Welcome to Year Three
Hello and welcome to Year 3!
Miss Spann and Mrs Collins are looking forward to welcoming you back and showing you around the new classroom where lots of new learning and times of enjoyment are about to happen! Before you find out about what we are going to do this half-term, let me tell you about some key pieces of information:
· Our PE days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Children should come to school on these days wearing their PE kit (red fleece, red t-shirt, black shorts/trousers and black trainers – no jewellery please!
· Music lessons will take place on Thursdays. Children should bring their recorders to school with them on these days.
· Mrs Collins will teach the class on Tuesday for Miss Spann’s planning and professional development time.
Homework
As well as homework set via MyMaths, TT Rockstars and Spelling Shed, there will also be a range of assignments set for each child to complete. Children should aim to complete at least 4 of the assignments before we break up at half term. Photos or videos of children completing a task should be uploaded to Teams.
Summer 1
Wishing you all a very pleasant Easter break and sending gratitude for all of your hard work this term. I hope you are looking forward to next term when (hopefully) the weather will be more favourable and we can enjoy play times in the sunshine. Summer term is set to be an exciting one as well as lots of fascinating new topics we will be joined once again by dance teachers from the Royal Opera House to support us in exploring creative movement with their “Chance to Dance” programme.
In English this term we will be reading the novel “The Firework Maker’s Daughter” by Philip Pullman and using it as inspiration to write instructions for fireworks of our own design. Year 3 are also lucky enough to have some extended time with Paul from CHOL theatre company to continue to whet our creative appetites. We are still working on our spelling, handwriting and grammar alongside this. Our weekly spelling test is on a Friday and spellings are set for the following week and handed out on paper early in the week. Regular practise at home really supports the children to make the progress they need.
In Maths, we will be learning about fractions, comparing fractions and even solving problems with fractions. We will also be looking at measuring length and looking at using a ruler accurately. MyMaths homework is set on a weekly basis and will link to the topics that the children have covered in class. TTRockStars homework is set daily to develop their times table fluency.
In Science our topic of focus will be plant biology. We will be identifying parts of plants in more detail and considering photosynthesis (how plants convert sunlight into food) and pollination (how plants reproduce). As a plant enthusiast, I am very excited to be sharing this topic with you. This will link to our Art topic which is about observing and exploring patterns in nature, taking inspiration from William Morris.
You may be even more pleased to find out that in Geography we will be studying volcanoes and earthquakes, including how they are formed and how they occur as well as the impact they have on the people and environment in their close vicinity.
In RE this term will consider the question “What is spirituality and how do people experience it?”. In PSHE we will be thinking about healthy choices and habits, thinking about both our physical bodies and our mental health.
In Music we will continue to practise recorders on a Thursday so please ensure that children bring them in on these days and we will be learning a song called “Bringing Us Together”. In DT we will be using our sewing skills to make a stuffed monster with the help of Mrs Collins and her creative skills!
In computing we will be explore using programming tools to make our own video trailers. In PE, as well as our work with Chance to Dance to support us in choreographing our very own dance, we will also be learning some Morris dancing steps to help us get ready for our May Day performance in 2024. PE days will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday and children should come wearing their PE kit with earrings taken out. We will continue to explore the Latin language, moving on to the topic “Work, Work, Work!”
As always, I am available to speak to at the door for minor queries, but should a longer appointment be required, please can these be made via the school office.
Spring 2
The second half of the spring term is set to be filled with excitement and bundles of creativity as we have our trip to the Alhambra theatre to watch the ballet on the 19th February and our trip to Herd Farm on 1st March in one short half term. We can also look forward to celebrating World Book Day on the 7th March.
In English this half term we are pleased to let you know that we will be continuing to work with CHOL to infuse children’s writing experiences with drama and creativity. The children have responded really well so far to the CHOL activities and it is having a notable impact not only on their writing but on their self-esteem and relationships in the class. We will be working on a narrative related to our animal topic in Science. We are still working on our spelling, handwriting and grammar alongside this. Our weekly spelling test is on a Friday and spellings are set for the following week and handed out on paper early in the week. Regular practise at home really supports the children to make the progress they need.
In Maths, we will be looking at statistics and practising interpreting data from graphs and charts. We will also be looking at measuring length and looking at using a ruler accurately. MyMaths homework is set on a weekly basis and will link to the topics that the children have covered in class. TTRockStars homework is set daily to develop their times table fluency.
In Science we will be moving through to a Biology topic and we will consider the diets of different animals and considering the importance of the skeleton. In RE we will be learning about and reflecting on creation stories from different religions. We will be using our art skills to interpret these themes. In PSHE we will be discussing different career paths and thinking about what we would like to do when we grow up.
In Music we will continue to practise recorders on a Thursday so please ensure that children bring them in on these days and we will be learning a song called The Dragon Song. In DT we will be considering the science of pneumatics to make our own pneumatic toy using syringes and balloons.
We can look forward to exploring what is inside a computer in Computing and we will even construct our own paper laptops. In PE we will develop some of our basketball skills and we will start to practise our May Day dance. PE days will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday - children should come wearing their PE kit with earrings taken out. We will continue to develop our understanding of the Latin language and the topic “Food Glorious Food”.
As always, I am available to speak to at the door for minor queries, but should a longer appointment be required, please can these be made via the school office.
Spring 1
Well done for all of your hard work over the past term.
In English this half term we will be working with CHOL theatre group to take us back in time and write a stone age themed story. Our book for this term will be The Last Bear- a stunning book which explores the relationship between a little girl and a polar bear. Our weekly spelling test will continue to be on a Friday and spellings are set on Spelling Shed for the following week and handed out on paper early in the week. Regular practise at home really supports the children to make the progress they need.
In Maths, we will be continuing to focus on multiplication and division and then we will move onto the theme of money. MyMaths homework is set on a weekly basis and will link to the topics that the children have covered in class. TTRockStars homework is set daily to develop their times table fluency.
In Science we will be focusing on the theme of rocks and fossils, considering different types of rocks and how they are formed. In History we will be learning about changes in Britain from the stone age to the iron age. We will learn about the lifestyles of people living thousands of years ago and the changes that occurred over these years. In PSHE we will be thinking about the value of rules, laws and rights.
In Art we will be creating a 3D polar bear sculpture as well as some stone age cave paintings. In Music we will continue to learn the recorder and we will be learning the song Three Little Birds to perform and sing in front of the school later in the year.
In Computing we will be developing our emailing skills. PE days are Monday and Wednesday and children should come wearing their PE kit with earrings taken out. We will be developing our gymnastics skills this term. We will continue to develop our understanding of the Latin language, moving towards discussing food vocabulary.
As always, I am available to speak to at the door for minor queries, but should a longer appointment be required, please can these be made via the school office.
Autumn 2
Welcome back to another half term filled with learning, creativity and fun as we approach the festive season.
In English this half term we will be researching and writing a non-chronological report on an area of the UK; linking to our Geography topic. We will be exploring different types of poetry and having a go at writing our own. As we progress towards Christmas, we will be further developing our vocabulary and describing a wintry scene. We are still working on our spelling, handwriting and grammar alongside this. Our weekly spelling test is on a Friday and spellings are set for the following week and handed out on paper early in the week. Regular practise at home really supports the children to make the progress they need.
In Maths, we will be continuing to focus on our addition and subtraction skills, really honing in on column addition with three-digit numbers before we progress to multiplication and division. MyMaths homework is set on a weekly basis and will link to the topics that the children have covered in class. We have started working on our 4 times tables and we will be moving on to our 8s. TTRockStars homework is set daily to develop their times table fluency.
We will begin our first Science topic this term and we will consider the nature of forces, with a focus on magnetic forces and friction. We will be getting our hands busy with magnets, considering which materials are attracted to magnets, how magnets can attract and repel, as well as the magnetic poles.
In Geography we will be looking at the physical and human features of different cities across the UK. We will develop our map-reading skills and learn how to locate cities across the UK as well as identify local landmarks.
In RE we will be considering the question of what Christians believe about a good life. We will look at some biblical stories and what these teach Christians about how they can live their life. In PSHE we will continue to explore the theme of relationships, considering what it means to be respectful and how we can have safe boundaries.
In Music we will continue to learn the recorder, moving on to learning simple songs with the notes B, A, G now that we are more confident with handling and using the recorder. We will continue to practise recorders on a Thursday so please ensure that children bring them in on these days. We will also be practising for our Christmas concert and continuing to develop our knowledge of musical notation as we make our own compositions. Our creative juices will be flowing in DT where we will be developing our cooking skills, exploring different ingredients, as well as designing and evaluating our own toasted sandwich and salad. We will apply our DT skills when we make our Christmas decorations for the school tree and cards to send home.
We can look forward to developing our computing skills using Scratch to support us with programming and in PE we will be focusing on dance. PE days are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and children should come wearing their PE kit with earrings taken out. We will continue to develop our understanding of the Latin language, moving towards counting in Latin and continuing to develop our basic conversation and translation skills.
As always, I am available to speak to at the door for minor queries, but should a longer appointment be required, please can these be made via the school office.
Autumn 1
In Maths this half-term, children will learn and build upon key skills relating to place value, addition and subtraction. Children will learn about hundreds, tens and ones before learning how to add and subtract using the column methods. Maths homework will be set via MyMaths (login details can be found in a separate email). Work linked to what children have been learning in class will be covered and children should aim for 100% in the activities set – an activity with a score of less than 75% should be attempted again. 5 minutes of games on TT Rockstars should also be completed each night. Years 3 and 4 are important years for learning times tables and regularly practice using TT Rockstars will set children up well for tackling challenging parts of the curriculum including multiplication, division and fractions – not forgetting the end of Year 4 Times Tables Check. Homework will be modelled to the children in class.
In history, children shall learn about life in our country during the reign of Queen Victoria. Children will learn about key dates related to her life as well as changes which occurred during her reign – most notably focusing on the lives of children in the newly built coal mines and woolen mills.
In English this half-term, our first piece of work will centre around George’s Marvellous Medicine and creating a character description about Grandma. Later on in the half-term, children will write a diary from the perspective of a Victorian child-worker. Learning spellings is really important and activities will be set via Spelling Shed. Spellings will also be sent home on paper to practise too. Children should also read at home (10 minutes each night would be great!) and also enjoy being read to as well!
In RE, children will learn about the key attributes of leaders and focus on some key leaders from different faiths such as Jesus, Moses and Guru Nanak. In PSHE, children will learn about families and relationships and how families are different. In Music, children will begin to learn the recorder as well as learning to sing a range of songs. In Computing, children will learn about networks.
In art we will be developing our skills with using a sketchbook and we will use the drawings of Quentin Blake (the Roald Dahl illustrator) to produce our own drawings! We are also hoping to squeeze in a bit of DT, developing our textile skills in time to make Christmas decorations next term.
In Year 3 we will be starting to learn Latin, we will learn a little about the history and culture of when Latin was used. Latin not only helps us to develop the foundations of many other languages but also helps us understand the origins of our own language and even help us make progress with spelling. Miss Spann loves teaching languages and is looking forward to sharing this with you.
Miss Spann and Mrs Collins are available to speak to at the door for minor queries but should a longer appointment be required, please can these be made via the school office.
Thank you for reading – here’s to a great year!