Year 4 News

The Science of Sound - Orcas are Pitch Perfect!

Orcas class have been investigating the science of sound this half term including making their own panpipes to explore how the pitch of sound can be changed by blowing down different straw lengths.  

Clownfish Step Back in Time at Verulamium Museum

Our class had a fantastic time stepping back into history during our recent visit to the Verulamium Museum. The children fully embraced their roles as budding archaeologists, getting the unique opportunity to handle genuine artefacts from 2,000 years ago. It was wonderful to see them so engaged as they explored the museum, eagerly pointing out connections between the exhibits and the knowledge they had already gathered during our Roman topic.

We attended a fascinating presentation on Roman life, though there were certainly some horrified faces when the children learned that peacock brain was considered a delicious delicacy at the time! To round off the trip, we visited the hypocaust, which helped the class develop a real understanding of what Roman living conditions were actually like. Despite the excitement of the day, when asked when they would prefer to live, the decision was unanimous: the children are very happy to be alive now rather than then! Thank you Clownfish for a super trip!

Mosaics, pots, tools, coins and a very wet trip to the hypocaust

Dolphins had a very busy day this week.   Well done to everyone for getting in on time for an early start.  We packed in lots of good learning and it was fabulous to see the facts that we had learned on paper brought to life by real artefacts.  We were all wowed by holding items (in protective cases) that were actually held by Roman citizens 2000 years ago.  We also jumped up and down on the very spot where the Roman politicians would have run Verulamium from. Also, a massive thank you to our wonderful helpers. 

Verulamium trip for Sharks!

Sharks class had an absolutely amazing time on their trip to Verulamium. It was a fantastic day, and the pupils were brilliant historians!

We had such a great time exploring the stunning mosaics and investigating the incredible Roman central heating system, the hypocaust. Best of all, they got the incredible chance to touch real-life 2,000-year-old artefacts! It was a brilliant, hands-on learning experience that brought their history topic to life.

A brilliant trip to the Verulamium Museum for Orcas

Orcas had a brilliant time visiting the Verulamium Museum in St Albans. We visited a real Roman hypocaust which featured an enormous mosaic floor reminiscent of the mosaics we created in our Art lessons. We then became archeologists, investigating Roman artefacts to try to work out their uses - some of them were around 2000 years old! We ended the day with a tour of the gallery where we could play Roman games, see Roman tombs and lots more artefacts. We had a fantastic time and the children showed how much they had learned through their topic - well done Orcas!

Orcas are roaring Romans!

Orcas Class loved their Roman Day! The costumes were superb and the children had a magnificent time immersing themselves in Roman life. They enjoyed creating their own Roman shields, laurel wreaths and brooches. Following this, they put their shields to the test by reenacting a Roman battle and even created a testudo formation! Later, the children became Latin codebreakers, solving the secret messages using their knowledge of Roman numerals. Finally, we ended the day with a Roman feast where the children tasted typical Roman foods - we were very impressed with how adventurous they were! Well done Orcas - a brilliant day enjoyed by all.

Roman Day in Clownfish Class

Clownfish Class had an magnificent time celebrating Roman Day! The effort put into the day started before the children even arrived, with everyone turning up in superb Roman costumes.

The morning was spent diving straight into Roman life. The children showed great focus and creativity while making large red shields, perfect for defending themselves!

With shields in hand, they then moved on to the most exciting part of the day: re-enacting Roman battles and marches. A huge well done to the class for perfecting the famous tortoise formation (the testudo)—it looked incredibly strong and effective! As part of their training, the children also learned some exciting Latin instructions to give their movements an authentic Roman feel.

To finish off a super day of learning, the class enjoyed a traditional Roman feast. They sampled a variety of foods that would have been eaten in ancient times, including grapes, figs, cheese, olives, and pomegranates. As with any meal, some foods were more popular than others, but everyone was very brave in trying new things!

Well done, Clownfish Class, for a truly fun-filled Roman Day!

Sharks class roman day!!

Sharks Class had an incredible time transforming into Roman soldiers and citizens for our fantastic Roman Day. The classroom was alive with activity as we dove into a range of exciting, hands-on learning experiences!

Our legionaries were busy crafting impressive shields—ready for battle—and sharpening their minds with challenging Latin code-breaking activities. We even drilled like a real cohort, perfecting our marching formations and commands.

The day finished with a magnificent Roman feast, where we dared to try historical delicacies! The banquet included delicious staples like cheese, olives, figs, grapes, and pomegranate seeds.

It was a wonderful and memorable day that brought the ancient world vividly to life!

Hooray for Dolphins!

What a busy half term it has been for the Dolphins.  In science we have investigated states of matter, we are now experts on all things Roman and our mosaic art has been monumental!  We even had a pink fluffy visitor mid-half term. We hope you enjoy the pictures of our start to the year in photo form...

Orca Art in Progress

Orca class are quickly becoming masters at mosaic making.  They are busy cutting and shaping hundreds of coloured tesserae after creating super designs and choosing appropriate colour palettes.  Their work is inspired by ancient Roman mosaics and the work of local artist Dionne Ible.

Creative Clownfish

Clownfish Class has been really creative and engaged while learning about Roman mosaics!  They've also been captivated by the work of artist Dionne Ible, from Luton, studying her stunning pieces and drawing inspiration for their own projects. The children have shown a keen interest in exploring different colour palettes, thoughtfully choosing which hues will best bring their final masterpieces to life. Their enthusiasm and artistic flair are really starting to shine through in every piece they create! Keep working hard Clownfish!

Pizza Pleasure

Year 4 have had an fantastic time designing, making and eating pizza in design technology.  This has linked closely with our theme about why Italy shakes and roars. I think you will agree they look very tasty!

Watercolour Butterfly Art

Year 4 have been working hard to develop their watercolour painting skills to produce some fantastic butterflies.  The children were inspired by conservation artists such as  Andy Warhol and Louis Masai.

Verulamium Roman Visit 

The children had a fantastic day at the Verulamium Roman museum in St Albans.  Exploring the remains of the amphitheatre, studying beautiful floor mosaics and handling 2000 year old artefacts, were just some of the amazing experiences enjoyed.  The children even got to stand at the very spot where Boudicca and her army fought back against the Romans!

Fantastic Mosaic Artwork in Progress

As part of the Romans theme this half term, Year 4 have been creating their own mosaic artwork.  The children studied classical Roman mosaics and the work of local mosaic artist Dionne Ible for ideas and inspiration.  

A Great Start for Year 4

The children have settled well into their new classes and have had a great first week. Here is just a taste of some of their work. Practical experiments in science, creating fantastic animal collages in art and solving problems in their outdoor adventurous activities in PE.