopefully this helps...

More ideas for routines!

Adults asking about schedules and routines: here is yet another example from the Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust. These are all just ideas to adapt from if it suits you. Below is an example and here is the link to their site: https://www.robinhoodmat.co.uk/learning-projects/

Friday 24th April 2020

The voting has closed and thank you for your responses. The majority went for Emily's Surprising Voyage by Sue Purkiss (35% of the vote).

We shall get cracking with this next week. 

Enjoy the weekend. 

Mr J and Mrs M 

Monday 20th April 2020

Welcome back everybody

We hope you've had a good Easter break and managed to enjoy a little bit of the sunshine. We'll be dropping activity suggestions every now and then, so keep checking up.

Be sure to check out the BBC resources too, brand new and fresh here...

BBC Year 4 Lessons

Take care,

Mrs Mackay and Mr Johnston

Friday 3rd April 2020

Maths Wrap-up

Well hello there!

Here is, hopefully, a helpful guide through the End of Block paper (link below).

Remember to watch this through with your grown-up and pause along the way to practice.

Decimals End of Block assessment

Give it your best go and there's some practice 'Divide by 10 and divide by 100' worksheets underneath.

Have fun!

Mr J and Mrs M

Polly Parrot Picks a Pirate

We hope you enjoy this week's story video in which Cap'n Gardner reads a story and shows you how to make a treasure map. Whilst Long John Johnson interrupts with his pesky parrot and sea shanties!

Thursday 2nd April 2020

Good morning everybody. 

Below, is the final chapter of 4Y's class novel to finish that off. There is a book review activity to do afterwards and there's nothing to stop you in 4B, choosing a book you've read recently, and doing a review of that too. Underneath the video will be more details.

Mother said "...posthumously" in the final sentences of the story. This word popped up earlier in the book. We discussed it then and stuck it in our classroom greenhouse but can you remember what it means?

Have a go at writing a book review. Check the 'Activities' sections for details.

Tuesday 31st March 2020

 Good morning Year 4. We hope you're keeping well and safe at home. 

At the end of this week we'll release a video wrapping up the maths, much like the last one, running through this 'End of Block' paper...

Decimals End of Block assessment

This will hopefully summarise for you the 'Home Learning' lessons that WRM have produced. They're really very good! 

Week 1 and Week 2 are the only two weeks on Decimals. After Easter, we are due to start a new block. 

4Y Class Novel

In 4Y, we were so close to finishing our class novel, 'The House That Sailed Away' and seeing as we don't want to lose momentum with it, I have recorded the last two chapters.

Here is the penultimate chapter... (look up the word penultimate, stick it in your greenhouse)

Thursday 26th March 2020

Just a quick one from us this morning to let you know that the wonderful Mrs Spraggon in Y5 has a really helpful video on finding fractions of amounts that would be super useful for us too. If you felt we whizzed through it a bit too quickly in the Wrap-up video then go to the Y5 Closure Resources page and please check this out...

Wednesday 25th March 2020

Lets get crafty!

Check out the video in the 'Activities' section to create your own Vocabulary Greenhouse.

Mathematical Mackay Magic

 Hello Y4. Mrs Mackay here. Have a watch of my recap on column multiplication and do a little practice of equations below. I've also laid out the 4 clear steps for success. Have fun!

Monday 23rd March 2020

Hi Year 4!

Well isn't this a bit strange!?

We're missing you all and hope you find this page helpful and more than that... really interesting!

There will be a short video coming soon to talk-through where we were with our maths and wrap everything up with that. (Watch this space)

Do have a go at your 'hot write' for explanation texts. We had such fun leading up to this point so BE CONFIDENT and just give it a jolly good go. Take pride in your writing presentation as well.

Keep laughing and smiling etc.

Mr Johnston and Mrs Mackay

Maths wrap-up!

Download the End of Block assessment here: Fractions End of Block

Here is a little 'talk-through' the paper to watch with your grown-ups and pause while you have a go at it.

And this... Fraction Wall game 

Activities

Maths 16.7.20

Task: Lesson 4 - Draw on a grid

Maths 15.07.20

Task: Lesson 3 - Describe position

Maths 14.7.20

Task: Lesson 2 - Complete a symmetric figure

English 

Task: Watch the animation of 'The Planets' and look at the activities below.

There are 12 Planets each with their own unique atmosphere and inhabitants.

Can you:

• Write descriptions for each planet as if you are an astronaut landing on them.
• Write descriptions of the alien life forms.
• Write dialogues between you and the aliens or between the aliens.
• Create holiday brochure entries for each planet.
• Discuss and write a set of rules for the argumentative aliens on planet 6.

Maths 13.7.20

Task: Lesson 1 - Lines of symmetry

Maths 9.7.20

Task: Lesson 4 - Quadrilaterals

Maths 8.7.20

Task: Lesson 3 - Triangles

Maths 7.7.20

Task: Lesson 2 - Compare and order angles

English - Writing

Brilliant new Talk4Writing home-school booklets available for your adults to work with you on: Talk4Writing Home-school Booklets

Science / English

Task: This is a science task on materials, however I'd like you to also think about your skills to make inferences from pictures. 

Following on from your work on 'inference' last week, check out these great resources from Explorify (click on image below).

Slowly begin to zoom out of the image but in between clicks think about the inferences you can draw from the picture. 

• What clues are there? What do you think the image shows?
• Can you form an idea of a story from the inferences you've made?
• Are you surprised as you zoom further and further out? Why is that?

English - Reading

Task: Speed reading

Below are a set of different short stories of around 100 words. Try one each day. The game is to try and confidently read it in 60 seconds, but importantly, with a good understanding of the meaning in the words.

Don't worry if it takes you longer than 60 seconds. Just focus on your fluency and confidence in reading each sentence and speed will get quicker.

There are 8 for this week and a sheet of guidance for your adults to help you with.

Maths 6.7.20

Task: Lesson 1 - Identify angles

Maths 3.7.20

Task: Lesson 4 - Line graphs

Maths 1.7.20

Task: Lesson 3 - Introducing line graphs

English / Art / Philosophy

Task: Press Here

• Watch the video of Press Here. 
• Have a go at making your own book with your own game - Mrs Jackson has a video showing you how to do this on the Y3 page, click on it, scroll down (to around Easter time) and have a look. You could read your new book/game with your adults or maybe younger siblings.
• Speaking and listening - have a discussion with your adults using these questions to help the conversation:

1. Is Press Here different from other books you have read? In what ways? What makes it different? What do you like about it?
2. Who makes things happen in the book?
3. Is Press Here like magic?
4. Did you laugh while you were reading along with it? What do you think made you laugh?
5. Is Press Here a book or a game? Why?
6. Are all books a kind of game?

(Extension) Further philosophical discussion with your adults:

By pressing the yellow button on the page at the beginning, am I causing it to turn into two yellow buttons?

If you press the button on a doorbell, are you causing it to ring?

What is the difference between the two examples above?

Project / Maths

Task: Local Romans!

Segedunum (translates as: 'Strong fort') was built by the Roman emperor Hadrian just a few miles down the road from Hotspur as a big base for about 600 soldiers. This was to protect the east end of the wall or... Wallsend! This is what is would've looked like:

• If you designed a roman fort, what would yours look like? Can you draw it? You'll have to do some careful research into the technology and materials they had at the time though. Remember, this is nearly 1000 years ago! No super-sonic lasers and droids thank you!  

• In Y4 we loved learning about Roman numerals in maths earlier this year. Its incredibly handy when understanding numbers. Its also super-handy if you play music! Have a go at the worksheet below. See what you can remember - ask your adults for support. 

• Remember the BBC Bitesize also have some great research materials to help you. I'll pop an image for you to click on underneath.

Maths 30.6.20

Task: Lesson 2 - Comparison sum and difference

English

Task: Comprehension - Exploring inference questions using a setting description.

Watch my quick video recapping what 'to infer' is - then have a go at the Oak Academy lesson on it here: Exploring inference questions

Documents related to this are underneath.

Maths 29.6.20

Task: Lesson 1 - Interpret charts

Maths 25.6.20

Task: Lesson 4 - Solving problems with money

Big Maths 24.6.20

Task: Complete the Big Maths worksheet

Maths 24.6.20

Task: Lesson 3 - Estimating money

Maths 23.6.20

Task: Lesson 2 - Ordering money

English - Writing

At this point we would've been looking at the Romans. With that, some Romans-based activities may pop up on here from time to time, like this one...

Task:

• What do you notice about the character's clothing?
• Are there parts of the film that seem unrealistic to you?

Choose one or more of the activities below:

• Write a playscript of what the conversation may be between Dum Spiro and the bear
• Write a character description of Dum Spiro or the bear.
• Create a map of his journey and add still images from the film to illustrate
• Can you do some research into Roman clothing and weaponry and write a fact-file? Are there any items developed by Romans that we still use today?

Art

Task: Colour walk - Take a look at this activity designed by the Tate art gallery.

You could perhaps borrow your grown-up's device and make a collage of pictures featuring colours of the rainbow you can find on your walk.

Click on the picture below to go to their website...

English - Reading

Task: Speed reading

Below are a set of different short stories of around 100 words. Try one each day. The game is to try and confidently read it in 60 seconds, but importantly, with a good understanding of the meaning in the words.

Don't worry if it takes you longer than 60 seconds. Just focus on your fluency and confidence in reading each sentence and speed will get quicker.

There are 4 for this week and a sheet of guidance for your adults to help you with.

Maths 22.6.2020

Task: Lesson 1 - Pounds and pence

Maths 

Task: Lesson 4 - Round decimals

Remember the plethora of activities available to you, in addition to what is available on our school website. Click on the image below to take you to Oak National Academy - just one of the sites providing tonnes of lessons and resources to keep you busy. 

English - Grammar time

Task:

'Writing exciting...ly' - working on adverbials

Have a go at working through the booklet below and think about how using fronted adverbials will not only give the reader more information about what / where / when or how something is happening, but also make it infinitely more interesting to read.

For example:

"Reaching through the fence, I scooped the football up with one hand and tried to raise it up over the top."

'Reaching through the fence' is the fronted adverbial that tells us how I did the action. 

How did I get the ball back? I reached through the fence.

Maths 17.6.20

Task: Lesson 3 - Order decimals

Maths 16.6.20

Task: Lesson 2 - Compare decimals

Maths 15.6.20

Task: Lesson 1 - Write decimals

Maths 11.6.20

Task: Lesson 4 - Dividing 1 and 2 digits by a hundred

Maths - 10.6.20

Task: Lesson 3 - Hundredths as decimals

Project - 

In our project work back in February, we were looking at the Civil Rights movement. Do you remember our work on Rosa Parks?

• How do the events happening in the world make you feel?
• What do you notice about how the news is reported and how the grown-ups in charge handle and care for the people involved?
• Can you imagine what it must feel like to be treated differently?
• Do you wonder how black and minority ethnic people feel about being treated differently to white people?

Task 1: Watch the Newsround special about fairness and racism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/news/watch_newsround

 Task 2: Can you write a report on George Floyd's story?

What effect has it had on our country here in the UK?

Do you remember our English work on discussion texts? We explored topics such as 'Should children do the housework?' for example.

Task 3:  Follow the link and read the information on the tearing down of a statue in a British city this week. Write a discussion text with the heading:

Should the statue have been torn down?

Remember your structure:

• Opening paragraph - describe what happened and why
• Second paragraph - explore the reasons for tearing the statue down
• Third paragraph - explore the reasons against tearing it down
• Final paragraph - Create a conclusion giving your opinion having looked at both sides of the argument. 

Here is the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/52965665

Project

Task  1: Create a factfile on Martin Luther King Jnr. There is a statue of him in our own city at Newcastle University.

• Using some form of technology, research (just like we do in the classroom) about Martin Luther King and perhaps look into the connection with Newcastle?
• Remember to try and find the same story from at least one other site so you're confident that the facts are correct.
• If you're struggling with technology, ask your adult to get in touch via the admin email.

Martin Luther King Jnr is regarded as a very special man who spoke up for rights and had a dream...

Watch this video first. Then there are some other interactive resources to help you underneath.

Click on the image below to take you to the BBC Bitesize resource for Martin Luther King.

Task 2: 

These can be very short.

• Using the I have a Dream speech bubble, tell us: what is your dream for the future?
• Use a nice bold pen to write it and take a picture of you holding it for the wall of awesome.

English - Comprehesion

Task: Complete the activity document below 

Maths - 9.6.20

Task: Lesson 2 - Dividing 1 - digit by 10

English

Task: Watch the video and choose one or two of the activities below. 

• Before reading the story, discuss what a Snortle is. What words might be used to describe it? Why would the characters be hunting a snortle?
• Make a list of all of the rhyming words in the story.
• Use the speech in the story to create a playscript.
• How many different synonyms for 'said' can you find in the story?
• Retell the story from the snortle's point of view.
• Imagine that Dog, Cat, Mouse and Rabbit went home to their families after meeting the snortle. What would the animals tell their parents about the adventure?
• Make a chart that shows some of the nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs used in the story(see Resources below).
• Write about a new adventure that the animals might have with the snortle.

Maths 8.6.20

Task: Lesson 1 - Tenths as decimals

English - Creative writing challenge

Task: Watch the video 'The Rogue Kit Kat'. The story is unfinished. Continue the story and write it down, taking pride in your presentation. All of your efforts will be worthy of the 'Wall of Awesome', of that you can be sure.

Some questions to ask yourself:

• Can you think of how the plot develops in the story?
• Does Mr J ever find out why he can't find the Kit Kat?
• Are there other characters in the story that we haven't met yet? 
• Are some of the characters children from 4B or 4Y?

If you are feeling super eager and you have hold of a tablet or an adult's phone, you might even want to have a go at animating a sequence yourself! There are loads of free stop animation apps out there that I'm sure your adults would help you search for and download safely. 

Maths - 4.6.20

Task: Lesson 4 - Calculate quantities

Big Maths

Task: Complete the Big Maths sheet below

Maths - 3.6.2020

Task: Lesson 3 - Fractions of a quantity

Maths - 2.6.2020

Task: Lesson 2 - Subtract 2 fractions

Dont forget about the cracking resources and activites to use from the BBC. Here is a link:

BBC Bitesize lessons Year 4 - 1st May 2020

NEW English - Writing

Task: 

Read the text (also listen the the audiobook) 'Mission Possible' about Polly and Pete, then have a go at some of the super activities in the booklet below. 

Here is a link to the audio so you can listen to it too: 

https://soundcloud.com/talkforwriting/mission/s-qMLb31YjpM7

Maths - 1.6.2020

Task: Lesson 1 - Add 2 or more fractions

Maths - 21.5.2020

Task: Lesson 4 - Fractions greater than 1

Big Maths

Task:

Maths - 20.5.2020

Task: Lesson 3 - Equivalent fractions (2)

Maths  - 19.5.2020

Task: Lesson 2 - Equivalent fractions

English - Writing 

Task:

Look at the picture. Underneath are some activities related to it.

• A creative writing challenge with a story starter to help. 
• Some questions about the opening to the story. 
• Onomatopoeia - What is it? Can you think of any? Could you make a list of them?
• Some sentences appear to be ill. Would you treat please them? Thanks.
• Design a theme park! 

Enjoy.

Image credit: Alexander Koshelkov 

https://www.pobble365.com/jurassic

Week 5 Maths (w.b. 18.5.20)

Task:

Lesson 1 - Recognise tenths and hundredths 

READ THIS first before you shoot off and do it:

We have already "covered" this (in a bizarre kind of way) at the beginning of the closure. Therefore, there is an alternative lesson for you to have a go at on fractions, which I will put underneath this one.

BUT (!), I think it would do you no harm to revisit this and make sure you understand how to recognise tenths and hundredths. The previous two 'Maths Wrap-up' videos might help you with some of the understanding.

As always, just do your best, and don't stress about anything you don't quite 'get'. We'll come back to it all, when we're back in the classroom.

Alternative maths lesson for today:

What is a fraction?

English

Another great resource booklet from Talk4Writing for your adults to have a look through and guide you with. Please do keep communicating with us as you have been, if we can support you with this. 

Maths

Task:

Lesson 4 - Counting Squares

Big Maths

Task:

Here you go...

Maths 

Task:

Lesson 3 (13.5.20) - Perimeter of rectilinear shapes

Maths 12.5.2020

Task: Today and yesterday's WRM lessons. As of yesterday, WRM changed their access rights so we'll be putting the worksheet straight onto this page (for which we have purchased a license). Scroll down to find them under each video. The answers will also be underneath.

Lesson 2  (12.5.20) - Perimeter of rectangles

Lesson 1 (11.5.20) - Multiplying and dividing problem solving

English/History

Task:

In Emily's Surprising Voyage, the captain is clearly a huge fan of the ship's designer and engineer:

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Can you create a fact file about this engineer? 

Below are :

1. Powerpoint to flick through with some information but I'm sure you can do some of your own online research. 
2. An example of a very basic one.
3. Some templates but they are just guides. We have done many fact-files in our project books in the past, so we know how to make our own and how to make them look dead snazzy.

For your adults to help you - Templates have differing levels of support:

1st one - Independent writing frame

2nd one - Slightly scaffolded writing with sentence starters etc

3rd one - Strongly scaffolded with vocabulary bank

D&T/Art

Task:

In Emily's Surprising Voyage, the captain talks about how the ship is the first to be built with a steel hull.

Can you build your own SS Great Britain style ship out of paper?

Perhaps you can come up with some ways to make it harder, better, faster or stronger that no one has thought of before?

You could name it after your Quest family name and give it the flag you've designed!

Put it in the sink to see if it'll float. Take pictures. Send them in.

Watch the video to show you how to make it and I'll put the sheet of instructions underneath:

Music

Task:

Our friend Rob teaches us a great rhythm game we can play with someone else in our home over the kitchen table. 

Rob's channel also has a level 2 to this game... but perhaps master this one first!

Maths

Task:

Big Maths (answer sheet underneath)

English / Music

Click the link to resource: BBC Ten Pieces at Home

Task:

Write a poem!

You may have seen this shared on our school Facebook page earlier this week. Villa-Lobos is one of my favourite composers/guitarists. Watch the video about his piece: The Little Train of the Caipira. 

• Can you think of any objects you might have at home that you could use to recreate the sounds of a train? If you had a go at Rob's 'Kitchen Marimba' you may already be an expert!
• Watch the clip from Simon Mole. Can you have a go at writing a poem about a train journey? It can be a real journey that happened or a fantasy one. 
• Email poems in to the school office (address above) 

Have fun!

Mr Johnston

Maths

Task:

Week 3 of the home-learning activities is here

Big Maths

We know how you've been itching to get stuck into to some Big Maths. Mrs Mackay has prepared a worksheet and answer sheet for you to have a go at below.

Task:

Music

Task:

Have a scour in your kitchen cupboards and follow Rob's lead on making some incredible music, in your own home.

The Küchespiel - how to build a tuned percussion instrument out of kitchen objects

We'd love to see recordings of any masterpieces you might come up with. 

Science

Task:

Watch the video clip on types of teeth below. How many different types do you have? What are the purposes for each? Can you remember the names of them?

Follow this link to the Bitesize website and there is a little game to play to test your knowledge: Teeth Game

Can you make a model of your own teeth? What materials do you have knocking around your home you could use. If you make one. Send it into Mrs Mackay and I, we'd love to see some. 

Here are a few ideas:

Music

Our good friend Mr Rob Kitchen has created some music lessons for us that you can check out each day. 

Task:

Well, we've done "The Cup Song" (When I'm Gone) haven't we? Numerous times! 

Today, Rob is going to teach us a new rhythm we can play with cups and a Brazilian song to go with it called Escatumbararibê. 

Have a go...

English (Reading)

Task: 

Read and discuss, with your adults, the blurbs for the four books above, then vote for the one you'd like Mr Johnston and Mrs Mackay to read to you over the coming weeks.

Maths:

Task: 

Week 1 - Video lesson and activities

English (Writing)

Ideas for your grown-ups:

At school we use Talk4Writing to support the children in English. They have made available some of their resources. Below is a unit of work for Y4.

English

Task:

Book Review

Write a short book review of either 'The House That Sailed Away' if you're in 4Y or a recent book you've enjoyed in 4B.

I've written an example for you (Stitch Head) to look at and try to pick out the key features and then use the template below to plan out your review.

Steps:

• Read example - notice key features
• Use planning template to prepare your ideas
• Have your best go at writing a short review - Take pride in your presentation
• Email your reviews to admin@hotspur.newcastle.sch.uk 

Have fun!

Mr J and Mrs M

English

Read read read! Just like anything, the more we practice, the more fluent we become and the enjoyment we get from it skyrockets. Read to your grown-up as often as possible.

This term we have been working on explanation texts. We were about to begin our 'Hot write' for this. The children (with us last week) have taken home a photocopy of their plan. If you were not with us last week you could:

Task:

work out a brief plan of the creature you'd like to write about and do some research on a tablet or computer to find individual facts for that creature. Jot them down onto some scrap paper.

Then plan out your piece of writing:

Opening paragraph - brief description of your creature

Second paragraph  - write about it's environment/habitat and how it moves through it

Third paragraph -  write about how it behaves (example: how it catches it's prey)

Final paragraph - some additional information about the creature, perhaps with some precise description like "It has a tail that can grow up to 20 metres in length... etc."

Finally, just have your best go at writing your explanation text. Hopefully, as time goes on, we'll figure out a way for your grown-ups to tweet pictures of these so we can have a quick read and see what you're up to!

Task:

Make a Vocabulary Greenhouse

 What can I do with my 'Greenhouse words'?

• Compose an acrostic poem about that word:

G - gladly

A - admiring

Z - Zebras

E - eating

D - dandelions

• Write a few simple sentences using the word. It must make sense! For example:

Tommy gazed up at the sky. It was full of stars, and after a moment, he fixed his gaze on a pattern of twinkling lights.

• Find some synonyms of the word and look up at their slight differences in a dictionary.

There are loads of ideas to have fun with words out there. Here is a link to some more:

http://www.giftedguru.com/21_ideas_for_teaching_vocabulary/

Please share your pictures of completed temporary Vocabulary Greenhouses to the Hotspur social media channels. We can't wait to see some. 

Maths

Finishing off our 'Fractions' block. There will be a 'talk-through' video for you to watch with your grown-ups. Stay tuned for that. It's coming imminently.

In the meantime, keep working away at your TT rockstars and number bonds to 100 on 'Hit the Button'. 

There are also lots of resources to have a play with, many of which have been made free whilst we contend with the COVID-19 closure. 

https://www.themathsfactor.com/ 

Maths factor has just today been made free to use and has a tonne of useful resources. 

Twinkl (now accessible for free) - has put together some fab resources too:

Twinkl Home Learning Pack

Science

We just started our new topic on 'The Digestive System & Teeth'

Activity idea - 

Can you look up the different organs/parts of the digestive system?

What does each one look like and what are their function?

Are you able to model the digestive system with other materials like playdoh or clay, tweeting us your picts when you're finished?

Again, grown-ups, Twinkl has a host of resources to help with this

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/tp2-s-023-planit-science-year-4-animals-including-humans-lesson-1-digestive-system-parts-lesson-pack