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Year 4 – Term 4

The Great Kapok Tree

This term, Year 4 pupils explore environmental responsibility, perspective and interconnected ecosystems through our core text The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry. The story provides a rich foundation for learning across English, Geography, Science and the arts, enabling pupils to think critically about deforestation, conservation and the impact of human action on the natural world.

English – Perspective, Persuasion and Precision

English lessons are rooted in our class text. Pupils analyse how meaning is shaped through language and structure, developing deeper comprehension skills.

Children will:

• Explain the meaning of words in context

• Retrieve and record key information from fiction and non-fiction

• Summarise main ideas across paragraphs

• Make and justify inferences using evidence

• Explain how narrative content contributes to overall meaning

• Explore how word choice enhances impact

Writing outcomes are carefully sequenced to build control and sophistication. Pupils will:

• Rewrite part of the story from a different perspective

• Write a formal email or persuasive letter using structured persuasive sentence starters

• Produce an interview-style report on the effects of river pollution

Grammar and composition focus on expanded noun phrases, conjunctions and accurate paragraph organisation. Pupils are encouraged to write with clarity, purpose and audience awareness.

Mathematics – Time, Decimals and Shape

In Mathematics, children extend their understanding of:

• Time, including problem-solving involving hours, minutes and conversion

• Decimals, particularly tenths and hundredths

• Positional language

• Properties of shapes

Lessons balance fluency, reasoning and application, ensuring pupils can explain their methods confidently.

Science – Living Things and Their Habitats

Science this term focuses on classification and ecosystems. Pupils learn how living things can be grouped in different ways and explore how habitats provide for the needs of organisms. They examine food chains and the delicate balance within rainforest environments, linking scientific understanding to our class text.

Geography – Rivers and Rainforests

Geography learning explores the structure and importance of rivers, with a detailed comparison between the River Thames and the Amazon River. Pupils consider physical features, human impact and environmental challenges.

Through this study, children deepen their understanding of rainforest ecosystems and the global importance of conservation. The writing outcome on river pollution encourages pupils to apply geographical knowledge in a structured and analytical way.

Religious Education – Christianity

In RE, pupils study Christianity with a focus on local places of worship. They explore how churches serve their communities and consider how belief is expressed through practice and environment.

Art and Design – Patterns and Tessellation

Art lessons focus on pattern and mathematical precision. Pupils study tessellation and create repeating geometric patterns inspired by natural rainforest forms. This work strengthens spatial awareness and links directly to mathematical learning about shape.

Computing and Digital Music

In computing, learning extends into digital music creation. Pupils use loops and digital instruments to create a specific mood. They combine rhythm and melody purposefully, experimenting with structure and layering sound. This cross-curricular work strengthens understanding of sequencing and creativity within digital platforms.

PSHE and Physical Education

In PSHE, pupils focus on emotion management and problem-solving, developing strategies for handling challenges constructively.

In PE, children participate in benchball, building teamwork, spatial awareness and tactical thinking.

A Connected Curriculum

By the end of Term 4, Year 4 pupils will have developed a deeper understanding of rainforest ecosystems, river systems and environmental responsibility. Their writing will demonstrate stronger organisation and audience awareness, while their mathematical reasoning in time, decimals and shape will be more secure. Through science, geography, digital creativity and discussion, pupils build a clear understanding of how interconnected systems shape both the natural world and human society.

Reminders & Key Information

• PE: Every Thursday

• Please ensure children come to school wearing the correct PE kit on this day

Thank you for your continued support. We are excited about the learning ahead and look forward to another successful term in Year 4.

Warm wishes,
The Year 4 Team