This half term, Herons are learning all about the Ancient Egyptians! This unit focuses on Ancient Egypt and follows on from The Stone Age to the Iron Age. These units cover some of the same time period which should allow children to make comparisons between what was happening in Egypt and Britain at the same point in time (for example, hieroglyphics were used in Egypt from c.3100 BCE while there was no equivalent writing system in Britain until the Roman invasion in 43 CE). During this unit, the children will look at Ancient Egypt’s hierarchal society at this time. Children will look at social pyramids and be introduced to the terminology-slaves, Viziers, Craftsmen/Artisans, and Pharaoh. They will also learn about what it would be like to live in Egypt at this time looking at how archaeologists have been able to find out about the food they ate, the clothes they wore, the houses they lived in and the jobs they did. The children will learn about the similarities and differences between the lives of the rich and the poor, and the lives of men and women at this time.
This unit will also focus on fascinating Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs. Understanding the religious beliefs of Ancient Egyptians is integral to understanding some of their great achievements-such as the building of the pyramids. The children will look at Egyptians beliefs regarding the afterlife and will look at the artefacts found in the tombs of both a craftsman and his wife, as well as one of the most well-known pharaohs-Tutankhamun. This unit will focus on how archaeological discoveries, such as Howard Carters discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, have enabled us to learn more about life in Ancient Egypt.
In Science, Herons will be learning all about electricity! This unit reconnects to previous learning about electricity, what we use it for, how it behaves and how we must use it safely. It is vital for children to be aware of and follow the classroom rules you have established in order to use electricity safely. Pupils will identify common appliances that run on electricity. They will then move on to looking again at circuits. They will understand that electricity can flow around a loop, called a circuit. They will make simple circuits and consider what happens when the circuit is broken. They will recognise that batteries are stores of electrical energy that can power a component such as a bulb. Pupils will be introduced to switches. They will learn that often a circuit will contain a switch, which allows the flow of electrical current to be stopped by
opening the circuit. They will understand that switches can be used for safety reasons and that a switch opens and closes a circuit which turns any components within the circuit on and off. They will use and apply this knowledge again in Year 6 when they are designing an electrical toy.
Within this unit, children will learn about the inventor Thomas Edison and his work. They will learn that he was able to make an electric lightbulb that was suitable for people to use in their homes. They will also learn about Lewis Howard Latimer, an inventor who created a carbon filament for Edison’s bulb, which allowed it to shine for long periods of time. Finally, children will look at conductors and insulators. They will work scientifically to identify which materials conduct electricity, making predictions and
testing to find answers.
In PE, Herons will be focusing on developing their athletics skills, preparing for their sports day and in PSHE the children will be learning all about growing and changing (please see our RSE page on the website for more information).
We will also be exploring portraits and self-portraits as we focus on art this half term.
Here are some useful resources to help with your child’s learning.
There are posters which show the formal written methods we use when adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing as well as a useful resource showing the end of Year 4 expectations in spelling, puncuation and grammar.
Here is a link to some excellent vocabulary games with the Vocabulary Ninja…haaaaiii-yah!
