P4 Term Two 2017/18Learning Overview

Hello and welcome to term two. We have all settled in very well after our October holidays (including Miss MacDonald) and are getting on great. This overview will share what we will be learning this term. It will also give you some information about our daily routines.

Positive Behaviour

We are very motivated by our Class Dojos which give us personal rewards for positive behaviour. Each week the pupil with the most dojo points gets a small prize and the winning table get cushions to sit on for the following week. As well as this we continue to use our House Points system throughout the school.

Staff

  • Miss C. MacDonald is now our full-time teacher and will be for the remainder of the year.
  • We are supported every day by our PSA: Mrs A. Armstrong
  • Miss S. Ross takes us for Science on a Monday
  • Miss S. Barclay takes us for PE on a Thursday to cover CCR for Miss MacDonald. (PE Kit Required)

Personal Belongings

  • All pupils now have their own, identified peg for hanging jackets and bags. Please remind your children to check that they have put their belongings securely onto their peg in the morning.
  • Please remember to label all water bottles, lunch bags/boxes, jackets, sweatshirts, gym shoes, personal recreational books etc.
  • PE kit – a change of T-shirt, suitable shorts or leggings and non-marking gym shoes are preferred. No football tops.
  • Mobile phones should turned off in the school grounds/premises and given to Miss MacDonald for safe keeping throughout the school day.

Homework

The children have been issued with a purple homework diary in which they are encouraged to note their homework and any important reminders. Regular spelling homework will be issued every Monday for completion and return by Thursday. Pupils should follow the: Look, Say, Cover, Write and Check strategy 3 times for each word. They will also have a task that will help to internalise their learning of the spelling words. Some weeks there will be a small maths or topic based homework activity as well as spelling. However, the children should be able to independently manage their homework as well as other out of school commitments. Therefore this additional homework will not be issued every week.

In P4 we are following the Highland Literacy Project (HLP) which advises that no formal reading homework is issued. Extended reading tasks will be given in class which encourage children to develop their higher order thinking and comprehension skills. Reading for pleasure is deeply encouraged as often as possible and will greatly benefit pupils. Children are encouraged to have a personal reading book of their choice and genre in school every day as time will be given for independent reading.

Sustainable Learning

We continue to develop our Rights Respecting School work and we are linking this to support the new approach to ECO Schools. We will be looking at some of the Sustainable Development Goals and Articles from the Convention of the Rights of the Child which support this, throughout this term. The articles that we are focusing on can be seen on the notice board at reception.

Please make regular use of the Class Blog where many aspects of our learning are shared. Comments and feedback are always welcome and are greatly appreciated. Our new learning pathways will help to share some aspects of our learning too and will be issued for maths, this term.

Summary

Monday / Miss Ross for Science (am)
Homework given out
Thursday / Miss Barclay for PE (am) PE Kit needed – see above
Homework due in
Friday / Tennis Coaching – Outdoor PE Kit needed
Golden Time
Classroom Rewards

Here are just some of the things we will be learning this term…

Literacy
By the end of Term 2, most pupils :
  • can share my thoughts on what I have listened to or watched with others.
  • can use the correct voice at different times (partner, reading, outdoor, sharing with class etc).
  • can record information I have read and begin to take simple notes.
  • can skim and scan to find information.
  • use my knowledge of phonics and spelling patterns to de-code tricky words.
  • I can write true things about a topic (non-fiction) with help.
  • I use capitals and full stops correctly.
/ Numeracy
By the end of Term 2, most pupils
  • can count forwards and backwards in 2s, 5s, 10s and 100s.
  • can tell the value of each digit using HTU.
  • can add and subtract whole numbers up to 100 using a range of mental strategies
  • know my 2,3,4,5 and 10 times tables
  • can use the times tables that I know to help me with more tricky ones e.g.: 9x2 = 2x9
  • can show multiplication and division families of four facts. e.g.
4 x 8 = 32, 8 x 4 = 32, 32 ÷ 4 = 8, 32 ÷ 8 = 4)
Health and Wellbeing
By the end of Term 2, most pupils
  • value the opportunities I am given to make friends and be part of a group in a range of situations.
  • learning to assess and manage risk, to protect myself and others, and to reduce the potential for harm when possible.
  • developing my movement skills through practice and energetic play.
/ Interdisciplinary Learning
By the end of Term 2, most pupils
  • can explain/talk about a range of winter festivals celebrated in Scotland throughout a number of cultures.
  • Can explain the origins of some winter festivals.
  • describe the key features of the values of Christianity which are expressed in stories.
  • developing a respect for others and my understanding of their beliefs and values.
  • developing an awareness that some people have beliefs and values which are independent of religion.
  • can create and present work using the visual elements of line, shape, form, colour, tone, pattern and texture.

Dates for Your Diary

  • Initial Parent/Teacher meetings. If you have organised a meeting, these will be held on Tues 7th, Wed 8th and Thurs 16th November.
  • Tennis Coaching every Friday from 3rd – 24th November.
  • Children in Need – details on main school blog and news letter
  • Blythswood Shoe Box appeal – details on main school blog and news letter
  • Anti-Bullying Week – 13th – 17th November
  • Road Safety Week – 20th – 24th November

Thank you for your ongoing interest and support. If you need to contact me at any time you can reach me through the school office.

Miss C MacDonald

Class Teacher (P4)