Year 3 & 4 Homework

14 May 2021

The whole-school Talk Time homework this week is I know the key vocabulary from our Computing topic.

As we come to the end of our Computing topic, your child should have come across the following vocabulary:

Y1, 2

• algorithm – a sequence of instructions or a set of rules to get something done
• program – a collection of algorithms
• debug – to find and fix errors in algorithms
• computer – a type of machine that can follow instructions and do useful things
• password – a string of letters, numbers or symbols which give you access to something (eg a computer, a service like Numbots)
• personal information – information that can be used to identify you (eg age, school, address, password)
• appropriate – something that is suitable

Y3, 4

• program – a collection of algorithms
• repetition – to repeat the execution of certain instructions
• sequence – to arrange instructions in a particular order
• logical reasoning – helps us explain why something happens
• sprite – a 2d character in a computer game
• decomposition – the process of breaking down a task into smaller, more-manageable parts
• input – data sent to a computer system from a device (eg keyboard, mouse, microphone)
• output – data sent out of a computer system via a device (eg monitor, printer, speaker)
• digital footprint – information about a particular person that exists on the internet as a result of their online activity

Y5,6

• program – a collection of algorithms
• repetition – to repeat the execution of certain instructions
• sequence – to arrange instructions in a particular order
• selection – choosing to execute one set of instructions over another
• variable – something that is stored in a program and can be changed or used (eg a timer, a score, a number of lives left)
• logical reasoning – helps us explain why something happens
• simulation – modelling a real-world or imaginary situation
• search engine – program that searches for and identifies items on the internet using complex algorithms

Discuss these words together:

• Can your child explain to you what they mean?
• Can they use any of them in a sentence?
• Can they suggest how some of the words link together?
• Can they tell you about the learning in school which linked to a certain word?

Next week, each class will reflect on this topic vocabulary and what they have learnt this half term.

07 May 2021

23 April 2021

This week, the whole school has the same Talk Time homework: Which charity should our school support?

Next week, a charity will be decided for us to support for the year ahead. We’ll focus our fundraising efforts on supporting this charity. What charity does your child think we should support?

You could talk about:

• what a charity is
• why charities are important
• what sort of work they do
• charities that have meaning to your family, your school or your community
• national / international charities and their work

Next week, each class will vote (because in our school we make democratic decisions) for the charity they would like to support to form a shortlist. Then, our recently elected Junior Leadership Team will decide which charity we will support for the next year.

Adults: before you discuss this with your child, check out this week’s Friday message from Mr Roundtree on the main news section of our website – it contains information about how we support charities and some points we’d like you to discuss with your child.

19 March 2021

19 March 2021

This week our homework is Creative: I can show different ways to stay safe, including how to seek help.

In the first half-term, we promoted resilience as one of our Rs for learning. However, we can’t be resilient in all situations, at all times. It’s important for people to recognise when things seem overwhelming – and ask for help. It’s also important that children know how to stay safe. There are many ways, and many different situations, in which we need to keep safe: at home, at school, in our environment and online.

Children should think about the situations where they need to keep safe and how to seek help if they need it. This could be done in any creative way:

• A story
• A poem
• Instructions
• A comic strip
• An advert
• An interview
• A game
• Scenarios

…or any other creative ideas!

Please send any completed homework to your child’s class teacher via email and it will be reviewed as part of our weekly homework review.

12 March 2021

This week, our homework is a creative homework: I can show forgiveness.

This homework, which links to our Christian value of forgiveness, is an opportunity for children to show that they can recognise, and show, forgiveness.

In school, we have been looking at the book The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse. In the book, Charlie Mackesy (the author and illustrator) gives different lessons using pictures and words. Your task this week is to design a new page for the story which could help teach forgiveness. You could paint it, draw it, colour it, design it on a computer, use lego or however you wish. Send pictures of your homework to Stjamesy3y4@spherefederation.org

Times tables/Number facts:

 Complete the attached timetables challenge.

When it comes to times tables, speed and accuracy are important – the more your child practises, the more likely they are to remember the trickier tables facts. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help children master times tables. Children have already enjoyed practising at school. Now, let’s continue our rock star careers at home…

Children are also able to log onto NumBots (play.numbots.com) using the same login/password. This is a great game to practice their key number facts which is essential to their maths learning.

11 December 2020

This week, the whole school has the same Creative homework, which should be returned by Thursday 17 December.

The children are invited to respond to something from either a cultural or a spiritual perspective.

I can present a review of a book / TV show / film or something else cultural.

We’d like children to present their responses about a recent book they’ve read, film they’ve watched, piece of art they’ve looked at, piece of music they’ve listened to – anything cultural in fact.

We’re interested to read some sort of description (a summary, for example) and then your child’s opinions. This review might include pictures, an interview (your child could write a fictional script between himself/herself and the artist, for example), a letter (eg to or from a character, or perhaps even the author) – anything which might include your child’s responses!

However, your child might prefer to do the following:

I know what a faith celebration means to me.

Over the course of this term, some children in school may have celebrated a religious festival of some sort.  This might have been

• the Muslim festival of Eid ul Adha
• the Sikh and Hindu festival Diwali
• the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, coming up in December
• the Christian festival (of course, celebrated by many non-Christians) of Christmas
• and the Chinese New Year festival, coming up

There are lots of other festivals and celebrations, which you and your child together might want to reflect on.

We invite children to respond to the sentence above – they might include a recount (like a diary entry), pictures, an interview (perhaps in a script).  Your child might also choose to research a completely unknown festival, or they might even think about creating a brand new festival, one that everyone will celebrate.

Times tables/Number facts:

 Complete the attached timetables challenge.

When it comes to times tables, speed and accuracy are important – the more your child practises, the more likely they are to remember the trickier tables facts. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help children master times tables. Children have already enjoyed practising at school. Now, let’s continue our rock star careers at home…

Children are also able to log onto NumBots (play.numbots.com) using the same login/password. This is a great game to practice their key number facts which is essential to their maths learning.

04 December 2020

This week, the whole school has the same Creative homework: I can illustrate different emotions.

This homework, which links to our living and learning statement, is an opportunity for children to show that they can recognise, and show, different emotions. As humans, we display a huge-range of emotions. Sometimes, it’s obvious how we’re feeling. Sometimes, it’s trickier for us to show, or recognise, an emotion. This statement allows us to spend time thinking about the different emotions we experience and how we can recognise these accurately in ourselves and others.

Children could respond creatively to this in a range of ways:

• create a piece of art that shows a range of emotions
• take pictures of themselves (or others) displaying different emotions
• write a short-story in which a character shows lots of emotions
• devise a poem, song or rap about emotions
• create a comic strip to illustrate different emotions

Of course, there are many other ways in which children could respond. Children should be ready to celebrate their learning as part of their homework review by Thursday 10^th December 2020. 

04 December 2020

This week, the whole school has the same Creative homework: I can illustrate different emotions.

This homework, which links to our living and learning statement, is an opportunity for children to show that they can recognise, and show, different emotions. As humans, we display a huge-range of emotions. Sometimes, it’s obvious how we’re feeling. Sometimes, it’s trickier for us to show, or recognise, an emotion. This statement allows us to spend time thinking about the different emotions we experience and how we can recognise these accurately in ourselves and others.

Children could respond creatively to this in a range of ways:

• create a piece of art that shows a range of emotions
• take pictures of themselves (or others) displaying different emotions
• write a short-story in which a character shows lots of emotions
• devise a poem, song or rap about emotions
• create a comic strip to illustrate different emotions

Of course, there are many other ways in which children could respond. Children should be ready to celebrate their learning as part of their homework review by Thursday 10 December 2020. 

Times tables/Number facts:

 Complete the attached timetables challenge. (For an extra copy, head to here. Year 3 are completing the 3 times table. Year 4 are completing the 6 times table)

When it comes to times tables, speed and accuracy are important – the more your child practises, the more likely they are to remember the trickier tables facts. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help children master times tables. Children have already enjoyed practising at school. Now, let’s continue our rock star careers at home…

Children are also able to log onto NumBots (play.numbots.com) using the same login/password. This is a great game to practice their key number facts which is essential to their maths learning.

27 November 2020

This week, we have a whole school homework. It is due on Thursday 04 December. Send your completed homework to Stjamesy3y4@spherefederation.org

Practice Makes Perfect: I know the key vocabulary from our history topic.

This week, practise using our vocab from our Ancient Greeks topic. Make sure you understand all of the words and are able to use them in a sentence. There are some ideas below to help you do so.

Times tables/Number facts:

 Complete the timetables challenge.

When it comes to times tables, speed and accuracy are important – the more your child practises, the more likely they are to remember the trickier tables facts. Times Table Rock Stars is a fun and challenging programme designed to help children master times tables. Children have already enjoyed practising at school. Now, let’s continue our rock star careers at home…

Logging in to Times Tables Rock Stars:

• Type ttrockstars.com into your web browser.
• On the website, click the following: Login > School > Student
• Enter our school’s postcode and our school’s name will show up below. Click on it.
• Enter the username and password that has been provided (with their homework books).
• More information on Times Table Rock Stars can be found here.

Children are also able to log onto NumBots (play.numbots.com) using the same login/password. This is a great game to practice their key number facts which is essential to their maths learning.

20 November 2020

This week, the whole school has the same Creative homework which children should be ready to discuss as part of our homework review on Thursday 26 November.

I know how to STOP bullying.

This homework is a response to our learning this week during anti-bullying week. Throughout the week, each class has had the chance to talk about what bullying is, what the different types of bullying are and how can we STOP it:

• Start
• Telling
• Other
• People

As part of your discussion you may find our school definition of bullying useful, as agreed by our School Councillors:

Bullying is when you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, several times on purpose.

As the homework is creative, you can do anything you want to respond to the statement. Here are a few ideas to help you:

• Create a cartoon strip of a bullying scenario and how it is solved.
• Create an acrostic poem using the word bullying.
• Write your own ‘kindness statements’ for your class.
• Create a scenarios quiz for your class to decide what they would do.