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Week 1 - 20.4.20


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Hello everyone,

Welcome to week 1 of the summer term.  To begin our teaching and learning in English, we are working from a book on If you haven’t logged on previously, follow the steps below and you will see that I’ve assigned you all a new book called Explore Greek Myths.  The reading sessions link to the writing sessions.  Ideally, I would like you to aim to complete 1 reading, writing, maths and topic session (including science) per day.  If this is too much though, please don't worry.  Just do what you can and remember to take regular breaks. The forecast for this week shows sunshine every day so make sure you make time for some fun outside.

Mrs Terry is supporting year 4 this week, so you will all receive a call from me at some point over the next few days.  I look forward to finding out how you're getting on.


Have a great week everyone,


Mrs Johns


Instructions for finding the class text:


1.Go to

2. Log in with your class code  aht8271

3. Select your name and you’re in!

4. Look in your mailbox and you should find the book 'Explore Greek myths'.





This week you are learning to spell words that make a 'k' sound that use 'ch', which is appropriately Greek in origin!


ache anchor Christmas
echo choir school


Look at the spellings carefully and write out the words in your home learning books.  Notice the part that is tricky.  Practise learning them using some of the strategies we use at school such as, making a pyramid out of each word or using different coloured pencils to make rainbow words.  On another day, see how many other words you can find that use ch for the k sound.  Then write sentences that include the words.  Your challenge is to use as many in one sentence.

Here's mine:

During choir practice, Tom had a tummy ache and had to leave school early.

Can you do better?


Session 1

Read the pages 1-3 (bottom corners of pages, not the numbers on the slider) of Explore Greek Myths making sure you look at the meanings of the key vocabulary in blue.  Take a long look at the symbols of the gods, try to memorise them.  If you had to create a symbol for you, what would it be? What are your talents?  Discuss this with an adult.


Session 2

Read pages 4 to 7 of Explore Greek Myths, making sure you look at the glossary to find out the meanings of the words in blue. 


  1. What is an ode? (p.4)
  2. What did Pinder celebrate in his odes?
  3. Can you think of an example of a natural phenomenon?
  4. Why did the Greeks want to keep the gods happy?
  5. What is a votive?
  6. What sporting event did the Greeks invent that we still celebrate today? (p.5)
  7. Name the famous Greek writer of fables? (p.6)
  8. How long did it take Odysseus to get home?
  9. Who was the bravest of all the Titans? (p.7)
  10. Who did he destroy to become king?
  11. What was Zeus the ruler of?


Session 3

Read pages 12-15 of Explore Greek Myths up to the heading ‘Days, Nights and Weather’. 

Find out:

Which God helped to create the rivers and seas?

Who were the great leaders of the Titans and the Olympians?

Which two cities were the most important in ancient Greece?

At what age did Spartan boys begin their training for the army?

Why did Spartan girls need to be strong?  Do you think this was fair? Why?          

Session 4

Now that you’ve read a little on the background to the ancient Greeks, it’s time to read one of their famous myths:

Session 5





Session 1 L.O. I can use descriptive language

Design your own Greek god symbol.  Write a sentence that describes your talent,


e.g. Mrs Johns, Goddess of All Vegetables.  She has the power to grow the juiciest, tastiest and healthiest-looking vegetables that are full of powerful nutrients.  When children eat her vegetables, they grow tall and strong, become alert and quick-thinking and fit to tackle the challenges of the universe.


If you’d like to do more on this, go to page 9 and have a go at the Greek Gods Memory Game.  Use an old cereal packet if you haven’t any cardboard, add your own symbol and description to the game.  See who has the sharpest memory in your household!


Session 2 L.O. I can write an ode

As you’ve just read, the ancient Greeks celebrated their gods with odes.  Odes use similes, metaphors and exaggeration.  Remember, a simile uses words such as ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare two things e.g. Codey ran as fast as lightning! Daisy flew like the wind to rescue her brother from the giant.  A metaphor creates an image by comparing two things

e.g. The classroom was a zoo (meaning the children were behaving like wild animals). Wilf is a night owl (meaning he likes to stay up late).

An exaggeration is when you make a thing larger than it is, e.g. the children clapped so hard the house shook.  Write an ode to your lunch. Follow these steps:


  1. Pick one piece of food that you usually have for lunch.  Write one sentence that praises your food.  “Talk to” the food directly.
  2. Using your five senses, write down adjectives that describe the food.  Pick a few of these adjectives and write a sentence describing your food.  Include a simile.
  3. Write a sentence using a metaphor by comparing your food to something unusual.  Write a sentence using exaggeration about your food.
  4. Now read your ode out loud to the others at the table.


Look on page 11 for an example.

Session 3 L.O. I can correct spelling and punctuation mistakes


In your Home School book, copy out the following paragraphs, correcting my mistakes and using your neatest joined up handwriting. 


Can you find the 12 missing capital letters, 3 capital letters in the wrong places, 3 missing full stops, 1 missing possessive apostrophe, one missing apostrophe where there is a contraction, 1 closing bracket, 1 missing question mark and 5 spelling mistakes?


Zeus King of the Gods


zeus was the god of the sky and ruLed mount Olympus, the home of greek gods, where he rooled the world and imposed his will onto gods and mortals (thats you and me.  He controlled lightning (often using it as a weapon) and funder. 

as King of the Gods, he was the one who made and enforced their laws  He was famous for punishing the wicked and protecting the weak.  zeus had more power than any other god - he is well-known for his Ability to conjure up thunderbolts


hera, Queen of the gods

hera was zeus s wife and was the goddess of the family and marriage. They ruled as King and Queen of Mount olympus  Hera was famous for her bad temPer and would often go out of her way to cause pane and suffering for anyone who had upset her.

Wood you want to meet her

Session 4 L.O. I can use my senses to write an imaginative description


In Greek mythology, the Underworld was where souls went after death.  It was split into different regions, and where you went depended on the life you had lived.  One region called Tartarus was where people went if they had not lived a good life.   It was described as a fiery pit. Can you imagine what it would have been like to stand inside?

Activity : Imagine you visited Tartarus.  What did you see/ hear/ smell/ feel?  Were there any creatures other than people?  Did you feel anxious or calm?  Write a description in your home learning book using prepositions to describe WHERE things were (see the prepositions word mat).  Use your imagination!

e.g. As I stood at the entrance I could feel the heat looming towards me.  Above my head, dark clouds of thick, grey gas swirled around.


Session 5 L.O. I can use persuasive language

Writing activity for Athena and Poseidon:

Both Athena and Poseidon tried to win over the people of the coastal village with different gifts.  Poseidon gave a river of salt water and Athena gave an olive tree.

Activity: Imagine you are Athena and it is your turn to win over the popularity of the people in the town.  Write a speech to them explaining why your gift of an olive tree is better than Poseidon’s gift of a salt-water river.  Be persuasive, explain why an olive tree will be more use to them than a river of salt.  Use flattery (make the villagers think they are clever by choosing your gift over Poseidon’s).




We are building on last term's work on fractions by moving onto finding equivalent fractions this week.  Please click on the following link, select Summer week 1, and work your way through Lessons 1 - 5.  For each lesson, begin by watching the video and then go to the 'get the activity' section for that lesson.  If you don’t have access to a printer, please copy the questions into your book and fill in your answers. If you find lesson one a little tricky, go back to the previous week and work through lesson 5, it takes things a little slower.

After each lesson, ask an adult to check your work using the 'get the answers' section, or you can look at the answers yourself and self-mark your work. 



This term our topic is 'Excuse me are these your teeth?'.  We will be looking at teeth, digestion and food chains.

This week we are focusing on the shape of our teeth.  It would be useful if you could have a mirror handy to use to see your teeth.

First of all look through the following powerpoint.  Jot down your answers to the questions in your home learning book.

Then watch the video clips about teeth on the following two web pages...learning the names of the different types of teeth we have.

Teeth song :

How teeth help animals eat :  


Activity : 


1.  Using play dough or modelling clay (or anything else you can mould into shape), make a model of the bottom row of teeth in your jaw.  Use a mirror to help you see and your tongue to help you feel their shape.  Don't forget to count how many teeth you have and show the different shapes in your model.  Take a photo and stick it into your home learning book if you can or e-mail it to me via the office.


2.  Design a poster naming the different types of teeth we have in our jaw, and the roles each one plays.  Also explain why it is so important to take care of our teeth and how we can do so.



Read the ‘Facts about Greece’ reading comprehension and answer the questions (see file below the map).


Activity : Draw a chart like the one below in your book (use at least half a page).  List any differences you can think of between Greece and the UK… I have given you two examples to start you off.


The two websites below may help you find out more information.

Facts about the UK :

Facts about Greece :





Greece has a Mediterranean climate. 


The Greek currency is the Euro. 







The U.K. has a temperate climate. 


The UK currency is pounds and pence.


Challenge : Can you locate Greece and the UK on this blank map of Europe?  Whereabouts on Greece is its capital city Athens? What about London in the UK? How many other European countries can you name on the map without looking at an atlas?  Can you name their capital cities?




Ancient Greek culture was full of different types of art. Ancient Greeks decorated almost every part of their lives, from their buildings and city streets to the inside of their homes, many objects in Greek life were created with beauty in mind. Greek artists created masterpieces in painting, metal work, mosaic, sculpture, architecture, literature, and pottery.


We're going to begin by looking at a feature of Greek architecture that can be found in buildings in Britain today.  

The famous Parthenon temple in Athens

The Parthenon temple in Athens, featured columns around all four sides.

Greek Columns
The Greeks built most of their temples and government buildings in three types of styles :Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. Most all of the columns had grooves down the sides called fluting. This gave the columns a feeling of depth and balance.


  • Doric - Doric columns were the most simple and the thickest of the Greek styles. They had no decoration at the base and a simple capital at the top. Doric columns tapered so they were wider on the bottom than at the top.
  • Ionic - Ionic columns were thinner than the Doric and had a base at the bottom. The capital at the top was decorated with scrolls on each side.
  • Corinthian - The most decorative of the three orders was the Corinthian. The capital was decorated with scrolls and the leaves of the acanthus plant. The Corinthian order became popular in the later era of Greece and also was heavily copied by the Romans.


On a plain page in your home learning book, have a go at sketching an ionic column.  Watch this short video on youtube to show you how.


This week you will be watching a traditional French story - 'les quatre amis' (the four friends).

Here is a list of the main characters, you may remember some of the animals from our french last term:


Picture 1 le cheval
Picture 2 la souris
Picture 3 le mouton
Picture 4 le lapin
Picture 5 Une pomme rouge

Now click on the link below to watch the story.  You may not understand every word, but hopefully you will get the idea of the story and learn some new vocabulary along the way.




Many of you have been enjoying PE with Joe Wicks, keep it up, it's really good for you!


In addition to working out with Joe Wicks, go for regular walks, bike rides and runs.  Keep up with the daily mile.  Borrow a grown up's mobile phone and see how many laps of your garden you need to do to run a whole mile.  Before you start, estimate how many you will need to do.  There are just over 1609 metres in a mile!