Year 4 Book recommendations

Over the past few weeks, Year 4 have been writing reviews of their favourite books to share with each other. Below, are images of Rousseau's favourite books and our reasons behind our choices!

Rousseau Home Learning

Rousseau class have been very busy completing lots of the optional activities set for their home learning as well as their reading, writing and maths work. I have been so impressed with all they have done!

Rousseau - Videos from Miss Woodcock to support division

Below are 2 videos from Miss Woodcock which should support your maths home learning this week. 

I have videoed myself answering division questions using the 'bus stop' method. I have worked through a few questions from the worksheet you will find attached to the notifying email. Please find this worksheet and finish of the questions - the answers are attached too. 

Division without remainders: 

Division with remainders: 

Flame - By Chloe (Rousseau)

Flame

Introduction:
Experts estimate that we share the earth with close to 8.7 million species of animals. It may then be surprising that they are new animals still being discovered each and every day. Thanks to mankind’s ever-improving technology, scientists and researches can now travel to our planets most mysterious and previously unseen lands. It is from these lands, that an incredible creature has just been found. The Flame.

Appearance:
Did you know that there is a swamp monster called Flame? Scientist call him Flame because he gets angry very easily if he doesn’t get marshmallows. If you come across his scaly skin that is slimy, red with blue and purple spot, it is wet because he comes from the swamp. He has a thin layer of fire proof skin underneath his scales. If you look at his eyes, they are yellow so it is easier for him to see in the dark. Resting on his head, small dark blue scaly dragon ears hear noises from afar. Interestingly, he has a green nose that is best to sniff out marshmallows. Don’t be fooled if he looks cute and cuddly, he is a very vicious creature, with very deadly sharp claws. He has pointy razor like teeth with a big slobbery, wet red long thin tongue, and he eats marshmallow’s like a frog. At the end of his tail is the biggest and brightest flame, that can toast marshmallow’s instantly. When he is out of the water, he bounces around like a dog in excitement of seeing marshmallow’s or angry at not getting them quick enough. However, in water he creeps stealthily. He is a heavy creature weighing 500 kg’s and he is 8 feet tall.

Habitat and diet:
You will usually find this creature in America but reports have shown that it has also been spotted in New Zealand and it is believed that it might be changing its form and habitats to adapt better to the new environment. He lives in dark swampy areas as he needs water and land to live on a bit like amphibians. His house is made out of logs that are covered with moss and mud. Like humans, Flame eats marshmallows to get energy and warm up. During summer months he stores up lots of marshmallows in his tail, a bit like a camel does as he hibernates during winter seasons and will use this energy to survive the cold. With his dragon ears he senses and tracks noises from the happy campers. Then he uses his bulging yellow eyes to hunt down the tasty soft marshmallows which he can toast in the camper’s fire if his tail flame has died out.


Behaviour:
When he gets marshmallows, he bounces around and wags his tail with great force and excitement letting people know that he is happy. He breathes fire from his mouth and shoots bombs from his tail when he is angry or upset. He uses his sharp claws for protection against predators and scary campers when he feels threatened. When he sees marshmallows, he uses his long sticky frog tongue to snatch them from the campers in the campsites. Oddly, the flames on his tail can get as hot as 1000 degrees.
Please be careful if you ever go camping in the woods or near the swamps as he can jump out and take all the marshmallows sadly leaving you with nothing.

Thank you
Chloe

The Slimilator - By James (Rousseau)

The Slimilator

Introduction
Experts estimate that we share the earth with close to 8.7 million species of animals. It may then be surprising that there are new animals still being discovered each and every day. Thanks to mankind’s ever-improving technology, scientists and researchers can now travel to our planet’s most mysterious and previously unseen lands. It is from these lands, that an incredible creature has just been found: The slimilator.

Appearance
Towering high above us, the slimilator is taller than any average ceiling. Impressively, it slithers along slowly because instead of feet it has a colossal tail-like blob as green and as slimy as lime jelly. Behind the neck, is a fin-like rudder. It runs through the slime to the ground to steer the giant creature. Protruding from the monster’s chin is a hideous finger that controls the rudder. Additionally, the finger is used for hearing. Using two supports to stop it from crashing into the blob, is the super-heavy, extraterrestrial head. Covering the head is peach skin like a human’s. Fascinatingly, the alien head is almost as long as the tail. Horrifyingly, the slimilator is always facing the way it has just been to see its prey die. On the front of its head, is a curved knob as soft as its tail, which is used to smell like a nose. Either side of the head supports are two deep dips like upturned valleys needed for hunting. On each side of the head, is one line of air-filled bumps. When the similator wants to, it can puff up the bumps to make it look bigger and scarier. As there aren’t any hairdressers for animals and slimilators don’t grow much hair, they can have up to twenty strands of brown hair coming out of the long head. Oddly, slimilators have piercing black eyes as dark as midnight. Strangely, these frightening creatures are always in a terrible teenage sulk!

How it hunts
Although the slimilator is slow, it can catch prey by flicking toxic bits of slime at its prey which turns them into toxic bits of slime. Its prey is primarily donriphants because the flower on its tail is particularly scrumptious. Another method to hunt is using the upturned valleys mentioned earlier. It makes the wind go faster to knock its prey down, then rolls over the donriphant with its tail which is its way of eating it. Shockingly, the toxic slime can break the donriphant up into small pieces. Surprisingly, the stands that hold the head up lower the head into the slime to eat the brown pieces of donriphant.


By James

Rousseau become news reporters!

This week, Rousseau have been writing news reports about the mysterious Dream Giver. They wrote their news articles, trying to describe the strange creature and explain what he was doing in the orphanage!

The children then recorded themselves presenting their news paper articles as real reporters using their amazing oracy skills. Some children even dressed up as news reporters and created backgrounds to read against!

Rousseau home learning

As well as their amazing writing and maths, Rousseau class have been very busy studying the Vikings, the digestive system and doing some French this week as optional activities.

Update from Miss Woodcock and Miss Moore for Rousseau class

Miss Moore and I thought it might be nice to share with you what we have been getting up to since 'lock-down' so that you know we are still here and safe, waiting until we can come back to school with you all!

Hi Rousseau class,

I have been LOVING the sun whilst being at home and must admit I've spent lots of time reading my book and playing card games in the garden whilst sunbathing. I think I might have even caught a bit of a tan! As you may know, I have a brilliant sunbathing partner - my dog Reggie!

When it's been too cold to go outside I challenged myself to learn to play the piano... I've managed to learn 'My heart will go on' from Titanic! I will try and learn a few more and show you on our return to school...
And finally, I've been baking (and eating!) lots of tasty treats including this cinnamon swirl.

Miss you all and I will see you soon! Keep up the hard work at home :)
Love from Miss Woodcock

Hello Rousseau. 

I hope you all had a great Easter holiday and ate lots of chocolate.  I’ve enjoyed reading what you’ve been up to at home and seeing your photos on the school blog pages. I love the Viking longboats!

I’m working hard at home too, helping my son with Year 7! Some of it’s a bit tricky! When we’re not doing school work we’re playing swing ball and badminton in the garden or playing board games like Cluedo and Qwerkle. We’ve also done lots of gardening and have planted carrots, tomatoes, courgettes and giant sunflowers! Fingers crossed some of the seeds grow.  We’ve been baking as well and made yummy banana bread and a chocolate fridge cake covered in mini cream eggs! 

Miss you all. Keep working hard. 

From Miss Moore 

More Viking runes secret messages!

I am attaching more secret Viking runes messages for you to decode!

From Freya 

From Manka (including the longest word ever!)

From Emma 

From Inge 

From Leo

From Tiaan

Make your own sweets!

George and Lola found an interesting experiment where the end result is sweet! Follow the link to the instructions below to make your own rock candy. Make sure you have adult supervision as you need to use the hob. 

All you need is: water, sugar and food colouring! 

https://www.thespruceeats.com/rock-candy-521016

Thank you George and Lola for sending in your images! 

UPDATED WITH MORE MESSAGES: Can you decode the Viking runes?

Hi all,
Rousseau class have been writing in Viking runes as part of their home learning. Below are some messages that you can try to decode (I will add more as I receive)! Anyone can have a go to decode them, you can email Rousseau@windhill.herts.sch.uk if you would like to guess!

From Meena 

From Tamsin

From Sanober

From Chloe 

From Lily 

From David-Elliot 

Viking studies!

Rousseau class have been throwing themselves into learning about the Vikings whilst at home. It has been so interesting for me to learn from you!

I have seen lots of Viking long boats...

There have been a few Viking shields....

We've even already had a secret message in Viking runes...