Battleships, Buzzing Circuits and the Shang Dynasty in Year 4!

Miss Steven • May 22, 2026

Battleships, Buzzing Circuits and the Shang Dynasty in Year 4!

Miss Steven • May 22, 2026

A busy half term of coordinates, circuits, creative writing, ancient history and athletics for Ellen MacArthur Class.

TL;DR:

  • Wrote informative animal texts using effective headings and introductions.
  • Mastered coordinates and new vocabulary through games of Battleships.
  • Investigated electrical conductors and insulators in Science.
  • Practised running, jumping and throwing in preparation for Sports Day.
  • Explored the dramatic end of the Shang Dynasty and debated loyalty to its king.

This half term, Year 4 in Ellen MacArthur Class have been incredibly busy with lots of exciting learning across the curriculum. We have worked hard, challenged ourselves and, most importantly, had lots of fun along the way!


In English, we have been writing information texts all about animals. We focused on how to organise our writing clearly by choosing effective headings and subheadings. We also practised beginning our work with an engaging introduction and ending with a strong summary to bring all our information together. Everyone worked hard to make their writing interesting and informative, and we were very proud of the finished pieces.


In Maths, we have been learning about coordinates and exploring lots of new mathematical vocabulary. We can now confidently use words such as translation, x-axis, y-axis, origin, horizontal and vertical. Many of us are also becoming much more confident with our lefts and rights! To help secure our understanding, we played a game of Battleships using coordinates. This was a fantastic way to practise our skills while having great fun with our classmates.


Science lessons have been full of investigation and discovery as we explored electrical circuits and learnt about conductors and insulators. We carried out an experiment around the classroom to identify which materials might conduct electricity and which would not. After making our predictions, we tested the different objects to see if we were correct. It was exciting to see which materials allowed electricity to pass through them and which acted as insulators.


In PE, we have been preparing for Sports Day by practising a variety of athletics skills, including running, jumping and throwing. We discussed the difference between sprinting and jogging and learnt how our pace needs to match the distance we are travelling. Everyone showed determination and teamwork while improving their athletic skills.


In History, we have continued learning about the Shang Dynasty and recently discovered how it came to an end. We discussed whether we would remain loyal to the cruel king or choose to fight against him in battle. This led to some very thoughtful discussions and helped us understand what life may have been like during that time.


We have had such a wonderful half term in Year 4 and cannot wait to continue our learning adventures after half term! 


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